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“But you’ve got to go to your birthday dinner,” he reminded her. Thank goodness for his rational side, as she would have carried on doing that the entire day. “But I’ll see you tonight after?”
“Yes, I can be on the beach at about seven thirty.” She was breathless as she turned around to get her bearings. Where werethey? She had to go, but she didn’t want to leave him. They were farther from her lodge than she’d realised, and she needed to get back. But they’d meet later and kiss loads more. The day wasn’t over yet.
“You promise? You’ll definitely be on the beach at exactly seven-thirty?” He chewed his lip as she walked away. It was fun to tease him, but she wouldn’t forget to come back to him.
She turned back. “No matter what,” she replied.
His dimples were on show, and his green eyes were sparkling. “And don’t forget to bring your number.”
She giggled again. “Hmmm, I’m not sure I can give it to just anyone.”
He laughed back. “Please, please. I’ll join Instagram too. I can’t wait for you to visit me at uni.”
She ran back to him and pecked him on the lips before running back down the path to her lodge. She turned around as she jogged; Chris was standing in the same position, staring at her with a smile. The sooner she went, the sooner she’d be back to kiss him some more. Lucie waved and hurried on, brushing a thumb across her smiling lips and giggling.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Plates clattered as her mum cleared the last of the cake from Steve and Jacky. Lucie swiped a look at her watch. Quarter past seven. If she sprinted, she’d be at the beach in time. It would be close, but it was doable. She flicked her bangs and slowly counted to ten.
Dinner was chaos. She’d been on the brink of an incident the whole time due to her drifting attention. Occasionally Emma glanced suspiciously in her direction. Lucie’s ears burnt on and off throughout the birthday song and cake cutting. Usually, it was because everyone was staring at her, but she feared they were reading her this time.
She wanted to kiss Chris again. Maybe she could ask him to be her boyfriend tonight. But she needed to leave right now. The words burnt her tongue, and she couldn’t keep them in any longer. She’d been polite and attempted conversation, but she had to go right now.
She cleared her throat and stood. “Thank you so much for my birthday dinner. That cake was the best, and everyone was so lovely. Can I leave the table now? There’s somewhere I need to be, and I need my phone too, not to send messages but to check the number.”
“No, you may not leave the table, and you are certainly not having your phone,” her dad replied angrily.
“But—”
“You have been rude this entire time. Your mum worked for hours on this, we are sitting here with guests, and you have been checking your watch and fiddling with your hands this entire time.”
“But I—” she attempted to get a word in, but her dad wasn’t listening. Lucie fidgeted with her hair. Her face was burning. “Dad, I—”
“You’ve barely spoken to anyone, grunting when asked questions about your application for your law degree. The least you can do is wash up, but not before you’ve had my permission to leave the table. I’m ashamed of your behaviour.”
Emma rolled her eyes and huffed loudly, but it wasn’t her battle. But how could Lucie stand up for herself if he wouldn’t let her get a word in?
“I’m sorry, Steve and Jacky, for the way my obnoxious child has insulted you.” Of course he was making a point in front of his friends.
“I hadn’t realised I’d been so rude.” Anger sliced through her tone of voice. “I can do the washing up when I’m back, but I need to go now.”
He raised his voice. “What you need to do is sit back down.” He was always trying to control her, like he tried to control everyone else.
I wanted just one night.
Emma stood up too, but she sat back down at a shaking head from their mum, although she still grunted and glared at their dad.
“I will not sit—”
“You will do as I say, yo—”
“Let me talk,” Lucie shouted. Emma gasped, and Jess covered her giggling mouth. “For once in my life, let me talk rather than making us listen to you. All you do is tell us what we should do and how we should behave and that we should listen to you. But you never listen to us.”
“Lucie, please calm down,” her mum said softly.
“No, I won’t. I have to go out,” she pleaded.
“Why?” Her dad stood and faced her. There was an edge to the atmosphere, but no one else spoke.
