11 Ladysmile Lane – Episode 61
11 Ladysmile Lane by Val Bonsall
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In her office she took great care folding the dress, finding the simple action calming. But when she entered Alex’s office, with the garment in a large plastic bag, she again felt unsteady.
This was no longer to do with what had just happened, she suspected. It was more what she thought might happen next.
Alex, who had seemed to be pacing about when she arrived, took the bag from her and put in on his desk.
“I’m surprised she trusts me to transport it home – she really is thrilled with it. But even your fantastic dress has competition this evening. This pizza she’s going for is with Ewan, I believe.” He smiled and his eyes did that twinkly thing that Georgia suddenly realised she hadn’t seen for a while.
“Yes, with Ewan. Would you be OK with them dating?” Georgia asked.
She was aware even as she spoke that she was really just playing for time while she tried to work out the different emotions swishing around inside her.
Of course Alex would be happy with Amy dating Ewan – they all thought highly of the boy.
“I certainly am,” he confirmed. “If you had seen the one she was keen on before –”
“Josh?”
“That’s him. All I’m going to say is, if you’d ever met him, you’d appreciate my enthusiasm for Ewan!”
Georgia laughed, but it sounded false to her. And the sparkle, she noticed, had left Alex’s eyes.
“Georgia,” he said, his voice serious. “Things have been difficult between us since I kissed you that time at Amy’s school.”
“It’s all right, Alex,” she responded quickly. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it. Everyone was kissing everyone else! We were all just so relieved that the bus hadn’t been in the pile-up and that the children were safe.”
“No,” he said. “You’re wrong. I did mean it. I’d wanted to do it for ages and I meant it very much. I was devastated when I saw you the next morning and you were going out of your way to make it clear you didn’t feel the same.
“Then I saw you with our friend from earlier. At first I felt jealous. But then I reconciled myself to having you simply as a neighbour and my landlady here at the offices.”
Georgia laughed shakily.
“I had lunch with Neil a few times, that was all, and I’d decided to stop doing even that. As for what I said to you the next day, that was just because I didn’t want you worrying that I thought the kiss had meant anything to you.”
“So it did mean something to you?” Alex pressed.
“I don’t know,” she whispered, her eyes prickling with tears.
“Well, shall we try again and see if we can find out?”
In seconds she was in his arms and his lips were on hers. That, of course, was what she’d been anticipating when she’d felt so shaky.
She had known it would happen again. She had wanted it to happen again. And, just like before, she wished it would go on and on . . .
But then she pulled away.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, and fled from the room.
