Read Online Me and Mr Jones by Lucy Diamond - Free Book Online Page B

called her – looked mortified. ‘Sorry,’ she said again. ‘We’re obviously intruding. Come on, girls, let’s go.’
    ‘No!’ Charlie said. ‘Honestly, there’s no need. Right, Dad?’
    Alicia felt for Eddie as he struggled for the correct reply. His face florid from the lunchtime wine, his eyes flicked from Lilian to Charlie to Izzy, before finally he said, ‘Not to worry’ and clapped his son on the back. ‘We were just finishing.’
    Izzy hovered, clearly wanting to make a break for it, but Charlie seemed immune to his mother’s frostiness. ‘Cool,’ he beamed. ‘All right, down there, kids?’ he went on, waving at his niece and nephews. ‘Izzy, this is David, Hugh and Emma. You know Alicia and Matilda, and those rascals are Lucas and Rafferty. And, of course, this is my mum and dad, Lils and Eddie, who have been married . . . er . . . forty-three . . . ?’
    ‘Forty-five,’ Lilian said through gritted teeth, looking as if she might explode. Charlie appeared to have been relegated to least-favourite son in a matter of minutes.
    ‘Forty-five, even better!’ Charlie corrected himself. ‘Forty-five wonderful and happy years.’
    ‘Congratulations,’ Izzy said, still clutching her girls’ hands. ‘That’s . . . lovely.’
    Poor woman. Poor, poor, embarrassed woman. Talk about a farce.
    ‘So, girls – ’ Charlie squatted on his haunches – ‘would you like some orange squash and a biscuit?’
    Lilian stiffened. ‘I did save you some lunch, Charlie, but I’m afraid there’s not enough for everyone —’
    ‘Don’t worry, Mum,’ Charlie said, waving a hand. ‘We had chips in Charmouth. Come on, girls, this way. Orange-squash hunt: go!’
    Silence fell as they left the room. ‘Well,’ said Lilian tartly, the cords in her neck straining with ill-disguised fury. ‘So. A single mother, eh?’ She snatched up her spoon and attacked her crumble with unnecessary vigour. ‘Not so sure how long this one will last. A fortnight? A whole month?’
    Alicia cringed. Lilian’s fury was completely misdirected, for Charlie was clearly the one in the wrong. How could he mess up so spectacularly? There wasn’t just the special lunch to consider; there was this agonizing announcement that Eddie wanted to make too, now presumably put on hold.
    ‘She’s very nice,’ she said in Izzy’s defence. ‘Although I must admit I had absolutely no idea anything was happening between them.’ Honestly! Charlie could be so crass. They asked him for one single favour – after all the times she and Hugh had helped him – and he had to turn it into an opportunity to go on the pull.
    ‘Uncle Charlie has been so embarrassing,’ Matilda put in conspiratorially. ‘He’s always trying to ask her on a date and things, right in the middle of lessons!’ She stirred her crumble and custard into a revolting-looking brown slop. ‘Mind you, she is pretty,’ she added.
    ‘Hmmm,’ said Lilian darkly.
    ‘Are you okay, Dad?’ David asked.
    ‘Do you want us to have a word with him?’ Hugh put in. Alicia knew how frustrated he’d been with Charlie’s past misdemeanours; now he looked as if he’d like to punch him.
    Eddie seemed far away. ‘Eh? A word?’ he asked.
    ‘With Charlie,’ Hugh prompted, still bristling.
    Eddie blinked again. He really did seem preoccupied. ‘Charlie’s all right,’ he mumbled after a while. ‘Where is he, then?’
    Hugh and David exchanged confused glances, and nobody replied for a moment. Then Emma jumped to her feet. ‘I’ll make coffee,’ she suggested, and escaped with visible relief.
    Alicia snatched up the crumble dish and went after her. The sooner this lunch limped to an end, the better.

Chapter Seven
    Izzy hated surprises. One of her worst days ever had been her eighteenth birthday, when a friend had organized a surprise party for her. Not only that, but the plan had been for everyone to pretend they’d forgotten it was her birthday in the first place. She had spent