‘So how’s the family?’ asked Leo suddenly. ‘Still excelling at everything? I’m assuming the boyfriend is one of James’s rugby mates.’
Anna stared at him, unnerved by the accurate guess.
‘Why would you assume that?’ she asked, her spine as stiff and straight at a broomstick.
‘Is he?’ Leo cocked an eyebrow, barely restraining the ghost of a smirk.
‘He might be,’ she conceded.
‘That’s a yes, then.’
‘And your point is?’ She tried to keep her voice light.
‘No point at all. And what about your aunt and uncle?’ He stuck to the bargain but she could almost hear the unspoken question: ‘still married?’
‘They’re fine.’ Anna studied his blank face.
‘And where do you live now?’
‘I still live in the village. I’ve got a flat above the pet shop.’
‘Not too far from the family, then.’ Leo scowled but before he could say anything more, Anna said, ‘No’ firmly, her tone ending any further discussion of her adoptive family.
‘How about your family?’ she asked, her stomach cramping a little at the thought of Aurelia, Leo’s mother, possibly one of the kindest people she’d ever met. Losing contact with her had been a big regret but it had been the right thing to do.
‘She’s great,’ said Leo, his eyes brightening. ‘She and Ernesto are as much in love as ever. He’s pretty cool for a stepdad. She’s getting all excited, hoping that Raph is going to marry his girlfriend Lia.’ His expression changed and he gave her a cool stare. ‘She’s hoping that one of her boys will be happily married soon.’
Anna refused to rise to the bait. ‘That’s nice,’ she said equably, but learning that there was no unmentioned fiancée in the wings brought more relief than it should have done.
‘Giulia’s eight now. She was a toddler when you last saw her. She’s quite a pickle, that one. Baby of the family but she twists Ernesto around her little finger.’
Again Anna’s heart blanched at the memory of the little dark-haired girl who’d loved to sit on her knee and listen to bedtime stories when she and Leo babysat. Rather than say anything, she took a large bite of croissant.
‘So do you and what’s-his-name live together?’
‘Steve,’ she said, narrowing her eyes, irritated at Leo pretending not to know his name. ‘And no, we don’t. I’m sharing a flat with an old schoolfriend, but Steve and I are looking to buy somewhere together next year.’
Leo nodded.
‘What about you? Do you have a significant other?’
Leo laughed. ‘You know me. Life’s too short to restrict myself. Still playing the field.’
‘No surprise there,’ said Anna.
‘You asked,’ said Leo and then he leaned back in his chair. ‘Look, we can carry on bitching at each other or enjoy the day. My fault – we agreed we wouldn’t talk about the past.’
Anna stared at him for a moment.
‘Yeah, yeah,’ said Leo. ‘I’m all growed up.’
‘I didn’t say anything.’
‘You didn’t need to. I’ll be nice to you.’
Anna glared at him. Why had he said that? Again, it was as if he were the wronged one. She’d done the leaving, but only because she knew he would never change, and she’d come to the conclusion that she might have repeated a pattern and married the equivalent of her uncle. With an inward sigh, she decided, in the spirit of their truce, to say, ‘Thank you,’ and move on.
* * *
