Page 41 of Merrily Ever After
‘Fantastic! Thank you, you won’t regret it,’ I said and then kissed him to seal the deal. ‘And just think, now the venue is sorted, you’ll be able to cross something off that secret spreadsheet you think I don’t know about.’
He blinked at me in surprise and we both laughed.
‘Do you know one of my favourite things about you?’ he said, tracing his fingertips along the curve of my face.‘You always make me feel better about myself. I don’t deserve you.’
‘Of course, you do, you silly goose,’ I argued. ‘Actually, I’ve changed my mind: I do have cold feet. Can we go home now? My toes are like ice cubes. Let’s go and get warm.’
‘In a minute,’ he said and then pulled me into the doorway of the old bank and slid a hand inside my coat. ‘First, we have to snog inappropriately in the doorway like teenagers. It’s tradition.’
‘Our first tradition,’ I murmured, shivering as his warm fingers found my bare skin. ‘But maybe not one to share with the grandkids.’
Chapter Fourteen
Merry
30 NOVEMBER
‘There he is, I can see his hair!’ Freya bounced on her toes beside me and waved, reaching her arm up as high as she could. ‘HARLEY!’
This was a new experience for me, collecting the kids from school. It was intimidating, standing on the corner just outside the school gates as a tidal wave of teenagers poured out of the Darley Academy.
Eventually, I spotted Harley walking alone behind a group of jostling boys, thumping each other with their rucksacks and howling with laughter, their voices loud in celebration at being set free.
‘Hey, Robbo,’ one of the boys yelled over his shoulder to Harley. ‘Looks like Mummy’s here to pick you up.’
My heart ached for him. Vague memories of my own schooldays flooded back. Was there anything more excruciating than being singled out by your peers?
‘Shut up,’ Harley grunted, his pace slowing as he approached. ‘And she’s not my mum.’
One of the others whistled suggestively. ‘Bit old for you, isn’t she?’
‘Gosh.’ Freya crept closer to me, her eyes wide. ‘They think you’re his girlfriend. Shall I tell them?’
‘No,’ I said quickly, resting my hand on her shoulder. ‘Let’s start walking to the car. Harley can follow us.’
‘That’s quite enough!’ came an authoritative voice. A woman, dwarfed by a huge pink puffa coat marched into the middle of the group. ‘This lady is my visitor,’ she barked.
Harley glanced at me with alarm, and I pulled a face, which I hoped conveyed that this was news to me too.
‘Those comments were completely inappropriate,’ the woman continued sternly. ‘One more word and you’ll all be in detention until Christmas.’ She jammed her hands on her hips and glared at the boys until they sloped off. ‘Sorry about that.’ She had her hood up, but I could just make out green eyes beneath a blunt blonde fringe as she came towards us. ‘And I know you haven’t come to see me really, but it seemed like a good thing to say.’
‘I appreciate it.’ I smiled gratefully. ‘I’ve not done school pick-up before, I didn’t know the rules.’
‘No harm done.’ She gave me a sympathetic look and then turned to Harley. ‘OK, mate?’
‘Yes, miss,’ he muttered, his cheeks which had begun to sprout a few spots, turned pink. ‘I’m getting in the car.’ Harley held his hand out for the key, which I gave willingly.
‘I don’t miss being that age,’ the woman whispered as we shared a look of sympathy. As our eyes met, I had a fleeting sensation of déjà vu, as if we’d met before.
‘Me neither,’ I said, wracking my brains as to where I knew her from.
‘I like your pink coat,’ said Freya to the teacher.
The woman grinned and shoved her hands inside deep pockets. ‘Thanks. Got it in a charity shop for ten quid. It’s supposed to be for wearing after you’ve been surfing, to warm you up, but it’s brilliant for standing out in the cold on playground duty.’
Her voice was familiar now that she’d stopped yelling; she looked at me and blinked as if she was trying to place me too.
‘Have we …?’ I started to ask her if we’d met, but I was interrupted by a girl yelling at the top of her voice that she was going to kill somebody or other if they didn’t delete that picture.
