Chapter 40
FORTY
‘Auntie Grace!’ Jack ran into Gracie’s arms, nearly knocking her over. ‘We’re going on holiday! I can go snorkelling and everything and play in the pool and eat as much ice cream as I want. I’m so excited! We are going to have so much fun. Mummy says we’re going on a big plane, early in the morning.’
Noms appeared fresh from the shower with a towel wrapped around her head.
‘Six a.m. flight. Sorry, Grace.’
Gracie grinned. ‘You know I love early flights. It makes it seem like we’re really going on an adventure.’
‘The taxi’s coming at three thirty.’ Noms groaned.
Gracie laughed. ‘You’d better get to bed now, then.’
‘No, we’ll be fine, I’ve booked us all dinner at Fregos on the corner for seven. We’ll be home and in bed by nine. And all the better if Jack is tired on the plane: hopefully he will sleep and not fidget.’
‘You two might be in bed by nine, but Ed is coming to pick me up after he’s dropped his mate at the airport.’ Gracie did a little dance.
‘You go, girl! Start the holiday with a bang and all that.’
‘Let’s hope so.’ Gracie smiled. ‘I really do want to see him before we go.’
‘Then you must, my pretty little sister. Do you fancy dinner with us first, though?’
Gracie smirked. ‘Yes, I expect I will need to keep my energy up.’
Noms and Gracie swung Jack’s hands high as he walked in between them. It was busy in Wimbledon Village. Pubs and restaurants with outdoor seating areas were already filling up, with punters enjoying the warmth of the May evening sunshine. Jack was reeling off exactly what he was going to do as soon as they reached the villa when Gracie saw something out of the corner of her eye that made her heart freeze.
It was Ed.
Ed, not only looking particularly handsome, dressed in shirt and tie, but also talking animatedly to an attractive older blonde woman. In fact, he was having dinner with the attractive older blonde woman! The pair of them sat, bold as brass, in the window of an Italian restaurant.
Noms glanced at Gracie and saw the look of horror on her face, but before she had a chance to say, ‘Quick, let’s walk on,’ Ed had spotted her.
He came running out of the restaurant at full pelt. ‘Gracie, it really isn’t…’
Noms walked ahead with Jack, but stopped within earshot of the conversation.
Gracie felt furious with herself for trusting him, for thinking he might be interested in her alone. ‘So much for driving to the airport.’ She could feel tears threatening. ‘I thought you were decent – that you really gave a shit.’
‘Gracie, you don’t realise how much of a shit I give. It’s not what it seems. But… I can’t tell you any more than that. You have to trust me.’
‘For God’s sake, Ed. I don’t need to hear any more. It’s blatantly obvious. A shirt and tie, too – good effort.’ She started to walk off and he spun her around.
‘I’ve been wrongly accused of rape, Gracie. That woman is my barrister.’