Testing Tom

Testing Tom

By Lucy Felthouse

Text Copyright 2020 © Lucy Felthouse.

All Rights Reserved.

Smashwords edition.

With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the aforementioned author. This book was created without the use of AI. Scanning by AI for training purposes or derivative works is strictly prohibited.

Warning: The unauthorised reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the author’s written permission.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

About the Author

If You Enjoyed Testing Tom

Chapter One

Katrina was halfway through an episode of her favourite drama series when her doorbell rang. She jumped, gasping as her heart lurched painfully, then pressed ‘pause’ on the remote control. Wincing slightly as she unfolded her legs from beneath her bottom—she’d been watching the programme back-to-back for a couple of hours and was stiff—she moved to the window and peered through a gap in the curtains, careful not to let the mystery visitor see her, should she need to ignore them. Cold callers were common in her area, and drove her crazy. If she wanted to buy something, she’d contact them, not the other way around.

As it happened, it wasn’t a salesperson. She ducked back from the window, clenching her hands into fists. What the fuck is he doing here?

He was literally the last person she’d expected to see standing outside her door. Prince William or George Clooney would have been less of a shock.

For there, outside her house, stood the man who had broken her heart several months ago. Thomas Black. She hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him since, and now, totally out of the blue, he’d turned up.

Katrina contemplated ignoring him, going back to her show and pretending she wasn’t in. But apparently that wasn’t an option.

I know you’re there, Katrina, he yelled through the letterbox, your car is on the drive, and I can see the glow of the telly through the curtains.

Katrina decided it was time to get thicker curtains. Not wanting to cause a scene, which her nosey neighbours would no doubt adore, she moved to the front door, unlocked it and flung it open.

Get in, she said, then quickly closed the door behind him and turned to face her unwanted visitor. What the hell do you want?

He held his hands up in supplication, then spoke. Look, I know I’m probably the last person you expected to see—wanted to see—but I have to talk to you. Please?

He adopted the puppy-dog look he’d long-since perfected.

Katrina sighed. You’ve got five minutes. Sit down.

They moved over to the sitting area, and Katrina deliberately sat in the chair so Tom couldn’t sit next to her. Settling onto the end of the sofa nearest to her, he clasped his hands together, presumably to summon his courage, and began. Kat, I’m here to say I’m sorry, all right? I was wrong, so wrong, to finish with you the way I did and go off with Alicia.

She’s dumped you, has she? Katrina clenched her teeth, felt the rage beginning to build inside her. If Tom thought he could come running back to her because his bimbo had ditched him, then he had another think coming.

No, he said firmly and, she suspected, honestly. I finished with her, actually. When I realised I wasn’t happy with her. She never made me feel the way you do, Kat. Not once. And I know, I know it’s my fault. I wanted something… different from what we had, or at least I thought I did. I couldn’t help thinking at the time that what we did was wrong, was weird. Abnormal, even. So when Alicia started flirting with me at work, I started thinking perhaps I should try for something normal. Like everybody else out there.

He fixed her with his soulful gaze, and continued. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. Yes, Alicia offered me normality, a vanilla relationship, but I soon discovered it couldn’t satisfy me. Sure, she could make me come in all the usual ways—

Ugh, I don’t want to hear this, Tom. I don’t want to hear about your sex life with someone else.

Sorry, Kat. Please, just let me finish?

When she