Page 89 of For Love or Money
Lesley rolled her eyes. ‘You’re not really my boyfriend, remember. You’re not allowed to say stuff like that to me – except in front of your family, of course.’
‘I’m not allowed to say that you have nice hair?’
‘No,’ she said, feeling unreasonable. ‘Well, only if someone is listening,’ she conceded.
Lesley couldn’t waitto go to bed that night and discuss the whole thing properly with Al, but she had to try to tamp down her impatience.
‘We’re going hiking tomorrow,’ Scott announced to everyone at dinner. ‘Who’s in?’
‘Hiking?’ Lesley thought she must have misheard. Hiking certainly didn’t feature in her fantasies of a holiday on the French Riviera.
‘It’s something we do every year,’ Al said to her. ‘With a group of our friends here. It’s sort of a tradition.’
‘Oh, right. Well, you might have told me. I mean, I didn’t bring my hiking boots, or my whatchamacallem ... crampons or anything. So I guess I’ll have to sit this one out,’ she said, attempting to sound regretful.
‘Oh, don’t worry. It’s not difficult,’ Al said. ‘But didn’t I tell you to pack walking boots?’
‘I thought you were joking,’ Lesley said, reasonably she thought. ‘I mean what kind of holiday do you need to pack a bikini and walking boots for?’
‘Well, obviously they’re not meant to be worn together. Although ...’
‘Get your mind out of the gutter. That would not be a good look on anybody.’
‘I’m sure you could carry it off.’
‘Anyway, don’t worry,’ Jane piped up. ‘There are loads of spare boots here. I’m sure we can find you a pair in your size.’
‘I’m a six,’ Lesley said.
‘Same as me!’ Jane said. ‘I have an old pair here you can borrow.’
‘Great!’ Clearly, she had no way out. ‘In that case, count me in!’
‘And me,’ Stella said. ‘We could do with the exercise.’ She glanced at Peter. ‘As long as it’s not too strenuous.’
Peter shook his head. ‘We leave that to the youngsters. But you should go, darling. You’ll enjoy it.’
‘Oh.’ Stella bit her lip.
‘We go into the hills behind Eze,’ Rafe said to her. ‘It’s really beautiful. You should come.’
‘Oh, well ... if you’re sure you don’t mind,’ she said to Peter. ‘I do miss hiking since leaving LA. I lived near some really good trails.’
‘Not at all. I’ll be perfectly happy here with the rest of the oldies.’
‘Thanks very much!’ Jane said with a roll of her eyes.
‘It will be like old times.’
‘But promise me you’ll go for a good walk on the beach,’ Stella said to him. ‘Or at least have a swim.’
‘Don’t worry, Jane and Joy will look after me,’ Peter said to her. ‘Won’t you?’ He looked at Jane.
‘We’ll keep him on the straight and narrow,’ Joy said to Stella with a kind smile.
‘We’ll return him in the same condition we got him in,’ Jane added wryly.
‘Well, that’s me done,’ Lesley said, yawning extravagantly as she pushed her dessert plate away. ‘I’m off to bed. You coming, Al?’
