‘Excellent. I’ve never had an official food taster before.’
‘Sorry, was that a bit rude? It runs in the family. We’re always trying each other’s food. Here, try a scallop.’ He loaded a fork with a smear of bean puree, a piece of bacon, and a small creamy scallop and offered it to her.
The flavours burst in her mouth and she gave a greedy little moan. ‘Mm, that is gorgeous.’
‘Yes, the saltiness of the bacon and the flavour of the garlic and cannellini bean mash sets the off the scallops to perfection. Gerard is a genius with seafood.’
God, she hoped he wasn’t going to ask her to identify the ingredients of anything. She wouldn’t know a cannellini bean if it came and spat in her face, let alone that you could make a mash with it.
‘So what do you do when you’re not working? Manchester’s nightlife is great, isn’t it?’
‘It’s also close to some glorious countryside. I like to unwind by getting outdoors at the weekends. There’s nothing like fresh air and being in the Pennines to recharge after a manic week at work. I’ve got a bit of an addiction to canoeing. I love being out on the water.’
He raised an interested eyebrow as if she’d surprised him. To be honest, it surprised most people as she didn’t strike anyone as the sporty type. ‘Blame the children’s book,Swallows and Amazons. I was obsessed with it as a child.’
‘Fair enough. You ever done any sea kayaking? The coast here is perfect.’
‘No, I stick to nice gentle rivers and canals.’ What she really enjoyed was just being in the moment, enjoying the water without worrying about practical things like capsizing or crashing. Enjoying having the brain space to be fully present and aware of herself and her surroundings. She was quite happy pootling like a moorhen; she wasn’t into the adrenaline rush of white water. ‘Have you?’
‘Not for ages. Too busy. I did quite a bit when I was younger. Where I grew up we weren’t far from the beach. We had a little dinghy and would go out fishing, messing about on the water.’
‘Sounds idyllic,’ said Hannah, a touch enviously. Arthur Ransome’s Lake District set books had been her favourites as a child and she’d hankered for that idyllic sort of outdoor life, having grown up on a very suburban street.
‘Yes, there were four of us and we ran wild in the summer. You got any brothers or sisters?’
‘A sister. She’s just moved to Switzerland.’
‘Have you been there?’
‘Yes, in June for a long weekend. Where she lives is heavenly. Lots of wonderful walking, amazing views, clear air.’
‘A long way from Manchester then.’
‘Very.’ She couldn’t imagine ever moving to another country. It seemed such a leap into the unknown.
The tenderness and juiciness of the beef elicited another groan of pleasure which was quite unlike her, but it really was quite delicious. He insisted on her trying his meal and taking samples from her plate. It was a far cry from her aunt’s plain cooking at home in a kitchen that was so out of date it was almost a museum piece. She had to admit that sharing was a lot of fun. There was a certain intimacy in focusing solely on one other person, waiting for them to elicit their pleasure and taking your own pleasure in theirs. Her sister, who was always keen to introduce people to new tastes and ingredients, would get along well with Conor.
‘What are you smiling about?’
‘I was thinking of my sister. She’d approve of you. I can never keep her away from my plate.’
‘And what about you? Do you approve of me?’
‘Definitely not.’
He laughed. It was a deep rumble that accompanied his eyes which flashed with an obvious delight that made Hannah feel slightly breathless. ‘Probably a good idea, but I like you. You’re not afraid to speak your mind.’
Not when it didn’t matter. She was probably never going to see him again after this evening.
‘And you’re far too sure of yourself. That poor girl in the bar didn’t know what she was getting herself into.’
Conor’s smile faded. ‘No, she didn’t. She doesn’t know me at all, she just thinks she does.’
‘So I did everyone a good turn today. That makes me feel a lot better.’ Hannah shot him a grin, wanting to lighten the atmosphere, which it appeared was easily done.
‘You certainly made me feel a lot better.’ His eyes strayed to her lips with a knowing grin which had her laughing out loud.
‘You never give up do you?’
