The Boy I Loved Before by Jenny Colgan Read Free Book Online Page B

powder on, looking nervous.
    â€˜I’m your daughter,’ I said rather sharply. ‘Who could you mistake me for?’
    â€˜Goodness, I don’t mean that. I just meant … where were you? I was worried.’
    She looked around anxiously. I did too, instinctively checking where Dad was. She started to quiver if he got too close.
    â€˜Just chatting to people,’ I said. I didn’t want to reintroduce Clelland to her. I’d spent enough emotional time with my mother; I didn’t like her getting upset over me.
    â€˜All right. Well, don’t go too far, will you, darling? I hardly know anybody here. I can’t think why Tashy invited me. All these young people!’
    â€˜Don’t be silly, Mum. You know Tashy’s mum and dad!’ In fact, Jean chose that moment to put her hand up and wave. ‘There you go!’
    â€˜But they’re the parents,’ my mother said as if talking to an idiot. ‘They’re very busy at weddings. Well, so I hear. Who knows, eh?’
    I’d been waiting for the first one of these. I was amazed it had taken so long. I realised Clelland was close enough to hear every word of this.
    â€˜Erm, yeah, Mum.’
    â€˜You and that lovely chap. So good together. And you’ve been together so long! You must be next. Oh yes, there’ll
be a wedding soon for us, I think. Darling, think about it! It’ll be such fun! We can do it all together.’ And she tapped my arm in what she clearly thought was a reassuring manner. I saw Clelland raise his eyebrows.
    â€˜Ah! There you are, Olly! Hello, darling! It’s Mummy!’
    Unlike my father, my mother adores Olly and, it has to be said, he’s very good to her. I think he does know that because I don’t have any brothers he’s the only man in my mother’s life at all apart from the postman, and so he treats her well. She is a bit – well, very – clingy.
    This ‘call me Mummy’ stuff has to stop, though. It really has to stop.
    â€˜Hello, Mummy,’ said Ol, bending down and giving her a hug. I think perhaps what annoys me most is that sometimes I think Olly gets on with my mother probably better than I do. And vice versa. I often think they’d probably do better on their own.
    My mother turned round. ‘I won’t say a word, dear!’ she mouthed to me.
    Clelland leaned over. ‘Aren’t you going to reintroduce me to “Mummy”?’ he said, with a glint in his eye.
    â€˜She probably didn’t recognise you,’ I said. ‘What with all the disappearing and everything.’
    â€˜What do you mean?’
    â€˜You. Disappearing. To Aberdeen. Remember?’
    He started. ‘I remember you not replying to any of my letters.’
    â€˜It was a busy summer.’
    â€˜Damn right,’ he said, and looked annoyed.
    â€˜ … goes down on you,’ said Max.
    â€˜So you’re getting married?’

    I shrugged. ‘God, no … I mean, I might, I haven’t decided …’
    â€˜Hasn’t he asked you?’
    â€˜That’s not the point.’
    â€˜Are you going to force him into it against his will?’ he smiled.
    â€˜Only if I really, really have to. And just with guns and dogs and things, nothing major.’
    â€˜I’m sure you won’t have to. You should get married.’
    â€˜And what makes you the great authority?’ I asked, panicking suddenly.
    Why was I panicking? This was ridiculous. And anyway, he wasn’t wearing a ring: I’d checked.
    â€˜I’m thinking about it.’
    â€˜Oh, yes? Who’s the lucky girl? Haggis McBaggis, famous fisher lady of Aberdeen?’
    â€˜Hello,’ said a beautiful dark-haired girl, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
    â€˜Who’s this?’
    â€˜Well, she fishes,’ Clelland says, ‘but only for compliments. This is Madeleine.’
    â€˜What are you saying about me?’ the