Page 24 of Love By Sunset

‘Why did she have to open the café?’

‘Mother! I’m twenty-eight. I donothave to answer to you about what I do with my life.’

At that moment, the café door opened and Emily walked in.

Oh,hell!

Why had she come back so early, and why had she chosen this moment to walk in? Jake clasped his hands round the back of his neck, looking down at his feet before he sighed and stood up, facing the inevitable. Oh, his ma was going to love this.

Sensing something, Emily paused and indicated towards the café door with a raised eyebrow and a small nod of her head, obviously asking the silent question whether she should go. Jake shook his head, and in two quick strides was by her side.

‘My mother,’ he murmured.

‘Ah. Well, you promised me you’d take me round to meet her, I seem to remember,’ Emily replied, her eyes wide, an innocent look on her face.

‘That,’ Jake continued, still speaking softly, ‘was only to persuade you I wasn’t a mass murderer, so I could get you into my bed.’

Sensing this wasn’t a normal café owner and customer exchange, Annie turned round. Jake saw her eyes go from him to Emily, looking sophisticated in her expensively casual jeans, check shirt, and flat shoes. She was a stunning lady.

He could understand why Jenny had told his mum she wasn’t his usual type, but he rather liked the cool, classic look she pulled off so well, with her hair framing her face in thick waves, and he enjoyed the fire in her beautiful blue eyes.

He also loved the touch of her lips and the feel of her long-fingered hands on his body.

Hell! Not the time nor the place to be thinking thoughts like those!

Nope, there was no escape from this. Catching hold of Emily’s hand, he led her over to the table and pulled out a chair for her.

When she’d sat down, he asked, ‘Coffee? Ma, a refill?’

‘Yes, please,’ Emily spoke calmly, but then he’d already realised she was quite a collected sort of person. Not empty headed like his… hiscandy-flosses. Jeez, his mother!

‘Ma?’ He noticed Annie’s eyes had fixed on Emily, and she was giving her a once-over, and none too subtly.

‘Eh? Oh, yes, please.’

‘Mrs Bradstock?’ Emily held out her hand. ‘I’m Emily.’

Annie looked slightly flustered before holding out her own hand. Emily gave it a brief shake. ‘A lovely surprise to meet you.’

‘Yes, I’m sure it is. I don’t often meet Jake’s… girlfriends.’

Eavesdropping from the coffee machine, Jake breathed a silent thank you his Ma hadn’t used the term candy-flosses.

‘Oh, but he offered to bring me round to introduce me the day we met.’

Jake turned, the milk jug in his hand, to see Emily’s eyes crinkle up with amusement as she flashed him a look of pure mischief. He shut his own eyes and shook his head before returning to the frothing machine.

‘Did he? Did he indeed?’

The surprise was apparent in his mother’s voice, and no wonder.

Returning to the table, he placed the mugs down and joined them.

‘Are you enjoying your holiday?’ Annie asked, blowing over the top of her mug to cool it before taking a cautious sip.

‘Very much, thank you. So far.’

‘How long are you here for?’

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