Touched by Malcolm Havard Read Free Book Online Page B

it had come, and her eyes went back to his face again.
    ‘I’m sorry. I had to go…earlier?’ she said.
    He noticed that her tone had abruptly changed. The first thing she had said to him had sounded hurt, almost angry. Now what she said was a mixture of apology and puzzlement.
    Dan found his voice. ‘That’s OK. I just thought you’d changed your mind, that was all. It wasn’t a problem.’
    ‘No. I didn’t. I… er…’ her voice trailed off, and again Dan could see confusion in her eyes. ‘I don’t suppose I deserve it but is the offer of that drink still on?’ she said, looking hopeful yet doubtful at the same time. ‘Loneliness is a terrible thing, isn't it?’
    For a moment he wondered how she had got inside his head. How did she know? But then he realised that she was talking about herself.
    Again the warning lights were flashing in Dan's head. This wasn't right, it just didn't add up. How could such an attractive and intelligent young woman ever be lonely in this city? There had to be something wrong with her. He knew that he wasn't in the right state of mind himself to cope with someone with problems. He should say no.
    Yet he knew quite well that he couldn't.
    ‘Sure…I mean…yes. Please,’ he blurted out.
    Tess laughed. ‘You didn’t need the please bit!’
    Dan smiled and Tess smiled back. Dan was still holding the door open. He stepped to one side to let her past. Then a thought struck him.
    ‘Oh, do you need to get a jacket or something? It’s getting cooler out there.’
    ‘No, I don’t feel cold,’ she replied, ‘thanks for asking though.’
    She walked confidently through the open door and Dan followed her.
    ‘So, still fancy the Green Bar?’ he asked.
    ‘Can we just walk for a while? Do you mind? I’d just like someone to talk to.’
    ‘Yeah, of course, that’s fine.’
    ‘We can go for a drink if you want though?’
    ‘No, really it’s great. It’s a nice night and I like walking.’
    They walked side-by-side. Dan found they were retracing his route back to the Lowry.
    ‘You’re a photographer?’ she said, nodding at the camera bag he was carrying over his shoulder.
    ‘Not really. It’s just a hobby of mine. I don’t think I’m that good.’
    ‘What do you take?’
    ‘Landscapes mainly. Some architecture buildings and the like. Sort of goes with the job. Lots of sunsets. A few sunrises too but they’re harder.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘It’s harder to find a country pub to warm up in after a sunrise!’
    She laughed. Well that was a plus, Dan thought, she finds my weak attempts at humour funny. Either that or she’s just really polite. On reflection, he decided that it was probably the latter.
    ‘Does your life revolve around pubs and bars then?’ she said.
    ‘Well I am a surveyor, we’re renowned for it,’  he said, ‘not that I’m that social actually. Well I don’t think I am anyway.’
    ‘Why do you say that?’
    They had reached the waterside. The sun was just setting, the low angled light was like liquid gold, glinting off the plate glass of the high rises and highlighting the ripples on the water. Dan almost automatically reached for his camera, already framing the shots in his mind. He took half a dozen pictures, waiting impatiently for the Pentax to process the images - it was one of the downsides in shooting in RAW. It was a few moments before he remembered that Tess was there and that she was watching him with amused fascination.
    ‘Sorry,’ he said.
    ‘What for? You looked so serious then, so business-like.’
    ‘I love light. I spend hours hunting it.’ He closed his eyes. ‘Oh God, that sounded really pretentious didn’t it?’
    ‘Oh yeah, very!’ Tess said nodding, then laughed, ‘No, actually, it didn’t. I can tell you love it. And it is beautiful.’ She nodded at the scene set out in front of them.
    She sat down on the Quayside, her legs dangling over the water. ‘Do you mind if we stay here for a while? Is that OK? I just