Page 87 of Playing for Keeps

“Yeah.”

She got the distinct impression he’d like to change the subject, but curiosity drove her on. “Did they split up when you were a kid?”

He hesitated. “No, like ten years ago or something.”

“I would have put money on you being a total mummy’s boy,” she said to lighten the atmosphere.

“Why?” he asked quietly.

“Why?” She laughed. “Because you’re so sweet and sensible. Totally the type of guy who’d dote on their ridiculously proud mum.”

“Wrong on all fronts,” he said flatly.

Allie screwed her face up, wanting to know more but increasingly feeling as though she’d strayed into a minefield. “You don’t get on with her at all?” she asked cautiously.

“No.”

“Does Emmy see much of her?” Surely she’d at least want to be in contact with her grandchild, even if she and Hugh weren’t on good terms.

“Nope,” Hugh said curtly.

“Sorry.” Allie sat up straighter. “I didn’t mean to pry.”

“It’s fine,” he said, his tone contradicting his words. “Listen, I have some work to get on with and I haven’t eaten dinner yet …”

“Right.” Her heart was pounding and her mouth went dry. “Sorry,” she said again. “Have I upset you?”

“No. It’s fine. I just have a few things to do.”

“Okay.” Except it didn’t feel okay. “I feel as though I said the wrong thing.”

“You didn’t. Can I call you tomorrow?”

“Of course,” she whispered before the line went dead. He hadn’t even said goodbye.

With a hand pushed to her forehead, Allie felt utterly stupid. Clearly, he hadn’t wanted to talk about his parents, but she’d pushed him as though she was entitled to all the details of his life.

The worst of it was how hurt she felt that he hadn’t wanted to share it with her.

The irony of it wasn’t lost on her, given how much she’d been keeping from him.

* * *

Feeling the need to get out of the house, Hugh asked Leo and Damian out for a drink in the pub on Thursday evening. He was hoping they could help him out with his dilemma. Not that he really needed help. He knew what he should do – call Allie and apologise for being so abrupt with her on the phone the previous evening.

Easy enough in theory, but he suspected she’d start asking questions again, and he still hadn’t figured out how to hold a conversation about his mum while remaining calm and rational. Generally he just avoided the subject.

Pulling his phone from his pocket as he walked to the pub, he was all set to call her before chickening out again. What did it matter if he didn’t call her today, anyway? It wasn’t as though they were in some serious relationship where they couldn’t go for a day without speaking to each other. He let out a long sigh, irritated with himself.

To distract himself, he tried calling Nancy instead but only got her voicemail. He knew she was keen to speak to him, but they’d kept missing each other all week, or catching each other at a bad time.

At the Anchor Inn, he went straight to the bar for a pint before joining Leo and Damian at the table towards the back. They were deep in conversation about jet skis.

“Are you finally going to buy one?” Hugh asked Damian when he could get a word in. It was something Damian had been thinking about to expand the business, but after years of contemplating it, Hugh had concluded it would probably never happen.

“Amy thinks I should get one. Two actually. Reckons renting them out would be a great move for the business.”

“It would,” Hugh agreed.

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