‘I got it from Corrine, so it’s not really mine,’ Billie said. ‘And you cooked it.’
‘I cooked what you prepared, so I did the easy bit.’
‘Let’s call it a joint effort,’ Virginia said.
‘Joint effort!’ Alex gave a staged chuckle. ‘I see what you did there!’
‘Hilarious,’ Virginia said in a withering tone, though she was smiling. ‘I’m sure it will be delicious whoever deserves the credit.’
Zoe put the vegetables into serving bowls while Alex carved the meat and finished the gravy. After five minutes or so, they were all seated, tucking into mountains of food that would easily feed double the amount of people about to share it.
‘I’m looking forward to the leftovers as much as I’m looking forward to eating it now.’ Alex spooned some parsley-dusted carrots onto his plate.
‘You’ll have to fight me for them,’ Zoe said.
Virginia turned to Billie, who was trying to balance Louisa in one arm and dish out her food with the other. ‘Can she eat real food?’
‘She’s not weaned yet. I was going to, but Zoe said it was better to wait. She drinks a lot of milk, so I think it will be soon.’
‘Better to hang on as long as you can,’ Zoe said. ‘But you’re right, it won’t be long.’
Conversation moved on. They covered Billie’s plans to start work when Louisa was old enough, Zoe’s career prospects and Alex’s strategies to grow the business. Virginia shared her own professional journey, but Zoe noted she was less keen to share details of her personal history since she’d split from Alex. Whenever it turned to marriage or previous relationships, or even family ties, Virginia swerved onto something else. Whatever was in her past, she didn’t want to share it. Zoe watched Alex’s reactions each time, wondering if he knew any of it. If he did, he’d never shared it with Zoe.
By the time they’d opened their second bottle of wine, things began to slip. Billie was the only adult not drinking, and after the dinner had been cleared away and Alex had busied himself putting dessert out, she got up.
‘It’s almost Louisa’s bedtime. I’ll have to take her up…Start the trifle without me; I’ll get some when I’ve put her down.’
‘Right,’ Alex said. He set a bowl at her place anyway, and then Billie took Louisa upstairs.
‘She’s very capable,’ Virginia said.
Alex refilled her wine glass and nodded. ‘She’s had to be. Losing Luis as she did…so soon after Jennifer as well. She grew up fast. Too fast for my liking.’
‘All the more reason to be proud of her,’ Zoe said.
‘I suppose it’s like a little replacement family,’ Virginia said to Zoe.
‘Billie and Louisa are like family to me now,’ Zoe said, though she couldn’t help but be rattled by the odd phrasing.Replacementfamily?
‘It must be a comfort to know you have them even if you can’t have your own.’
Zoe stared at her. And then at Alex, who had the decency to blush. What had he told Virginia?
‘V,’ he said very deliberately. ‘Tell Zoe about your idea for a second branch in Manchester. Zoe knows Manchester – she lived there.’
But Zoe didn’t want to hear about ideas for an office in Manchester. She wanted to know just how much Alex had told Virginia about her, things that she’d considered private, things she’d assumed he’d know not to share from instinct, without having to be told.
‘They’re only ideas at the moment,’ Virginia said.
‘What did you mean?’ Zoe asked.
Virginia blinked.
‘What did you mean about me not having my own family?’
‘Alex told me.’
‘What did Alex tell you exactly…?’
