‘You’re watching them,’ Poppy corrected. ‘Lily and I are having in-depth and meaningful conversations.’
‘You are not,’ Felix scoffed. ‘Don’t think I didn’t hear that comment about how arrogant you think offering a handshake as some sort of prize onBake Offis.’
Poppy drew herself up. ‘Well, I know you agree.’
‘I do, but that’s not the point.’
‘Hey, Lily.’ Jack interrupted the marital bicker to raise a hand, his striking green eyes boring out of the screen.
‘Hello.’ I gave him a small smile. ‘I’ll go and put the kettle on, shall I?’ I said, getting up and heading out of the room before anyone could reply. The only company I was used to, real or virtual, was my family. Now Jack Coulsdon-Hart was being beamed directly into my lounge and it felt weird. Not least because somewhere in the very pit of my stomach I felt something I had thought long dead show the briefest flicker of life. Dismissing the feeling as the after-effects of overindulging in Indian takeaway, I pootled around in the kitchen for as long as possible before Poppy came through.
‘I’m the search party. Are you coming back in?’
‘Yeah, sorry. Got distracted,’ I fibbed. ‘Here’s the tea. Has Felix finished?’
‘No, they’re still chatting.’
My stomach sank. ‘Oh, right.’
‘Here. I’ll take the tray if you bring the biscuits.’
I obeyed and followed her back into the living room.
3
As I entered the living room, Jack was laughing heartily at, I assumed, something my brother had said. While he was distracted, I took a moment to study him. The intervening years had scuffed off those last few ‘eldest son of a distinguished family’ edges. It suited him, there were more laughter lines around his eyes now, crinkling as my brother continued to tease him about something. His face was gently weathered. Not like an old salty fisherman, but a healthy outdoorsy look. The slight tan he sported contrasted with the startling green eyes that had always secretly entranced me.
‘What are you two laughing at?’ asked Poppy.
My brother threw me a grin and my guard flew up. ‘I was just reminiscing with Jack about that village fête and how ill Lils was that night. God, I don’t think you came out of your bedroom for about three days, did you?’
I glared at Felix. ‘I don’t remember,’ I lied. ‘It was a very long time ago. I’m sure Jack doesn’t either.’ We all looked towards the screen.
‘Oh, I’m sure he does.’ Felix took a sip of tea and burned his mouth. I found it hard to sympathise in that moment.
Jack’s striking eyes looked out from the screen and locked with mine. Immediately I knew. He totally remembered. ‘Can’t say I do, really,’ he said, holding the gaze. ‘As Lily said, it was a long time ago.’
Oh God. He remembered everything.
‘Congratulations on the new book, by the way,’ Jack effectively and swiftly changed the subject, something for which I was very grateful. ‘Straight intoThe Timesbestseller list, I saw. That’s great.’
‘Yes. Thanks. Bit of a surprise.’
‘I don’t know why she’s surprised,’ my brother said through a mouthful of biscuit. ‘They pretty much always do. Early reviewers were raving about it before it was even released. And of course, once the film premieres, that will bolster up book sales too.’
‘Only if people like it.’
Felix sighed and took another biscuit. ‘Of course they’ll like it. How many tickets do you get to the premiere, by the way?’
‘I’ve no idea. It’s not like I’ll be going, anyway.’
‘Oh!’ Poppy’s face fell. ‘Really? I thought we might all get dressed up and have a swish night out.’
I sat on the sofa and tucked my knees up. ‘Sorry.’ And I really was. ‘You know, it’s just not my sort of thing.’
‘Very little is your sort of thing these days,’ Felix mumbled.
I fiddled with my hair, embarrassed that we were having this discussion in front of a virtual stranger, at least a virtual stranger to me.
