When I Fall In Love

‘I don’t believe this.’

‘Un-be-lievable!’

Elsie sighed and stared at him. ‘I didn’t realise you were waiting, OK? I’m sorry.’

‘You’re sorry.’

‘Yes, I am.’

‘But you still stole my space.’

‘Your space? Oh, forgive me, I didn’t see “Torin’s Space” painted across the piece of public tarmac I just parked in.’

Torin raised an eyebrow. ‘So, you remembered my name?’

Irritated, Elsie folded her arms. ‘I happen to have an excellent memory.’

‘So do I, Elsie Maynard. Man, it seems like you just can’t keep away from me, doesn’t it? First that awkward incident with your pile cream and now this …’

‘Whatever.’ Elsie had heard enough. Her blood boiling, she slung her handbag on her shoulder and headed quickly towards the entrance to the store.

‘This isn’t the end of this,’ Torin called after her, an annoying chime of amusement in his voice that made her cringe even more. ‘Mark my words!’

Reaching the vast entrance where Daisy was waiting, Elsie virtually yanked her sister up the escalator into the shop. ‘Do you have your list? Good. Let’s find what you need and get out of here as soon as possible.’

As they raced around the room layouts, Elsie was aware that Daisy was staring at her. When she was sure they had gained enough distance from Torin (who was no doubt following in their wake), Elsie came to a halt by a bright purple kitchen display.

‘You’re never going to believe this,’ she said, her breath shortened by their speedy circuit of the shop floor, ‘but that was him.’

‘Him who?’

‘The bloke – the one who was there when the stealing thing happened – the annoying one I was telling you about.’

Daisy’s eyes were wider than the glossy white dinner plates artfully arranged on the black granite worktop beside them. ‘No!’

‘Yes. And he wasn’t particularly impressed with my parking.’

‘Well I never. How funny! You have to laugh at this, Els, I mean, what are the chances of us driving forty-three miles and you bumping into the same guy?’

Elsie sank onto a black plastic bar stool by the breakfast area mock-up. ‘It beggars belief,’ she replied, willing her heart rate to slow. ‘He wasn’t happy, I can tell you.’

‘I could see that – oh, watch out, Els, he’s coming!’

Horrified, Elsie looked across the store to see Torin walking quickly past the living room layouts. Grabbing Daisy, she ducked down behind the breakfast bar and peered around the side as he approached.

‘What do you think you’re doing?’ Daisy protested, yelping when Elsie jabbed her in the ribs with her elbow.

‘Shh!’

‘Elsie, we’re hiding in a kitchen display …’

‘I know!’ Elsie hissed back. ‘We’re just waiting until he goes past. Then he’ll be following the arrows like all the other shoppers and we’ll be sufficiently behind him.’

Daisy shot her an incredulous look. ‘You’re mad, you realise that?’

Elsie ignored her sister’s amusement and waited until Torin was out of sight. When she was satisfied he had gone, she rose slowly to her feet, coming face to face with a very bemused store assistant.

‘Er – do you need any help?’ he asked, his acne-strewn brow furrowing.

Adopting her brightest, most innocent smile, Elsie patted the beechwood-effect top of the breakfast bar. ‘Excellent workmanship. Truly. Even at floor level, you can see the quality.’ With Daisy in tow, she maintained her grin until they were clear of the kitchen display and out in the space of the walkway once more.

Daisy laughed, ‘Shopping with you is never dull.’ She pulled a typed list from her bag. ‘We’d better find these items before there’s any more excitement.’

So they continued circumnavigating the store, with Daisy taking her time to select cushions, vases, table lamps and rugs, while Elsie kept a vigilant eye out for any sign of Torin. For the next twenty minutes, he was nowhere to be seen and she began to relax.

Despite her merciless mocking of Daisy about this controversial visit, she relished the opportunity to spend time with her sister. Watching Daisy at work was fascinating. The items she selected – most of which Elsie would have walked straight past – created an eye-catching mix in her yellow woven plastic store bag. It was so much fun to watch that Elsie completely forgot her irritation at seeing Torin again.

But then, it was as if a switch flicked and suddenly he was everywhere. Twice they had to duck into room displays, several times behind affordably priced sofas and even once into a mock shower cubicle when he was spotted in the vicinity. Feeling her hackles rising, Elsie made a momentous decision that shocked her sister even more than her recent revelation about dating again:

‘Right. We’re going against the arrows.’

‘But you’re meant to follow the arrows, Els! It’s what you do when you come here. It’s understood.’

Eyes wild with panicked determination, Elsie faced her. ‘I am not bumping into that man again, you hear me? I’m tired, we have an hour’s journey home and I really don’t want another awkward confrontation today.’

Much to the consternation of the shoppers behind them, Elsie and Daisy began to pick their way back, finding the recklessness of the act surprisingly liberating. They had almost reached the stairs to the ground floor when someone stepped into their path from behind a ceiling height advertising hoarding – and Elsie’s heart hit the floor.

‘Funny. I never pictured you as an “against the arrows” kind of girl.’ Torin’s green eyes were sparkling like the crystal lampshade over his head, the same half-amused smile playing on his lips.

Daisy was looking from Torin to Elsie and back like an overexcited Wimbledon spectator.

Elsie closed her eyes. ‘Please go away.’

He laughed – a sound that made all of Elsie’s defences instantly build. ‘Oh come on, you nicked my parking space. At the very least that should win me some gloating rights?’

Daisy nudged her. ‘That seems fair to me, Els.’

Elsie stared at her sister. ‘Thanks for nothing.’

Surprised, Torin held his hand out to Daisy. ‘Thank you. I’m Torin Stewart.’

‘Daisy Maynard. I’m Elsie’s sister.’

They shook hands, Torin holding Daisy’s for a moment longer than she was expecting.

‘Ah, a pleasure to meet another of the Maynard clan,’ he said, glancing sideways at Elsie. ‘Especially a polite one.’

Daisy ignored the muttered remark from Elsie and smiled back at Torin. ‘Oh, Elsie’s usually the picture of politeness. I guess there must be something about you that brings out her bad side.’