‘I mean, we didn’t even know you had a boyfriend, and now it’s meet the whole family time.’
‘Oh, I don’t – I mean, he’s not?—’
‘At least,Ididn’t know,’ Liz continued. ‘Did anyone else?’ Everyone shook their heads. ‘You should have said something. I can stop trying to think of people to fix you up with now. Thank God!’ She laughed. ‘Because, honestly, I was running out of ideas. Ronan, you can tell that guy at work to stand down.’
‘He’s not my boyfriend,’ Claire said hastily, glancing at Luca. This had been a bad idea. She hoped he wouldn’tfreak out. ‘We’re just friends. But don’t get that guy at work to stand up again,’ she whispered to Ronan, who smiled at her sympathetically.
‘But I saw you kissing in the hall,’ Holly said, with a cheeky smile.
Claire blushed. ‘It wasn’t that kind of kissing.’
‘Don’t be a tattle-tale, Holly,’ Espie said, as everyone settled and began helping themselves. ‘So, tell us all about yourself, Luca.’
‘What would you like to know?’
‘Well, what do you do? Let’s start with that.’
‘I’m an artist – a painter.’
‘I love doing painting!’ Holly said. ‘I didn’t know that could be a job.’
‘So you make a living out of painting?’ Espie said. ‘How marvellous!’
‘Well, not much of a living.’
‘Still, to be able to do something you love – I think that’s wonderful.’
‘So, how do you two know each other?’ Liz asked. ‘Cut up Ben’s meat for him, Ronan.’
‘Oh, we met at, um… night classes,’ Claire blurted out.
‘Night classes?’ Liz hooted. ‘I didn’t think anyone actually met at night classes.’
‘I didn’t know you were taking night classes,’ Espie said to Claire. ‘You’ve been holding out on me.’ She gave Claire a sly smile.
‘I only started going while you were in hospital.’
‘So what was the class?’ Michelle asked.
‘Um… art,’ Claire said.
‘Oh, so you were the teacher?’ Liz asked Luca.
‘Yeah,’ he answered, flashing a little smile at Claire.
‘I didn’t know you could paint.’ Ronan looked at Claire in surprise.
‘Well, I can’t, really. That’s why I’m going to classes.’
‘And what I teach Claire is more sort of… performance art,’ Luca said.
‘You can teach that?’
‘I’ve never taught it before, but I’m giving it a go.’
‘Anyway, I’m not very good,’ Claire mumbled, hoping they would drop the subject.
‘Claire’s too hard on herself,’ Luca told everyone. ‘She’s actually shown great aptitude.’
