He needed a plan.
And quickly.
Several days later, Tess closed her eyes and faced the warm slice of sunlight that cut across hers and Blake’s table in a local coffee house. She concentrated on the kaleidoscope of colours behind her eyelids, caused by the hot June sun flickering through a canopy of leaves on the high street. They’d timed it perfectly, pouncing on the still warm tan leather armchairs just as the previous occupants had vacated them. Blake had been talking into his mobile for the past five minutes, so with her elbows on the table, Tess rested her cheeks on her clenched fists that stretched her mouth into an imitation smile.
Turning away from the comforting beam of sunlight, she distractedly pulled apart the remnants of her mozzarella and tomato panini. The nutty smell of coffee and sweet aroma of melted cheese hung in the air amidst the general hubbub of conversation and clattering of crockery. She didn’t know why she’d agreed to meet Blake during her precious lunch hour, especially now that she’d admitted to herself and Holly that things had changed between the two of them. It wasn’t just that they were monotonously coasting through their relationship, it felt like their viewpoints and horizons had shifted over time, each diverging in different directions like tectonic plates.
Tess scrutinised her boyfriend over the rim of her coffee cup. Admittedly he was still attractive despite the extra weight his desk job and excessive drinking had added. She watched him lean backwards in his chair, one hand clutching his mobile to his ear and his other hand supporting the back of his neck. His generous stomach revealed a button ready to burst free from his shirt. Tess smiled to herself, amused that she had a lot in common with that button; they were both at a loose end and letting the pressure get to them.
Despite the fact that she was sitting with her boyfriend, Tess saw Blake’s eyes linger on the tight black skirt that looked vacuum-packed onto the pert buttocks of their waitress. The girl’s hips banged against an adjacent table as she moved backwards and forwards, cleaning the surface in circular movements. He seemed mesmerised and unblinking as he stammered into his phone.
‘Yes, yes I’m still here. I was distracted by—’
Tess noted that at least he had the manners to shift uncomfortably when they exchanged glances. She didn’t feel jealous. Perhaps, disappointed.
‘Great,’ said Blake into his mobile. ‘If you can navigate your way around that obstacle, I’ll shout you a bottle to celebrate. Affirmative.’
Affirmative? Tess nearly spluttered her coffee on the table. Wasn’t that what Mr Spock said instead of a simple, yes? She lowered her latte and tried to sound interested. ‘Big business deal?’
Blake laid his mobile on the table. ‘Halcott Manor’s coming on to the market at long last. It’s a huge pile in the Vale of Belvoir and I’ve been sweet-talking the owners for months. Have you any idea how much commission I’d make if I sold that place? I could say goodbye to my overdraft for starters and then I’d book a ticket to Amsterdam for Kent’s stag weekend in November. Now Henderson’s Agency has got wind of it. Parasites. I’d better ring Kent at the office to see if he can head them off somehow.’
Tess’s shoulders sank as Blake picked up his mobile again and called the office. She watched him lick a finger and stab at the remaining crumbs on his plate, before nibbling them off his crusted fingertip. He crunched them between his front teeth. She was sick of hearing about Kent’s stag weekend. It wasn’t that she minded him going away; it was more the fact that for the past two years he’d made excuses whenever she’d suggested that they should go on holiday. Nor did she think for one minute that Blake was looking forward to perusing the clog collections in the markets of Amsterdam or choosing the latest hue in tulip bulbs. She knew his idea of heaven would be smoking dodgy cigarettes and looking at even dodgier women sitting in red-fringed window parlours wearing next to nothing.
She sipped her coffee and watched Blake probe his teeth with his tongue. She noticed that the loose shirt button was now missing and a hairy white mound of flesh was protruding through the gap. She thought the escaping bulge of skin resembled a forgotten marshmallow that had become lost under a bed and was now covered in carpet fibres. She shuddered involuntarily.
Blake snapped his mobile shut. ‘He’s not picking up. You cold, Tezza? The air con is a bit much, isn’t it?’
‘I’m fine.’
‘You shivered.’
‘Did I?’
‘Want another coffee?’
Tess shook her head, wondering why a small golden crumb nestling in the corner of his mouth irritated her so much. Perhaps it was her fault, she thought. Maybe she was just too critical. Wasn’t he working hard at the estate agency? Didn’t he call her this morning and invite her to lunch? Nevertheless. She’d had enough for the moment.
‘No, thanks,’ she said. ‘I think I’ll make a move.’ Reaching under her chair, she grabbed her handbag. ‘I’m heading back to work.’
‘Already? What about lunch?’
‘Lunch? It’s been more like a telephone meeting. Why did you invite me here if you don’t have time to talk?’
‘I’m sorry.’ He held up his hands as if surrendering. ‘I know you’re fed up and things aren’t very exciting at the moment, but I promise things will get better soon. I wish you could be pleased that I’ve got this promotion. I’m trying to show you that I can work hard. For us.’
‘I know. And I am proud of you. You’ve done well.’
‘By chasing commissions, I’m laying the foundations for our future. Isn’t that what you want?’
Tess sighed and leaned back against her chair. ‘I don’t know.’
‘What do you mean, you don’t know?’
‘Nothing. I don’t know. I need to get back to work.’
‘Tezza wait.’ He reached across the table and looked into her eyes. ‘Tell me we’re going to be okay.’
She shrugged her shoulders and opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. Where could she start? Their relationship had faded in the same way a vibrant painting would lose its colour if left in sunlight. Gradually and unnoticed. Diminished through lack of care and attention. And now he was asking her to explain this in the short time they had left of her lunch hour.
‘Now’s not the time, Blake. I’ll be late.’
‘Well, don’t say that I didn’t ask. I’m not a mind reader, you know?’
‘I’m just saying that we don’t have time for a where’s our relationship going conversation.’
‘I’m not asking for a deep and meaningful speech. Just that we’re okay.’
‘Would you settle for, just okay?’
‘I can’t talk to you when you’re like this.’ He leaned back and folded his arms.
‘Like what?’
‘Like you’re determined to see the worst in everything I say.’
She sat forwards and whispered. ‘You may not have noticed, but the reason it’s gone quiet in here is because everyone’s listening to us. I’m not sharing my private life with strangers any longer.’
Blake made a point of looking around the room. Exasperated, Tess stood up and grabbed her cardigan from the back of her chair. ‘I’m going back to work. That way neither of us will say anything we might regret. Bye.’