Page 26 of Sorry, Not Sorry

The doorbell tinkled as Delilah opened the café door and walked in.

Although the warm shop with its tantalising aroma of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries was a welcome relief from the sharp December chill, the décor left a great deal to be desired.

While she was no fan of Christmas, the decorations – if that was the right word to describe three strings of coloured tinsel wrapped around the counter and a bunch of plastic mistletoe sellotaped onto the wall behind the cash register – were paltry and uninspiring.

It was quiet for a Saturday morning, and other than a man wearing headphones and sitting cross-legged on a sofa typing furiously on his laptop, there was only a handful of people enjoying a mid-morning coffee break, making it easy to spot Noah seated towards the back of the café.

Much to her relief, he was alone. Despite her breezy assurances to Salome and Arne, Delilah couldn’t deny the tension that had been building up inside her at the prospect of coming face to face with Zazie.

At least she still had a bit of time to gather her composure and, despite finally and reluctantly agreeing to help, maybe persuade Noah to change course or, preferably, abandon ship altogether on his ridiculous idea.

Noah stood up and waved her over, and Delilah navigated a path between the empty tables, squeezing past a weary-looking woman sipping a cup of coffee while gently rocking a double buggy with two sleeping babies.

When she reached Noah’s table, she hesitated, unsure whether to attempt a friendly hug.

He solved her dilemma by pushing a chair in her direction and taking his seat again, and Delilah slid onto the chair without comment.

She hadn’t expected to be greeted with open arms, but Noah’s boot-faced expression was unnerving.

While she was thankful that he wasn’t looming over her with rage like the last time they’d met, it was still tough to reconcile the laughing, spontaneously affectionate Noah of old with the emotionless man sitting across the table.

‘Have you been waiting long?’ she asked brightly.

‘About three years, give or take,’ he replied shortly, and she squirmed at the sarcasm. While the curt tone suggested it was unlikely she could persuade Noah to ditch his idea, Delilah tried anyway.

‘Noah, I?—’

‘Save it, Del.’ He cut her off abruptly and glanced at his watch. ‘Zazie’s late, as usual, but it gives us time to get our stories straight. Listen, don’t mess this up because she’s super smart and she’ll sense any bullshit straight away.’

Instantly bristling at the implication that she would be the one to mess up his stupid plan, Delilah nevertheless held her tongue.

Focus on why you’re here! Noah had made it clear he’d moved on, and her only goal was to make amends for dumping him without explanation.

If that meant listening to him sing Zazie’s praises from morning till night, she would just have to sit and take it.

This was not a competition, she reminded herself, although she couldn’t squash the inner bitch voice that wondered why the supposedly super smart Zazie couldn’t arrive anywhere on time.

‘There isn’t a lot to mess up,’ Delilah said crisply. ‘You’ve explained that I’m a friend of a friend who suggested you talk to me because I’m a relationship counsellor, because I might be able to give you and Zazie some tips to improve her relationship with your mum.’

She glanced at Noah’s half-empty cup. ‘I’m going to need some coffee first,’ she added, making as if to stand, but he beat her to it.

‘My bad. I’ll get it. Latte, right?’

She nodded, trying to ignore the rush of joy that he still remembered.

Watching him walk towards the counter, she couldn’t help the sad sigh that escaped her.

What have you got yourself into, Del? Maybe Arne was right, and she was lying to herself.

Without Salome’s challenge, she might not have gone in search of Noah, but it was hard to deny the potent effect he still had on her.

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice Noah until he suddenly appeared beside her and set a steaming mug of milky coffee on the table before sitting down.

Picking up the mug, Delilah cradled it between her fingers, suddenly feeling shy.

After a few moments, she peeked up at him through her lashes and when their eyes met and he didn’t look away, she felt her face flush with a heat that rivalled her coffee.

She wrenched her gaze away and looked around the quiet café, desperate to break the tense silence.

‘Do you come here often?’

As soon as the words emerged, she cringed and braced herself for a sarcastic response. But he didn’t comment and when she looked at him, Noah’s shoulders were shaking and his lips twitching as he dissolved into silent laughter. After a few moments, he shook his head and wiped under his eyes.

