The Decoy Date

Chapter Seventeen

"I can't believe it's only three days till Daisy's wedding! It's gone so quickly, I can't wait for the hen do tomorrow. What's Daisy got planned?" Imogen looked away from the book she was reading and glanced at her best friend, Jess was a lot more excited than she was about the wedding and particularly the hen party two days before.

"I don't know, she won't tell anyone, all I know is that part of it, if not all of it, is joint with Sam's stag do."

"Really and it's going on all day as well. It's got to be good surely, she's an event's organiser. Although as long as there's booze I'm not fussed about the rest of it." They both chuckled but Imogen felt a sense of sadness creep up on her again, it had been there in the background for the last week and nothing could seem to shake it.

Jess went off to help a customer in the children's section leaving Imogen with her thoughts. She couldn't pinpoint why she felt the way she did; she considered the fact that Daisy was getting married before her even though she was four years younger but she wasn't really that bothered, she'd never been ready to marry and there'd never been anybody she'd considered spending the rest of her life with, not until now anyway. At that moment Charlie flashed into her brain and she smiled to herself.

Then she considered the fact that this was just another sleight against her for her mother, however quashed this thought immediately; her mother's opinion had never been that important and it certainly wouldn't affect her now. Then she thought about how everyone around her was in a happy, loving relationship while she was messing around with a fake boyfriend; Jess was living with Matt, Daisy was getting married and even her mum and dad seemed happier together since they'd moved down to Kent.

However it wasn't a jealous feeling she had, it was more sadness and none of the above fitted as a reason for it. She looked back at the cover of her book and felt the depression weigh heavier on her. Charlie had given it to her, it was another copy of Pride and Prejudice, to add to her collection he'd said. It was a beautiful book, the cover made of embroidered material with flowers covering the whole of the binding; she'd been reluctant to handle it, not wanting to cause any damage to it, but he'd insisted and it was about time she read the story again.

She'd just reached the part where Lydia runs away with Wickham and Lizzie believes she will never see Mr Darcy again just when she has fallen for him; that's when it suddenly hit her, Charlie. She was in the same boat as Lizzie, Daisy's wedding meant the end for her and Charlie's relationship and she didn't want to let him go. She'd finally accepted that she had feelings for him, she had fallen for him like Jess said and she was miserable at the prospect of giving him up and not seeing him again.

They'd both decided they would stay friends but she wasn't sure she was able to do it, it would be too painful seeing him all the time without being able to touch him or kiss him or tell him she loved him. No she had to sever all ties with him once they'd split up, but only once they'd split, up she planned to enjoy these last few days with him. Starting from this moment, she thought as he walked through the door to the shop on his way home from work.

Before he could say a word, she bolted round the counter and put her arms around his neck and took his lips and breath away, she savoured every touch and feel of him as if it were her last and promised she would do this from now until they split. He pulled away and smiled down at her keeping his arms tight around her back. "Hi." His smile widened and his face dropped to hers again, she loved the way his lips brushed hers gently at first then grew stronger as the kiss went on. She sighed into the kiss and leant into his warmth.

"Imogen dear, I don't think that's how you're supposed to greet customers." Imogen froze with her lips still attached to Charlie's as she thought she heard her mother's voice, her blood ran cold and opened her eyes glancing to her right hoping she'd be mistaken. Unfortunately her mother was standing with her arms crossed in an 'I'm really disappointed in you' stance that was usually reserved for lateness or when her set-ups had gone awry.

Instantly Imogen pulled away from Charlie and the smack of their lips parting was audible in the near silence of the shop floor. Charlie tried to reach for her again but she stepped back and coughed to gain his attention, she watched his eyes flicker open and glance at her mother; he promptly put his arms down and looked at the floor, suddenly very interested in his own feet.

"What are you doing here mother?" She could feel the redness and heat still in her cheeks as she began to speak.

"Can't a mother visit her daughter?" Imogen raised her eyebrows in surprise, her mother never wanted to visit her and whenever she did it was only to complain about something. As her mother pulled a haughty face, she noticed her father lifting suitcases out of the boot of their car in front of the shop. Her mother noticed this and turned to look out the window at her husband.

"Don't just leave them on the street dear, anybody can steal them. I'm not having anybody steal my best luggage!" She shouted out loud, stopping people in the street who were looking at all the windows and doorways for the source of the shouting. Imogen had almost forgotten her mother was the reincarnation of Hyacinth Bucket, she didn't know how her father coped with it every day of his life.

"Why is dad taking suitcases out of that taxi?" Charlie excused himself to go and help her father who was struggling with five bags, her heart clenched a little as she watched him take three of the bags and carry them towards the door.

"Well I thought we could spend some quality time with you darling by staying with you before the wedding." Imogen's mouth literally dropped open, she thought she was going to have to shove it closed with her hand it hung that low. "Don't stand with your mouth open like that darling, it isn't at all attractive." Imogen's mouth snapped shut and her anger boiled up.

"What? . . . Why? . . . What? Why didn't you call and ask me if you could stay over? For all you know I might have a lodger in my spare bedroom, or Jess might have had an argument with Matt and moved back in!"

"Has she?"

"No, but that isn't the point mother. You should have called at least to give me chance to clean the room for you. Luckily it's fairly clean and the bed's made but, why aren't you staying at The Dorchester like usual?" Imogen sighed resigned to the fact she was going to be living under the same roof as her mother again, even if it was only for a few days.

"Your mother doesn't like the new concierge and we couldn't get in at The Hilton or The Ritz at such short notice. Hello darling!" Imogen smiled and walked over to her father giving him a quick hug and peck on the cheek. "I told her to call you but she said you wouldn't mind and you know what she's like when she's got an idea in her mind; she just can't let it go." He whispered the last part in her ear so his wife wouldn't overhear him.

"Go on up then, I'll follow you in a minute after I've told Jess what's happening." She waved her mother and father through the door, rueing the fact she now had a spare bedroom. Charlie followed behind them pausing next to her and leaning down to whisper in her ear: "I thought you standing with your mouth open was very attractive." She flushed as he continued through the door, grinning back at her before disappearing out of view.

"What's going on?" Jess walked through from the back of the shop.

"My mother just turned up and is moving into your old bedroom for the wedding." Imogen groaned and sank against the counter, Jess began laughing as she pointed upstairs.

"Your mother  . . . and you . . . under the same roof . . . for three days. Oh that is brilliant! Call me if you need help moving her body because I can only see this ending badly." She continued laughing and Imogen could do nothing but scowl.

"Imogen, when did you last dust in this room?" Her mother was shouting down the stairs and the torture had already begun, it could only get worse.

"Ugh. I don't know how I'm going to survive this wedding. I may hold you to the moving the dead body promise though. I think I may have to strangle her before Daisy walks down the aisle; then again she'd probably come back and haunt me about not killing her properly or something." Imogen sloped off upstairs leaving Jess to look after the shop. She gradually got slower with each step of ascent, not wanting to see her mother and dreading having to sleep under the same roof as her for the first time in eleven years.

She met Charlie in the living room and pulled him to one side before going up to see her mother. "Please stay for dinner tonight, I don't think I can face my mother alone. My father yes, but not my mother." He placed his hand on her waist and it felt completely natural as he nodded down at her and reassured her he would stay as long as she needed him. After a minute basking in his warmth she trudged up to the spare bedroom on the next floor up to check on her parents.