them to her chest. “Mum’s going to love them.” There was another pregnant pause.
Meg shot Kate an apologetic look, the corners of her mouth moving up slowly. “It was lovely to see you — and I’m always here if you need more flowers.”
Meg winced as she spoke, which only left Kate more confused. Would the kiss have been a mistake? Would Meg have kissed her back? Was Kate going to drive herself mad thinking about a bunch of ‘what ifs’ for the rest of the evening? Probably.
“If I do, you’re my first port of call,” Kate said. “I’ll see you around.”
Meg nodded slowly. “Hope your hand heals soon.”
Kate gave Meg a final stare, one she hoped was loaded with intent or could just possibly have made her look like a gurning fool. But there was no time to check as Meg had now turned her attention back to her customer, leaving Kate to slope out of the florist feeling more pained than ever.
16
Two days later and Kate pulled on her black bomber jacket, ready to head up to north London and have Sunday lunch with her family. Maureen hated cooking roasts, so the pub was their destination.
When Kate arrived at the Walrus & Carpenter, the troops were already there. Her sister Vicky was looking far more relaxed than the last time she’d seen her, chatting with Mum at one end of the table, while Jack was at the other end, playing cards with Luke and Freddie. The pub was spacious and inviting, with sleek wood, smartly varnished floorboards, crisp curtains and stylishly upholstered seating. Flowers adorned every table and it was Sunday-lunchtime packed.
Kate swept in and hung her jacket on the back of the spare chair next to her mum.
Her oldest nephew, Luke, turned and studied her for a moment. “You look nice, Aunty Kate,” he said.
Kate grinned. “Thanks, Luke — you look gorgeous, too.”
Luke grinned right back.
Kate ruffled Freddie’s hair. “Alright, Fred — how are your crisps?”
“Very tasty, thank you,” Freddie told her.
Kate greeted everyone else, before propping up the bar and surveying the family scene. Vicky had been lucky meeting Jack at university and marrying him — he was one of the good guys. Similarly, her mum had been lucky to meet Dad in her late teens — they’d had a great life together until the accident. It was only Kate who couldn’t seem to get coupled up and settle down. Hell, even Jess, the walking book of heartbreak, had met Lucy and managed not to fuck it up just yet. Kate would love to bring a girlfriend into this family portrait. She was sure Meg would fit right in, chatting with her family, playing with her nephews.
Meg. The only problem with that was Meg was very clearly not her girlfriend. Kate shook her head. Two days on and she was still kicking herself.
She was just getting her change from the bartender when a man walked over to their table. Kate recognised him, but couldn’t quite place him. However, when the man turned around to face her, an amused smile played on Kate’s lips.
Lawrence. She looked over at her mum, who suddenly looked a bit giddy — she’d set them up. Now Jack was standing, shaking Lawrence’s hand, Vicky had a strained smile on her face, and now he was walking towards Kate.
“You must be Kate.” He held out a spade-sized hand.
Kate shook it with gusto. “Guilty as charged,” she replied. “And you must be Lawrence.”
He nodded and Kate noted the healthy glow of his skin — he clearly took care of himself.
“Can I get you a drink?”
“Gin and tonic would be lovely, thanks,” Lawrence said.
“I’ll bring it over if you take this to Jack.”
Lawrence dutifully took the pint of Guinness in one hand, a white wine for Maureen in the other and went back to the table.
Vicky’s face was now in glare mode.
This was going to be interesting.
***
Two hours later and Lawrence had bid his farewells. Kate had hugged him warmly and was more than pleased with her mum’s
Meg shot Kate an apologetic look, the corners of her mouth moving up slowly. “It was lovely to see you — and I’m always here if you need more flowers.”
Meg winced as she spoke, which only left Kate more confused. Would the kiss have been a mistake? Would Meg have kissed her back? Was Kate going to drive herself mad thinking about a bunch of ‘what ifs’ for the rest of the evening? Probably.
“If I do, you’re my first port of call,” Kate said. “I’ll see you around.”
Meg nodded slowly. “Hope your hand heals soon.”
Kate gave Meg a final stare, one she hoped was loaded with intent or could just possibly have made her look like a gurning fool. But there was no time to check as Meg had now turned her attention back to her customer, leaving Kate to slope out of the florist feeling more pained than ever.
16
Two days later and Kate pulled on her black bomber jacket, ready to head up to north London and have Sunday lunch with her family. Maureen hated cooking roasts, so the pub was their destination.
When Kate arrived at the Walrus & Carpenter, the troops were already there. Her sister Vicky was looking far more relaxed than the last time she’d seen her, chatting with Mum at one end of the table, while Jack was at the other end, playing cards with Luke and Freddie. The pub was spacious and inviting, with sleek wood, smartly varnished floorboards, crisp curtains and stylishly upholstered seating. Flowers adorned every table and it was Sunday-lunchtime packed.
Kate swept in and hung her jacket on the back of the spare chair next to her mum.
Her oldest nephew, Luke, turned and studied her for a moment. “You look nice, Aunty Kate,” he said.
Kate grinned. “Thanks, Luke — you look gorgeous, too.”
Luke grinned right back.
Kate ruffled Freddie’s hair. “Alright, Fred — how are your crisps?”
“Very tasty, thank you,” Freddie told her.
Kate greeted everyone else, before propping up the bar and surveying the family scene. Vicky had been lucky meeting Jack at university and marrying him — he was one of the good guys. Similarly, her mum had been lucky to meet Dad in her late teens — they’d had a great life together until the accident. It was only Kate who couldn’t seem to get coupled up and settle down. Hell, even Jess, the walking book of heartbreak, had met Lucy and managed not to fuck it up just yet. Kate would love to bring a girlfriend into this family portrait. She was sure Meg would fit right in, chatting with her family, playing with her nephews.
Meg. The only problem with that was Meg was very clearly not her girlfriend. Kate shook her head. Two days on and she was still kicking herself.
She was just getting her change from the bartender when a man walked over to their table. Kate recognised him, but couldn’t quite place him. However, when the man turned around to face her, an amused smile played on Kate’s lips.
Lawrence. She looked over at her mum, who suddenly looked a bit giddy — she’d set them up. Now Jack was standing, shaking Lawrence’s hand, Vicky had a strained smile on her face, and now he was walking towards Kate.
“You must be Kate.” He held out a spade-sized hand.
Kate shook it with gusto. “Guilty as charged,” she replied. “And you must be Lawrence.”
He nodded and Kate noted the healthy glow of his skin — he clearly took care of himself.
“Can I get you a drink?”
“Gin and tonic would be lovely, thanks,” Lawrence said.
“I’ll bring it over if you take this to Jack.”
Lawrence dutifully took the pint of Guinness in one hand, a white wine for Maureen in the other and went back to the table.
Vicky’s face was now in glare mode.
This was going to be interesting.
***
Two hours later and Lawrence had bid his farewells. Kate had hugged him warmly and was more than pleased with her mum’s
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