Lucy blinked in the sunlight as she emerged from the large office building in Bristol. She couldn’t quite believe what had just happened. It felt like ages ago since she first met Ben Hartley from Watermark cards and he had shown interest in her doodles of sheep. Now here she was in Bristol, and life as she knew it had changed quite dramatically as a result of the meeting which had just taken place in the past couple of hours.
She couldn’t wait to get home and tell Jack the news; Suzy the Sheep would be appearing in her very own range of greetings cards. Ben wanted twenty designs, just to start with. Suzy was to feature in all, he said. They were looking at rolling out the range in a few key outlets to begin with, and then nationwide. After that, if the range sold well, they’d be looking at stationery – notelets, pens, rubbers…all featuring her designs! And Ben had even talked about cartoon rights. She couldn’t believe it. She knew it, she had known by the fact that Ben shared the same name as her late husband that it had been a sign. And what a sign! There’d be no more hand-to-mouth existence. Finding work in Wales had been tough. There had been moments when work had been good and she had been busy, but it had petered out and become erratic, and she regularly stared at her dwindling bank balance, as though doing so could will it into better health. She didn’t need to worry about that anymore, she thought, crossing a pedestrian crossing towards the car park. Ben had mentioned some very juicy payment figures and she had nodded, dumbfounded, in response.
Reaching the other side of the road, she caught sight of the window display in a large department store. She looked at her watch – Eileen had said she’d watch Jack until five. It was only two now. She had time for a spot of window shopping. And that beautiful red patent leather handbag in the window, which was utterly impractical, looked like it could be just the sort of celebration gift to herself that she might like.
She entered the department store through its rotating doors and came into the bright lights and soft piano music of the accessories, perfume and make-up department. She made her way past the shop assistants who were brandishing perfume bottles and attempting to spritz passers by, weaving her way between the counters and towards the handbags. She was so concentrated on her intended path that she didn’t see the person coming towards her in the opposite direction, and she collided straight into a blue and white striped shirt, and the hard chest that it housed.
Looking up, Lucy was startled to see the familiar pair of eyes that met her own.
‘Lucy! What are you doing here?’ asked Guy, clearly as surprised to see her as she was to see him.
Catching her breath, Lucy smiled up at him. Her news came spilling out. She tucked her hair behind her ears, her eyes shining with excitement. ‘I just can’t believe it, can you?’ she asked looking at him.
‘Oh Lucy, that’s such fantastic news!’ cried Guy and spontaneously scooped her up, twirling her around and planting her back on her feet before leaning down and kissing her passionately on the mouth. His thumb grazed her cheek and Lucy began to feel lightheaded. It was as though the world had stopped, and for a few moments she forgot that she was standing in the middle of a department store for all the world to see.
Guy pulled away first and looked down at her tentatively. His face was flushed, but there was something about the way he was looking at her that she couldn’t quite place. What was it? For a moment she thought it might have been depth of emotion, but no, it wasn’t that. Could it be regret? No sooner had she thought it, than they were interrupted.
‘Guy!’ came the voice from a nearby perfume counter. ‘Darling, come here, I want your opinion on this,’ she demanded, thrusting her wrist forward, offering up the scent that had just been spritzed there.
Lucy’s blood ran cold. This woman clearly knew Guy well. She was also very beautiful; with her curtain of blonde hair and pretty features with blue cat-like eyes. Guy flushed scarlet.
‘I can explain,’ he said awkwardly, placing a hand on Lucy’s shoulder as she made to move away from him. ‘Just give me a second, OK?’
But Lucy didn’t want to give him a second. She just wanted to leave. How stupid she had been. Of course, Guy had never mentioned he had a girlfriend, but why should he? That was his business, and they were just friends. Anxious now to get away from Guy and back to the sanctuary of her car, Lucy strode across the shop floor towards the exit, a sick feeling washing over her as she passed the woman, glimpsing the huge solitaire diamond engagement ring, glinting and twinkling on her finger.
