The Spark - Jules Wake Page 0,29

eyes dancing with mirth. ‘This might as well be written in Swahili. I don’t know anything about wine. Vic always… She knew about wine.’ His uncomfortable smile had me reaching for his hand.

‘You can mention her, you know. Four years is a long time.’

‘I don’t want to. This evening is supposed to be about you.’ He reined in the quick flash of irritated anger I saw dart across his face. ‘What would you like?’

‘I’m actually not a big drinker. And … I’ve already had half a bottle of Prosecco with Shelley before I came out.’

‘And how is your cousin?’

‘She’s good and sends her love.’

‘And Aunty Lynn and Uncle Richard?’ he asked, before adding quickly, ‘I’ve told my parents about you.’

I laughed. It didn’t take much to join the dots. ‘Probably a good idea. I love my aunt and uncle to bits but they wouldn’t know discretion if it came up and slapped them round the face. I can’t believe Aunty Lynn hasn’t texted me; Shell is bound to have told her already. So, it’s guaranteed your mother will know that we’ve been out by close of play tomorrow.’ I hadn’t mentioned a word to my mother and had absolutely no intention of doing so.

‘Not a problem.’ He reached over the table and took my hand. ‘I’ve got nothing to hide. I told mum about you last week.’ His eyes swept over my face and softened into gentle admiration which gave a kick to my pulse.

‘W–what did she say?’ Good job I didn’t need to stand; my legs had turned to jelly. ‘I mean, after four years, she must know Victoria quite well.’ Not having met his mother, it was difficult to gauge whether Sam’s mum would be wrapping a hat in newspaper and shoving it back in the loft or pleased that her son would be hers for a while longer. I knew Bel’s boyfriend’s mother had been dropping hints about weddings from the day she and Dan passed their six-month mark.

‘Not much.’ He lifted one shoulder and rotated it in a quick circle as if it were a physical manifestation of his sudden discomfort. ‘I don’t think she wants to know much at the moment, as Vic keeps in touch with her.’

‘Probably easier,’ I said, tracing the tines of the fork on my left. The enormity of navigating the family landscape and Sam’s life as the new woman cast a shadow I hadn’t really considered before. I had never met my father’s new woman. Her hold on him had been such that he’d been withheld from me ever since. He belonged to her now and had done from the moment he’d gone. Not only had I lost a father, I’d also lost grandparents. Although Sam and Victoria weren’t married, I wouldn’t deny her the relationships she’d formed with Sam’s family. It wasn’t fair. After all, I was the usurper in this case.

‘After all that time, she’s part of your family. I wouldn’t dream of coming between that. It must be hard enough for her as it is.’ My heart ached for all that she’d lost, even while my pulse danced when Sam picked up my hand and squeezed it, his thumb stroking the sensitive skin on the inside of my wrist.

‘I’m not planning on hiding anything, Jess.’ The look in those deep blue eyes held unwavering determination and conviction. ‘I didn’t want to put Mum in a difficult position. Her knowing about you before Vic.’

‘I understand that. It would be sad if they didn’t stay in touch.’ How would I feel? Turfed out of a family dynamic I was used to? It seemed unfair. And once again, my desire to be with Sam warred with the horrible feeling that I was the cuckoo in the nest. Poor Vic had lost more than a boyfriend.

Sam’s phone, which he’d laid on the table next to his hand, beeped with a text alert, but he ignored it.

‘So, what are you drinking?’

‘I’ll stick to Prosecco,’ I said, having spotted they did it by the glass.

He grinned, his whole face lighting up and suddenly all my worries vanished. I felt that magic hit of sunshine as he lowered his voice and leaned forward across the table. ‘That reminds me of the first time I met you. At Lynn and Richard’s. Don’t think I’ve ever seen quite so many empty bottles of Prosecco as in their recycling bin. Or a pair of legs quite so gorgeous.’ He lifted his brows in over-the-top, lascivious admiration that