Third Time Lucky by Croft Pippa

Author:Croft, Pippa [Croft, Pippa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781405917070
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2014-09-17T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

‘Well, this is going to be fun.’

My mother greets us both with a huge smile and a kiss, and I get a hug from my father while Alexander is treated to the paternal handshake again. Soon, we’re seated at a table by the window overlooking St Giles. The restaurant at the Churchill is like a baronial hall, decorated with university crests. While the waiter fetches our aperitifs, we check the menus but I’m finding it difficult to concentrate with Alexander’s hand on my knee beneath the tablecloth.

‘Gosh, there is so much choice. I don’t know whether to have the sea bass or the venison for an entrée, and I really can’t decide on the appetizer.’

My father closes his menu. ‘I’ll have the pigeon breast salad and then the fillet of beef. What about you, Lauren?’

Since I’ve barely been able to take a word in, I may as well order a burger and fries. Momentarily, Alexander removes his hand from my thigh to turn over the menu and I refocus on the choices. ‘Hmm. Tricky when there are so many tempting choices in front of me … It’s so hard.’

‘There are indeed.’ Alexander closes his menu. ‘Scallops and venison for me, I think.’

He sips his apertif and seconds later I feel his cool fingers stray to the top of my thigh-highs again.

‘Have you decided yet?’ My father sounds amused.

‘It can’t be that hard, surely?’ Alexander adds.

‘Oh, it is. Very hard indeed,’ I say, desperate to grind myself against the chair, but forced to act the demure young lady. ‘I’ll have the scallops and the sea bass.’

In truth, I’ve just seized on anything the others have ordered, hoping it will be OK. What I really want is to drag Alexander out of the restaurant and back to the house, much as I love my parents and want to enjoy this last meal with them. That’s if I can enjoy it without them interrogating Alexander – ​or me – ​on our future plans. My mother was pretty restrained during our shopping trip this afternoon, although she did ask me more about Alexander, Emma and their family circumstances. I said, truthfully, that I know very little about Lady Hunt. Our visit to the Pitt Rivers was a great idea because it kept her distracted.

My mother lays down her menu and speaks to me while Daddy and Alexander are checking out the wine list.

‘I forgot to mention to you earlier that Scott’s mother emailed me to say I should look him up while I’m in Oxford. Have you bumped into him while you’ve been here?’

‘A couple of times,’ I say, apprehensive of Alexander’s reaction. Scott’s a cousin of my ex, Todd, and my parents know the Schulzes well so naturally the grapevine has been at work.

‘Have you met him, Alexander?’

He smiles politely. ‘I’ve had that pleasure once or twice, yes.’

‘Really? Well, I did half think of inviting him to join us for dinner this evening, and if I’d known you two were friends, I would have.

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