It was the beginning of March when a new tenor joined the choir and he was interesting.
Seb had recently moved to the area from Colchester. He was mid-thirties, tall, slim and dishy. I wasn’t the only woman in the group who found him attractive and he lapped up the attention. He seemed to spend an equal amount of time with every woman and it was the third week before he spent any time with me.
He was a business adviser at a merchant bank, one I’d never heard of. It dealt with private clients and businesses only, he said. He also told me he was newly single as his girlfriend had left him two months previously. He had no problem discussing his ex, but only in general terms. He flirted briefly with me as I had witnessed him flirting with other women in previous weeks.
The following week, he asked if I would like to go for a drink with him after choir practice. My heart fluttered, knowing many of the other women would have jumped at the chance, and I accepted, maybe too enthusiastically.
“My name is Sebastian Sherlock,” he told me, seriously, in the pub, “and like the great sleuth, I have powers of deduction.” Surprised, I asked what he could deduce. “Firstly, that you are not married. Secondly, the men around here must be blind.”
“Why do you say that?” I asked, puzzled.
“If they weren’t blind, they’d see how beautiful you are and you’d have been snapped up long ago. You wouldn’t have accepted a drink with me if you were already spoken for.” He laughed pleasantly. He was a smooth talker but his comments were boosting my ego. He continued flirting with me and I started flirting back. I only had one drink as I had to drive home but it was closing time before we left.
“Lovely car,” he laughed as he walked me to my car. “Flower power, eh?”
“Not really. It just appealed to me.”
“Free love then?” he asked hopefully.
“Not that either,” I laughed. I wasn’t offended. I started my car and wound down the window. “Thanks for the drink,” I called as I began to reverse the car out of my parking space.
“Same time next week?” he called to me.
“OK,” I answered.