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‘Do we want to hear this?’ Henry asked. ‘Really?’
‘Yes! It’s your idea, anyway!’
Estelle shot a glance at her brother as he frowned at their father. ‘Go on…’
Arthur’s eyes were bright with excitement, like a small child desperate to show a parent what they’d made at school.
‘The whole point of the evening is to show that Estelle and James can work together without any of the hoo-ha from this morning. Yes?’ He didn’t wait for a response, but ploughed on. ‘So, they should pretend to be lovers!’
‘What?’ Estelle and James shouted at the same time, as Henry, Libby, Connor, Leo and Willow yelled, ‘no!’
‘It worked like a charm for Henry and Libby,’ Arthur continued. ‘Just look at them! The councillors can’t argue with love.’
‘Dad, for god’s sake. That’s the most ridiculous idea you’ve ever had!’ Estelle snapped. ‘What are we meant to do? Start snogging in front of them?’ Her mind instantly supplied an image of James’s lips on hers, and her body replied with a tingle in her pants.
Arthur raised his hands. ‘No, no need to go that far. Just a bit of light hand-holding, a few—what did you call them in your contract with Libby, Henry?’ He glanced at his first-born son. ‘Loving glances?’
If Estelle was on the brink of disowning her father, Henry looked as if he was about to kill him.
Libby placed her hand over Henry’s as he clutched his knife. ‘Arthur—’ she began firmly.
‘Henry and Libby’s love started with a fake relationship contract,’ Arthur interrupted as he addressed Kev and Bev. ‘Frightfully detailed, y’know.’ His gaze switched to James. ‘He could draw one up for you and Estelle.’
‘That won’t be necessary,’ James growled.
Estelle jumped, and her nipples hardened as his voice rumbled through her.
‘Oh! So, it’s going to be real?’
‘No. Our relationship, as well as the evening, will remain completely professional.’
‘But—’
‘Arthur,’ Libby began with the tone of a primary school teacher addressing a non-compliant six-year-old. ‘Why don’t we play the “getting to know you” game?’
‘The what?’ Estelle asked.
‘Ooh, yes!’ Arthur cried. ‘Such fun!’
Libby smiled at her. ‘Don’t worry, I’ve written the questions. It’s just a gentle way for us to find out a bit more about each other whilst we have dinner.’
Arthur stood. ‘I’ll get what we need.’ He turned to Dervla. ‘Dee-dee, darling. Swap places with me so you and Vivi can partner with Kev, and I’ll go with Bev.’
‘Estelle and James,’ Libby said. ‘You go together. I’m going with Henry—’
‘But you already know him!’ Estelle protested.
Libby fixed her with a patient, but firm, smile. ‘We’ve only been together since last summer. There’s plenty we don’t know about each other.’ She turned to the end of the table. ‘Connor, Leo and Willow, you’ll be in a three.’
Arthur handed each group an envelope, pads of paper, and pens.
‘The questions are all in order,’ Libby continued. ‘Some of them might involve writing or drawing. If you don’t want to say the answers, you can always write them down.’
Estelle took the envelope from her father and placed it on the table. She couldn’t look at James.
‘Have fun!’ Libby said.
Neither she nor James moved. The envelope lay between them like an unstable bomb.
