‘Lucy,’ said Nesta in a mega-loud voice. ‘I want to look at some aromatherapy oils.’

We were at Camden Market on Saturday afternoon doing some early Christmas shopping and Izzie had seen a boy that she really liked. He was manning a stall selling oils and Izzie was too shy to go and talk to him. Of course, Nesta was having none of that and dragged us back over to the stall. It wasn’t long before Izzie got chatting to him because she’s into all that New Age stuff and knows a lot about essential oils. Nesta and I decided to leave them to it.

We had a look at a few of the shops on the ground floor then Nesta went off to find a Ladies so I cruised around on my own. After a while I got the feeling that I was being watched. I turned around and saw someone dart behind a stall. Probably Nesta being stupid, I thought as I carried on my way. In the next aisle, I got the same feeling and turned again. Once again, someone darted away. I was sure it wasn’t Nesta this time. I got the impression that it was a boy because I saw jeans and Converse sneakers before he disappeared from view. I turned into the next aisle and hurried along. I glanced over my shoulder, ducked into a stall and hid behind a curtain in the changing room ready to ambush the boy.

‘You all right, love?’ asked the stall owner.

‘Er . . . yes,’ I whispered. As I spoke I spotted a pair of Converse sneakers appear under the curtain on the other side to where I was hiding. I sprang out to surprise my stalker.

Tony leaped back as I pounced on him. ‘Wargh!’

‘So it was you!’ I accused.

‘Me what?’

‘Following me.’

He grinned, nodded and then turned to the stall owner. ‘Sorry Has my patient been causing trouble?’

The stall lady looked puzzled. ‘No. Not at all.’

‘Come on, Lucinda,’ said Tony. ‘Time to take your medication.’

I laughed as he took my arm and hauled me along the aisle. He looked back at the stall. ‘She goes loopy if I don’t look after her.’

The stall lady rolled her eyes. ‘Yeah right,’ she said. ‘Think it might be you who needs the medication, dear.’

I laughed. ‘Hah!’ I said. ‘She had your number.’ Then I punched his arm gently. ‘So why were you following me?’

Tony put his hand on his heart. ‘For my heart is smitten by thy fair face and thou doth pull at my heartstrings like a magnet.’

You don’t half talk tosh,’ I said, but I was pleased to see him. It seemed like ages since we’d bumped into each other at Nesta’s. I’d seen him a couple of times since I had confessed to the girls that he was my MC. I still wasn’t sure what he thought of me though. One time, he was really cool so the next time when he was more flirty I out-cooled him. After that, every time I went over, he wasn’t there and Nesta had started hanging out at my house more and more. In the meantime, I had decided that being cool all the time didn’t get much of a result so the next time I saw him, I was going to be warmer.

‘So. Drink, madam?’ asked Tony.

‘Don’t mind if I do,’ I replied with what I hoped was a flirty smile. ‘In fact, I said I’d meet Nesta at the juice stall in about ten minutes.’

We went and sat at a table near the canal and Tony bought us two apple-and-carrot juices, which were yummy. It felt great to be sitting with him and I noticed a few girls go by and check him out and then look at me. I straightened my back and attempted to look like it was completely possible that I might be his girlfriend. Some chance, I thought, he is so gorgeous. He would never be with a girl like me for real.

‘So, Juicy Lucy,’ he said after he’d drained his glass. ‘Fancy going to a movie next week?’

‘Splurgh . . .’ I had just taken a big slurp of juice and was so surprised by his question that I choked on it and then had to cough like mad because it went down the wrong way.

Tony grinned. ‘I’ll take that as a yes then,’ he said.

Cheek. He’s so confident, I thought, but I couldn’t resist nodding that it was a yes. In fact, it was a double yes with knobs on.