watched from across the room as Kate’s face lit up at something one of her friends had said. She threw her hands up in a mock shock and broke into a wide grin. She looked so animated. Luminous. He was pleased the venue had paid off. For a moment when they arrived, from the expression on her face, he thought he’d screwed things up, but she’d soon cheered up. The red and green balloons had been a good idea, too. Not pink, white and silver, as Megan had suggested. He knew Kate better than anyone and she wasn’t one of these fluffy women who needed pink things in their life. She’d seemed pleased with the decorations, commenting on them as they walked towards the private-event room he’d arranged. He could have easily gone for the country pub venue but this idea was better – he hoped it had reminded her of his unique and creative side. He wasn’t a dull person and yet that’s exactly how he’d felt lately – grey. He was sure he wasn’t the only one feeling it – it was good to see Kate looking happy again.
‘Alright, mate.’ Josh, Alf’s colleague, interrupted his observation. ‘Great party.’ He took a swig of his bottled cider. ‘I’ve just been chatting with Walshy over there about how hot Megan looks tonight.’
‘Wouldn’t know about that, mate. Loud-mouthed, arrogant women don’t do it for me. She’s got a great face and figure – I’ll give her that much. Shame about the personality.’ Alf glanced at the willowy Megan standing next to Kate and tucking her thick, wavy hair to one side. There was no denying that she was stunning. Yet he couldn’t help but dislike her influence over Kate.
Josh grinned mischievously. He was known in Alf’s department as the ‘wind-up merchant’ and was all too aware of the stand-off between Alf and Megan. He’d already been over to Megan and tried his luck tonight, but to no avail. She was also being uncharacteristically tight-lipped.
‘Who’s the woman in the polka-dot dress by the window?’ Josh asked, nodding his head towards a short, slim blonde in sky-scraping heels.
‘Jo – Kate’s friend, and she’s married. Got three kids. It’s a no-go mate.’ Alf drained his pint of beer and excused himself, drawn to the laughter and shrieking from where Kate stood surrounded by their mutual friends.
Kate took another gulp of her rosé wine and wiped a tear of laughter from beneath her eye. She saw Alf approaching with a grin on his face. He’d loosened his shirt buttons and she noticed he looked relaxed and happy. ‘We were just laughing about the old days. Do you remember that time we got lost on our weekend break in Wales and they had to send the rescue team out. Then Ian ended up breaking his little toe after the ram chased him?’
Alf laughed. ‘He’s always said his toe has never been the same since. The funny thing is, he already had a sixth toe to start with.’ Giggles erupted around him as he looked down at his empty glass. ‘I’m just going to get a top-up.’
‘I’ll come with you.’ Linking her arm through his, Kate turned to Alf. ‘I’m having the best night. Thank you so much for arranging this.’ It was true. The music, the people, the wine. It might not have been what she’d expected but the past couple of hours had been a blast.
‘There’s more to come yet.’ Alf whispered, leaning in to kiss her gently on the lips.
Kate felt her stomach somersault. She couldn’t imagine a happier ending to the evening than Alf proposing. It was certainly going to be a memory for the future. She tried to contain her excitement as another thought popped into her head.
‘Oh, before I forget. All that reminiscing about our weekend break to Wales made me remember the artistic retreat I was going to do. I think I’m going to look into it again.’
Alf stopped in his tracks. ‘Artistic retreat? But I thought you’d given up with your art?’
Kate noticed the edge of tension in his voice and felt her enthusiasm falter. She walked slowly ahead of him. ‘Well, I know it’s been a long time, but painting used to make me so happy. Remembering it made me feel excited again.’
‘It’s up to you – you do as you please, but I very much doubt considering you haven’t held a brush in eight years that you’ll pick up where you left off.’ They’d reached the bar and Alf turned to catch the attention of the waiter.
‘I wasn’t expecting to pick up where I left off.’ Kate retorted, wounded. She noticed that Alf’s body language had changed; he was standing stiffly against the bar, agitatedly drumming his knuckles. ‘Just forget I said anything, okay?’
He swiftly placed his order with the barman and turned to look at her with a confused look in his eyes. ‘I didn’t mean it like that, darling. I just meant – don’t expect to have the big opportunities that you once had with it. Things change. Your life is different now.’
Kate felt herself shrinking inside. She was well aware that in the past she’d thrown away a good opportunity to make a name for herself in the art world, but she’d never regretted it. She thought Alf had understood that – hadn’t he?
‘I know, and I didn’t mean about doing it professionally. I just meant I might look into the retreat again and take it up as a hobby. A creative outlet. That’s all.’
She felt her hair being tugged gently and instantly span around to see a tipsy Megan behind her. ‘Hey doll, are you okay?’
Megan smiled and held up her wine glass, not noticing as the liquid spilled over the edges onto the carpet. ‘I was coming to get you for a boogie. I’ve asked the DJ to play our song.’
Kate caught Alf’s cold stare in Megan’s direction and felt it wise to keep the pair as far apart as possible. Following the exchange she’d just had with Alf, his happier mood had clearly vanished. The waiter finished pouring a fresh glass of wine and handed it to her.
She smiled at her friend encouragingly. ‘I’d love to. Go and get us a good spot by the DJ stand and I’ll be right over.’
Megan followed Kate’s orders, but not before singing the song loudly as she brushed purposefully – if not a little drunkenly, past Alf.
‘And you call that sorry excuse of a drunken woman a sensible friend?’ Alf smirked as Megan was barely out of earshot.
‘She’s just a little tipsy, that’s all. Why don’t you come and have a dance after, too? Let’s bust out some moves together on the dance floor,’ Kate replied lightly, doing her best impression of a dancing robot. The wine she’d drunk was squashing any inhibitions.
Alf’s face lightened and he laughed, grabbing her waist. ‘I’ll hold you to that. It’s been a while since the world has seen my running man.’ Smiling, Kate led him towards the makeshift dance floor just as Rihanna came over the speakers.
‘It’s your song,’ Alf said, visibly relieved at having an excuse to return to the boys. ‘You’d better get over to Miss Tipsy and do your dance together. Just don’t be there all night.’ He watched as Kate sashayed her way over to where Megan was already doing her best Rihanna impersonation and shook his head in disbelief.
It was almost eleven o’clock and Alf knew his time had come. He stepped up onto the small stage just as the DJ cut the music. The heavy tap on the microphone sent a high-pitched shrill sound through the room, causing everyone to wince and still their chatter and dancing. His eyes immediately found Kate amongst the crowd, looking at him flushed and bewildered. She was a little drunk but still as luminous as she had been all evening. He only hoped his final surprise would be one to make her smile with even more happiness. He’d thought about it for a while – uncertain if it was the right thing to do….but his mind had been made up. He was confident it would bring her happiness in a way that he knew she craved.
‘Ladies and gents,’ he began. ‘Firstly, I’d like to thank you for sharing this special evening with us and I’d especially like to ask you all to raise your glasses to my Kate. Thirty-two years old. Happy birthday, babe.’ He raised his pint of beer and the guests followed suit.
Kate found herself surrounded by loud cheers and applause, momentarily forgetting