The Lunchtime Special

Chapter 15 - The Art of Grovelling

"Mia, it's not what you're thinking."

"I didn't just see a woman with her tongue so far down your throat she could give you a tonsillectomy?"

"Okay, yes, that's what you saw...but it's not what you're thinking." Fuck! Shit! Why the hell did Shelley have to show up just at that moment? Christ! I need to make Mia understand that this isn't me playing her. "Shelley's my ex."

There was a heartbeat's pause. "Does she know that?"

Oh god, I love her sass. I run a hand through my hair, looking into her face to try to gauge how she's taking this, devastated when I see flickers of uncertainty and pain in those beautiful grey eyes. "She does," I say grimly, "but she's having trouble accepting it." Once the words are out I realise how arrogant they sound. "This is going to sound a bit self-obsessed," her eyebrows rise in a 'no shit' kind of way and once again my heart tugs, "but since Shelley and I broke up, she...she isn't taking it well and she keeps trying to get me back." Oh fuck, that sounds bloody awful – even I would think twice about going out with me now.

"So that was her saying hello and you saying...?"

"Piss off and leave me alone woman?" I try, unsurprised to see scepticism plastered all over her face. "I wasn't kissing her, she was kissing me, I swear to you. She just showed up out of the blue and laid one on me; when I tried to pull away I couldn't – she had her hand behind my head and she just tugged me closer and kissed harder."

"And your hand just grabbed her arse out of sheer habit, I suppose?"

Oh fuck. "She moved my hand there – okay, I know it sounds lame, and if I were you I'd probably slap my face right about now and tell me to take a hike, but I'm telling you the truth, Mia. When she tried to pull me inside I shook her off and told her I'm seeing someone else." I let her stare into my eyes, hoping she'll see the truth in there.

"And that someone else is me, right? There isn't..."

"Yes! No! I mean, yes, it's you – of course. There's no one else." How can there be when she's all I can think of? "Mia, I..."

She puts a hand on my chest and forestalls any more pleading I was about to make. "Where is she now?"

"She? Oh! Shelley? She's...oh shit." I groan as I realise exactly where Shelley can be found, closing my eyes and thinking it might just be better if the ground opened up and swallowed me.

"She's inside sitting with your group of friends?" I nod slowly, waiting for Mia to tell me where to go before she leaves and I never see her again. "Come on, then."

"What?" I open my eyes in shock.

"Listen, I know plenty more ways of grovelling and you've done a pretty rat-shit job of it so far, but you can get to that later. Right now the game's about to start, isn't it?" I nod again, totally confused. "And just to get this perfectly clear: you and Shelley have definitely broken up?"

"Three months ago," I tell her.

"And you don't want her back?"

"God, no." I shudder.

"All right, then I think I can help you with that, but we have to get in there."

"Help? Go in? Mia..." Suddenly her lips press against mine and my world is spinning. I have no idea what is going on but as long as she's kissing me and not dumping me, I don't care.

"Jake," she breathes, "I believe you. Now come and show me what's so great about this silly game you like so much. I bought a damn scarf and I don't want it to go to waste."