Millie's Game Plan (10 page)

It was agreed. I would be joining Lex and his chums at
Clavering Park next Saturday. Two dates in two weeks. Now I really would have something to tell my mother. Lex gave me a side-long glance and smiled, like he was really pleased at having another opportunity to take me out. And if I wasn’t kidding myself, it was a smile that promised hot, raunchy, moaning sex. I think I may have moaned just thinking about it, and he leaned in to place a kiss behind my earlobe. The heat of his breath and the delicious surprise of it made my tummy flip.

Unfortunately, I could feel the waiter hovering beside us.

I had to be really careful if I wasn’t going to end up in bed with Lex. In fact, I’d already decided I wouldn’t – despite whatever temptation he might put my way. I owed it to my plan and our future to be more circumspect. Now, I needed to broach the subject of how the evening might end because he’d made no mention of how long the party would last or whether he planned on driving me home, or drinking and staying at his flat in London. I prefaced the topic with a little cough. ‘We haven’t really discussed plans for the rest of the evening, but tomorrow I have to go to my sister’s in Lymington. It’s a family bash – tenth wedding anniversary. Noisy children and volley ball on the back lawn.’

He smiled and his hand moved to rest on the back of my chair. ‘Millie,’ he said gently, ‘If you’re thinking of inviting me, I’m afraid I’m going to have to let you down.’

‘No!’ I exclaimed. Did he honestly think I was the kind of girl to drag my new boyfriend to a family gathering after one date? My current schedule for Lex meeting my mother was pre-Christmas drinks – at the absolute earliest – and it was too soon to say which Christmas. I smiled. ‘I wouldn’t dream of inflicting it on you. No. I just wanted to let you know, because…well… if you were planning on us staying in London, tonight...’

His fingers stroked the inside of my arm. Oh boy, he was going to be hard to resist. ‘Would you like us to stay in
London, tonight?’ he asked, looking from my eyes to my mouth.

I swallowed. ‘That might be very nice but I need to be in Lymington for twelve.’ Now I was looking at his mouth. It wasn’t smiling but his lips were parted slightly, as if waiting to receive mine. We hadn’t even had our first kiss yet, how could I possibly contemplate more? Well, of course I could contemplate it and had. I’d dwelt on little else since Wednesday.

He seemed to consider the options before he said, ‘That’s okay, I’ll drive you home and stay at Marshalhampton.’ His fingers trailed up my arm and over my shoulder, coming to rest on the back of my neck.

I looked down momentarily, and saw my chest rising and falling rather more quickly than usual. I looked back up. ‘Are you sure?’

He leaned into me again. ‘On one condition…’ I tilted my head towards his, inhaling his cologne, ‘…next time I take you to dinner – alone – you promise to wear that dress.’

‘It’s a deal,’ I breathed.

Then he leaned closer and kissed my lips – gently and briefly. ‘That’s the kind of deal I like.’

After giving me a smouldering look, he sat back, looked around the table, raised his glass and said, ‘Well, everybody, it’s great to see you after all this time. Cheers.’

I raised my own and noticed, I believe, a spark of interest in Serena’s eyes. Yes, I thought, this gorgeous hunk is with me.

The party ended around midnight, with hilarious, witty speeches from Dominic and his ex-best man. As we waited outside for the doorman to bring the car round, it was still warm – oppressively so. Lex stood facing me and pulled me close with one arm around my waist, while the other hand stroked small circles on my shoulder. ‘So this family lunch is absolutely unmissable, is it?’ he asked.

‘On pain of death, yes.’

‘Well, we wouldn’t want that, would we?’ he said, moving forwards and closing his lips over mine. He tasted of coffee.

People were passing on the pavement and I heard one of his friends say, ‘See you haven’t lost your touch, Lex.’ I pulled back and giggled. Lex looked round as we heard the thrum of his car’s engine approaching. Behind him, Josh was waiting with Serena. I looked long enough to detect they weren’t entwined round one another. Josh was fiddling with his mobile phone while Serena stood passively by, her hands folded round her evening bag. Then Lex was guiding me to the car, opening the door and I was lowering myself into the front seat.

