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‘I’m just going to nip upstairs and take my coat off,’ Gracie said. When do you want me to pop down to yours?’
‘You can come straight away. We could have a cuppa while we wait for the others to arrive.’ It wouldn’t exactly be a party like the ones that Gracie threw. Gracie knew so many people, and her parties were tremendous, with amazing music belting out from her old record player. ‘It’s a shame that Tanya can’t make it,’ said Gracie.
‘I know.’ Thea was disappointed too. Gracie’s daughter Tanya was also Thea’s best friend, and if she had been able to come, she would have brought her husband too. They were good fun, and it would have made for a more lively evening.But Tanya was a physiotherapist and was on a late shift at St. Barts.
Gracie was starting up the stairs as Thea opened the door to the flat. ‘Are you sure it’s okay?’
Thea looked up. ‘Of course. I haven’t got much to prepare food-wise.’
‘No, I meant a pair of oldies like us coming to your party.’
‘Oh, I wouldn’t call it a party. Just a little get-together. I want you to meet Miles.’
‘The question is,’ said Gracie as she continued up the stairs, ‘will he want to meet us?’
Thea stared after her, thinking,Why wouldn’t he want to meet my friends?
Chapter 2
‘What is going on? Why are all these people here?’
Thea slipped off the oven gloves and turned to Miles, who had followed her into the kitchen. She had wondered why he’d said he was coming in with her to help. He’d never done that in all the time he’d been coming round to her flat.
‘What do you mean?’ Thea frowned. ‘I told you as soon as you arrived that I’m throwing a little dinner party and invited my friends. I wanted you to meet them. And what do you mean, all these people? There’s just Gracie and Edward.’
Miles looked confused. ‘Your friends? They’re so ... old. Where did you meet them?’
Thea heaved a sigh. She was pretty sure she’d told him about them before – several times, in fact. She was hoping that introducing them might mean he’d introduce her to some of his friends too. He hadn’t so far. He didn’t even bring them up often, let alone talk about them. And on the rare occasions he did mention them, it was only very briefly. She got the impression that even his personal relationships pretty much revolved around work, just as hers did.
‘Haven’t you got any your own age?’
She sidled up to him, and stroked his cheek. ‘I’ve got you.’
He looked towards the kitchen door. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you’d be doing something like this?’
‘I wanted it to be a surprise.’
‘It’s a surprise alright.’
Thea looked at his grim expression and took that comment as it was intended – an unsubtle dig that he wasn’t impressed at all.
‘But – why?’
Thea wished he’d keep his voice down. Fortunately, she’d put some music on in the lounge, which she hoped was drowning out his raised voice.
‘I told you.’
He looked at her sceptically.
Thea breathed a sigh. ‘Okay. We’ve been dating for a while now, and I wanted you to meet my parents.’
‘They’re your parents?’
‘No, of course not. Do we look alike?’
‘Well – no.’
Thea was getting annoyed. ‘Then why did you ask such a dumb question?’ She could feel like this was going to turn into a row.
