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‘It wasn’t anything you did,’ Sophie said. She forgot about the solo and the fact that Liam had made her sing in front of everyone. She was back in his house, back by the Christmas tree, back in the kiss. ‘It was just … I wasn’t expecting things to happen, and I got scared.’
‘We should have talked.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean we should have talked. Afterwards. It was wrong of me to pack you off home like that. I felt awful once you were inside the flat.’ He looked down at his hands as he said it, before raising his eyebrows to peep out from under them, checking Sophie’s reaction. His hopeful smile was endearing. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Why do you keep apologising? You didn’t do anything wrong.’
‘Sorry,’ he said, and they both laughed.
‘Stop it.’ She nudged his arm playfully. He grabbed her hand to stop her and held it in his own for a moment.
‘We should lock up,’ Liam said.
‘All right.’ She was afraid to move or breathe.
Liam reached out and brushed a piece of Sophie’s hair back off her face and behind her ear. She felt her cheeks blush afresh as he did. ‘Come on, then.’ His hand cupped her face momentarily. He cleared his throat again before he said, ‘Come on.’
Chapter Twenty-Four
Wednesday was a glittery explosion of nativity practice, with the end of term in a week – and the nativity performance itself – speeding towards Sophie like a horrible date she couldn’t get out of. She didn’t see Kate for most of the day, but she knew Kate would have questions, having left her in Liam’s capable hands the night before.
‘Hi, Kate,’ Sophie said as Kate sidled into her classroom.
‘Hello.’
Sophie didn’t turn around. She continued to tidy up the children’s books and returned pencils to the pots in the centre of the tables where children had forgotten – or been too lazy – to do it themselves. When she’d finished, she turned around to Kate, who was still loitering by the door.
‘I wonder why you could have possibly made the journey all the way down to my classroom,’ Sophie said sarcastically, tapping her chin thoughtfully with one of the black and yellow striped pencils.
Kate at least had the decency to look a little sheepish for a moment. Sophie didn’t give in, though. And for once, it was Kate who cracked first. This pregnancy was throwing her decorum right off and Sophie intended to enjoy it while she could, before Kate had the baby, her hormones levelled out and she was back on top form again.
‘Ugh! Don’t leave me in suspense!’ Kate said, flopping down into the reading corner.
Sophie continued to tidy.
‘Why haven’t you been to the staffroom all day? You know I need you to satiate my innate need for gossip!’ She looked at Sophie and smiled a wide, expectant smile. ‘How was last night?’ she asked finally, when it became clear that Sophie was going to make her beg.
‘Lovely, thank you,’ Sophie said, collecting up the books from the floor and arranging them on the shelf.
‘Oh, come on, Sophie! Was he nice to you this time? You didn’t run away again, did you?’ Kate knew it was OK to ask, because a grin had spread across Sophie’s face.
Sophie came over to where Kate was sitting and joined her on the beanbags.
‘He was nice. We talked and then we went home. That was all,’ Sophie said, playing with a corner of her cardigan.
‘Talked?’ Kate asked, disappointed. ‘Was that all?’
Sophie rolled her eyes. ‘All right, there was sort of a moment but that’s all.’
Kate clapped. ‘Hurrah! I’m so pleased. Are you going to see him again? Like for a date?’
‘No date.’
‘But there’s something there,’ Kate said. ‘And you didn’t panic this time.’
‘No, I didn’t panic.’ Sophie looked shyly down at her hands.
