‘Really. Who?’Please say he’s called Steven.
‘It’s someone you’ve already met.’
I shrugged. ‘Who?’
‘Nick Derbyshire.’
The name sounded familiar but I couldn’t quite place it.
‘You must remember him,’ she said. ‘Alma Sutton’s grandson. He came in for the flowers for his sister’s wedding.’
Oh yes! The man with the eyes like the ocean. I definitely remembered him. My pulse quickened as I pictured him in his morning suit, looking at me intently.
‘You said he was handsome,’ she said.
‘I didn’t.’
‘You did.’
‘Only because you made me.’
‘But you do think he’s handsome, don’t you?’
‘I can’t say I was paying that much attention,’ I lied. ‘If you recall, I’d just jumped on a train after dumping Jason. Checking out other men wasn’t high on my list of priorities that day.’
‘Well, heishandsome.’ She looked so proud you’d have thought she was his mum. ‘And he’s single. And he’s lovely. And he has his own business which is doing pretty well.’
‘If he’s that handsome and lovely and successful, why’s he single?’
‘Sarah! That’s a bit harsh.’ She playfully slapped at my leg. ‘Perhaps he’s like you – hasn’t found the right person yet.’
‘Perhaps.’
‘So it’s agreed?’
‘What is?’
‘I’ll set you up on a date with Nick.’
I put my tea down with such vigour, it slopped everywhere. ‘You’ll do no such thing.’
‘But you just said?—’
‘I said the word “perhaps” in agreement that Nick may, like me, not have met The One yet. How you interpret that as “please set me up on a date with him” is beyond me.’ I took a tissue out of my pocket and dabbed at the spilt liquid.
Auntie Kay took a long noisy slurp of her tea. ‘We’ll see.’
‘I mean it,’ I said. ‘He seems nice enough and I admit he’s easy on the eye but I don’t want to go out with him so don’t you dare play Cupid.’
‘Okay. Okay.’ She put her hands up in surrender. ‘I won’t set you up on a date with him. It’s a missed opportunity, though.’
I narrowed my eyes and gave her the meanest scowl I could manage.
‘Fine. I’ll shut up. I just don’t get why you won’t even consider one evening with him.’
‘Because I don’t want to.’Because he’s not called Steven.
‘You sound like a five-year-old when you say that.’ Auntie Kay held my gaze with her eyebrows raised.
