The following Tuesday, Claire, Peggy and Candy met early before the film club meeting. They ordered drinks and then took them to the upper room, where they could talk undisturbed for a while. Claire filled them in on all the details of her evening with Nick.
Peggy frowned when Claire told them about the whole ‘fake girlfriend’ business. ‘Hmm,’ she said. ‘I still think that all sounds a bit fishy.’
‘Aw, no,’ Candy replied. ‘I think it’s sweet. He can’t think straight when he’s around her.’
Claire looked from one to the other. ‘I know.’
‘Who are you agreeing with?’ Peggy asked. ‘Me, or her?’
‘Both of you.’
Candy and Peggy looked at her funny.
‘What I mean is that I feel a bit the same way. It was very sweet, but it also … I dunno … rang some of my alarm bells. That’s why I wanted to ask your advice about something.’
‘Fire away,’ Peggy said.
‘Of course,’ Candy replied.
Claire folded her hands on the table in front of her as the other two leaned in. ‘I want to know if you think I should invite him to the Doris Day Film Club. Next week. Or do you think that’ll scare him off?’
Peggy and Candy looked at each other and then back at Claire.
‘Erm … Is it really his kind of thing?’ Candy asked. ‘He sounds a bit more of an action man than a sit indoors and watch films kind of guy.’
Claire shifted in her seat. ‘I really don’t know, but I have to admit, I have an ulterior motive for asking.’
Peggy grinned. ‘Ooh, do tell!’
‘Well, everything inside me is telling me this is the real deal, that I should go for it …’
‘But?’ Candy said.
Claire looked at her. ‘But I keep thinking about how my “man radar” is broken, that I really can’t trust my own instincts. That’s why I need you – both of you and the rest of the Doris Day Film Club – to help me. I might not be able to tell fact from fiction where a good-looking man is concerned, but I trust you lot to do it for me.’
Candy sipped her wine. ‘In that case, I think you should definitely bring him.’
‘Me too,’ Peggy said, ‘and it has nothing at all to do with the fact I’m dying of curiosity to see who this god of a man is!’
‘So … It’s kind of like a test,’ Candy said slowly.
Claire nodded. ‘Exactly. If he passes, then I know I can take things to the next level without getting all paranoid and suspicious.’ Then she’d really be able to let her whole self go where her heart wanted to drag her.
It wasn’t long before the rest of the film club members started arriving and Claire got this week’s selection out: The Thrill of It All. She was definitely ready to see a light, frothy – in more ways than one – romantic comedy. The way she’d been feeling since Saturday night had almost erased the memory of that visit with her father. Almost.
Claire was pleased to that Abby had returned to the scene of Saturday night’s crime and had come along to watch the film. The pain of her mother’s outburst must still be pretty fresh because, as far as Claire could gather, Abby hadn’t been home since and was still staying with Kitty and Grace.
However, living with the two girls was obviously having a positive effect on her – at least in the fashion department. Today, she looked comfortable in skinny jeans and a T-shirt that didn’t totally swamp her athletic frame. Grace had been right. Abby really did have great legs, and was that a bit of mascara Claire could detect on her eyelashes?
They were just about to get going when there was a knock on the door. All of the film club members looked at each other. They were all here. Who on earth could that be?
Claire got up and opened the door. She found one of Abby’s ‘lads’ standing there, the tall one. She cleared her throat and stepped aside. ‘Abby? I think there’s someone here to see you.’
Abby looked up from where she was sitting and her mouth dropped open. ‘Ricky! What are you doing here?’
‘I came to see you.’
She shook her head in disbelief. ‘Here? Now?’
‘Well, you haven’t been answering your messages and when I called at yours, your mum slammed the door in my face. Apparently, I’m in trouble for something.’
Abby grunted. ‘That makes two of us!’
He grinned at her and she smiled grudgingly back at him. Claire could clearly see the strong friendship between them, along with a little flash of something more, but then Abby seemed to remember that she was upset with him and her smile faded. ‘It’s not the right time,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘I can’t deal with all of the stuff with my mum and you right now.’
Ricky, too, stopped smiling. ‘Please?’ he said.
Abby’s eyes were large, but her mouth was a thin line and she shook her head.
Ricky stepped forward. ‘I came to your mum’s party, you know, but by the time I’d got there, everyone said you’d left and I couldn’t find you. I looked for ages.’
Abby’s eyes grew even wider. ‘You did?’
‘Oh, go on,’ Maggs said, giving Abby a nudge. ‘Give the poor lad a chance!’
Kitty, Grace and even Peggy shuffled a little further forward on their chairs. Claire narrowed her eyes at them. ‘Why don’t you two do this in private,’ she suggested and quickly shooed them out the door.
‘Spoilsport,’ Peggy said.
Claire gave her a look that she’d inherited from her grandmother. ‘You should know better.’
‘It’s okay,’ Kitty squeaked excitedly. ‘He’s taken her outside and they’re standing right under the windows. Look!’
‘Kitty!’ Claire began to say, but she was drowned out by the stampede as the rest of the film club members – including Candy, even though she hung back a little – fought for position at one of the two sash windows. Claire sighed and shook her head. It seemed, when it all boiled down to it, they were all joined by their love of a good romance. She sidled a little closer. Just to make sure everyone was behaving themselves, of course.
‘He’s saying he’s sorry,’ Kitty yelled over her shoulder, ‘and that she looked very pretty in that dress the other week.’
There was a murmur of agreement from the film club, but they hushed again quickly so Kitty could give them the next instalment.
‘And he’s saying he’s sorry for being such an idiot … That he was scared when he thought their friendship might change …’
‘Aw,’ Candy said, turning to look at Claire. ‘That’s so sweet! I hope my boys are like that when they’re old enough to have girlfriends.’
‘Shhh!’ Maggs said, giving her friendly elbow.
Kitty held up a hand. ‘She’s speaking now … She’s saying that she just needed to show him she was a girl … Awww.’
‘What?’ said Grace sharply, who was squeezed in behind Kitty and couldn’t hear as well. ‘Don’t just go “awww”! Tell us what he blooming said!’
‘All right, Grace. Don’t get your frilly vintage knickers in a twist! He just said he always knew she was a girl – Ooh! Look! Now they’re kissing!’
Everyone pressed forward again and there was a round of applause. Claire was worried someone was going to tumble out of the window and onto the pavement below, and she was worried that someone was probably going to be Kitty, because everything upwards from her hips was leaning out the window and, with those boobs, she was a little top-heavy.
She moved a little closer and hooked a finger under Kitty’s wide red belt, just to make sure, and, as she did so, she took the opportunity to rise onto her tiptoes and take a peek herself.
Yep. Abby and Ricky were definitely kissing.