part0011

Natalie didn’t think she’d ever seen this many people stuffed into The Golden Fleece. They were still arriving, too. Landlady Eugenie had procured a Japanese-style white paper screen from somewhere, so now Natalie was perched on a bar stool on one side of it, and her three potential dates had just taken their seats on their bar stools on the other side.

She knew, because the place had only just stopped whistling. Like they’d never seen four women sat on stools before. Eugenie was dressed in her best little black dress, her grey hair piled on top of her head like a tiered cake.

Natalie was suddenly very aware she’d barely dressed up. Did jeans and an ironed shirt count? Plus, with her short legs dangling on the stool, she was sure she looked like a five-year-old. However, the one good point of it being the Blind Date format was that her potential matches couldn’t see that. The audience could, though. Everybody in the village was here it seemed, apart from Dad.

Her schoolmates Rich and George were pulling constant faces. Fi hadn’t stopped grinning, interspersed with the occasional wolf whistle. Yolanda and Max hadn’t stopped whooping. Ethan stood at the bar and looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. Natalie didn’t know why. He had a new wife; she was the sad one on the stage.

But Natalie couldn’t concentrate on any of them. She glanced at her question cards and cleared her throat. This was her chance to crack her fear of public speaking, wasn’t it? She’d vowed at the start of the year to do that. Although she hadn’t expected there to be this many of the public.

But still. It was now or never, as Eugenie introduced the contestants. Then she turned to Natalie. “Many people will know you in here already. Let’s give it up for our picker! She’s a local business owner and woman about Chewford!”

More whistles and whooping.

Eugenie peered around the screen and gave the contestants a thumbs-up. “You’re in for a treat, ladies!”

Natalie focused on Eugenie’s earrings, sparkling under the pub lights. Anything but the nerves that were slamming around her body, desperately looking for an exit.

“What are you looking for in a lady tonight?”

Natalie’s mind blanked. What was she looking for? Sexy smile. Gin fan. Loves Nigella. Doesn’t wear sunglasses indoors. That was too much for her first sentence in the spotlight.

“Just someone nice,” she muttered.

Eugenie gave her a wide grin. “Someone gorgeous, just like we all want!”

“Good tits!” Rich shouted.

Natalie closed her eyes. Really not helpful, Rich.

“That’s wonderful. Are you ready to ask your three questions?”

Natalie nodded, gritting her teeth. She was. Sort of. Not really.

She cleared her throat and went to speak.

No sound came out. Fear slithered down her body. If she was about to bomb in front of a crowd again, she might be sick. Her school play flashed before her eyes.

Eugenie was giving her an encouraging smile, and she tried again.

“I…” Natalie began. She dried up. Oh fuck.

Eugenie peered around the screen, giving the contestants a thumbs-up. “Ready for question one, ladies?” She turned back to Nat. “They’re ready.”

Deep breaths. Just relax. Like she and Fi had practised. “Question one,” Natalie said.

“Speak up!” shouted someone Natalie couldn’t see.

Focus. When she glanced back up, Eugenie nodded enthusiastically.

“What’s the…” Natalie took a steadying breath. “What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?” Bile travelled up her throat, but she’d done it. Got her sentence out. It was the second hardest thing she’d ever had to do.

Harry was the first to respond. She talked about letting someone go and it being a mistake. It was clearly about Josie, Eugenie’s daughter. They’d broken up recently, and Josie had fled back to the US. This was all sorts of awkward.

On her stool, Natalie wanted to curl up. Either that or hug Harry. At least the spotlight was off her. Things were looking up.

Eugenie wasn’t interested in Natalie anymore. Her eyes were on the other side of the screen.

The microphone was passed to the next woman, someone called Karen from Gatbury. Her voice was so high-pitched, Natalie knew instantly nothing could ever happen between them. Contestant three was someone called Daisy, from Marden. The hardest thing she’d ever had to do was cook Nigella’s Coca-Cola ham, which was meant to be easy. The Coke had boiled over and nearly sent her kitchen up in flames. “I turn the TV off every time Nigella comes on, now.”

This wasn’t going well. Natalie asked her second question. “What’s your favourite season?”

Harry went first again. “Spring. But I mainly love sharing it with someone you love. Not that I have that anymore.” She sounded so heartbroken, Natalie wanted to reach around the screen and hug her. She glanced at Eugenie, who looked floored. The rest of the answers were forgettable.

Natalie wanted to get off her stool and get a drink. She might have spoken in public, but she still wasn’t comfortable. Still, it was good enough for now. Plus, she certainly didn’t want a date with any of the women on stage.

