Do You Remember? by Mandy Baggot Read Free Book Online Page A

heart fit to explode. She had sought refuge in the toilets to get her breath back. Guy, the campsite pin-up, the boy everyone wanted to get close to had danced with her. That was one in the eye for Tasha and Melody. They’d been green enough to rival The Incredible Hulk.
    When she’d emerged, lip-glossed and breathing more stably, he’d been stood in the shadows, waiting for her.
    ‘There’ll be other darts competitions. There’s the big one at the social club when we get home,’ Mike told her.
    She hadn’t expected so much resistance. Her dad loved darts. It was the only hobby he kept up through her mum’s illness. He’d escaped the awfulness of it by visiting the social club for a couple of hours on a Friday night while Emma sat with her mum. At least that was where he said he was.
    ‘I want you to do it, Dad. For me…and for Mum,’ Emma said.
    ‘Your mum hated darts,’ Mike reminded. The beginnings of a smile played on his lips.
    ‘Yes, but she knew you loved it and she loved you. Anyway, I’ve got plans. I’m going to finish
The Canterbury Tales
and make a start on the notes before the Sumo competition this afternoon,’ Emma informed.
    ‘Sumo competition?’
    ‘Daft people in fat suits. It sounds fun,’ Emma said. She squinted her eyes as Mike moved and gone was her barrier from the sun.
    ‘Are you sure, love? I know I said you should hit the books so you don’t get behind but … ’ Mike started.
    ‘I’m sure, Dad, honestly,’ she insisted.
    Guy was meeting her in less than an hour and she needed her dad gone before then. She was sick with excitement. It was a date. A proper date and last night she had experienced a kiss like no other. Ally would be unimpressed, but for Emma it was a milestone. The first boy she had
wanted
to kiss her, had kissed her.
    He’d even been tentative about it. He’d held her hand first and stroked it with his long, tanned fingers. Then he’d entwined their hands and held them so firmly.
    ‘Tell me you do not leave for a long time,’ he’d whispered in her ear. ‘Two and a half weeks,’ she had replied.
    And that’s when it happened. He had looked at her, with those jade-coloured eyes and slowly, almost teasingly, lowered his dark head towards hers.
    ‘Well, I’d better get on with this washing up then,’ Mike said, picking up the tea-towel and washing-up liquid.
    ‘Oh no, Dad, I’ll do it. You should be practising. Limbering up for the games,’ Emma told him. She stood up and grabbed the dishes from him.
    ‘Are you sure you wouldn’t rather go to Nice?’ Mike checked, looking at his daughter with slight suspicion.
    ‘Maybe we could go next week, plan it properly,’ Emma suggested, clutching the plastic plates closer to her.
    ‘OK, well, if you’re sure. I’d better change my shirt and find those darts,’ Mike said eagerly.
    He’d finally left for the clubhouse forty three minutes later and all Emma had managed to do before Guy arrived was run a brush through her hair, douse herself in body spray and put on her best sun-dress, yellow with tiny white daisies on it.
    ‘
Bonjour
,’ he greeted. The way he looked at her told her he appreciated what he saw.
    ‘
Bonjour
,’ Emma answered. She felt about ten years old.
    ‘Thanne wolde I seye, goode lief, taak keep, How mekely looketh Wilkyn oure sheep!’ Guy spoke. His forced English accent was worse than Dick Van Dyke in
Mary Poppins
.
    ‘God, you’ve been reading Chaucer!’ Emma exclaimed
    ‘You left it, in the bar. He speaks of how women feel, yes?’ Guy asked, handing over her book.
    ‘The Wife of Bath’s tale does. For me, that’s the one that makes most sense. Well, as much as Chaucer can make sense,’ Emma said. She blushed and inwardly cursed herself for over-analysing.
    ‘Do you have allergic?’ Guy asked.
    ‘Allergic?’
    ‘For food? Some people, they have allergic … ’ Guy began.
    ‘Oh, you mean allergies. No, I don’t have any allergies. I mean I don’t like