“You caught me bang to rights. I thought it just might get you talking. I can sense you’re a bit nervous.” She smiled at him encouragingly. “I don’t bite you know. Well, at least not on the first date.”
He laughed and they could both feel a bit of the tension melting away.
“I’m sorry, Amelia. I’m just not very good at this. Never have been.”
She looked at him, “It’s not an exam, Ross. Just two people getting to know each other a bit better, that’s all. I thought you said you found it easy to talk to me?”
“But we weren’t out on a date then. We were just chatting. We hadn’t got all dressed up and everything.”
Despite herself, she was finding him increasingly adorable. Well, she may as well enjoy herself a little too. “Ross, you are wearing jeans and a shirt not a fancy tuxedo.”
“I know, but these are my good jeans and I happened to have ironed this shirt.”
Amelia smiled at him. “I’m honoured.” She reached over and touched his hand.
“Right,” she said firmly. “Here’s what we’ll do.
“Why don’t we just pretend that this evening we happened to bump into each other and decided we were both hungry and fancied a bite to eat? No date. No pressure. Is it a deal?”
“It’s a deal” he said, and let out a long sigh of relief.
“Actually,” he added, “I’m suddenly really hungry. This place does a fine plate of steak and chips. Might be a bit too much for a peedie thing like you.”
Amelia laughed, “No way. I could eat a whale sandwich. I’m starving.”
With the pressure off Ross believing he had to be witty and entertaining, he relaxed and found he was enjoying being in Amelia’s company. They chatted happily about music they liked and films they loved.
They both loathed rom-coms and were obsessed by the originalBlade Runnerwith Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer (the director’s cut, obviously) and confessed to shedding a tear atDumbo. The two of them had howled with laughter at the end ofSome Like It Hotand declaredSingin’ In The Rainto be the greatest film of all time. Ross said emphatically that he didn’t think he could be friends with someone who didn’t love all those films. Amelia said that it was just as well they were in her top ten then.
They discovered they had a lot more in common. They both couldn’t abide sweetcorn and were driven crazy by people smoking while they were trying to eat.
“Imagine this steak being ruined by somebody blowing out their fag breath on it,” said Ross, shuddering. “That’s what it was like in the old days. You’d come home reeking of stale smoke.”
“What’s your view on people who use leaf blowers, especially on a Sunday morning?” said Amelia.
“Anyone using one of those machines in any circumstances should be boiled in oil,” said Ross gravely. “Agreed” said Amelia with a grin.
Amelia scoffed her steak dinner and finished off the chips Ross couldn’t manage.
She ordered apple pie with creamandice cream, followed by a plate of Orkney cheeses and oatcakes.
Ross was impressed. “I don’t know where you’ve put all that food but I do like a woman with a healthy appetite.”
“I’m very glad you like me, Ross” she said lightly, and added more seriously, “I’m having a really nice time tonight on our non-date.”
He blushed. They continued to chat about other places Amelia needed to visit in Orkney and she told him all about her trip to Hrossey and how kind Freya and everyone had been to her.
Evie’s name hadn’t been mentioned until Amelia said, “Evie has been kind too, but as I told you, I get the sense she doesn’t altogether approve of me. I might have gone too far getting my hair done like her, but I think she looks so beautiful, and I just wanted to fit in and feel like part of her family. Is that really dumb of me?”
“Not at all. I think you look lovely and I’m sure she doesn’t mind really, why would she?”
“You’re right. I’m sure I’m worrying about nothing. I just thought I might have put my foot in it, especially when I asked her about her sister.”
Ross frowned. “That Liv is a piece of work. Although apparently, she’s been working to turn over a new leaf, but you can make your own mind up when you meet her.”
Amelia replied, “I’ve heard they don’t get on, but I feel as though I should get to know her as we are related.”
“Of course, you’ll want to see her but just be aware she’s not like most of the people here in Orkney. She’s trying her best and that’s all I want to say.”
