‘Really?’ He seemed pleased.
‘Yes. It’ll definitely be finished by the time we have our fifth date.’
Claire had tried to ignore her phone over dinner and give her full attention to Mark, but she jumped now when she heard her ringtone. She was relieved to realise it was coming from the next table. But it put her on edge, and she glanced anxiously at her phone throughout the rest of the meal. The problem was, she knew her mother didn’t want to be a burden and ‘put a stop to her gallop’, as she would have said, so she didn’t really trust her to call, except in the most dire circumstances, and she was worried she would leave it too late.
‘Is everything okay?’ Mark asked, as their plates were cleared away. ‘You seem a bit agitated.’
‘Sorry. It’s just – I’m worried about Mum. She seemed a bit under the weather this evening. Actually, I was going to cancel?—’
‘God, you should have said.’
‘She insisted she was fine and I should go out, but… Sorry, do you mind if we cut this short? I can’t relax.’
‘No, of course not.’ Mark was already signalling to a waiter for the bill.
‘I feel awful,’ Claire said apologetically, though at the same time she was relieved. ‘When you’ve come all this way and you’re just here for one night…’
‘It’s fine, honestly.’ Mark placed a wad of notes in the leather folder and told the waiter to keep the change. Then they got up to go.
‘You can come back with me for coffee, if you like,’ Claire told him, as they left the restaurant.
‘I can?’
‘My mother will be there, obviously.’
‘Well, as long as she wouldn’t mind…’
‘No! Not at all – she’d love it. I just thought I should warn you…’
‘No hanky-panky?’
Claire laughed. ‘That wasn’t what I meant. I just don’t want you to feel like I’m bringing you home to meet my mother. We just happen to live together.’
‘I’d love to meet your mother,’ Mark said. ‘And I’d like to have more time with you.’
Claire briefed him in the taxi. ‘My mother doesn’t know anything about my blog or the book deal. As far as she’s concerned, you’re someone I met on the internet – which is true, if you think about it.’
‘Okay.’
‘And don’t let her know we came back because I was worried.’
‘No, of course not.’
Claire touched his hand. ‘Thank you for doing this.’
‘No problem.’ He gripped her fingers and she smiled at him gratefully.
The lights were still on downstairs when they arrived at the house. ‘You’re home early,’ her mother called from the living room, over the sound of the TV, as they stepped into the hall.
‘Hi.’ Claire stuck her head around the door. ‘We decided to come back here for coffee.’
‘Oh!’ Espie sat up, turning off the TV with the remote.
‘Mum, this is Mark,’ she said, as he followed her into the room. ‘Mark, this is my mum.’
‘Hello,’ he said, shaking her hand. ‘Pleased to meet you, Mrs Kennedy.’
‘Call me Espie.’ She smiled at him. ‘Sit down,’ she said, patting the sofa beside her.