As we drove towards the motorway, I said, ‘I wouldn’t have put Serena and Josh together.’

‘No? He was sniffing around her years ago.’

‘Were you all big mates at Uni?’

‘Not so much with Warwick. He was hardly my kind of chap,’ he said.

‘Oh?’

‘Water under the bridge, Millie,’ he said and glanced at the clock on the dashboard. ‘Should have you home by one.’

My curiosity was spiked but I didn’t expect to get any more on the subject tonight. I thought about Serena. I’d distinctly detected something passing between her and Lex. Had they been an item and had Josh been the one to break them up? If Serena and Josh had been going out since
university, that could account for why public displays of affection between them weren’t necessary. Mind you…it didn’t account for why he’d seemed so interested in me at the cricket match.

We arrived at Bridgeman Villas just after one. Lex had really opened up the Maserati on the motorway. And, I must admit, zooming down the M3 with all that power throbbing beneath the bonnet and Lex by my side, it was difficult not to feel a tad stimulated. Now and again, I’d glance over at him. He had a strong profile, with a straight, angular nose and slightly flared nostrils. I could see the vague imperfection in his top lip where the scar broke its outline.

‘Can I tempt you in for a small brandy?’ I asked, knowing Sacha was on an overnight shift. I was convinced I had plenty of self-control and was banking on him being enough of a gentleman to leave it at the brandy.

He looked across at me, ‘In that dress, you could tempt me with cold tea.’

‘Really? Builders’ or Earl Grey?’

He smiled and opened his car door, before coming round to open mine. Like a true gentleman, he helped me out and closed the passenger door. Then, not quite like a gentleman, he pinned me against it with his body and lowered his head to kiss me – and I’m not talking gentle lip-brushing, this was snogging at full throttle. One of his legs was trying to prize its way between mine but my skirt was too tight. My hands were inside his jacket and tugging at his shirt, I could feel the muscles across his back flexing, and all good intentions to keep him at arms’ length were slipping into the gutter beneath us.

Eventually, he pulled back and looked down at me, his lip curled slightly on the side with the scar. ‘I’m not sure if I’ll be able to stop at a small brandy.’

I’m not sure I want you to, I thought, stepping up and kissing him again, our teeth clashing. His hands were on the move, lower and lower until they were gripping the fabric of my skirt and tugging it up over my thighs.

Now…I may have been in the initial throes of passion, and Lex was certainly one helluva hunk to tangle with but, call me old fashioned, I drew the line at humping the father of my future children at the kerbside in Marlborough Road. Even if it was up against a Maserati.

I’m not sure what happened next but either my body transmitted reluctance or he thought better of it. He stood back, breathing heavily, and ran a hand through his thick hair, lifting it from his forehead and exposing a pronounced widow’s peak. He rested his hands on his hips as he calmed his breathing. I wriggled the hem of my skirt down and took a deep breath.

‘Sorry about that,’ he said, his voice throaty. He held out a hand, ‘Come on, let’s get you indoors.’

‘Should be easy to find my keys tonight,’ I said, holding up my tiny evening bag. He didn’t answer, he was too busy nibbling my shoulder and sliding his hands over me. Finally, we practically fell into the hallway. I think he would have mounted me on the stairs if I hadn’t squeaked that my flat was on the first floor. All the way up the stairs I was telling myself to take it slowly. I hoped I could stall him with the brandy and calm him down. I would tell him we’d enjoy it much more if it wasn’t hurried…and preferably in a nice exclusive hotel, somewhere exotic.

Sacha had left the light on. I just hoped she’d left the place tidy. Lex shadowed me into the flat; we were like Siamese twins, joined at the pelvis. As soon as the door slammed shut, he turned me round and pulled me to him again. I couldn’t remember ever having had that effect on a guy before.

There was an odd noise, and I pulled back.

‘What’s the matter?’ Lex asked, moving on me again.

