Page 87 of Second Chances at the Board Game Café

‘Wasn’t it brilliant?’ she said.

‘Brilliant.’ He nodded. ‘You were a natural up there.’

‘And you two were fantastic models.’ Kate ruffled Max’s hair. Max, Harry noticed, didn’t bat her away but looked up at her with adoring eyes. His first crush, perhaps? Harry wondered.

‘Kate, there is one thing,’ he said.

‘Sure. Shoot.’

‘Would you mind not calling me Hal?’

She frowned. ‘Of course. Harry, I’m so sorry. You should have said sooner. Now, Max, have you told your mum how brilliant she is?’

‘Not yet.’

‘Well, I think you should.’ With that, Kate pushed her way through the crowd in the direction of the bar, where the school’s PTA appeared to be doing a brisk trade in cocktails.

‘Do you see your mum, Max?’ Harry asked.

Max glanced round the hall. ‘Nope.’

Harry climbed onto the catwalk so he had a better view. He soon spotted her; she appeared to have been cornered by Mrs Ridley.

‘She’s over there, come on. Let’s go and rescue her.’ He jumped down and took Max’s hand, leading him through the crowds.

‘I was wondering if you make wedding gowns,’ Mrs Ridley was saying loudly. ‘Stanisław and I are tying the knot in a couple of months, as you know, and I understand you’re making a waistcoat for him. I should like something stylish. Classical.’

‘Of course,’ Taylor said. ‘Give me a call and make an appointment to come in and see some designs.’

Mrs Ridley moved away, but there were more people clamouring for Taylor’s attention now. A man from a local college who wondered if Taylor might agree to teach an upcycling class once a week. Another woman asking if Taylor could transform her wedding dress into something she could wear to parties. Two teenagers asking Taylor’s advice because they wanted to be fashion designers. And loads more people coming up to her and saying, ‘Brilliant evening. Thank you’ or ‘Congratulations! Love your designs!’

Harry bided his time, feeling a surge of pride with every person who told her how great she was.

Harry, my Harry.

Had she really said that?

Emily and Jo were there now, in their board game themed pinafore dresses. Their boyfriends, Ludek and Razz, stood beside Harry and Max, and the four of them watched as the women hugged.

‘Did Florence just ask you to make her wedding dress?’ said Emily.

‘She did,’ said Taylor. ‘And I said yes.’

‘Good to know you make wedding dresses. Should I ever need one.’ Emily turned and looked pointedly at Ludek, who pretended to be oblivious to the conversation and stared at his fingernails.

‘Very good to know,’ agreed Jo.

‘Are they hinting?’ Razz said nervously to Ludek.

‘’Fraid so, mate.’

‘Your pinafores,’ Taylor was saying now. ‘Kate had them both made.’

‘She did,’ said Emily.

‘By me, as it happens.’

‘Hah!’ said Emily. ‘I should have guessed.’