Read Online Millie's Game Plan by Rosie Dean - Free Book Online Page B

it when a guy does that. ‘If I tell you what I do, you must promise not to laugh.’
    ‘I’ll do my best,’ I said, equally quietly and, I hoped, with a hint of seduction. ‘So long as you don’t say you’re the vicar.’ And the second it came out of my mouth I just knew.
    His smile, and the way he looked at me under his eyelids was as good a confession as I needed.
    Holy cricket, Batman!
    The man of my dreams was a fully paid up, bone-fide, dunked in the font vicar. And I’d been bothered because I’d thought Victor was a dodgy name.
    My lips, which were curved into a flirtatious Sunday afternoon smile, froze over my teeth. At the same moment, a snort of laughter reached me from across the room.
    ‘Wow!’ I said. ‘You are the vicar.’
    Sacha’s snorts were becoming cackles and my mind had completely locked up. I reached for a samosa and wondered if I should say grace before I ate it.
    To my dismay, Sacha swanned over to introduce herself properly. Her Stetson was hanging behind her shoulders and her chest was leading the way. Now aware of Josh’s status, she couldn’t suppress her fascination – tinged, I’m convinced, with a large helping of wait-till-we-get-home glee.
    ‘What do I call you?’ she said, ‘Rev?’
    He smiled. ‘ Josh usually works.’
    ‘You’re so not like any vicars I know.’ Yeah, like they were regular players in her social circle. ‘Do you wear a dog collar and one of those big, pointy hats?’
    I closed my eyes to hide their frantic rolling.
    He laughed. ‘I wear a dog collar when I’m on duty.’
    She touched his arm and whispered, ‘You’re not Catholic, are you?’
    ‘No.’
    Oh holy heck. What would my mother make of that? Quite a lot, I imagined. In fact, if she knew there was a husband in prospect – even of the wrong denomination – she’d probably be knitting a layette by the end of the month. He was still a Man Of God, which would be a result in her eyes. I pulled myself back from the idea. In any case, a vicar’s wife was so far off my scope that the decision was unavoidable – I had to scratch him from the schedule. He was the X-Factor contestant no longer eligible to compete; out in the first week due to previously undisclosed circumstances.
    I was free to pursue other, more suitable options and therefore, any pressure stopping me from behaving normally with Josh would be lifted. It’s rather like being introduced to some utterly gorgeous guy, wondering if your hair is looking good and whether there’s cabbage on your teeth, only to discover he’s already engaged. Suddenly, you can relax and be yourself. It’s like a psychological belt-loosening; you can let your tummy sag and your tits droop.
    Thus, it should have been with Josh. In fairness, it kind of was – except he was still utterly lovely and, unless my imagination was spooking me, catching my eye encouragingly throughout the conversation.
    ‘Cool,’ Sacha said, throwing me a smile. ‘But aren’t you too young to be a vicar?’
    ‘I don’t know. How old do you think I should be?’
    She pulled a face and said, ‘Way older than you. Practically retired, I mean, the last time I went to church it was full of wrinklies.’
    ‘Sacha, that was your grandad’s funeral,’ I said.
    She gave me a glance and ploughed on. ‘I’ve always wondered…if you’re busy on Saturdays with weddings and Sundays with church, what do you do the rest of the week – and please say something mad like lion taming?’
    Please don’t, I thought.
    ‘Nothing so thrilling. I work with the homeless.’
    ‘Oh. That’s nice,’ she said.
    Breaking away from our little group, I took a breather by selecting another scone – there were six to choose from and I took my time over whether it should be the one with the lopsided rosette of cream or the one with jam slipping onto the plate.
    ‘Go on. Take one before they disappear.’ Josh was beside me, leaning across and helping himself to the one with the