Page 84 of Lie For Me

‘What?’ Lucy said.

She started to pull her hand free, but Jack held onto her.

‘Look.’

Jack gestured at the dance floor, where Dave, Greg and others were roving around in shorts and T-shirts.

‘Loads of people have gone and changed into something more comfortable. It’s roasting in here, and I am cooking in this suit.’

He put down his drink and took Lucy by the shoulders.

‘Let the record show, I am not abandoning you. I am getting changed for the sake of my health and,’ he sniffed, ‘everyone’s nostrils.’

Lucy giggled and shoved him off in the direction of the hotel.

‘Okay, you’re right. Get changed, for all our sakes!’

As he made his way across the marquee, he turned and looked back at her. She was swaying in time to the music, the bottle green dress skimming over her curves, tendrils of hair curled around her throat.

He felt his breath catch in his throat.

27

Her father appeared at her elbow.

‘Lucy, Nanna has left her glasses here. She said she thinks she had them when she was talking to you earlier. Where were you sitting?’

Her father looked slightly harangued, and Lucy guessed Nanna was giving him a hard time.

‘Let me go and look,’ she said. ‘You get a drink.’

He squeezed her arm in thanks.

‘And hide for a few minutes.’

He nodded and gave a half smile.

Lucy weaved her way across the dance floor, to the table where she and Nanna had been seated for dinner. A couple of guys were sitting there now, deep in conversation. Edging around the table, she peered between bottles and lifted napkins. She was about to pull back the tablecloth and peek underneath when one guy spoke.

‘Hey, are you okay?’

His dirty blonde hair was swept back from his face, and Lucy could see how blue his eyes were from across the table. His white shirt was rolled up above his elbows, and his brown forearms rested on the table as he leaned across to study what she was up to.

‘Uh, yes, thanks.’ She smiled. ‘I’m checking to see if my nanna left her glasses here earlier,’ she scoured the table again, ‘or maybe dropped them somewhere here.’

‘Your nanna?’ he said, his face lighting up. ‘Are you Ollie’s sister?’

‘Depends,’ she pulled a face, ‘on what you’ve heard.’

‘You must be Lucy. I met Heather last night.’ He stood up, came around the table and stuck out his hand. ‘I’m Chris.’

He was tall. She had to tilt her head back to look at him. He kept hold of her hand and leaned close to her, and she caught a hint of woody aftershave.

‘And I met your nanna.’

He pulled back and looked at her, one eyebrow raised.

‘Aaaah,’ Lucy said, ‘you met Nanna and survived?’

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