‘Perhaps we can change that,’ he said, his voice cracking as he spoke.
‘That would be nice.’
‘Hi, Greg. Are you and your friend ready to order?’
The spell momentarily broken, Greg looked up and into the face of Charlotte Tollard, the twenty-eight-year-old daughter of Freddie Tollard, owner of the pub.
‘Hi, Charlie. Erm. I know what I’m having, but Jemma might need a few minutes to look at the menu.’ He glanced at Jemma who smiled and shook her head.
‘Nope. I saw the blackboard over the bar the moment we arrived, and as I’m at the seaside, I’d love the skate wing with prosecco, capers, and brown butter sauce, baby potatoes, and steamed samphire and kale, please.’
Greg raised his brows. ‘Excellent choice!’
Charlie chuckled. ‘That’s what he’s having.’
Jemma glanced from Charlie to Greg, clearly astounded. ‘It is?’
Greg nodded. ‘It is. It seems we have similar tastes in food, on top of everything else. It’s sort of my regular meal if I come here on a Sunday.’
‘New girlfriend?’ Charlie asked with a wink and a grin. ‘It’s about time.’
Jemma blushed and Greg almost chocked.
‘We only met this morning,’ Greg said hastily.
‘My mistake,’ said Charlie, still grinning. She looked at Jemma and smiled. ‘I’m Charlie. My dad, Freddie, owns this place and I’m his slave. You look familiar. Have you been here before?’
Jemma smiled back. ‘Hi, Charlie. I’m Jemma. No, I haven’t. I only arrived in the village yesterday evening. I’m renting Oak View Cottage for a month.’
‘Really?’ Charlie shot a look at Greg. ‘Just being neighbourly, then are you, Greggie?’ She winked again. ‘Wine?’
Greg rolled his eyes. Charlie was lovely, but she didn’t care what she said. He looked at Jemma.
‘Is white good for you, Jemma? Or would you prefer something else?’
‘White’s perfect.’
‘Usual?’ Charlie asked.
‘Usual,’ Greg replied.
‘That’s a bottle of our cheapest, sweet, sparkling white, then.’ Charlie sniggered.
‘Bugger off,’ said Greg, with a laugh.
‘Only joking,’ Charlie told Jemma. ‘He likes Sancerre. And that’s expensive.’
‘It is here,’ Greg said, oozing sarcasm.
‘I don’t believe this!’ Jemma exclaimed. ‘Sancerre is one of my favourites.’
‘You two should get married,’ Charlie said, laughing as she walked away.
‘It is incredible how much we have in common,’ Greg said, after a few moments of awkward silence while he wondered if that wasn’t such a bad idea, and whether anyone had actually married someone they’d only known for a day. Meanwhile,Jemma was blushing so deeply that her face was almost the same colour as her hair, and he thought she might catch fire.
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘It’s unbelievable.’
His phone rang just at that moment and he gave her an apologetic look while he checked who was calling.
