French Kissing by Lynne Shelby Read Free Book Online

me again very soon. Mrs Cooper said goodbye, without expressing any particular hope that I would be present in her near future.
    Outside, it was now fully dark, and the streetlamps made halos of yellow light between the skeletal branches of the trees lining the road. Shivering in the night air, I took Nick’s hand and we walked quickly along the pavement to where he’d parked. He handed me his keys, and we got in.
    â€˜Thanks for saying you’d drive,’ Nick said. ‘I’d have hated to miss that rather good bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that my father produced to go with the beef.’
    â€˜Oh, I don’t mind being the designated driver when we visit your parents. I can’t tell the difference between the expensive stuff they like to drink and the wine boxes I buy in the supermarket.’
    Nick laughed.
    â€˜Where do you want to spend the night?’ I said. ‘Mine or yours?’
    â€˜Mine, I think. I’m worried that I might not be able to get a decent drink at your place.’
    I pulled away from the kerb.
    â€˜You had a long chat with Georgina this afternoon,’ Nick said.
    â€˜Yes. I’ve never really had the chance to talk to her before. We’ve more in common than I realised.’
    â€˜We really should try to see my family more often.’
    I see quite enough of your mother, thank you very much, I thought.
    â€˜Mum is always so pleased when we visit,’ Nick said.
    Choosing my words carefully, I said, ‘Nick … sometimes … I’m not sure that your mother … approves of me.’
    â€˜Why ever would you think that?’
    I took a deep breath. ‘Just … a couple of things she’s said. Like today, when she was talking about meeting your ex-girlfriend, I got the impression that she’d rather you were still with Melissa, and not with me.’
    â€˜Are you jealous of Melissa Harrington?’
    â€˜What? No, I’m not jealous of Melissa Harrington.’
    â€˜You are jealous.’ Nick sounded incredulous. ‘You’re upset because my mother mentioned one of my exes? That’s crazy.’
    â€˜You’re totally missing the point –’ I broke off. If Nick had no idea what I was getting at, if he hadn’t see anything objectionable in his mother’s comments, then there was not much use in my picking a fight about it.
    â€˜I haven’t seen Melissa for at least five years,’ Nick said. ‘I don’t even have her number in my phone.’
    My hands gripped the steering wheel more tightly.
    â€˜I’m thirty-two years old,’ Nick said. ‘It would be odd if I didn’t have a couple of long-term relationships behind me, don’t you think?’
    I gave up. ‘You’re right. I’m being unreasonable.’
    â€˜We’ve both dated other people, but we’re together now, and that’s what matters.’
    â€˜I know that – in my less crazy moments.’
    Mollified, Nick switched on the radio and was soon humming along to a piece of classical music.
    I drove on through the empty night-time streets. Not for the first time after I’d spent a Sunday afternoon in Mrs Cooper’s company, I wondered how my boyfriend could have such a total blind spot when it came to his mother.

Six
    Monday morning began in its usual chaotic way, with my arriving home from Nick’s with just enough time to shower and change before I had to dash off again to get to work. I was already half way out the front door, when Alex, wearing just a pair of jeans, emerged from his bedroom.
    Step away from the candy, I thought.
    Averting my gaze from Alex’s muscles, I wished him good luck for his first day in his new job, and hurried on my way.
    At Nova Graphics, I’d barely sat down and switched on my computer before Izzy came bounding up, and perched on the front of my desk.
    â€˜Alexandre Tourville is such a lovely guy,’ she