Page 48 of Last Dance, Second Chance

“Everyone, this is Nathan,” Jessica said. “Nathan, everyone.”

A chorus of hellos rang out.

“I remember teaching you,” Sarah said, coming over to welcome their guest.

“You were my favourite teacher, Mrs Stone,” Nathan said.

Jessica audibly groaned. “You can dial down the charm, Nathan. She already likes you because you looked after me.”

“I’m naturally charming,” insisted Nathan. “I can’t help it.”

Sarah laughed. “And you know my husband and my son, Andrew.”

“Of course,” Nathan said. “Andrew once let me be goalkeeper for him and his friends during break time when I must have been about Year 3 and they were Year 5. It was the single greatest moment of my childhood.”

“I imagine it must have been,” said Andrew. “My friends and I all thought we were the coolest. Every one of us was going to end up playing for Man United. This is my wife, Molly, and our munchkins, Peter, Emily and Sophie.”

Nathan smiled at Molly and then spoke to the children. “Do you like football like your dad?”

“Yeah,” said all three at once.

“Do you want to see me do kick-ups?” asked Peter.

“Sure,” Nathan said, prompting Peter to rush off with the cry, “I’ll get my ball!”

“Not in the house,” said Molly, quickly.

“Come out into the garden,” said Sophie, pulling Nathan towards the back door.

“Is that all right?” Nathan asked around.

“Sure, if you don’t mind,” said Joe, busy preparing a salad.

Nathan was dragged outside by the children.

“He’s certainly very popular,” said Sarah pointedly to her daughter. Jessica felt her cheeks flush. “You sit down, and rest that foot.”

Jessica pulled out one of the kitchen chairs from under the table and settled herself on it. Her brother sat down next to her.

“Hey, sis.” Andrew gave her a hug. “Sorry to hear about your foot.”

“Yeah,” said Molly. “Do you know when the plaster can come off?”

“Another four and a half weeks,” Jessica said with a sigh. “Tell me all about your holiday,” she added, hoping to turn the conversation away from her injury.

“It was really nice,” Molly said, leaning against a worktop. “I think we managed to visit every tourist attraction within a thirty-mile radius of where we were staying. The kids were exhausted when we got back. They were not impressed at having to get up early this morning to go to holiday club so that Andrew and I could get back to work.”

“How’s the accountancy firm?” asked Jessica.

“Good. We actually took on another accountant a couple of months ago.”

“That’s brilliant.”

Jessica chatted with her family for a few minutes and then thought she ought to go and check how Nathan was doing with the children.

When she went outside, she could immediately tell he was having a good time. A very intense game of two-a-side football was going on — Nathan and little Sophie, against Peter and Emily.

She smiled watching Nathan play with the children. He obviously really did love kids. Sensing someone was watching him, Nathan looked up and smiled at Jessica. “Pay attention,” said Sophie sternly.

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