him too. Perhaps when he’d said amour he’d really meant it.
She caught sight of her watch. It was a minute to eleven. She let him go, leaping up.
‘I have to go.’
*
‘You have to leave me here. I told my dad I was with Sally. If he sees you then…’ she began.
He silenced her with a kiss. His lips smothered hers and he drew her towards him. She folded her arms behind his neck and played with the hair at the nape. Closing her eyes, she sucked in his scent and tried to imprint it on her memory. This night had meant everything.
‘Can I… see you tomorrow?’ Guy asked, adjusting the strap of her dress and leaving his fingers on her bare shoulder.
‘After your trial?’
‘In the morning… for bonne chance,’ he suggested.
‘You won’t need good luck,’ she assured.
He hugged her close, brushing his hand down her hair.
‘I’ll meet you by the back gate again? At ten? Dix heures,’ she said.
‘Emma? Is that you?’
Mike’s voice came through the canvas of their tent just a few yards in front of them. Had he heard them talking? She didn’t want him to know she was with Guy.
‘I have to go,’ she whispered to Guy.
‘À tout!’
He kissed her cheek and she held on to his hand as he went to walk away. He smiled at her and finally, reluctantly, she let go.
She unzipped the tent and parted the way to go in. Mike was sat in a camping chair, reading a caravanning magazine. He put it down as she entered.
‘Did you have a nice time, love?’
‘Yeah. It was good. Sally had some great music,’ Emma responded. She had to stop her face flaming or the game would be up. She needed her dad to believe in Sally so she could arrange more dates with Guy.
‘Was that a boy I heard you talking to?’ Mike asked. He looked straight at her.
‘Yes. It was Sally’s brother, Kevin. He insisted on walking me back to the tent because it was dark…’
‘Sensible lad. Thank him for me will you,’ Mike said.
Emma nodded. ‘I’m just going to go the toilet and then—’
‘Sit down a minute, love.’ He indicated the other chair by the table.
This wasn’t good. The last time he’d ordered her to sit down like that was when he gave her her mother’s cancer diagnosis. She sank down into the portable chair and held her breath.
‘So, how are things, love? How are you feeling?’ Mike began.
Oh no. He was starting to sound like the Macmillan nurse. Why was he asking her this now?
‘I’m fine, Dad.’ Actually I’ve just had sex the voice in her head said. Did she look like she’d had sex? She certainly felt at least five years older and far more experienced. Did it show? She was quite sure she didn’t want her dad sensing from a flush how much her thighs ached.
‘Really?’
‘Really.’
‘I know things are tough, love. We’ve had it hard for a long time, haven’t we?’
She didn’t know what to say. For whose benefit was this conversation?
‘I’m fine, Dad. Really fine,’ she said with a little more insistence.
‘I was just thinking maybe you’d like to talk it over with someone. Someone who knew your mum,’ Mike suggested.
‘I’ve been talking to the counsellor the hospital gave us,’ Emma reminded.
‘I know you have, love, I know. I just thought talking to someone who wasn’t a medical professional might be more… casual. And if they knew your mum then…’
‘Who do you want me to talk to, Dad?’
He needed to get to the point. She didn’t like the way this conversation was going.
‘Well, do you remember your mum’s friend Marilyn? They used to go to knitting club together before she got sick,’ Mike started.
No. No, no, no. He couldn’t do this now. Not when they were on holiday together. Her mum was barely cold in her grave and although she knew something was going on between him and Marilyn, he couldn’t bring her into their lives now.
‘I don’t remember her.’ Her voice came out robotic.
‘Yes you do, love. She’s about your mum’s height and build, with reddish hair and—’
‘I don’t remember her. Why would I want to talk to her?’ she snapped.
He couldn’t be doing this. He couldn’t be. Did his wife’s memory not mean anything to him? All the wonderful feelings she’d experienced with Guy that night were being drowned, dampened down and spoiled.
‘Well, she’s a very nice lady and we’ve become quite close. She’s been helping me come to terms with losing your mum,’ Mike continued.
Anger