I pushed at his chest. There it was again, coming from the bathroom. Lex looked like a man waking from a deep sleep.

‘Sach,’ I called, ‘Is that you?’

The bathroom door was pulled open by her foot. She was propped against the loo in her dressing gown, her face a pale shade of avocado, with her duvet beneath her. She didn’t even acknowledge Lex.
‘Gut rot.’

Lex recoiled as the smell of sick reached his nostrils.

‘Oh you poor thing. Can I get you anything?’

‘Fizzy water,’ she said. ‘Sorry about the carpet, I’ll clean it up later.’

I glanced across to a tell-tale pile of kitchen roll on the carpet. ‘Don’t worry.’ I said. ‘I’ll do it.’

She shoved the door closed and resumed her retching.

I turned to Lex whose face was frozen in horror. ‘Sorry,’ I said, stroking his chest.

He took my hand and squeezed it.
‘Never mind. Some other time?’ Then he turned and opened the flat door. ‘Best leave you to it.’

‘Thank you for a wonderful evening,’ I said. ‘I really enjoyed it.’

His eyes ran over me again, as if he wanted to commit my appearance to memory – or maybe he was thinking about the great sex we’d just missed out on. ‘Me too. Night, Millie.’

I stood at the top of the stairs as he ran down, and fo
ught the urge to run after him.

What I wouldn’t give for a shot of five-year-old energy. My nieces, Lucy and Amy, ran down the hallway when I arrived.

‘We’ve got face paints, Auntie Millie.’

‘You can be a cat or a butterfly.’

‘Or an angel.’

‘No, silly. It’s not Christmas.’

‘Mrs Bostock says angels are everywhere all the time, so you’re silly!’

I planted the dish of mint and pea couscous on the kitchen table, along with a bottle of Barolo. ‘That,’ I said to my sister, ‘is for you and Elliot – so hide it. Mum and Tony won’t appreciate it.’

She picked it up and studied the label. ‘Lovely. Thanks, Millie.’ She gave me a brief hug before stashing the bottle in a cupboard.

I could see through the window that Mum was already installed on a sun-lounger in the shade of an old pear tree. Only her legs and feet were in the sunshine and she’d kicked off her sandals to get the benefit. Her legs tan easily and the sunshine’s good for her joints. Mungo was lying in a pool of sunlight on the grass beside her.

‘Auntie Millie, you’re going to have tea in the playhouse with us.’

‘Am I?’ I asked, squatting down and gathering the twins to me. Their delicate little bodies were squirming and jittery with excitement.

‘No she’s not,’ Trina corrected. ‘We’re all eating round the table.’

The twins moaned in unison.

‘Never mind, I’ll come in later and have a game of Snakes and Ladders with you, how’s that?’

‘Yeah!’ they squealed, bouncing on the spot.

Lucy took charge. ‘We’ll go and get it.’ Hand in hand, they scampered off, leaving Trina shaking her head in exasperation.

I scanned the kitchen for something to drink. Despite Trina having known me for twenty-nine years, she still couldn’t quite tune into my needs and was opening the fridge to display a selection of fresh juices and smoothies for me to choose from.

‘What – no Pimm’s?’ I asked.

‘Oh, yes. Elliot has it outside. I thought you were driving?’ she said, with a puckered brow. She might not know
me
very well, but I could read her like a book.

‘Don’t
worry, I’m not staying the night. I’ll have a pint of Pimm’s before the barbecue and then move on to the soft stuff.’

‘A pint?’

‘Alright then, half.’

As I headed for the garden she caught my arm. ‘Mum says you’ve got a man. Quick! Tell me about him.’

It seemed she knew me well enough to understand I wouldn’t be giving much away to our mother. On the other hand, I had no intention of spilling the full bag of beans to her, either. She was too pally with Mum. ‘It’s nothing serious – I only met him a couple of weeks ago.’

‘Millie, you never usually tell Mum anything about men so he must mean something.’

‘I never tell her anything ’cos there’s nothing to tell. This is the first decent guy in ages.’

‘So what’s he like?’ she whispered.

