Page 90 of Never Too Late to Date

Why was she mentioning him hanging around? It sounded like encouragement.

‘Kalí órexi. Let’s eat.’

The simplicity of the food set her tastebuds alight, and the whole jug of exquisite sauce was shared equally between them as they cleared the table and mopped up the last of the juice with yet more bread.

Suzie waved away the dessert menu when the waitress came to clear the plates, and Christian did the same. She couldn’t eat another thing. The food had been a dream.

‘That truly was one of the best meals I’ve had in my life, thank you.’

‘My pleasure. Do you want a coffee?’

‘Yes, it would be good to wake myself up. I’ve got to work tonight.’

With their coffees in front of them, an espresso for him and a cappuccino for her, accompanied by a delicious miniature biscuit that tasted of marzipan, Suzie was already sad at the idea of leaving this little paradise behind. It was unlikely she’d ever be able to afford to come back. Christian lifted his coffee cup to his lips and downed the espresso in one swallow.

‘Before we go … please can you tell me a little about Gianni. Just so that when I do get to meet him properly, I don’t make any stupid mistakes.’

Christian had said ‘when’ rather than ‘if’, which showed more confidence in the possibility of them getting together than she felt.

‘OK. He’s a lawyer, as I think you know.’

‘It’s funny. I was studying law at uni when I got my big break in music. Did you know that?’

‘No, or if I did, I’d forgotten.’

It was a trifle arrogant of him to expect her to remember everything about his previous life. Self-belief had never been a problem for him.

‘He’s married to Kat, also a lawyer, and they have a house in town.’

‘Any kids?’

‘Not yet. But I’m hoping it’s on the cards. They need to get on with it. I’m desperate for a grandchild.’

She’d spoken without thinking. Giannis having a child would technically make the man sitting beside her a grandfather.

‘Sometimes it happens when you’re least expecting it…’ The espresso cup rattled loudly as he replaced it in the saucer. ‘And sometimes it never happens. My first wife and I tried and tried, but sadly we had several miscarriages. The strain of it all was one of the things that split us up in the end.’

Watching his hand shake shook her, too – to the core. Make me feel even more guilty about keeping your son a secret, why don’t you? was on the tip of her tongue. Poor guy.

‘I’m so sorry to hear that. So, you did want kids? I wasn’t sure back then.’

Christian smiled, although the sadness didn’t leave his eyes.

‘To be honest, I wasn’t sure back then either. But later on, absolutely. I would have loved to have kids of my own.’

This was a conversation that could get tricky. She needed to shut it down.

‘Anyway, back to Gianni. He loves to play backgammon, goes fishing to relax, is a mean tennis player and is, sadly, allergic to seafood and nuts.’

Christian looked back at the restaurant with its specials displayed on the board.

‘I won’t bring him here then.’

‘No, definitely not.’

‘I’m rubbish at board games, but I can handle a tennis racquet, and I love to fish too. It must be in the genes.’

‘Mmmm.’