too by the sounds of things?’
‘Oh, hell, no. They were salt-of-the-earth-type people. They just happened to live on a big patch of land up near Gosford. They actually despaired over my parents’ lifestyle and were more than happy to take me under their wing when the time came. They were the most patient people I’ve ever met. Grandma pretty much tutored me up until I could handle myself at school and Pa was an incredibly wise, gentle guy. He also happened to be a very successful lawyer. He was a partner in a general practice in Gosford, so I spent a lot of time there after school waiting for him and fell sideways in love with the law.’ She shrugged. ‘The rest is history.’
‘Do you see much of your mother?’
‘I speak to her most days, and I do go to Gosford pretty often to see my place up there. Mum and I are pretty close actually.’
‘You don’t resent—’ I hesitated. She shook her head; there was no need for me to finish the sentence.
‘No, I don’t. Maybe I did when I was younger, but life’s too short to hold on to that kind of thing. They made some funny choices—but, God, so have I. I just don’t have a kid to inflict them on.’
‘Yet?’
Again, she shook her head.
‘I’m not having children.’
‘Why not?’ I asked.
I wasn’t sure I wanted children either, but I knew I’d probably want to consider the idea if I ever settled into a stable relationship. Maybe, if we got that far, just maybe I’d change her mind. Lilah pursed her lips. I saw a crease form between her eyes as her gaze sharpened. She didn’t even like the question.
‘Not everyone wants children,’ she said finally.
‘Most people do.’
‘Plenty of people don’t. And there’s no shortage of excellent reasons why a person would choose not to have them.’
‘I agree. I just wondered what your reasons were.’ I shrugged. ‘I’m not even saying that I do want them, but I know why I’m hesitant.’
‘Children are disastrous for the environment.’
‘Mostly because they grow into adult humans—right?’
‘Exactly. And there seem to be far too many of those already. It’s not just that… I don’t know. It’s just a decision I made a long time ago and it’s one I’m entirely happy with. What about you?’
‘I don’t plan on getting married, but if I ever did really settle down with someone, I’d probably think about kids.’ I shrugged. ‘I certainly don’t have my heart set on them. How old are you, anyway?’
‘Guess.’
‘Well, to be completely honest with you, I am pretty good at judging ages and I feel like tonight is going pretty well and I don’t want to risk that by guessing correctly.’
She grinned at me.
‘How old are you ?’
‘I’m just on the right side of forty.’ Not by much, granted. ‘You’re thirty.’
She laughed.
‘Oh, please. That wasn’t even a convincing guess.’
‘Thirty-one.’
‘It’s going to take nine more guesses to get it right at this rate.’
‘Twenty-two?’ I offered, and she grinned.
‘So we’re about the same age then. What month were you born?’
‘December.’
‘Early or late?’
‘New Year’s Eve, actually.’
‘Ah, Mum would say we’re a terrible match.’
‘Why is that? Star signs?’
‘Actually, because you’re younger than me.’
‘What’s your birth date?’
‘Twenty-third of July.’
‘You just had a birthday.’
‘I did.’
‘And that means I’m younger than you by, what, all of five minutes?’
‘Five minutes is still five minutes. At this point I’m on the wrong side of forty and you’re on the right side so…’ She shrugged those skinny little shoulders. ‘Well, I gave you one more dinner. I guess this is where it comes to an end.’
‘Are you joking?’ I was hoping she was, but her expression was deadpan. She suddenly grinned.
‘Your place or mine?’
I didn’t miss a beat on that one.
‘Yours.’
‘Ah,’ I could see she regretted the offer instantly. ‘Is now a
‘Oh, hell, no. They were salt-of-the-earth-type people. They just happened to live on a big patch of land up near Gosford. They actually despaired over my parents’ lifestyle and were more than happy to take me under their wing when the time came. They were the most patient people I’ve ever met. Grandma pretty much tutored me up until I could handle myself at school and Pa was an incredibly wise, gentle guy. He also happened to be a very successful lawyer. He was a partner in a general practice in Gosford, so I spent a lot of time there after school waiting for him and fell sideways in love with the law.’ She shrugged. ‘The rest is history.’
‘Do you see much of your mother?’
‘I speak to her most days, and I do go to Gosford pretty often to see my place up there. Mum and I are pretty close actually.’
‘You don’t resent—’ I hesitated. She shook her head; there was no need for me to finish the sentence.
‘No, I don’t. Maybe I did when I was younger, but life’s too short to hold on to that kind of thing. They made some funny choices—but, God, so have I. I just don’t have a kid to inflict them on.’
‘Yet?’
Again, she shook her head.
‘I’m not having children.’
‘Why not?’ I asked.
I wasn’t sure I wanted children either, but I knew I’d probably want to consider the idea if I ever settled into a stable relationship. Maybe, if we got that far, just maybe I’d change her mind. Lilah pursed her lips. I saw a crease form between her eyes as her gaze sharpened. She didn’t even like the question.
‘Not everyone wants children,’ she said finally.
‘Most people do.’
‘Plenty of people don’t. And there’s no shortage of excellent reasons why a person would choose not to have them.’
‘I agree. I just wondered what your reasons were.’ I shrugged. ‘I’m not even saying that I do want them, but I know why I’m hesitant.’
‘Children are disastrous for the environment.’
‘Mostly because they grow into adult humans—right?’
‘Exactly. And there seem to be far too many of those already. It’s not just that… I don’t know. It’s just a decision I made a long time ago and it’s one I’m entirely happy with. What about you?’
‘I don’t plan on getting married, but if I ever did really settle down with someone, I’d probably think about kids.’ I shrugged. ‘I certainly don’t have my heart set on them. How old are you, anyway?’
‘Guess.’
‘Well, to be completely honest with you, I am pretty good at judging ages and I feel like tonight is going pretty well and I don’t want to risk that by guessing correctly.’
She grinned at me.
‘How old are you ?’
‘I’m just on the right side of forty.’ Not by much, granted. ‘You’re thirty.’
She laughed.
‘Oh, please. That wasn’t even a convincing guess.’
‘Thirty-one.’
‘It’s going to take nine more guesses to get it right at this rate.’
‘Twenty-two?’ I offered, and she grinned.
‘So we’re about the same age then. What month were you born?’
‘December.’
‘Early or late?’
‘New Year’s Eve, actually.’
‘Ah, Mum would say we’re a terrible match.’
‘Why is that? Star signs?’
‘Actually, because you’re younger than me.’
‘What’s your birth date?’
‘Twenty-third of July.’
‘You just had a birthday.’
‘I did.’
‘And that means I’m younger than you by, what, all of five minutes?’
‘Five minutes is still five minutes. At this point I’m on the wrong side of forty and you’re on the right side so…’ She shrugged those skinny little shoulders. ‘Well, I gave you one more dinner. I guess this is where it comes to an end.’
‘Are you joking?’ I was hoping she was, but her expression was deadpan. She suddenly grinned.
‘Your place or mine?’
I didn’t miss a beat on that one.
‘Yours.’
‘Ah,’ I could see she regretted the offer instantly. ‘Is now a
Similar Books
