Secrets Read Free Page A

the band’s hopes and dreams. She’d chatted about her own musical preferences and playing the recorder as a child. But no personal stuff had been exchanged. The only thing Janey knew for sure was that this guy was the lead singer of a band touring pubs and clubs up and down the country, and she was a girl he’d just happened to dance with.
    ‘Jake Miller.’ He gave her another mega-watt grin. ‘Can I come in for coffee now?’
    ‘Well, er…I think I’m…um…gosh–’
    ‘Wait!’ Jake held up a finger indicating Janey stop.
    ‘What is it?’ Janey gasped. She was making a right pig’s ear of this. What would Susie have done? Well that was a no-brainer. Susie wouldn’t have wasted a second. By now Jake would have been hauled up the stairs, wrestled onto her bed, and Susie would now be impersonating a pneumatic drill as she impaled herself on Jake and rogered him senseless.
    ‘Actually,’ Jake slapped one hand to his forehead as if just remembering something. ‘I can’t come in.’
    ‘Oh, why ever not?’ The disappointment on Janey’s face was obvious.
    Jake regarded Janey solemnly. ‘My mother told me never to speak to strangers. Despite me telling you my name, you haven’t told me yours.’
    ‘Janey Richardson,’ said Janey, rattled by the whole situation.
    ‘ Janey Richardson ,’ Jake repeated softly. ‘In that case, Janey Richardson, I do believe we now officially know each other. I’m able to have coffee with you.’
    ‘Good,’ Janey squeaked. She didn’t know whether to be happy or horrified. ‘Come on in.’ As her key rattled into the barrel of the lock, she cleared her throat and tried to speak in a normal tone, rather than sounding like she’d swallowed a lungful of helium. ‘I’m afraid the coffee is instant.’
    ‘That’s okay,’ said Jake. He followed her into the hallway and up the stairs to the top flat. ‘I wasn’t expecting you to whizz up a cappuccino or anything.’
    ‘Actually,’ said Janey, walking into the kitchenette and flicking on the overhead light, ‘I can indeed make you a cappuccino.’ She reached inside her miniscule larder and pulled out a sachet of powder. ‘All this needs is boiling water and…bingo! Hot, sweet, and gorgeous.’ Janey was horribly aware of Jake’s overpowering presence in the tiny kitchenette. It seemed as though the walls were moving inward, shrinking the size of the room. And was it her imagination, or had he moved closer? She stuck a hand up between them, waggling the sachet about as if it were some sort of tiny shield to keep him away. Jake looked at the sachet and then at her.
    ‘Mm. Sounds wonderful. Just like you.’
    ‘Excuse me?’
    ‘Hot, sweet, and gorgeous.’
    Disconcerted, Janey reached for the kettle. Jake’s hand instantly came down on hers. ‘Leave the coffee for now.’ His arms were encircling her waist again.
    ‘N-no,’ Janey stammered. ‘You don’t understand. I’m not that sort of girl. I don’t do one-night stands.’
    ‘And the good news is,’ said Jake, tangling his fingers into her hair, ‘I’m not that sort of guy. I’ve never had a one-night stand in my life.’
    Janey felt thoroughly unsettled. What exactly was being said here? That he wasn’t going to take her to bed after all? Or that he was going to take her to bed but he wanted to see her again? Or–
    ‘I really like you, Janey Richardson,’ Jake whispered. ‘In fact, if I were so inclined to be an old-fashioned romantic, I’d say I’d fallen in love with you.’

 
    Chapter Five
     
    Janey wondered if she would hear from Susie. It was usual for them to meet on a Sunday. They’d have coffee then take a bus to Greenwich and stroll around the park. The two women loved “people watching” and chatting. Later they’d enjoy a sandwich at one of the street cafés near the market. Susie would gossip about her latest Saturday night conquest. With a wicked sense of humour she’d impart the bonking ability of the ginger geek at