A Hopeless Romantic by Harriet Evans Read Free Book Online Page B

moment.”
    “Any girls on the horizon?” asked Angela hopefully.
    Laura didn’t want to get into Yorky’s love life with her mother. She cast around for something else to say about him. “He’s giving me a hard time—” Laura stopped and cursed herself. “—for not tidying up more,” she finished, inwardly hugging herself for her own ingenuity.
    “Well, I’m sure he’s right,” said Angela. “You are a bit messy. Still, it’s nice to live with someone who is, too, isn’t it? You’re only young once, it does no one any harm to leave the Sunday papers strewn about once in a while.”
    “True, very true, Mum,” Laura agreed with a grin.
    After they chatted about her aunt Annabel, Angela’s stepsister, her mother said, “I should be on my way soon, you know. Dad’s coming back from Norway tonight and I ought to have something ready for him, poor thing.” She drained the last of her tea and stood up. “Right, darling, I’ll be off.”
    “Oh, okay,” said Laura. “Thanks so much for the blinds, Mum. They’re great. I love them.”
    “I’m glad, darling,” said Angela, kissing her on the cheek. “Your granny picked them out with me. She said they were very you. And—oh, my goodness, that reminds me. I nearly forgot. Honestly, where am I these days?”
    “What?” said Laura, handing her mother her coat.
    “Granny. You know it’s her eighty-fifth birthday in July? Well, we want to have a little party for her at Seavale. With Aunt Annabel and Uncle Robert, and Lulu and Fran.” Laura groaned, but Angela ignored her and carried on. “I think Simon will still be away traveling, so it’s even more important you’re there. I just wanted to check—you’re around in July, aren’t you, darling? No holiday plans or anything?”
    “Well…” Laura said.
    Angela looked at her.
    “I’m not sure,” said Laura.
    “The whole of July? You’re not sure ?” said Angela.
    “Of course not,” said Laura, collecting herself. Good God, she was being stupid. “Any time’s good. I was thinking…thinking I might be on holiday in July sometime, but I’ll wait till you tell me a date and then plan round it. Of course I’ll be there. And do tell Granny thanks for the blinds, too. I love them.”
    “You could ring her up and tell her, she’d be over the moon. She’d love to hear from you. Maybe you could meet for lunch—she was saying she hadn’t seen you for a while.” Angela wrapped her scarf carefully around her neck.
    It was true. Mary was not usually offstage. Laura usually saw her about every other week, even if it was just to pop in for a drink after work or to meet for a coffee. But Laura hadn’t seen her for a while. She pushed the thought from her head, and the associated guilt, and said, “Yes, I must call her. I must. Just been quite busy. Now, safe journey. Yorky will be disappointed he missed you, you know how much he loves you.”
    Angela blushed. “Go on,” she said. “Thanks for the tea, darling. And call Granny. I’ll let you know when we decide on a date for the party.”
    “Yep,” said Laura, standing at the doorway. She waved as her mother disappeared down the curving staircase, and wandered back into the flat, kicking a stray football out of the way. As she stood in the hallway, she realized it had been ages since she’d seen her grandmother. In fact, since Christmas. That was ridiculous. It wasn’t as if she could say she lived in the middle of nowhere, either. Mary lived behind Baker Street—“within walking distance of Selfridges, good for the soul, my dear”—in Crecy Court, a 1930s apartment building that Laura absolutely loved.
    She went to pick up her mobile, to call her grandmother. There was a text from Dan.
Can I come over? Have told Amy I’ll be late tonight. I really need to see you and I want you. I miss you so much, beautiful girl. Please say yes. D
    As Laura stood holding the phone, the doorbell rang, and she started. She dropped the phone and