‘I would,’ Zoe said.
‘When are they thinking?’
‘This weekend. How would Sunday be for you?’
‘Aside from anything urgent cropping up here, it should be fine.’
‘I’ll let them know then.’ Zoe kissed him lightly, recognising that she’d interrupted his work but wishing the kiss could be more as her lips melted onto his. She shook the thought and got up from his lap. ‘I’ll see you downstairs shortly.’
Zoe could see her dad’s car parked outside the restaurant as she and Alex pulled into a space. They’d chosen somewhere just outside the village, a place Ottilie had recommended where Heath had taken her many times. It was a stone building, likemany in the area, sheltered beneath a sheer, overhanging rock face, with heavy wooden window frames that made it look like something out of a fantasy novel. Her dad was sitting in the driver’s seat, Chantal next to him, both of them in animated conversation. Chantal was laughing. Zoe couldn’t help but smile, despite a pang of guilt. She wanted the best for both of her parents, but it was a shame that what was good for one was bound to hurt the other one, and there was no way around that.
As she got out of the car, she saw that her dad had noticed their arrival. He held up his hand to wave and then opened his door too. Zoe watched as Chantal got out the other side, and then sucked in a breath. She was a lot more pregnant than Zoe had been led to believe. Either she was growing at a phenomenal rate, or she and Nigel had been keeping the news from everyone else for some time. One thing Zoe now understood was the rush to get married. It was nothing as old-fashioned as making an honest woman out of Chantal, but when Nigel had told Zoe his fiancée had worried about getting into the wedding dress she’d set her heart on, Zoe could see why.
‘Wow…’ She gave a pointed look to Chantal’s bump. ‘I wasn’t expecting you to be quite so pregnant. How far along are you?’
‘Not even four months!’ Chantal laughed lightly. ‘I think I’m just showing so much because I’m skinny everywhere else.’
‘I have to say you look further along. You’ve had your twelve-week scan then?’
‘Oh yes, everything is fine.’
‘Right.’ Zoe tried not to frown, even though she was confused. ‘Because Dad said…’ She turned to her dad. ‘I thought you said you’d only just found out.’
‘I had,’ he said.
Zoe found it difficult to believe he wouldn’t have noticed Chantal’s bump far earlier than when he’d called to tell her the news, but the way he glanced at his young fiancée, it seemed tobe true. So if he hadn’t noticed for himself, why had Chantal kept it from him? She must have known for some time if she’d had her twelve-week scan. Had she been afraid to tell him for some reason?
‘I’m a bit cold,’ Chantal said. ‘Should we go in?’
Alex put his arm around Zoe, and it was then she realised she’d been so distracted by Chantal’s bump she hadn’t even introduced him.
‘I’m so sorry,’ she said as they all walked to the entrance together. ‘Dad, Chantal…this is Alex.’
‘We guessed as much,’ Nigel said wryly. ‘Good to finally meet you, Alex.’
‘You too,’ Alex said.
The inside of the restaurant was just as the outside suggested it would be: furnished in warm woods and softly lit. The air smelled of hops and herbs.
‘This is cosy,’ Zoe said.
‘It looks lovely.’ Chantal turned to her. ‘Did you say you’d been here before?’
‘No, my friend, Ottilie, recommended it. She’s been here a few times.’
‘Ottilie…’ Nigel’s forehead creased slightly. ‘Your nursing friend. She lives here?’
‘I thought you knew that.’
‘I suppose you might have mentioned it and I forgot. If the food is as good as the décor, I’ll be happy,’ Nigel said.
‘Funny how you and Ottilie both ended up moving to the same village,’ Nigel continued as Alex took his seat.
‘She’s the reason I’m here. She practically got me the job. I have a lot to thank her for…’ Zoe angled a fond glance at Alex, who returned it.
‘Not as much as I do,’ he said.
‘Aww…’ Chantal beamed at them both. ‘I’m so glad you’re happy, Zoe. I always felt a bit guilty that you’d had such bad luck with Ritchie and I got lucky with your wonderful dad.’
