“Then let’s not give it any more of our time.” Jim threw the paper into the bin.
Angie had called to check if Tasha was okay and was happy with their agreed response, which she was.
****
Tasha was standing in her third outfit of the day and still unhappy, with everything.
“Honey, you look great, you always do,” said Jim as he sat on the bed watching her. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t have anything to wear.” She pouted.
“We are having lunch with your family, what would you normally wear?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Jeans and a t-shirt I suppose, but somebody ripped my t-shirt off me last night.”
“Do you have another t-shirt with you?”
She shook her head.
“Then let’s go and buy one or ten or whatever.” He was becoming impatient.
“No, I’ll go home first. We have to virtually bypass mine to get to my grandparents so I will pack my washing and drop it home and change. I need to text Lucy first.” She quickly composed a text as Jim watched her, confused.
Tasha quickly threw the things she needed into her Prada bag and put her hoodie on as Jim stood waiting for her with his overnight bag already packed.
“Are you nervous about me meeting your grandparents?”
“A little, but only because I want you to like them, and Dan and Pippa and I really want them to like you. To love you like I love you,” she said.
“I will be at my most charming then,” he said sincerely.
“And don’t mention marriage or me moving to L.A.” she said firmly.
“Why?” A hint of annoyance entered his voice now.
“Because we agreed to keep the whole marriage thing to ourselves for now and I was going to tell them I was going to L.A. for a while and then tell them I kind of wasn’t coming back.”
“That’s rather dishonest,” he said and then added, “I emailed my attorneys yesterday to ask them to look at your driver’s licence and work permits and whatever else needs dealing with, so by the time you come out next week it should be clearer.”
She nodded as a belly full of nerves rose at the reality of what she’d agreed to.
****
They had just got through the front door of the flat when Lucy appeared and hugged Tasha tightly before turning to Jim, “You must be Jim. Nice to meet you at last.” Lucy offered him a hand which he readily accepted.
“And you, Lucy. I feel as though I already know you,” he replied as a topless Ryan appeared.
“Hi Tash, bet you didn’t recognise me with clothes on,” he joked with his just shagged face on.
Tasha laughed a little too loudly as she remembered their first meeting.
