Free The Judas Scar by Amanda Jennings Page B

immaculate as always, but Frank was cursed with a compulsive disorder he wasn’t aware of and every Monday and Thursday he dusted and straightened the clean and straight bottles.
    ‘Good idea,’ Will said. ‘I’ll get on with sorting out the cellar to make room for the delivery.’
    ‘How’s your mother, by the way?’
    ‘She’s fine, I think. I spoke to her last week. Though she wasn’t herself. She’s been cross with me for months. God knows what I’ve done.’
    ‘That’s grief for you. It makes everything terribly cloudy. When I lost dear old Mum I couldn’t talk to anyone. Not even Eric.The only ones who understood were Pinwheel and Pie. They were such a support. She’ll come around. Time’s the perfect healer. You should visit her, she’d like that.’ Frank took a breath and clapped his hands together. ‘I must get on, this shop isn’t going to clean itself, you know.’ He disappeared through the strip curtain to get his duster and polish. Will perched on the edge of the stool behind the counter and looked at his iPhone. He had an email and clicked open his inbox.
    Luke’s name hit him so hard he felt winded.
     
    From: Luke Crawford Subject:
    Following up
     
    Will,
     
    It was good to see you yesterday and lovely to meet your wife.
    Though wasn’t it strange bumping into each other? A small world, as they say. I was thinking on the way home how close we’d been at school. It would be great to catch up properly. I’m away on business next week and pretty busy towards the end of this week, but I’m free tonight or tomorrow evening. Would you and Harmony like to come for a drink or something to eat? Or at yours if that suits you better.
    How does this sound?
    Luke
     
    ‘Frank, I’m nipping out for a minute or two,’ Will said.
    ‘Everything okay?’ asked Frank. ‘You look a little pale.’
    ‘Just need some air.’
    Will’s head was all over the place. This wasn’t going to go away. He rested against the wall of the Co-op and covered his face with his hands. Christ, he thought. Why on earth did you give him your card? He had to work out what he should do, but his head felt foggy, his thoughts blurred.
    He called Harmony.
    ‘Hey,’ he said when she answered. ‘It’s me.’
    ‘You okay?’
    ‘I’m good. You?’
    ‘In the middle of something.’
    He tried to speak but the words stuck in his throat.
    ‘Is it important?’ she said, her voice tight with impatience.
    ‘Luke emailed me.’
    ‘Really?’ He heard her voice soften. ‘That’s good, isn’t it? What did he say?’
    ‘He wants to meet up. Either tonight or tomorrow at ours or his.’
    ‘Do you want to?’
    ‘I’m not sure. He’s keen to see me. Refusing seems rude, I think.’
    ‘Then you should. Do you want me there too?’
    ‘Yes. If that suits you, of course.’
    ‘Tonight would be better for me. At ours. I’ve got a lot of work to do. At least if the evening runs on, I can get back to it if I have to.’
    ‘So you think I should say yes to him?’
    ‘It’s up to you, Will. But if he’s coming you need to sort the food out. I’m up against a deadline at work. Jacob needs to see my interim draft by the end of the week.’
    Will waited after the phone call ended for a moment or two, then took a deep breath and hesitantly typed a reply.
     
    Hey Luke, yes it would be great to catch up. Why don’t you come to ours for 7ish tonight? I’ll cook something. Our address is 146a Hanniker Rd, W14.
     
    Will wasn’t sure how to sign off. Yours sincerely? Kind regards? Best? He scrolled down to see how Luke had done it and saw a simple ‘Luke’. Will added his name and pressed send. Then he stared at his phone in his quivering hand.
    ‘I’m glad you’re back,’ said a worried looking Frank as Will pushed back through the door. ‘A young woman came in asking for a bottle of pudding wine suitable to go with a chocolate roulade. I panicked.’
    ‘What did you go with?’
    ‘A bottle of the Estrella