Page 31 of Amazing Grace

‘Hey, you!’ His voice was warm and comforting and made her feel like someone had wrapped a big fleecy blanket around her shoulders.

‘Hey, you!’ she said back. ‘What a nice surprise. I thought you were ringing tonight.’

‘Well, I was but I thought, what the hell, I’m too old to play games, Grace. I wanted to hear your voice so I called. I hope that’s OK. And obviously I wanted to find out how your awards event went.’

‘It’s more than OK, Vinnie, and I won. Can you believe it? Little old me, who has never won anything in my life, won!’

‘Ah congratulations, Grace, that’s such wonderful news. I’m so proud of you.’

Her heart gave another little flip. This was someone that she hardly knew telling her she’d done well. She was over the moon.

‘I saw your lovely sister recently. I think I’ve become addicted to the coffee that she serves.’

‘She found it in Italy. I went over there with her when she decided to set up the café as she wanted to show me a hotel she’d stayed in once which had an incredible coffee shop attached to it. It was her dream to have a coffee shop exactly the same over here. The hotel is just incredible. I’d love to take you one day and show you.’ He realised he was getting a little carried away. ‘Erm, if that’s an option, that is!’

‘What a lovely idea. I’ve only ever been to Italy once and I don’t have good memories. I went for a drink in a bar and needed the ladies’ and they gave me a key, led me down a lane and across a courtyard and into a shed where there was just a big hole in the floor! It really freaked me out and put me off ever going back!’

Vinnie laughed and it filled her with joy. His laugh was deep and sexy and she loved hearing it. ‘I promise you that there are proper porcelain toilets in the place that I stay. It’s a stunning little boutique hotel, and the owners are amazing. You wake up every day to the smell of freshly baked bread and pastries and freshly roasted coffee, and the patio is just through the double doors and overlooks glorious lush green mountains on one side and stunning turquoise sparkling sea on the other.’

‘Stop telling me, Vinnie, you sound like an advert on their website. You’ve already sold it to me. It sounds divine and I want to go there right now!’ She laughed.Wouldn’t it be fun to just hop on a plane and do something so spontaneous?she thought.

‘Don’t tempt me! Anyway, the reason for the call, as well as the fact that I wanted to hear your voice, was that I wondered if I might have the pleasure of your company on Saturday evening, madam? Lady Ruth has invited you and me round for dinner, if that’s not too much too soon.’

‘Aw, that would be fab. I really like Ruth and I’d love to meet her hubby too. We’ve just decided that we’re going to do a fat club together. Do you want me to meet you there or pick you up so you can have a drink?’

‘I know all about it. She’s already told me how excited she is to be working with you on this project. No love, that’s fine. I’ll pick you up. I’m not much of a drinker and if I change my mind, I can always leave the car and we can grab a taxi back between us.’ It was nice to be with someone who wasn’t a drinker. Mark liked a drink, and when he drank he became a person she really didn’t like, belittling her by saying that she needed to loosen up and have fun. He had always been repentant the next morning, but the damage had been done.

They chatted for another ten minutes, just laughing and joking, really at ease in each other’s company. Grace realised that she’d never had this before. She always felt as if she had to be on her best behaviour with Mark in case he didn’t like what she said and snapped; yet with Vinnie, who she’d not known that long, she felt really comfortable and knew that she didn’t have to put on any airs and graces and could just be herself.

Becks started to bark at her and she realised that she hadn’t taken him out yet. She had a thought. ‘What are you up to today, Vinnie?’ she asked. ‘I’m just going to take Becks out for a walk to the forest. With Archie at his dad’s, because we’ve swapped days around, I’m home alone so thought I’d get out. I don’t suppose you fancy joining me, do you?’

‘Do you know, I’d really love that. I’ve sat at my computer since six this morning and I’m going googly-eyed. A walk in the forest sounds perfect. We can grab a cuppa at the café to celebrate your award win.’

‘OK, shall I pick you up? It’s probably easier because Becks is likely to run off into the streams and get filthy and smelly and at least I can stick him in the boot of my car, which is already quite mucky. Can you be ready in about half an hour? Oh, and by the way, have you eaten? I could put a quick sandwich together and a flask if you like?’

‘Sounds perfect, gorgeous, I’ll text you my address. I’d better flick the duster round before you come just in case I can entice you in for a coffee afterwards. It’s the stuff my sister sells…’

‘Ooh, I bet you say that to all the girls. Cool, see you in half an hour then, and don’t dust on my account, Vinnie. Housework is for people who don’t spend their lives having fun!’ She laughed as she disconnected the call.

She realised just how much she’d changed recently. The old Grace, when expecting visitors, would have been running round the place like a thing demented, spraying polish into the air so it least smelt like it was clean and shoving things in drawers and storage boxes to give the illusion of a clean and tidy house. It was amazing how quickly you could get housework done when you knew someone was about to descend upon you. But with Vinnie, Grace had the sense that none of that mattered.

* * *

Grace picked up Vinnie exactly thirty minutes later. He was dressed casually in jeans, walking boots and a navy long-sleeved t-shirt. He looked incredibly sexy and Grace smiled to herself.

As he jumped into the passenger side of the car, he turned round to the back and said, ‘Hey, Becks!’ as naturally as if it was one of his mates. ‘I love walking, but you feel such a jerk on your own, don’t you?’ he said. ‘I’ve always wanted a dog but it’s difficult when I work such long hours, wouldn’t be fair on one. I’ll have to borrow Becks next time I fancy a walk.’

‘You can, or you’re welcome to join us anytime. I know what you mean though about walking on your own. I would never have dreamt of doing that before I had him. I always wanted to but never had the courage to go out on my own.’

‘How long have you had him?’

‘Just under a year. It just seemed like the right time and he’s great company for me when Archie is at his dad’s. Saves me talking to myself, anyway!’ Grace laughed.

They pulled up in the small car park and she grabbed a rucksack out of the boot as Becks jumped out. They walked briskly for around a mile as Becks sniffed every blade of grass he came across, and weed up most of the trees, before they found a picnic bench and decided that it was time for a pit stop. Grace poured coffee from an aluminium flask into two plastic mugs and opened up a big plastic box which revealed a whole host of savoury food: sausage rolls, chicken bites, satay sticks, scotch eggs, pork pies and crisps.

‘Blimey, Grace, you know how to put on a snack. I’ll be the size of a house if I keep walking with you guys.’

‘Then you’ll just have to come to our fat club, won’t you?’ She laughed. ‘I take after my mum. She was a feeder too.’

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