Page 12 of Amazing Grace

‘You’re lonely, Grace,’ Monica said gently. ‘You need to get out more and enjoy some company or you’re going to end up a very sad and lonely lady who lives her life for her son. You are such a lovely person and have so much to offer someone. But if you’re not careful, you are going to smother Archie and when he grows up and wants to fly the nest, you’re never going to want him to leave. You’ll have him still living at home when he’s forty!’

Grace laughed and snorted wine down her nose and all over her blue jumpsuit.

‘Ew sweetie, you’re going to have to brush up on your manners if you’re going on a date!’ Monica laughed.

‘I haven’t said I’m going yet,’ Grace replied.

* * *

Thank heavens for that. No pun intended! I’m so glad I engineered you meeting this nice young man. You need to recognise a good’un when you see one. I wish you could see what I could see, my darling girl. I wish you could see into the future and know that there is someone out there who is perfect for you. Someone who is kind, who is gorgeous, solvent and handy too! But above all, someone who knows how to treat and respect a woman. Now all you have to do is make sure you don’t bugger another one up! I love you, Mumxxx

6

The following day, Grace was making her morning coffee and trying to juggle her finances, which were pretty non-existent while she was concentrating on making the house nice for her and Archie, when Monica’s face flashed up on the caller display.

‘You just can’t keep away from me, can you?’ Grace laughed.

‘Babes, are you doing anything tonight?’ Monica asked in a creepy, ‘I want something’ type of voice.

‘No, just a quiet one in front of the TV for me, catching up onLove Island,’ she replied.

‘Actually, hun, you’re not. I know Archie has gone to his dad’s for two nights this weekend, so you are free, and I just got an email from Derek from that dating website. You’re meeting him tonight for a drink at the Duke of Wellington at seven o’clock.’

‘But…’ stammered Grace.

‘Don’t you “but” me, young lady! Now, before you even start to argue that you are not going, I can’t get in touch with him now, so he’s expecting to see you there. It’s just a drink, just meet him and see if you like him. If you don’t, you’ll never have to see him again, and if you do, that’s great. If nothing else, it’s a night out. Just think of it like you would if you were networking at work.’

‘I think I hate you right now, Monica!’ Grace said, laughing.

‘No you don’t, babe, you love me to bits, you know you do. Now be a good girl and go and get your glad rags on. Ring me later or tomorrow and let me know how you get on. Love you. Byeee.’

She’d disappeared before Grace had the chance to protest any more. She resigned herself to the fact that she was going to have to go. What was the worst that could happen?

* * *

Grace walked into the Duke of Wellington and could not see a soul that resembled the picture from the dating website. She went to the bar and asked for a gin and tonic, needing something to calm her nerves. There was a vacant table in the window with two comfy leather armchairs which overlooked the village square, so she smoothed down her long-length blue top over her jeans, hung her linen jacket over the back of one of the chairs, plonked herself down in it and pulled a book out of her handbag. As an avid reader, she always made sure she had a book with her. It made her think of Vinnie, who’d said he was a bookworm. In fact, there was nothing that made her happier than clean bedclothes, some new pyjamas and a great novel.

She checked her watch; it was twenty-five past seven. She was just considering whether to stay or not when a guy who looked like the father of the man in the photo and half the height appeared at the door. She looked him up and down and took in his scruffy attire. He’d clearly come straight from work because he had on a logo’d polo shirt and combat trousers with a tool belt attached. He came bowling over to her and said, ‘Please say you are Grace.’

‘I am,’ she said as she stood to greet him. She towered over him and she only had a pair of mid-height kitten heels on.

‘Derek,’ he announced and shook her hand. ‘Back in a sec!’ And he disappeared again.

She wondered whether she could sue the dating site for misrepresentation. That was clearly averyold photo. She went back to her book for the moment, vowing that she wouldn’t go on first impressions and would give him the benefit of the doubt when he came back. He might be nervous too.

Ten minutes later, he appeared with a pint of Guinness and threw himself into the other armchair.

‘Just had to go to the loo! Been dying for a poo all the way back from Liverpool! You know what it’s like when you just have to go?’ he laughed, too loudly, and a couple who were sitting at the bar turned round at the noise. She smiled an apologetic smile at them, wanting the ground to open up beneath her.

‘Oh right!’ She raised her eyebrows in surprise at his familiarity. Poo conversations normally waited until you knew someone a little better. It also really annoyed her that he’d got himself a drink and hadn’t bothered to ask her if she wanted one. He hadn’t even apologised for being late either.

She packed her book back in her handbag wishing he’d just bugger off and leave her to finish her drink and read in peace. She couldn’t believe she’d left her comfy sofa at home for this, but she couldn’t bring herself to be impolite, even if manners seemed to escape him.

‘So, I expect you’d like to know all about me, wouldn’t you?’ he asked.

‘Oh, OK then. Why not?’ She was trying to work out different ways to kill Monica when she saw her next. She was in forsucha bollocking later.

‘Well, I’m a plumber, as you know from my profile and this.’ He pointed at the logo on his shirt. ‘The picture was taken ten years ago but it was my best ever photo so I thought I’d use it. And I’ve really not changed that much.’

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