‘Seriously, Del. “ Do you come here often ?” Is that the best you can do?’

This was the Noah she knew, the real Noah, and Delilah smiled ruefully. ‘Sorry, I’m a bit nervous. It’s weird sitting here with you like this after… after everything.’

Noah’s expression sobered, and he picked up his cup and took a long sip before leaning back in his chair with a speculative expression.

‘Yeah, I know. I appreciate it’s all a bit awkward, so thanks for agreeing to this.

I wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t important.

The honest truth is, if you can help sort out Zazie and my mum, it would mean the world to me. ’

Arne’s warning flashed through her mind and Delilah said quickly, ‘I know I said I’ll help, but please remember I won’t be counselling you or Zazie. I’m only offering suggestions because?—’

‘Oh good, here she is!’ Noah exclaimed as the café door bell sounded, cutting off her feeble attempt to establish an ethical boundary.

Delilah had her back to the door, but she immediately felt her heartbeat accelerate.

Steeling herself, she turned around in time to see a girl with long legs and a mane of copper corkscrew curls race across the room and launch herself onto Noah.

‘ Hi babe! Sorry I’m late – the Tube was a nightmare!’

The breathless greeting was followed by a kiss so passionate that Delilah was forced to avert her gaze.

When she dared to look, Zazie was smiling at Noah with her arms linked around his neck.

Her black knit maxi dress accentuated a reed-slim figure, and wearing a pair of lilac, high-heeled ankle boots, she was almost as tall as Noah.

Trying not to compare Zazie’s casual chic to her own worn jeans and scarlet polo-necked jumper, Delilah cleared her throat, and Noah unclasped Zazie’s arms and steered her around by the shoulders to face Delilah.

‘Zaz, this is Delilah, the friend I told you about. Delilah, meet my girl, Zazie.’

Delilah pasted on a bland smile, which she hoped hid her inner turmoil at seeing Noah kiss another woman, and stuck out her hand. Zazie seized it and immediately pulled Delilah into a smothering hug, which left her struggling to breathe through the mass of hair in her face.

When Delilah eventually managed to escape her embrace, Zazie clapped her hands excitedly. ‘Oh my God, thanks soo much for agreeing to do this!’

‘Um, hi. It’s great to meet you,’ Delilah said weakly.

She hadn’t known what to expect, but it definitely wasn’t this tall beauty with the energy of an exuberant puppy.

With a long oval-shaped face, razor-sharp cheekbones, huge hazel eyes, and flawless skin, it wasn’t hard to see why Noah’s girl was a model.

Even her voice – husky overlaid with honey – was alluring.

She was undeniably gorgeous, and Delilah felt short and dumpy in comparison.

It was just as well there was no competition at play here, she acknowledged, because Zazie would win hands down.

‘Why don’t we all sit down,’ Noah suggested, pulling out a chair for Zazie, who slipped onto the seat with a lithe gracefulness Delilah could only dream of.

‘What are you drinking, Zaz?’ he asked.

‘Green tea for me, babes,’ she replied cheerfully, crossing long slim legs and gazing up at him with a loving smile that tore at Delilah’s heart.

As soon as he’d left to fetch the tea, Zazie leaned across the table and lowered her voice. ‘Noah reckons you can help his mum and me get along, but I can’t lie. That woman is the devil ! She’s so sarky when she even bothers to talk to me, and I can’t seem to do anything right with her.’

Zazie’s accent was pure London and despite the unfairness of the woman winning the lottery on looks and bagging her ex, Delilah found it impossible to dislike her.

‘You know what they say about mothers and their sons,’ she said with a genuine smile.

‘No one’s ever good enough for their precious boy, and—’ She stopped before she said too much and blew her cover.

As a friend of a friend, she couldn’t possibly have met Noah’s mother.

‘What I mean is some mothers take a bit more persuading when it comes to accepting their son’s girlfriends, but I’m sure you can win her round. ’

‘I hope so. Noah’s so close to his mum that if she doesn’t like me, I know he won’t – you know – set a date,’ Zazie confided, her dazzling smile dimming at the prospect.

