Pictures of Lily

corner and I realise we’re on the ground floor.
    ‘I might go and say hi to Nicola and Mel,’ I tell him.
    ‘See you later,’ is what he replies with. And then we break away to go in opposite directions.
    ‘How’s it going?’ Mel squeaks, nodding after Jonathan’s departing back as he exits the building. Nicola, it seems, is already out to lunch.
    ‘Really well,’ I tell her honestly. ‘A bit nervewracking at first, but it’s kind of exciting.’
    ‘I knew you’d be fine,’ she says, smiling. ‘What’s Mr Laurence like?’
    I grin. ‘ Jonathan is being very welcoming.’
    Mel suddenly looks conspiratorial. ‘I shagged my horny banker again last night.’
    ‘Did you?’ I breathe a sigh of relief. No wonder she’s being so cool about things. ‘And?’
    ‘He was horny.’ She smirks.
    ‘You haven’t even told me his name.’
    ‘Terence.’
    ‘Terence?’
    ‘Yeah. Terence Horn.’
    ‘You have got to be kidding me.’
    ‘I’m not.’
    We both burst into hysterics. I back away from the desk, shaking my head with laughter as some visitors enter the building.
    ‘I’m off out for lunch,’ I manage to say through my giggles.
    She surreptitiously wipes away her tears and smiles politely at the approaching people. ‘Good afternoon. How can I help you?’
    God, she cracks me up.
    That night I can’t wait to get home and tell Richard all about my day, but he seems distracted.
    ‘Are you okay?’ I ask, as soon as I see his face. He’s sitting on the sofa with a beer, but the telly is off.
    ‘Had a bit of a rubbish one today.’ He sighs and rests his head back on the sofa. I sit down next to him.
    ‘What happened?’
    He looks at me and his features relax. ‘Some bits and pieces have gone missing from a building site and Nathan suspects one of our apprentices.’
    ‘That’s awful,’ I say. ‘What are you going to do?’
    ‘It’s hard to know unless we catch him in the act. But the trust has gone – even if he’s innocent. He’s a hard worker, it’s such a shame.’
    ‘Why does Nathan suspect him?’
    ‘It’s a feeling he’s got.’
    ‘That’s not very concrete.’
    ‘No. But he also thought his backpack looked a bit bulky yesterday when some tools went walkabout.’
    ‘I’m sorry. That sounds like a nightmare.’
    ‘It’s a bit of a shit. How are you?’ he asks.
    ‘I’m pretty good.’
    ‘Cool. Shall we get a pizza in?’
    ‘Sure.’ I pull out my mobile phone, knowing that this task will fall to me because it always does. ‘Ham and pineapple?’
    ‘That’s the one.’
    I dial the number and place the order, then turn back to Richard, asking, ‘What do you want to watch?’ He chucks me the remote control. This is not the time or the place. My day can wait.

Chapter 19
     
    Last night Richard got a text from Nathan asking us over for dinner tomorrow night. Apparently Lucy is desperate to show me her honeymoon pics. That’s all well and good, except that at lunchtime, Jonathan walks past and plonks an invitation to Pier Frank’s photography exhibition on my desk.
    ‘I can’t go,’ he says. ‘I’m having dinner with the missus.’
    ‘Happy anniversary,’ I chip in.
    ‘Thanks. RSVP on behalf of yourself and a friend, if you like. Just tell them I passed the invite on.’
    ‘Oh wow, that would be so cool!’
    ‘Don’t get too excited. These things are often as dull as ditch-water, but you can have a free glass of wine and check out the exhibition if you’re interested in photography.’
    ‘I am, I definitely am.’
    I’ve already asked Nicola – Mel is out with her horny banker so that was easy – and have emailed to RSVP when I suddenly remember Lucy and Nathan’s plans for dinner tonight.
    ‘Shit!’ I mutter under my breath, and nip out onto the landing to call Richard.
    ‘Honey,’ I start, when he answers his mobile.
    ‘What’s up?’ He can hear from the tone of my voice that something is.
    ‘I can’t go tonight.’
    ‘What? Why not?’
    ‘I’ve been invited to a photography exhibition.’
    ‘And? Do you have to go?’
    ‘I’ve already said I would.’
    ‘Lily . . .’ He sounds disappointed.
    ‘Sorry, but it’s really important to me.’ Silence. ‘Nathan and Lucy won’t mind, I can see them at the weekend.’
    ‘Well, they might find it a bit rude,’ he snaps. ‘You didn’t come to Sam and Molly’s on Sunday either.’
    ‘I see them all the time!’ I exclaim. Now he’s being unfair. I know they’d all