Page 33 of Hooked On The One That Got Away

‘Awalk?’ protested Charlie. ‘You’re an exercisezealot!’

‘You don’t have to use your arms to walk,’ Willow pointed out. ‘And I only want to go to the lock and back. It’s not far.’

‘I was in a bad place last time I went to that lock,’ said Charlie, gloomily.

‘Exactly,’ said Willow. ‘We can put old ghosts to rest.’

Charlie gave her an appraising look. ‘If I agree to this, can I go fishing for the rest of the afternoon?’

‘Of course,’ said Willow. ‘But if you come home smelling all fishy and rank, there’ll be no action tonight.’

‘I hardly ever catch anything.’

‘Then that’s lucky all round,’ said Willow. ‘For you, meandthe fish.’

When they arrived at the lock, the people who’d been on the overbridge had gone. They had it all to themselves. Except for …

‘A cat?’ said Charlie. ‘What on earth is a cat doing here?’

It was a black one, and very friendly, twining itself through their legs and purring.

‘Maybe it belongs to the lock keeper?’ Willow suggested. She bent and fondled its velvety ears. Its eyes were a bright green-gold. ‘Or maybe not …’

‘Look,’ said Charlie. ‘Someone’s fastened a love token to the railing.’ He lifted up the red, heart-shaped padlock. ‘M.L. and W.S. Whoever they are.’

‘I actually watched them do it,’ said Willow. ‘Thought it would have been removed by now.’

‘Here’s another one.’

Charlie lifted the second padlock, this one in gleaming brass. ‘Hey! It’s ours!’

‘Wha-at?’ Willow peered at it. Sure enough, the initials on it were C.M. and W.T.

‘Coincidence, of course,’ said Charlie, letting the padlock go.

Willow watched the black cat stroll towards the lock keeper’s gatehouse. Its tail was swinging lazily side to side in a teasingly eloquent way. She slid her arms around Charlie, and he drew her into an embrace. And they kissed for quite some time.

‘I want to spend the rest of my life loving you, Willow Taylor,’ said Charlie. ‘Andhaving loadsof sex.’

‘Good thing you told me about the sex,’ said Willow. ‘I would never have guessed otherwise.’

‘It’s not cashew-nut size, anymore,’ said Charlie.

‘I noticed,’ Willow said, with a smile. ‘And I love you, too Charlie McKay. Don’t leave me again.’

‘Nochance,’ said Charlie. ‘And guess what? I might have thought of something more fun to do this afternoon than fishing.’