Free Could It Be I'm Falling in Love? by Eleanor Prescott

um …
inclusive.’
    Sue felt a surge of relief. She hadn’t got a clue about fitness DVDs and onions, but Woody’s meetings were something she
did
know about.
    ‘Woody’s wonderful,’ she told her. ‘The heart and soul of the village.’
    Roxy’s sunglasses pumped up and down enthusiastically. ‘Yeah, he seems very … caring.’
    ‘Oh, yes, yes he is! He’s always there to help. He’s so giving – not just to me. He’s giving with all of us.’
    ‘And what girl doesn’t love a giver?’ Roxy replied – an eyebrow shooting up above the sunglasses. Sue paused, confused. Had she said something funny? But then Roxy swooped even closer, invading her personal space.
    ‘But I’ll be honest, Sue; I was expecting the evening to be a bit more – you know –
one-to-one.’
    Sue blinked. Roxy was studying her expression. Sue knew she was being prodded, but she didn’t know what for.
    ‘He’s very community-minded,’ she mumbled. ‘None of us would know each other if it wasn’t for him. We were practically neighbours, but had never even spoken.’
    ‘Uh huh.’
    ‘He’s always trying to get us to socialise.’
    ‘With him?’
    ‘As a group, of course! He says we’ve all moped on our own too long; that it’s not good for our …’ She stopped. Roxy was looking peculiar, like she was just about to burst.
    ‘Oh, bugger it.’ Roxy exhaled loudly and propped her sunglasses on her head. ‘Sod the soft soap. Come on, Sue – you know what I’m getting at!’
    ‘I …’ Sue didn’t have the teeniest, foggiest idea.
    ‘Why didn’t Woody make a move on me?’ Roxy demanded. ‘I mean, Woody’s
Woody
, right? And, you’ve got to admit, I pulled out all the stops with that dress.’
    ‘Oh, yes! You looked wonderf—’
    ‘Foxy Roxy
, the papers call me! You don’t get a nickname like that if you’re a minger.’
    ‘No, of course n—’
    ‘He’s supposed to be
The Woodeniser
, for Christ’s sake! Four hundred quid, that dress cost. It’s so bloody tight, it makes my eyes water. One sneeze and I’d be done for indecentexposure. I didn’t bloody breathe out from the moment I left my house.’
    ‘It’s just that … well, the group … we …’
    ‘You know – he’s known where I live for ages. He invited me round to his place the very first chance he got. The tabloids said he and Petra split up yonks ago, so I just don’t get it. He’s obviously
interested!
I thought we were up for some … you know …
fun!’
    Sue balked. She wasn’t
that
out of touch. She knew what Roxy had been after last night. Nobody wore a dress
that
short without being on the lookout for some how’s-your-father.
    ‘But,’ Sue tried to explain, ‘I expect he has
that
kind of fun with …’
    ‘With …?’
    ‘Well, with Jennifer, of course!’
    ‘Jennifer?’ Roxy froze.
    ‘Yes, Jennifer: Woody’s girlfriend! Surely you saw all the photos? He’s got one on every shelf.’
    And suddenly, like a soufflé that had been removed from the oven too early, Roxy deflated. Her sunglasses dropped back on to her nose.
    ‘No,’ she muttered flatly. ‘I must’ve missed them.’
    Sue instantly felt bad. Roxy was looking depressed. Surely she’d known about Jennifer?
Everyone
knew about Jennifer! ‘She’s gorgeous,’ she added awkwardly, probably making things worse. ‘And very dedicated to her job.’
    Sue was just wondering what to say next when there was a ruckus from the street. Three vans pulled up and a dozenmen in anoraks clambered out, noisily clattering stepladders and tripods behind them.
    ‘Bloody hell – paps!’ Roxy snapped back to life. She hunched her shoulders to shield her from the street. ‘What the hell are they doing here?’
    Sue frowned and retreated further behind her door. ‘He must be in the papers again,’ she whispered. ‘They only come when there’s a story.’
    ‘What story? Who’s in the papers?’
    ‘Thingamabob –
the actor.’
It always made Sue nervous