Page 39 of Teacakes & Tangos
But I rejected that idea instantly. Lois would never do that. There must be something else she was looking for.
But what?
Anika
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
‘This is amazing, Xander.’ I glanced around the theatre during the interval in awe. ‘I mean,front row of the grand circle?These seats must have cost you a fortune.’
Smiling, he shook his head. ‘Cancellations. They were half price.’
‘Really?’ I didn’t quite believe him. It would be just like Xander to pretend they were cheap so that I wouldn’t feel so bad about not paying my way. Ididfeel bad, actually. But I was determined to pay him back for this lovely treat just as soon as I possibly could.
I also had a feeling that his interest in seeing a ballet being performed was also a fib. Knowing how down I was about Dad, he’d probably just wanted to treat me to a night out he knew I’d enjoy...
I glanced across at him with a smile. He was studying the full-colour programme and a little notch of concentration had appeared between his eyebrows. I’d told him not to get a programme because it cost so much and it really wasn’t worth it, but he’d bought one anyway and presented it to me with a flourish.
I’d offered to buy him a drink in the interval but he’d grinned and pulled out a flask and two paper cups from his backpack, and as discreetly as possible, we’d enjoyed a tipple of clementine gin and tonic – until a member of the theatre staff seemed to be looking over at us and we were forced to hide the evidence!
I was amazed and touched that he’d remembered me telling him that clementine was my favourite flavour of gin.
Life was so strange at times.
I’d been on the floor with despair over Dad and then suddenly Xander had reappeared in my life, helping to makeeverything... well, if not brighter then at least a little more bearable, with his support and his ability to make me chuckle.
It was serendipity. A happy coincidence.
Except maybe it wasn’t a coincidence at all. Maybe it was destiny. Perhaps it was always meant to happen that Xander should appear when I was at my lowest ebb and make things feel better...
I’d started cooking him lunch earlier, but in the end, Xander had made a delicious spaghetti Bolognese sauce all by himself, following my instructions as I watched from a seat at the table. And I’d joked that he was far too modest and probably had a Michelin Star hidden away in a drawer somewhere.
‘Xander?’ I asked him now, as he studied the programme. ‘I’ve been meaning to say, I love that little tattoo on your neck. But why an iris?’
He turned and gave me a sad little smile. ‘I got it in honour of my Auntie Iris.’
‘Oh.’
‘She was my mum’s sister but she died really young from heart failure. I was only eighteen at the time and her death hit me really hard.’
‘So you decided to get a tattoo in her memory,’ I murmured. ‘That’s so lovely.’
He ran a hand through his hair, thinking about it. ‘I was convinced Mum and Dad would be mad at me for getting it, but they weren’t. Mum actually cried and hugged me. I think she was really touched that I’d wanted to have this permanent reminder of Auntie Iris.’
Later, as he drove me home, we chatted all the way about the ballet and Xander admitted to feeling quite emotional at times during the performance.
‘So would you go again?’ I asked him.
‘Yes, I think I would.’ He grinned across at me. ‘As long as you come with me.’
My heart did an odd little jump of pleasure. ‘Deal,’ I replied with a smile.
As we pulled up outside my house and Xander switched off the engine, I hesitated. He obviously couldn’t drink because he was driving. But maybe I could invite him in for a cuppa?
But before I could suggest it, Xander said, ‘I really enjoyed that. It turns out ballet is pretty cool.’
‘I told you it was.’
‘Hey, I might even be prepared to try the dancing in the dark thing – if that’s something you’d fancy doing?’