‘Tall, dark, very handsome and loaded.’

She laughed.
‘No, really. Come on, tell me.’

Her eyes darted over my face. She wanted something more real. ‘Okay, he’s average build, sandy hair – thinning on top – and with a bit of a squint, but that kind of adds to his charm.’

She grinned and stroked my arm. ‘But I bet he’s a really nice guy, isn’t he?’

I nodded. ‘And hung like a baboon.’

‘Millie!’

I smiled, before stepping outside.

The house was Victorian with a long narrow garden, just a few minutes walk from the harbour in one direction and the town in the other. Elliot was tipping charcoal into the barbecue and whistling – probably to avoid conversation with Mum. ‘Hello!’ I called. His father, William, a retired naval commander, stood ram-rod straight as he watched his son’s endeavours with interest. They all turned to look at me, Elliot smiling with relief, William saluting and Mum waving like she was hailing a cab.

I wandered over to the table, trying not to focus too obviously on the jug of Pimm’s – not that I’m an alcoholic but I do need to be shored up to face a Carmichael
family gathering. The emphasis tends to be on children, with frequent displays of grandmotherly pride and the occasional bout of maternal disappointment – as much from my mother over me as from Trina over her two. Then, of course, there’s the habitual quest to see me settled down. For only then will Mum’s work be done and she can relax and enjoy her grandchildren.

Elliot hugged me. It felt like he was putting on weight. I guess being made partner in one of the biggest accountancy firms in Hampshire can do that to you.
‘Lovely to see you, Millie. You really should come down more often. Trina and the girls would love it.’ He was being kind. Trina was forever ticking me off for winding up the twins.

‘I know,’ I said guiltily. ‘But life’s so hectic at present.
Especially with
Grease
coming up.’

‘Of course.
Trina’s bought the tickets already. Looking forward to it.’ He hated amateur dramatics.

William held both my shoulders and placed a whiskery kiss on my cheek. ‘Let me get you a drink, eh?’ He reached for the jug and one of the larger tumblers, God
bless him. Mum had swivelled on the lounger in my honour but failed to get off it. As I took my first swig, Trina announced the arrival of Tony and his family. For this, Mum shoved her feet back into her sandals, heaved herself off the lounger and hurried towards the house, Mungo at her heels. ‘I hope my baby Moses is awake; I’m longing to give him a cuddle.’

Moses was awake – awake and bawling his head off. At six months he had a powerful pair of lungs, but despite the racket he was making, we still managed to ‘cooh’ and ‘aah’ over him like the adoring family we were.

Emma was the image of a frazzled young mum. She wore a flimsy, cotton dress with a soft, lacy cardigan in apple green and pink. After struggling to regain her figure, I guessed she’d treated herself to this confection for the occasion. And now she was trying to maintain her dignity while Moses rocked the neighbourhood with his screams. Tony was making soothing noises – as much for Emma as for the baby.

My hands tingled to hold him. My ovaries trembled and my heart fluttered. For the first time in my life, I actually felt within stroking distance of having my own howling bundle. I could picture it now: me and Lex with baby number one; Vonnie and Mum vying to cuddle it; photos around the font; Josh holding our baby to bless its head.
The image stalled. No. By the time my baby was born, Josh would have left Marshalhampton.

Tony stood next to Elliot, a can of alcohol-free lager in his hand. ‘Bet you’re glad you’ve got past this stage, eh, mate?’

Elliot tilted his head and nodded vaguely. Trina busied herself with cutlery, and I knew. I just bloody knew. They were going to have another, but it was too early to make an announcement. I watched them both; an invisible chord of family unity linking them – a glance they didn’t know I’d seen. Months ago I would have thought,
Here we go again, won’t that make Grandma proud?
Now, I felt wonder and envy; wonder at the miracle of nature, and envy for their unity. I took a good glug of Pimm’s and fantasized some more about the beautiful babies I’d have with Lex and the wonderful life we’d lead…in Marshalhampton and France.

