‘Ignore it and it will all go away,’ his friend said sagely. ‘The more time you can spend out of the house fishing, the better.’

It was sound advice, Greg thought. Best to just keep quiet and keep his head down. When had talking ever got anyone anywhere?

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Lauren woke up with a monumental hangover. She peeped into her living room and, sure enough, Zak was sprawled out on her sofa. That bit wasn’t a bad dream then. He looked suspiciously naked beneath the blanket that was barely covering him.

His kindly face was soft in sleep – the perpetual smile that he wore still there. His hair was messy and, for one mad moment, she wanted to go and run her fingers through it.

Instead, she pulled her dressing-gown around her with a groan. As if her life wasn’t complicated enough.

Trying not to wake her impromptu guest, Lauren slipped into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. In the shower, she let the hot water stream over her in a vain attempt at reviving her body. Then, when she did begin to feel better, she didn’t want to get out of the shower as she couldn’t bear to face Zak. He’d been so kind to her last night. How many other men would be so chivalrous when faced with a snivel ling, puking drunk?

When she did venture out of the bathroom, the sofa had been vacated and there were clinking sounds coming from the kitchen. Zak was up and making breakfast.

‘You’ve nothing in the fridge,’ he said. ‘So I’ve put a brew on. There’s a bit of stale bread.’ He banged it on the work surface and it reverberated as bread shouldn’t.

‘I meant to go shopping yesterday,’ Lauren lied. She probably would have just eaten the stale bread and not noticed it.

‘I’ll just have a cuppa and get out of your hair,’ Zak said. ‘It’s best if I don’t hang around. If I was Lover Boy then I’d be popping by first thing to apologise. I’m sure he wouldn’t be too happy to find me here.’

‘I don’t know if Jude will swing by,’ she told him honestly. ‘I never know.’

‘How can you live like that?’ Then he held up a hand. ‘None of my business.’

‘Thanks for being so great last night.’

‘I couldn’t leave you alone,’ Zak said. ‘I’d never have forgiven myself if something had happened to you.’

Then suddenly, Lauren felt overwhelmed with loneliness. Annie had gone away for the weekend; if she went to see Chelsea she’d only end up feeling more inadequate, yet there was no way that she wanted to spend another Saturday and Sunday on her own.

‘I suppose you’ve got plans?’ she said.

Zak shrugged. ‘Nothing pressing.’