Page 31 of Wild Swimming at Croftwood Lake
‘I know you like her because whatever you think, you haven’t asked her out just to make good on the fib you told Constance, so I’ll help you out and suggest it’s a first date. But how good an impression do you want to make?’
Archie mulled this over for a moment while he poured the tea. If he discounted the lie he’d told his mother and the fact that he was quite interested in finding out more about wild-swimming, he realised that neither of these things were more of a reason to have asked Nora out than the fact he actually liked her. He liked that she was brave enough to venture into his lake without knowing, or caring, who it belonged to. He liked that she was self-aware enough to know that swimming was something that helped her state of mind, and she wasn’t afraid to admit that she actively gave time over to looking after her mental health. He admired she had her own business, because it felt almost like something they had in common, and from what little she’d told him, she was successful. And these things added up to the biggest and best reason of all to have asked her out: to get to know her better.
‘Where did you take Jess on your first date?’ he asked, hoping it would be the perfect thing to copy.
Seb shook his head, realising what Archie’s game was. ‘No, that won’t work because I was stupid and stubborn and skint, so we never went on a proper first date. It was more of a slow realisation for us by which time our first date had passed us by without either of us noticing. We had a takeaway in the flat above Oliver’s.’
‘Ah. Yes. Not the right tone.’
‘But that’s a start. And if it’s the right tone you’re after, I’d go for the Italian on Priory Lane. The food is amazing, and it’s a traditional kind of place, you know, candles in bottles on the tables, that sort of thing. It’s relaxed but intimate. It’ll go perfectly with your new hair.’
‘Thank you,’ Archie said, grinning. ‘It sounds perfect. I’ll book a table.’
‘If it goes well, we could do a foursome sometime.’
‘One step at a time. But yes, I’d like that.’
After Seb had left, Archie booked a table at Ciao Croftwood, then texted Nora to let her know.
I’ve booked a table for us at Ciao Croftwood. Shall I pick you up at 7.30? A
That sounds lovely! I’m at Woodside Cottage on Elderbrook Lane.
I know it. I’m very much looking forward to seeing you. A
He read the last message before he pressed send. Was it too much? In the end he settled on something more restrained.
Wonderful. See you then. A
‘I don’t think you told me the name of the girl you’re taking out,’ Constance remarked over dinner that evening.
‘Her name’s Nora,’ he said, patiently.
‘Nora. Unusual name, isn’t it? Although I’ve heard that name recently. Where was I?’
‘You’re out and about so much these days, it could have been anywhere, Mama.’
‘As it happens, I will be out tomorrow evening as well.’
‘Will you need a lift?’ Archie said, warily. He wouldn’t put it past his mother to have invented a reason to need to come with him when he picked Nora up.
‘No, Linda from the library is going to collect me.’
‘That’s good of her.’ Archie worried that Constance took advantage of her new group of friends, all of whom seemed happy to ferry her around, aside from when Archie took his turn for the book club evenings.
‘It’s on her way, darling.’
Croftwood Court wasn’t on anyone’s way to anywhere but he wasn’t about to start interfering in his mother’s arrangements.
‘Where are you off to?’
‘The knitting at the pictures the other day was so much fun, Linda reminded me about the knit and natter group at the Croftwood Haberdashery. It’s a lovely chance to chat to everyone rather than getting on with any knitting, so she knows I’ll enjoy it.’
This sent Archie into a panic. Seb was sure to have mentioned his date with Nora to Jess, who owned the Croftwood Haberdashery, and who might comment on it to Constance. And he could only imagine the kind of conversations that might stem from that.
‘Nora is the woman who has been swimming in our lake.’ There was only so much subterfuge he could stand. It was going to come out at some point, so there was no reason to hide it, although in what context his mother had heard Nora’s name, he wasn’t sure.
‘You have asked out the woman with the swimming coat?’ Constance asked, her voice rising in surprise. ‘How on earth did that happen?’