Mum managed to hold back on quizzing me over Lex until we were seated round the table and tucking in to ice-cream and fruit salad.

‘Now then, Millie. How did your hot date go?’ The term, on my mother’s lips, made my mouth twitch, while Trina’s eyes flashed from Mum to me and back again.

Tony grinned. ‘Blimey, you thawing out at last, Mill?’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ I snapped.

‘Ignore him,’ Emma said. ‘Tell us about your date.’

‘No,’ I persisted, glaring at Tony. ‘What are you saying?’

‘Don’t get so uptight, sis. I’m glad. You should enjoy yourself more.’

Mum chipped in. ‘His name’s Alexander and he sells wine.’ Elliot and Tony made noises of appreciation.

‘Wine, you say?’ William echoed. ‘There’s money to be made in that, I believe.’

Mum nodded. ‘Go on, Millie. Tell us how your party in London went.’ She was smiling at me, willing me to divulge all.

‘Fantastic, actually,’ I began, before describing in exaggerated detail the events of the previous night. Tempting though it was to wind my mother up with an explicit account of our intimate grapple against the car, I made Lex sound like a true gent. And right on cue, the phone trilled in my bag. I knew it was Lex, without looking…chiefly because I’d assigned the song
Love Machine
to his number. ‘Excuse me,’ I purred, lifting the phone from my bag. ‘Hi there,’ I said as I withdrew to the sun-lounger.

‘How’re you surviving the family gathering?’ he asked.

‘Much better now you’ve phoned.’

‘That’s nice to hear. Did you enjoy last night?’

‘Which part?’

He let out a low chuckle. ‘Well, you tell me the part you enjoyed best and I’ll see if it ties in with mine.’

I nestled down on the lounger with my back to the family. ‘Let me think…the meal was lovely…’

‘It was.’

‘…and your friends were charming…’

‘They can be.’

‘But probably the most thrilling bit…’

‘Hmmm?’

I giggled. ‘…was busting the speed limit down the M3.’

There was an exaggerated sigh.
‘Oh, Millie. And I thought it was my roguish charm that had you melting so temptingly in my arms.’

My stomach felt like I’d been driven over a humped-back bridge. I swallowed. My voice came out all croaky. ‘No. I’m afraid it was your eight cylinders and twin over-head cams that did it for me.’

‘Really? How about the twenty-inch alloy wheels?’

‘Twenty inches.
That’s impressive.’

There was a rustle as the twins snuck up behind me. I turned round and shooed them away with my hand. They squealed and ran back to the table.

‘I do hope you’re not corrupting any minors over there,’ he said.

‘That’s my nieces – they want to play snakes and ladders with me.’

‘I wouldn’t mind playing with you.’

My hormones peaked again. ‘Were you serious about Classics at Clavering?’

‘Absolutely. It’ll be fun.’

There was a roar of laughter from the table behind me and Mungo, woken by the commotion, began yapping, which kick-started Moses on a new wave of yelling.

‘Listen, this is a bad time but it was lovely of you to call. Believe me, it’s been the highlight of my day.’

‘I’m very glad to hear it.’

I was still grinning as I sat back at the table. Glancing up, my entire family was watching me, eyebrows raised expectantly.

‘No wonder you’ve got a smile on your face.’ Tony raised his glass to me.

‘Shh! Not in front of the girls.’ Mum chided.

‘What?’ I wanted to know. ‘Lucy, Amy –
go and set up the snakes and ladders.’

‘We have done.’

‘Well…here…’ I pulled a box of Jelly Babies out of my handbag. ‘Go and find three little bowls and share these out so we can eat them while we’re playing.’

‘Not all of them!’ Trina protested as the twins scuttled off.

‘Go on then, Tony. Your point is?’

‘Well, your man sounds like one helluva chap…’

‘Your brother’s being vulgar.’ Mum flapped a hand at him. ‘Tony, you know she wasn’t talking about…that.’

Tony and Elliot laughed and began moving their hands as if measuring a large fish.

I rolled my eyes. ‘Alloy wheels, Tony. Alloy wheels.’