Page 25 of An Ill Wind in Seabury
‘You’re in for a treat,’ said George, his eyes scanning her face as if he was trying to reconcile what he was seeing with the girl she was a decade ago. ‘I can’t believe how much you’ve changed.’
‘Not really,’ said Claudia quickly, patting her hair and then wincing—it was still crunchy with vast amounts of hairspray.
‘Oh, come on,’ chuckled George. ‘You’re immaculate – you look a million dollars… and then there’s that seriously fancy car!’
‘That stupid thing’s just a hire car,’ she blurted.
‘You’re kidding?’
‘Nope,’ said Claudia. ‘It was my mother’s idea. I’d have been much happier in my rusty old Fiesta, to be honest.’
‘You drive a rusty old Fiesta?’ said George in surprise.
Claudia nodded and grinned at him. ‘Yeah. And it might surprise you to know that I don’t often look like this.’
‘You don’t?’ said George. ‘I mean, you look great… but I have to admit, I preferred the rainbow bunches and lime green fringe. That was a good look on you.’
‘I loved those rainbow streaks!’ sighed Claudia. ‘I thought I was so cool.’
‘You were,’ said George firmly. ‘In fact… I’d bet pretty much anything that you still are.’
CHAPTER 10
GEORGE
George settled back into his chair and tried not to stare as Claudia fidgeted with her napkin. She’d ordered another glass of wine the minute their meals had arrived, and now she was picking at her food distractedly.
‘You know,’ he said, cutting into his steak, ‘Hattie will be mortally offended if you don’t at least try to look like you’re enjoying that.’
‘Sorry,’ said Claudia, startling slightly. ‘It’s lovely, really. I’m just… not very hungry.’
‘Nervous?’ said George, raising an eyebrow.
‘Kind of,’ she muttered.
‘About what?’ he said curiously. ‘I promise I won’t tell anyone you nearly committed vehicular manslaughter earlier.’
That earned him a small smile. ‘You’re terrible.’
‘Hey… at least I didn’t admit that the entire town already knows anyway!’ he clapped his hand over his mouth and widened his eyes in mock horror. ‘Oh, oops!’
Claudia let out a bark of surprised laughter.
George chuckled, unable to tear his gaze from her beautiful, wide eyes that were now crinkled at the corners with amusement.
‘Small town life,’ he said with a shrug. ‘You’ve gotta love it!’ ‘Anyway… are you going to tell me what’s really going on? Because I have a feeling this isn’t just a social call to introduce yourself to your future extended family. Is that what’s got you worked up?
Claudia’s fork clattered against her plate. ‘How did you know…?’
‘Well, for starters, you’re giving off the same grumpsome vibes you always had when your mum was in the middle of one of her lectures about “suitable young men with prospects”.’
‘Oh God,’ Claudia groaned, covering her face with her hands. ‘You remember that?’
‘Hard to forget,’ laughed George. ‘Especially as I was theunsuitable young man without prospectsshe was warning you about.’
Claudia peeked at him through her fingers. ‘She was always wrong about you.’
‘Was she, though?’ said George, doing his best to keep his voice light. ‘I mean, look at me. I’m still single, delivering post for a living and content with my little life. Not exactly what you’d call ambitious.’
