Stuck with You: the perfect feel-good romantic comedy!. Carla Burgess

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СКАЧАТЬ don’t I know you?’ he said, his eyebrows drawing together in a frown. ‘It’s Elena, right? From college?’

      My stomach dropped. Briefly, I considered denying it. Keep the dream. Keep the dream. But that seemed ridiculous when he clearly recognised me.

      ‘Yes,’ I nodded, and tried to smile. ‘Daniel, right?’

      He smiled and I went pink. Feeling silly and self-conscious, I smoothed my skirt down over my knees.

      ‘So, what are you up to these days?’

      ‘I work for the council.’

      ‘Doing the bins?’

      ‘No!’ I laughed. ‘I work in HR.’

      ‘Ooh, get you.’

      ‘What about you?’

      ‘I’m a tree surgeon.’

      ‘Are you really? Wow. I thought you’d be a rock star or something.’

      ‘Oh well, I’m still in a band, you know. It might happen yet.’

      ‘Really? You still play?’

      ‘Yeah. What about you? You still play the cello?’

      I looked at him in amazement. ‘You remember?’

      ‘Of course. It was a bloody massive thing. You used to drag it around, tripping everyone up as you went.’

      ‘I did not! I used to put it in the music department.’

      ‘You had to get it there though, didn’t you?’ Daniel got to his feet and peered up at the hatch in the roof. ‘Everyone used to dive for cover in the common room.’

      ‘Now you’re just being ridiculous,’ I said, sounding snippy. I’d been really self-conscious about my cello. I knew everyone used to stare at me.

      ‘So, do you still play?’

      ‘No. Its gathering dust in the corner of my bedroom. My boyfriend keeps telling me to sell it, but I can’t part with it for some reason.’

      ‘I don’t blame you. You played beautifully. Maybe you should play for him.’

      I glanced up at him. When had he ever heard me play? ‘I think your memory must be deceiving you.’

      He shrugged. ‘I remember you practising in the music room. It was lovely.’

      ‘Oh!’ I was surprised. I’d never thought he’d be interested in that kind of music. ‘Anyway, I have played for Alex. He wasn’t impressed.’

      Daniel frowned. ‘What is he? Some kind of philistine?’

      I smiled, feeling flattered. ‘So, you went travelling after college, didn’t you?’ I said, getting to my feet. ‘How did that go?’

      ‘It was a great. Seems like a lifetime ago now though. Did you go to uni?’

      ‘Yeah.’ I sighed and stared at the emergency call button again. ‘I never usually get the lift,’ I said. ‘Not unless I have a trolley.’

      ‘Nor me,’ he said. ‘But I saw the open door and thought, may as well.’

      ‘Me too.’ If only I’d carried on to those stairs. If only I’d ignored those open doors.

      ‘Maybe it’s a demon lift,’ he said. ‘Luring us in, ready to trap us and eat us alive.’

      ‘Okay, not helping.’

      ‘Sorry.’ He laughed and it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. That laugh. I’d dreamt about that laugh.

      ‘Do you think we should bang again?’

      ‘Maybe, but absolutely no body slamming. I forbid it.’

      I laughed and rubbed my shoulder. ‘I won’t be doing that again, don’t worry.’ I pressed the button once more and the speaker suddenly crackled into life.

      ‘Hello?’

      ‘Hello! Hi!’ I was so relieved someone had answered. ‘We’re trapped in the lift. Can you get us out, please?’

      There was a lot of snuffling and banging and then the man’s voice again. ‘I’ll come and have a look, love. Is it just you in there?’

      ‘No, I’m with a man. His name’s Daniel.’

      ‘All right, love, I don’t need his bloody name and address.’ The intercom went off and I turned to Daniel in disbelief.

      ‘How rude!’

      He laughed. ‘At least he’s coming to rescue us. Well done for pressing the buzzer.’ He sat back down on the floor again. It didn’t look very clean and I felt queasy thinking about how I’d been sitting down there just a few minutes ago. I put my shoe back on and picked up my bag of shopping in preparation to leave. The man would free us any moment, I was sure. There were a few clanking noises coming from outside, like a toolbox or something. Progress at last.

      ‘Here he comes with his rusty spanner,’ Daniel muttered. He eyed my shopping bag with interest. ‘Got anything nice in there? I’m starving.’

      ‘Didn’t you buy anything?’

      ‘No, I just used the cashpoint.’

      ‘Oh no! That seems doubly unfair to get stuck while going to a cashpoint.’

      ‘Serves me right for not taking the stairs.’ He leaned his head back and sniffed. ‘Still, I’m glad I’m in here with you. Imagine being stuck on your own? How would that have felt?’

      Smiling, I rummaged in my bag, taking out a packet of biscuits.

      ‘Chocolate digestive?’

      ‘You’re a star!’ He reached for the packet and the clanking noises got louder. There was a sudden whirring sound that sounded like the lift had started back up and was about to move.

      ‘Yay!’ I said, but the word died on my lips as the lift shuddered again and the lights went off, plunging us into darkness. ‘What’s going on?’ Instinctively, I squatted next to Daniel and gripped his arm. ‘Why has it gone dark? I don’t like it!’

      ‘Shh shh. It’ll be all right. Don’t worry.’ Daniel caught my hand in his and squeezed it. I leaned into him for comfort.

      ‘You all right in there?’ A gruff male voice came from somewhere above us. ‘I can’t get you out, I’m afraid. Gonna have to call the fire brigade. Won’t be long.’

      ‘Can you put the lights back on?’ I shouted.

      ‘No can do, love. But we’ll have you out soon enough.’

      ‘Soon СКАЧАТЬ