affirmation that someone like him found me attractive.“What about you, Ray? Any holidays planned?”
“Not this year, I’m afraid. I need to work harder than ever to overcome a few obstacles. Owned a beautiful holiday home in Provence but in the interest of peace I handed it over to
my ex. That’s one thing I’d advise you – don’t drag property issues through the courts if you can avoid it.”
“Thanks for the advice. No, Trevor’s fine that way. We haven’t sorted anything yet but I don’t intend to challenge anything.”
“Divorce is stressful and expensive enough. If you can agree terms with your ex you save a lot of money. I’ve given in for the sake of peace. It’s important where there are
children involved. Though Judy was still determined to battle it out for as much as she could get her hands on. But I’m determined to work hard to get back up to where I was pre-recession and
pre-divorce.” As we finished our meal, the conversation turned to children and how hard the whole business of marriage breakdown was for them to cope with. “They are innocent victims in
a mess made by their parents,” Ray said. I admired the way he constantly put his children first. Like me, he obviously would have stuck the marriage out for the sake of keeping family
together. We seemed to have similar values, unlike most of the other men I’d met. When the bill arrived I offered to go Dutch, but Ray wouldn’t hear of it and insisted on paying in
full. Ella was right about him being like Trevor in certain respects. He was well groomed, a gentleman to his fingertips and he certainly knew how to treat a woman. I felt very secure in his
company, feeling fate had a hand in bringing us together.
Afterwards we headed to the bar in La Stampa hotel for a drink before going our separate ways. As I was getting into a taxi, Ray asked me would I like to call over to his house the following day
for a casual lunch. “The kids will be with my ex.”
I hesitated. “I’d love to but I don’t know if my mother has planned something, and I don’t know if I’ll have time.”
“I’ll text you my address and directions. I’m not too far away. We’ve got on so well, I’d love to see you again.”
After he kissed me on the cheek, I climbed into the taxi. I was on a high, feeling as though every cell in my body was tingling from the thrill of meeting someone who seemed to be resonating on
the same wave length.
Chapter Nine
T he following morning, I awoke to the smell and sound of rashers sizzling. As I arrived downstairs, my mother was standing at the cooker,
metal tongs in hand, tea-towel slung over her arm. “I thought Dad was supposed to be watching his cholesterol.” I regretted saying it as soon as the words were out of my mouth.
My mother shot me a look. “I cook everything on the grill for him, Kate. Give me some credit.”
“Good morning, Liz.” My father pushed his empty plate away and stood up to put on his jacket. “It’s my Saturday morning treat and your mother is careful to poach the eggs
rather than fry them. Don’t forget who you got your talent for cooking from in the first place.”
“Kate … It’s Kate. And I’m not questioning mam’s ability as a cook.”
“Ah yes, Kate. Well, good to see you. I must rush to work now.” He paused. “How’s Julie? I would have given her a job for the summer. No need for her to go all the way to
Boston.” He bent to touch my arm as he passed by. It felt like a grip for support as he appeared to falter, his back stooped as he carried on.
“Next year, Dad,” I called after him, as he headed out the kitchen door. “Why’s he going to work on Saturday morning?” I asked my mother.
“The recession hit the practice hard. He had to let a lot of staff go in the last few months, so he’s had to make a lot of court appearances himself now even in minor cases where the
junior partner would have stood in before.”
The
“Not this year, I’m afraid. I need to work harder than ever to overcome a few obstacles. Owned a beautiful holiday home in Provence but in the interest of peace I handed it over to
my ex. That’s one thing I’d advise you – don’t drag property issues through the courts if you can avoid it.”
“Thanks for the advice. No, Trevor’s fine that way. We haven’t sorted anything yet but I don’t intend to challenge anything.”
“Divorce is stressful and expensive enough. If you can agree terms with your ex you save a lot of money. I’ve given in for the sake of peace. It’s important where there are
children involved. Though Judy was still determined to battle it out for as much as she could get her hands on. But I’m determined to work hard to get back up to where I was pre-recession and
pre-divorce.” As we finished our meal, the conversation turned to children and how hard the whole business of marriage breakdown was for them to cope with. “They are innocent victims in
a mess made by their parents,” Ray said. I admired the way he constantly put his children first. Like me, he obviously would have stuck the marriage out for the sake of keeping family
together. We seemed to have similar values, unlike most of the other men I’d met. When the bill arrived I offered to go Dutch, but Ray wouldn’t hear of it and insisted on paying in
full. Ella was right about him being like Trevor in certain respects. He was well groomed, a gentleman to his fingertips and he certainly knew how to treat a woman. I felt very secure in his
company, feeling fate had a hand in bringing us together.
Afterwards we headed to the bar in La Stampa hotel for a drink before going our separate ways. As I was getting into a taxi, Ray asked me would I like to call over to his house the following day
for a casual lunch. “The kids will be with my ex.”
I hesitated. “I’d love to but I don’t know if my mother has planned something, and I don’t know if I’ll have time.”
“I’ll text you my address and directions. I’m not too far away. We’ve got on so well, I’d love to see you again.”
After he kissed me on the cheek, I climbed into the taxi. I was on a high, feeling as though every cell in my body was tingling from the thrill of meeting someone who seemed to be resonating on
the same wave length.
Chapter Nine
T he following morning, I awoke to the smell and sound of rashers sizzling. As I arrived downstairs, my mother was standing at the cooker,
metal tongs in hand, tea-towel slung over her arm. “I thought Dad was supposed to be watching his cholesterol.” I regretted saying it as soon as the words were out of my mouth.
My mother shot me a look. “I cook everything on the grill for him, Kate. Give me some credit.”
“Good morning, Liz.” My father pushed his empty plate away and stood up to put on his jacket. “It’s my Saturday morning treat and your mother is careful to poach the eggs
rather than fry them. Don’t forget who you got your talent for cooking from in the first place.”
“Kate … It’s Kate. And I’m not questioning mam’s ability as a cook.”
“Ah yes, Kate. Well, good to see you. I must rush to work now.” He paused. “How’s Julie? I would have given her a job for the summer. No need for her to go all the way to
Boston.” He bent to touch my arm as he passed by. It felt like a grip for support as he appeared to falter, his back stooped as he carried on.
“Next year, Dad,” I called after him, as he headed out the kitchen door. “Why’s he going to work on Saturday morning?” I asked my mother.
“The recession hit the practice hard. He had to let a lot of staff go in the last few months, so he’s had to make a lot of court appearances himself now even in minor cases where the
junior partner would have stood in before.”
The
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