Page 25 of Playing for Keeps

“I do,” Max agreed. “Especially when they’re asleep,” he added under his breath.

“I’ll leave you to it.”

She hadn’t expected her evening in the pub to be so useful in gathering information about the golf club. There were clearly a few issues to be addressed, but it was still all pretty minor. Except for the overall layout of the course, but she couldn’t imagine her dad would be interested in redesigning it when he was contemplating selling.

Crossing the room, she caught Hugh’s eye. He was sweet really, even if he was incredibly dull. She shook the uncharitable thought from her head. At least he was trying. She was the one giving him leading questions about architecture, so she couldn’t really complain.

It was just easier than trying to navigate questions about herself.

Twenty more minutes, she told herself. By then she’d have stayed for a sufficient amount of time that making an excuse to leave wouldn’t seem rude.

Especially given that it wasn’t a date.

CHAPTER 10

The downstairs was in darkness when Hugh arrived home. Upstairs, the landing light was on and he went straight up, squinting in the darkness when he pushed at the door to Emmy’s room.

“Hi,” she said, her voice slightly hoarse.

“You’re still awake?” he asked unnecessarily.

“Yeah.” She lifted her head from the pillow. “How was it?”

He braced a hand on the doorframe. “It was okay.”

“Is she nice?”

“Yeah.” He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “You should get to sleep. I’ll tell you about it in the morning. Was everything okay here?”

“Fine. Mum called, so I was mostly chatting to her.”

“Did you tell her I was on a date?”

“Yeah.” Her smile was evident in the lilt of her voice. “She was happy about it.”

“I still can’t believe she told you she thought I was pathetic.”

“She didn’t! I overheard her talking, but she didn’t say you were pathetic. I already told you: I think she just worries you’re not happy or something.” She sighed heavily and propped herself up on her elbows. “If you’re going to keep me awake, can you at least come in and tell me about your date instead of complaining about Mum?”

He stepped into the room, staying in the shaft of light from the landing. “There’s not much to say.”

“Didn’t it go well?”

“It was fine, I think.”

“But not great, or you wouldn’t be home so early.”

He checked his watch. “Allie has to be up early for work. That’s what she said, anyway.”

“Don’t you believe her?”

“I think it was probably an excuse.” He walked over to Emmy and she shuffled over to make room for him. Propping a pillow against the headboard, he got comfy with his legs stretched out on the bed. “I don’t think she had a great time.”

“Why not?”

“I think she had more fun chatting with Jack and Max at the bar than she did with me. And …” He paused and blew out a breath.

“What?” Emmy asked.

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