She wanted everything to be perfect; well at least the food would present no problems. She’d already asked him about his mystery woman’s taste. Following Jordan’s suggestions she’d made a detailed food list and her order had arrived half an hour ago via the local deli in Carrenporth. Thank God for gifted people, she thought. I’m completely useless beyond roast lunches. Now all she had to do was to unwrap everything and set it out on the patio table. Gareth was currently in the process of showering and changing. He’d take charge of the wine as soon as he came down. Wine. She took another fortifying mouthful of Cabernet, already feeling its warming properties bolstering her confidence for the coming lunchtime session. It would be fine, absolutely fine. She smiled. Draining her glass, she returned the bottle to the fridge before hurrying upstairs to change.
Jordan pulled up outside the house, whipped around to the passenger side of his car and helped Marika out.
‘Your house is so big.’ She stood there wide-eyed. ‘In Poland we …’
Oh God here we go again,he gave a silent groan. Why did the silly cow keep on making comparisons about her life in Poland? He smiled, his thoughts drowning out the comment she’d just made. He wasn’t interested. In fact, he was beginning to wish he’d never dumped Chantelle. At least she was on his wavelength. She knew all about fun and having a good time. Marika seemed to see-saw between big-eyed wonderment – like now – and an overabundance of touchy-feely. Ed, Daniel and Spence found the whole thing highly entertaining. Jordan didn’t share their amusement. To him, being continually groped in public had become completely embarrassing. It wasn’t as if she was much of a lay either. True, she was one of the best looking girls he’d been with but his plan for a summer fling had well andtruly backfired. Still, she had one last use before he dumped her. He couldn’t wait to see the expression on his mother’s face.
‘Come on, time to meet the parents,’ he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the front door.
He led her through the house, dragging her forward every time she tugged at him, stopping open mouthed to gaze at her surroundings. He didn’t call out to announce their arrival. The element of surprise was everything. Eventually he heard his parents’ voices and realised they were out on the rear terrace by the pool. Of course, on a lovely summer’s day like this, where better to socialise? The conservatory doors were wide open, a waft of warm air making its way indoors, floral scents blending with the smell of the sea. He stepped across the threshold, Marika behind him.
It was his father who saw him first.
‘Ah, you’ve arrived at last,’ he said, his smile fading as he saw Marika follow him out of the conservatory.
His mother spun around, glass in hand.
‘Jordan, is this some sort of joke?’ she asked, setting her wine glass down onto the buffet table, her gaze fixed on Marika.
‘Joke? No mother.’ Jordan shook his head, his eyes locked on hers, all wide-eyed innocence. He wanted to howl with laughter at the shocked expression on her face.
‘This is the special girl you told me about. Thewaitresswho served our sweet course the night we had dinner at Tarwin House when Étienne was here?’
‘Yes, Mother, this is Marika.’
‘I am pleased to meet you both.’ Marika gave a nervous smile, aware of the tension. His mother recognised her and didn’t approve. ‘Jordan has told me all about you,’ she continued. ‘You have a lovely home.’
Her sentences, so formal and stilted, reminded Jordan of textbook pieces someone learning English would use. Hewatched as his mother thanked her with a formal nod, not even bothering to make eye contact. Instead she shot a desperate look across at his father.
‘Well,’ Gareth cleared his throat and smiled uncomfortably, ‘let me get you something to drink, Marika. We have wine or maybe—’
‘Beer,’ she interrupted, tearing her gaze from Evie. ‘I only drink beer.’
‘Beer it is then.’ Gareth nodded, opened up the small patio fridge and pulled out a bottle of lager. He was about to uncap it when she interrupted again.
‘What make is this beer you have?’ Jordan heard her frosty response as she walked over to where his father stood. Mother has upset her, he thought, she’s not happy. Excellent. He watched her place her hand over Gareth’s as he turned it over so she could see the label.
‘This is a German lager … are you okay with it or shall I—?’
‘It will do,’ Marika interrupted, waiting as he levered the metal cap off. ‘I do not need a glass,’ she said, as she took it from him.
As Jordan took an opened bottle from his father he noticed his mother standing there horrified as she watched Marika take a mouthful of lager. He knew she hated him drinking straight from the bottle. She considered it uncouth and common but he’d brushed her objections aside and as always she’d backed down. But to have a woman doing this … he stifled a grin, this was far better than he’d hoped for. He had brought Marika here today for the sole purpose of upsetting his mother. Another opportunity to pay her back for the way she constantly intruded in his life. She interfered and embarrassed him in front of his friends with her tactile manner, always needing to brush his hair from his eyes or pick non-existent cotton threads from his jacket. Touching, always touching. Over the years she hadbecome a sad and needy woman, dependent on the bottle. Wine or spirits, it didn’t matter as long as it could suspend reality for a while. But he wasn’t responsible for what she’d turned into; he had to thank his father for that. Oh yes, he knew about the woman he kept in the expensive flat in Newquay. And so did Evie. Jordan didn’t know how his mother could live in this house knowing his father’s dirty little secret. If he’d been her he would have walked away, but then she was weak. She couldn’t function on her own. She enjoyed the lifestyle and, anyway, who the hell else was prepared to take on the burden of a middle-aged lush? So she stayed, coped with the pain of living with a man who no longer wanted her, and drank. It wasn’t fair, he reasoned, to be saddled with parents like this. Evie suffocated him and Gareth constantly reminded him he wasn’t like his perfect cousin. They both deserved this disastrous lunch.
He took a swig of beer. Thoughts of Luke intensified his anger. It was time to give the knife another twist.
‘When are we eating?’ he asked, watching as his mother took another large swallow of wine.
‘It’s all there.’ She gave a silly wave towards the table. He noticed she was beginning to sway and wondered how long she’d been drinking. Most of the day, he guessed.
He took Marika’s bottle from her and set it down before guiding her towards the table.
‘Here.’ He handed her a plate and serviette. ‘Help yourself.’
Marika stepped towards the food, taking her time to study all the different dishes. She wrinkled her nose and then tentatively reached across to help herself to some salad.
Jordan joined her, filling his plate with rice salad, chicken, pork, and many of the other dishes he knew Evie had paid the deli to produce for her. ‘Over there.’ He pointed to a circular table set to one side of the swimming pool. Marika sat and he left her for a moment to retrieve their bottles. By the time hereturned Evie and Gareth had joined them. His mother’s wine glass was full again, something he noticed his father had already spotted.
‘Aren’t you hungry?’ Evie screwed her face up as she looked at Marika’s sparse helping of salad.
