Rose called in at about three with a batch of cheese scones.
‘This is a thank you for sending Carole to the shop today,’ she said. ‘She spent a fortune! It was partly because Luke and her husband had gone off somewhere and left her there for ages. But she was very happy with her haul.’
Hattie laughed. ‘That’s good! But you didn’t need to bake for me.’
‘Well, I only really made these so I could hear how things were going,’ Rose admitted.
‘I knew that,’ said Hattie, buttering a scone ‘just to make sure they’re OK for the guests’. ‘But I don’t mind telling you: Luke is a really good actor, it turns out, and makes it look as if we’re a proper couple.’
‘What do you mean?’ asked Rose.
‘Well, you know, he makes the little gestures, that hand on my back when he’s squeezing behind me, the occasional hand on my knee – but only very briefly… I think even Xander thinks there’s something going on although he knows we’re not together.’
‘Hmm,’ said Rose. ‘Well, keep up the good work!’
‘We’re in tonight, but we’ve decided to get a takeaway, so I’ve just got to do a roast tomorrow for lunch and then they’ll go. It’s been exhausting!’
‘I bet it is.’
‘It’s not the physical thing of looking after them. If they were my real friends, I wouldn’t notice that. It’s the fielding the awkward questions, and…’ She paused. ‘You know.’
‘It’s like when my mother-in-law comes to stay.’
This made Hattie smile. ‘At least Luke has been brilliant.’
Rose put an arm round Hattie and hugged her. ‘I’d better go. I don’t want to be caught here.’
‘Thank you so much for the scones. They’re just the thing to fill that hungry half-hour between lunch ending and dinner beginning.’
Rose was laughing now. ‘It’s not that bad!’
Luke and Hattie stood at the door watching Carole and Jason reverse down the drive. Luke had his arm round Hattie’s shoulders and they were both smiling and waving. When at last they were out of sight, Luke removed his arm. ‘Come on in. You need tea!’
‘We’ve only lived together for a few hours and already you know me so well.’
‘I knew you needed frequent tea before we lived together.’ He steered her back into the house and she collapsed on to the sofa.
When he had brought her tea and a fancy chocolate biscuit from a little hamper that Jason and Carole had brought, he sat down in the armchair.
Hattie couldn’t help remembering how the previous evening they had been sharing the sofa with Carole while they all watched a film. To save space, Luke had put his arm round her and Hattie found herself resting her head against his chest. A little while later she awoke with a start. But because it would have looked odd if she’d moved away, she’d stayed where she was for the rest of the movie.
She had been gently teased for nodding off and blamed the brandy.
‘I’ve known Jason for years, as a colleague, and although he’s a good bloke, he wasn’t the easiest house guest. He seemed to be quite demanding.’
‘He was fine!’
‘And Carole was quite nosy.’
‘Honestly, her questions only put me on the spot a bit because I didn’t know what you’d said, but they were quite normal questions.’ Even as she said the words, Hattie felt herself relax, knowing she wouldn’t be asked anything more about potential weddings or whether she wanted children.
‘Well, you did me proud,’ he said. ‘I couldn’t have asked for a better girlfriend.’
But she wasn’t his girlfriend, Hattie thought in response. And based on what Xander had said, it seemed April was. Hattie felt a sudden rush of jealousy. She coughed and shook her head, trying to banish the feeling. It was a huge relief when Xander came in.
‘Have they gone?’ he asked.
Hattie nodded. ‘The coast is clear.’
