her tomato sauce, fiddled with her hair, put some lipstick on, then tensed at the sound of a car and went into the hall.
‘That sounds like Jack’s beloved Jensen,’ she said, amazed that her voice sounded so normal.
‘Shall I go?’ asked Jo when the bell rang, and Kate nodded, rigid with stage fright as she watched Jo open the door to her tall father, who stood equally still as he set eyes on his daughter for the first time.
‘Hello,’ he said at last, and smiled down into the dark eyes surveying him with frank interest. ‘I’m Jack Logan.’
‘Hi, I’m Joanna.’ She smiled warmly. ‘You look like your father—I met him on Sunday with your gorgeous dog.’
‘Thank you, I’ll take that as a big compliment. I hope you like these.’ Jack handed her a brightly wrapped package, then held out an armful of pink and white lilies to Kate and kissed her very deliberately on the mouth. ‘You look very beautiful tonight.’
‘Thank you, these are lovely,’ Kate said breathlessly, her colour high. ‘Go into the sitting room with Jo while I put these in water. What did you get, love?’
‘Chocolates!’ said Jo with relish and turned to Jack. ‘Thank you—’ She hesitated. ‘Kate said I should call you Jack. Is that OK?’
‘Absolutely,’ he assured her and exchanged a look with Kate that spoke volumes.
‘How about a beer?’ she said huskily. ‘Back in a moment.’
Kate put the lilies into a jug of water, poured beer into a glass and went back to the sitting room, relaxing slightly when she found Jo curled up in a chair, chatting easily with Jack about her stay with her grandparents.
‘I forgot to tell you, Kate,’ she said. ‘When I had tea in a café in Worcester with Grandma I saw Leah Brace from school. She was with her father. He sent you his regards.’
‘How nice of him.’ Kate avoided Jack’s eyes as she handed him his beer. ‘Let’s sit down. Supper’s not quite ready yet.’
He took the foot of the chaise, smiling at Jo. ‘Kate tells me you’re going to a party on Saturday.’
She nodded, eyes sparkling. ‘The Carey twins invited me. Do you know them?’
‘I know their father.’ He smiled wryly. ‘I didn’t realise Jim’s twins were old enough for disco parties.’
‘It’s their fourteenth birthday,’ Jo informed him. ‘The party sounds like fun, it’s in a barn.’
Kate sat with them for a while, content to sit in silence while the two people she loved best in the world got to know each other, but after a while she excused herself to see to the meal.
‘Shall I help?’ said Jo, jumping up.
‘Stay and entertain our guest,’ said Kate. ‘Just kitchen supper tonight, Jack,’ she told him. ‘I shan’t be long.’
He smiled at her then turned to his daughter as he accepted the nuts she offered him. ‘Tell me about school, Joanna. What subjects do you like best?’
Finding it hard to tear herself away, Kate went back to the kitchen to grill bacon to crispness while water heated for the pasta. She put bowls in the oven to warm, set out dishes of grated cheese on the table, filled wineglasses and cut thick slices from a loaf of Italian bread, checked on her sauce, plunged the pasta into the pot and went to fetch the others.
Joanna talked with complete ease as she helped serve the meal, laughing when Jack told her that the last time he’d had supper with Kate she hadn’t honoured him with her culinary skill.
‘We sent out for Chinese,’ he said, grinning at Kate. ‘But this is much better. Great sauce.’
‘We had great roast chicken on Sunday too, with herb stuffing and bread sauce,’ Jo informed him. ‘Kate’s a good cook. But I expect you know that,’ she added, twirling pasta round her fork.
‘We hadn’t seen each other for years until recently,’ Jack said regretfully, ‘so I’m not as familiar with her cooking skills as you, Jo. But I hope to be in future,’ he added, his eyes spearing Kate’s.
Jack insisted on helping to clear the table after the first course, which resulted in much bumping into each other as the three of them got in each other’s way in the small kitchen.
‘For heaven’s sake, sit down, Jack,’ laughed Kate at last. ‘Leave the rest to us.’ She shot him a meaningful glance as Jo put her cupcakes on the table.
‘Those look good,’ he said promptly. ‘Did you make them yourself, Kate?’