Darla turned around and saw her cue to leave. ‘I wonder what that’s all about,’ she said before grabbing her bag and dashing off.
***
It took Ros a moment to realise she had been set up. Cameron was standing outside the restaurant window wearing a tutu. He waved tentatively and pointed at Darla’s now vacated seat. Ros nodded and Cameron grinned back at her. Oh how she’d missed that smile.
All heads turned as he walked confidently through the restaurant. ‘Hiya,’ he said, seeming shy as he reached the table. ‘Can I join you?’
‘If you want to, I’d like that.’ He slid into the seat opposite. Ros tried to ignore the bright orange tutu that was sticking up above the table. ‘It’s lovely to see you but I’m wondering what’s going on.’
‘I heard you’re not taking the job and that you’re sticking around,’ he said.
‘And that warranted dashing back to Southampton in a tutu?’
He laughed. ‘Not exactly. I think I might have been a bit hasty and I’m sorry for the way I reacted on the boat. I’d just heard that message on the answerphone and I felt you were making decisions for both of us. Ending things. It felt like a real break-up and I guess I was more invested in us than I wanted to admit.’
‘I think we both were. So how have you been?’ she asked.
‘Miserable.’
‘Oh.’ That wasn’t what she’d expected him to say. ‘Why?’
‘I missed you.’
Ros’s stomach clenched. Did that mean what she hoped it did? ‘What about Gina?’
Cameron pulled a face. ‘Turns out she was also very drunk the night I promised to marry her and has absolutely no recollection of it whatsoever. She thought it was hilarious that I felt I had to honour that commitment. She laughed so hard I feared she was going to rupture something. She’ll be dining out on this forever.’
‘That was a little hurtful,’ said Ros, feeling for Cameron’s ego at being rejected and laughed at.
‘No, she’s cool. We’ll always be the best of mates, but there’s nothing else there.’
Ros swallowed. ‘I see. That’s a shame.’ She felt that was probably the right thing to say.
‘Is it?’ He leaned forward. ‘I was hoping you and I could start again.’
As if Ros wasn’t confused enough a waiter appeared and placed a paper plate piled high with shaving foam in between them.
‘I didn’t order that?’ she said.
‘I did,’ said Cameron. ‘I think that day I met you – and you took a pie to the face for me – was a key moment. And I’d like to even things up. So if you want to get your revenge . . .’ He tilted his head at the custard pie.
‘I don’t think so,’ said Ros. She didn’t like mess.
‘Please.’ Cameron was giving her one of his looks that made her insides feel like they were full of jelly.
‘You want me to squish this in your face. And make us quits?’
‘Exactly.’ He closed his eyes and leaned forward.
‘Okay.’ She picked up the plate and stuck it in his face. The other diners in the restaurant broke into a mix of laughter, gasps and a round of applause. As Cameron wiped foam from his face Ros noticed there was something written on the bottom of the paper plate. She put it down so she could read it properly. You took a risk. Congratulations – you have won a date with Cameron DeFelice.
‘What is this?’ asked Ros, laughing.
‘You won a prize!’ he said. ‘A proper for real date with me.’
‘Will you be wearing the tutu?’ she asked.
‘Only if you want me to,’ he said with a grin.
‘I think perhaps we can lose that.’
‘Is that a yes to going on a date?’ he asked, seeming unsure.
‘It is.’
‘That’s good, because otherwise I’d feel like a fool when you saw the other side of the plate.’
Ros picked it up, turned it over and wiped off the remaining foam. Underneath it said – Ros Foster, I love you, signed Cameron DeFelice.
‘I know you like things to be official,’ he said. ‘Can I kiss you?’
Ros didn’t have to do a risk assessment for that one. ‘Definitely.’
He leaned across the table and their lips met. The restaurant diners burst into applause. When they pulled apart, Ros was distracted by someone tapping on the glass window behind them. There was Darla and Barry both giving her the thumbs up, while Gazza pawed at the glass in a desperate attempt to get to Cameron.
‘I’m guessing you had help with this,’ she said.
‘Yeah, just a bit,’ said Cameron as he waved them away and went in for another kiss.
