The next morning...
Lee surfaced from his bedroom at 10.30am, just as Lucy was putting her coat on.
"Morning. Are you off out?"
"Yep, I'm meeting Daisy in Covent Garden. She's missing Tim so I arranged a girly brunch followed by some retail therapy".
The retail therapy wasn't just for Daisy. Lucy needed it too, as she was still a bit upset after last night. The frustration, the wanting and the waiting was becoming too much. To be so close to Lee but not have him in the way she really wanted was getting harder and harder by the day. Something had to change soon.
"Oh right, don't forget I'm seeing Kate later. I suppose I'll see you this evening then".
"Okay, see you later".
As much as he liked to spend as much time with Lucy as possible, Lee felt relieved that he wouldn't find himself trapped in any dangerously meaningful conversations with her this morning. Though he knew he had to tell her how he felt about her at some point, that the scariest of conversations was now all but inevitable, he was quite happy to put that conversation off for at least a few hours longer.
...
In a Covent Garden cafe...
"This is the cafe I was talking about Daisy. My cousin recommended it to me".
"It's so pretty. So many flowers. How do they water the ones hanging from the ceiling though? That's what I don't get".
"I think they're fake, no water required".
"What are you going to eat Lucy? I think I might have Eggs Benedict and do the bottomless thing. Is it too early for Prosecco?"
"I might just have toast and mineral water. I don't fancy alcohol".
"What's up Lucy? You're quiet today, and you normally eat more than that. And no alcohol? Are you pregnant?"
"Of course I'm not pregnant. How could I be pregnant?"
"Erm, Lucy...when a man and a woman..."
"I know how to get pregnant. I'm not having sex Daisy".
"I thought maybe you and Lee had finally given in, or maybe you'd done the anonymous sperm donor thing after all".
"No, that's not...I'm not doing that now, I told you".
"So what is it then?"
"Did Tim ever tell you about his ex, Kate?"
"He has mentioned her, why?"
"After her and Tim split up she lived with Lee, and basically they ended up really close. I think Lee was in love with her, and she at the very least fancied him".
"Were they together? I feel like Tim would have mentioned that".
"Lee says they weren't. Before they had the chance she suddenly moved back to America and didn't contact him again".
"What about her anyway?"
"She turned up yesterday, to see Lee".
"Oh. I see".
"They went out for dinner. She still fancies him apparently and invited him to go back to her hotel".
"Oh no, they had sex?"
"No, he turned her down".
"Of course he did. I mean he would hardly sleep with Kate when he loves...anyway. It's bothering you right, that's she here? I assume the reason is because you love Lee and you don't want anyone else to have him?"
Wow, Lucy realised that she'd done Daisy a disservice when she'd written her off as completely clueless. She may have been about some things but she had got this exactly right.
"I didn't say that".
"You didn't need to say it".
"Daisy, you said of course Lee wouldn't have sex with Kate because he loves...he loves who?"
"Don't tell me you don't know. He loves you Lucy. Any idiot can see that. He may as well have I love Lucy tattooed on his forehead".
"Why won't he tell me then? I've given him so many opportunities and he always backs away".
"Maybe he needs you to tell him first, just because he's a man doesn't mean he should have to make the first move. I made the first move with Tim".
"I know, I just...believe me there's been so many times when I've been tempted to just grab him by the shirt and kiss him, or drag him to my bedroom, but I just have to know that he feels the same first. I know he fancies me, I'm not completely blind, but I need more than that. I need this to be about more than just physical attraction. I don't think I can tell him how I feel about him until I'm sure he loves me too"
"But he's scared Lucy, and he's always been emotionally impressed remember".
"Repressed Daisy, not impressed".
"Have you ever thought that the reason Lee hasn't told you he loves you is because he needs to e sure too, that you love him?".
"Maybe, but I've dropped enough hints I've the years".
"Maybe he needs more than just hints. Or maybe your hints are too subtle".
Lucy thought that begging Lee to father her child recently might have be hint enough. That her jealousy over Kate last night would have been obvious.
"Perhaps. But maybe he just doesn't want the same things as me. Maybe he knows that being with me would mean commitment and responsibilities...children...and maybe he doesn't want those things".
"I think he does. You two are meant to be together, I know it".
"Do you really think so, you don't think we're too different?"
"Me and Tim are very different and we work. I know you two are meant to be".
"If we're meant to be together, how come we're not? We've shared a flat for years...and a slightly tipsy kiss under the mistletoe, that's all that's ever happened between us "
"Because you're both too scared to make the first move. Until one of you does you'll just stay stuck as you are now".
"In a just good friends stalemate".
"Yep. You'll never know if he wants the same thing as you unless you as ask him. Lee's not particularly...proactive. You might have to take the lead Lucy".
"I can't just tell him I want to marry him and have his babies though. And I can't just say 'do you love me Lee?' I mean, there's being too subtle and there's scaring someone off completely".
"True. Do you want me to say something to him? Lee already knows I know how he feels about you".
"Does he, has he told you?".
"He hasn't really denied it. Same thing".
"I don't want you to say anything, if it comes to that maybe you could but I think we need to get there ourselves. We're grown ups not teenagers. Well I am anyway. It's just finding the right way of telling him, or at least finding a hint that will work"
"If you can't tell him how you feel, why don't you show him".
"How do you mean? I can't just throw myself at him, no matter how much I want to".
"By complimenting him, turning the flirting up a notch, doing something nice like cooking him his favourite food".
"I'm not making him pot noodle sandwiches".
"Okay then his second favourite".
"Turkey dinosaurs with potato waffles?".
"Okay...forget the food. Why don't you ask him to do something with you".
"We do loads of things together".
"Specifically something romantic".
"Not a bad idea, though I'm not inviting him to go to see a French film with me again, that outing ended up with me being mugged".
"How about going to a ballet".
"That wouldn't be Lee's cup of tea".
"I know...you could go up on to the roof terrace to stargaze together, or go on one of those private boat cruises on the Thames. Whatever you decide to do the idea is you'll have such a nice time and the atmosphere will be so romantic that Lee will end up declaring his undying love for you and the rest will be history".
"Oh Daisy, I wish I had your optimism".
Daisy made it all sound so simple, like the plot of a trope filled romcom. Sadly, real life was more complicated...