A frisson of shock passed through Delilah. ‘ Oh! So you two are that serious, then?’ She tried to sound nonchalant despite the sharp stab of pain between her ribs.

‘Well, we’ve been going out for over a year, and I’m not getting any younger. Don’t want to be stuck on the shelf at thirty!’ She chuckled throatily.

Noah reappeared, balancing a full cup, which he placed carefully on the table. Zazie looked up at him with a teasing smile. ‘Thanks, babe. Delilah said she didn’t realise we were serious… I thought you’d told her everything.’

Noah hesitated and then said gruffly, ‘Well, yeah, we’ve talked, but I was waiting for you to get here so we could explain everything properly.’

Zazie took a quick sip of tea and turned her attention to Delilah, who was trying to absorb the crushing news.

‘So, how do you two know each other again?’

Noah jumped in before Delilah could speak. ‘I told you, Zaz. Delilah’s a good friend of…’ He paused for an agonising moment and Delilah quickly interjected, ‘Martin.’

‘Chris!’ Noah exclaimed at the same time. He glared at Delilah while Zazie looked from one to the other curiously.

‘Silly me, of course it was Chris!’ Delilah said apologetically. ‘I always get him mixed up with his brother.’ She cleared her throat. ‘Um, Zazie, why don’t you tell me more about your relationship with Noah’s mum?’

For a moment Zazie’s dubious expression had Delilah convinced she’d messed up just as Noah had warned, but it was soon clear his girlfriend had other concerns.

‘What relationship? His mum hates me! Noah introduced me to his parents after we’d been together a few months and right from the off, it was like she had it in for me, wasn’t it, babe?’ She looked appealingly at Noah, who shrugged, looking uncomfortable.

Come on, Noah! This is what we’re here for , isn’t it?

Delilah pleaded silently. She watched his hands play with his empty mug, and her eyes lingered on his forearm, wondering once again if the crown tattoo was still there under his long-sleeved shirt.

She looked up to find him watching her and her heart picked up its pace.

‘Noah, you know your mum best,’ she asked, trying to keep her voice even. ‘What do you think is holding her back from welcoming Zazie?’

‘What do I think?’ he echoed mockingly. ‘I think Mum’s seen me get hurt in a past relationship and, in her own way, I suppose she’s trying to protect me.’

Delilah’s chest constricted, and she struggled to get her words out. ‘What do you think you can do to help your mum know Zazie better so she can appreciate how’ – she gritted her teeth – ‘ different she is from the women you’ve dated?’

‘I’ve tried really hard to be nice to her, haven’t I, babe?’ Zazie chimed in. ‘I even offered her the sample designer bag I got from the B.B. Cartwright people after the fashion shoot.’

‘ B.B. Cartwright! ’ Delilah raised a brow in astonishment. Even she knew their bags cost hundreds, if not thousands of pounds. ‘That was very generous. What did she say?’

‘She looked at it like I’d offered her some cheap tat from Primark and then she goes, “Oh, that’s very nice of you, dear, but it’s not really my style.”’ Zazie sniffed. She sipped her tea delicately, somehow managing to make the green water look delicious.

‘It sounds to me like you and Noah’s mum need to find some common ground to build your relationship on,’ Delilah said tentatively.

‘But before I say any more, Zazie, and just so you know, I’ve told Noah I’m not allowed to officially counsel you because it’s against the rules for me to work with a…

a friend. But I am happy to offer a few suggestions for you two to consider, if you think it would help? ’

Hoping against hope Zazie would respond with a ‘thanks but no thanks’, Delilah groaned silently when the girl’s face lit up.

‘Honestly, Delilah, anything you can do will be amazing!’ She knocked back the last drops of tea and pushed her chair back. ‘I’m really sorry but I’ve gotta dash. I’m running late for a photo shoot, but I’ll get your number off Noah and call you so we can have a proper heart to heart, yeah?’

Before Delilah could reply, Zazie gave Noah a lingering kiss and then grabbed her coat and bag from the back of her chair. Blowing a cheerful kiss in Delilah’s direction, Zazie raced out of the café.