When the time came, Natalie chose Harry, because she knew Harry wouldn’t want a date with her. That was rubber-stamped when Harry came around the screen, shook Natalie’s hand, then raced out of the pub, closely followed by Eugenie. Natalie half expected the rest of the pub to follow, but social decorum prevailed.

Nat slunk off her stool and sidled up to the bar, planting herself next to Ethan. Without asking, he signalled to Clive. Within seconds, a large Yolanda gin and tonic was placed in front of her. Clive waved away the money. Natalie took a large gulp, before looking up at her ex.

“Go on. Say it.”

He scrunched his forehead. His sandy hair was starting to recede at his temples. “Say what?”

“Ask me what the hell I’m doing resorting to that.”

Ethan’s cheeks coloured. “Nothing to do with me. I assumed Eugenie roped you in. Who were the other women?”

Natalie followed Ethan’s gaze to the end of the bar, where Karen and Daisy were currently chatting animatedly. “Dunno, but maybe it wasn’t a wasted journey for them, after all.” Her eyes scanned the bar. “As for me.”

But then she saw her, and Natalie stopped breathing. Ellie. Her new business neighbour. Sitting next to the woman with the red hair.

Oh god, Ellie had seen that . The whole thing. She knew Natalie was gay. Also, single, desperate, and quite a bit muttery. Was muttery a word? It was now. Ellie also knew that of the four contestants on stage, two were currently getting better acquainted, and Natalie’s date had run out of the pub.

Then their gazes locked and all the air was sucked out her, like she’d been winded. What the hell was that?

Ellie raised her glass in Natalie’s direction, and Natalie tried a smile. She knew it would come off as weak. It was the best she could do today. She’d often thought the years she’d spent as a teen working in this pub would be her most embarrassing in here. She’d been wrong.

She turned back to Ethan. She’d focus on him. Not the crushing despair pressing down on her. “I hear congratulations are in order.” She took in his stubbled chin, the hesitation in his stance. He was nervous to tell her, so she saved him the hassle.

A tight smile. “You heard? I wanted to tell you first, but Jen couldn’t wait.”

“Dad saw Jen. He told me. It’s great news, I’m pleased for you.”

He dug his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, clenching his jaw as he did. “Thanks.”

“Natalie! Get your arse over here!”

She looked up to where Fi was waving Rocky’s paw at her. “I think that’s my cue.” She squeezed Ethan’s arm. “Good to see you, Daddy.”

She strolled over to the table, taking the smiles and slaps on the back of the other punters with good grace. With luck, they’d all forget about it, soon. Maybe in a year. Two at most.

Fi pushed a spare chair out, and Natalie slid into it as quietly as she could.

“On a scale of one to ten, how terrible was that?”

Fi raised a single eyebrow. “I thought it was fine, until Harry decided to steal your show. But it looks like Daisy and Karen are happy, at least.”

Natalie rolled her eyes. “Looks like it.” She sighed. “It’s over. Now I can go back to my normal life of being the single dyke about town.”

Fi put a hand on her arm. “At least you put your flag in the sand, that’s the most important thing.”

“Like Neil Armstrong?”

“If Neil was a lesbian in the Cotswolds, yes.”

Natalie sat back. “Didn’t you have a date this week?”

“He blew me out.” Fi shrugged like it meant nothing. Natalie knew better. “So that makes two of us spinsters around town, doesn’t it?”

“Less of the spinsters.”

Long arms encircled the back of her neck, and lips pressed to her cheek. “My gorgeous niece, you were wonderful!” Yolanda squeezed Natalie’s shoulder tight. “Shame about Harry and Eugenie running off, though. But you were great, honestly. You just need to project your voice more, but we can work on that.”

Natalie laughed. “No, we can’t. I’m happy where I am, in my shop, doing my thing. Now I can get back to that.”

“We’ll see. Anyway, we’ve got to fly. See you soon.” Yolanda and Max kissed Natalie and Fi, then left.

A few moments later, Natalie and Fi were fussing over Rocky when someone clearing their throat made them look up.

It was Ellie, holding her credit card. Why did she seem taller every time Natalie encountered her?

“Great show,” Ellie said, with a straight face. “You did really well.” She smiled at Natalie. “I was just wondering if I could buy you a drink as an apology for all the trouble I’ve caused since getting here. It’s the least I could do.” She glanced at Fi. “You, too, of course.”

That made Fi stand up, holding out her hand. “Anyone offering to buy me a drink is always welcome.”

Something spiky crept up Natalie’s spine. She didn’t need Fi to wheel out her charm offensive. Not today.