‘Uh … yeah, thanks,’ Nathan said, struggling to conceal how disappointed he felt. In truth, it was more than disappointment. It was outright anger. He’d been stood up, slighted. When he took the glass of coke, he grabbed it forcefully as though he was about to throw it across the room. Thankfully, the girl didn’t notice. She reached down, pulled her bag onto her knee and tried to work the zip up. Pissed off though he was, Nathan reminded himself, it was vital not to lose his temper. Not if he wanted to get another chance at a later date.

‘Boyfriend coming for you, then, is it?’ he said.

She glanced up at him and pulled a face. ‘Boyfriend?’

She chuckled, and for an ugly moment Nathan wondered if she might be a lesbo. Usually, when she was training here, she had another girl with her. That was a more than unpleasant possibility; it had the potential to ruin all his plans. Despite common sense telling him to rein it in a little, to avoid being cheeky or forward, he needed to know more, so he had to probe further. It probably wouldn’t seem too out of order now that they were in a social situation.

‘I’m amazed by that,’ he said, deliberately sounding unamazed, as if it was only of mild interest. ‘I’d have thought they’d be lining up …’

‘I get approached a lot, I suppose,’ she said. ‘I haven’t met one that suits me yet, that’s all.’

‘Ah.’ He nodded his understanding, feeling more relaxed. Nathan didn’t have an issue with people’s sexual preferences. As far as he was concerned, it was live and let live, a free world. If some lass got her rocks off with other lasses, that was fine. So long as it didn’t get in the way of his ambitions.

The girl checked her phone, having heard a text arrive. She straightened on her stool. ‘My ride’s here.’

Nathan glanced from the window, puzzled. They had a good view of the main car park entrance, and no headlights had speared their way in in the last few minutes.

‘Don’t see anyone,’ he said.

‘No … the little idiot’s parked at the church.’ The girl shook her head. ‘Don’t know why, but it’s not untypical.’

She clambered from the stool, again wincing with pain, carrying her left leg as if it was a dead weight. Nathan took a big swallow of coke, slung his own bag over his shoulder and made as if to collect hers. ‘Want me to carry this for you?’

‘Uh-uh.’ She was quite decided about that, at least, though she smiled apologetically. ‘Sorry again. Not being rude, but … well, don’t want to give anyone the wrong idea, do we?’