Mr Right Next Door by Rachel Dove

Author:Rachel Dove [Dove, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books

11

SUNDAY

Rory walked into the restaurant, smiling at the doorman and trying his hardest not to look around frantically for her. He was every inch the normal Rory on the exterior: calm, collected. He had on his new dress shirt, new slacks picked by Doug. The pair of them had been shopping, got lunch and talked. It was weird, an odd sensation to be doing things with the man who had supposedly raised him. Things they never did when he was growing up. He was actually quite sad to miss their Sunday tea for this meal in a way, but Doug had understood. He still didn't agree with the plan, he could tell, but he was going along with it.

It was still an adjustment. Sometimes Rory had to bite his tongue when they chatted, years of resentment threatening to spill out. Memories were evoked from the simplest things: the memory of a meal in a restaurant they passed. His mum seemed to walk beside them sometimes… Rory felt as though he could feel her there. He wondered if his father felt her too. One day, he might even get the bottle to ask him about those last days. When they were both strong enough to open that box. He walked to the pedestal, where a smartly dressed woman was just finishing a phone call.

‘Good evening,’ she said brightly, dazzling Rory with her stunning mega kilo watt smile. ‘Do you have a reservation? Ah… Mr Gallant, your table is ready, but your guest hasn't arrived yet. Would you like to take your seat or get a drink at the bar?’

Rory smiled in return. ‘I'll take the table please, and can you send the wine list over?’

‘Of course,’ the lady moved her hand to her side, like a model on a game show, and Rory followed her, taking a seat at a discreet table for two in the corner. His dad had booked it, and he knew it was one of the best tables in the house. He felt wary about the date. It felt a bit like they had been set up for a date, rather than her calling him up at the club. She had left a message, but then arrangements had been made with her assistant. They hadn't spoken on the phone to each other. It was madness.

Sarah had stepped in to act as his assistant, much to Rory's reluctance. ‘She's getting the upper hand, don't you see? Trying to make you chase her a bit. You need to keep it up, if you really want her. It's working.’

So here he was, having a Sunday evening meal. Not the best night for a hot date: another one of Sarah's ideas. After all, a busy man about town was busy on the trendier nights, right? He thought of his usual Sunday evenings, coming home after an awkward meal with his dad, ironing his shirts in front of the TV, paying his bills. All he needed was a pipe and slippers and he was done.

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