Read Online Sweet Peas in April by Clare Revell - Free Book Online Page B

and…”
    “Did she also tell you she doesn’t approve?”
    “She did. Look, sir, I know things aren’t great between us, but she’s your daughter, and well, I was wondering if you and your fiancée could meet us for dinner tonight. Perhaps being on neutral ground, you and she could talk. Sort things out.”
    “That’s ironic coming from you, Son.”
    “I know. And perhaps you and I could straighten things out as well. Just like I want to do with Sam.”
    There was a pause, a low conversation in the background. “LaVera agrees with you. This has been going on for far too long now. Where and when?”
    “How about the Bell and Bottle in Winchester for 7:00. It’s the first place I took her for dinner, and it won’t be hard to persuade her to go back there.”
    “See you then.”
    Adam hung up, and grabbing his jacket, headed into the hall. Sam sat against the wall, not looking happy at all. He just prayed he was doing the right thing. “Let’s go.”
    ****
    Sam sat in the car, saying nothing as Adam drove. He had the audacity to question her over her relationship, or lack thereof, with Peter, and all the time he’d been up close and personal with some redhead who was all but sprawled over him and his desk. Never mind the fact he wouldn’t tell her where they were going. But he’d said he didn’t want to argue, so she wasn’t going to ask. She was tired of the bickering and backbiting. She wanted to put work, and the stresses they were both under, behind them.
    She recognized the roads, and when he pulled off the M3 at the Winchester exit, she was pretty certain she knew. “Winchester?”
    “I fancied reliving our past. We’re going to the Bell and Bottle.”
    She smiled slightly. “Wow…that is a blast from the past. That’s where we had our first date.”
    “You remembered.” Adam smiled as he negotiated his way past the statue of King Alfred, who, according to legend, burned the cakes. He drove past the huge blue, studded doors of the town hall. “That building always reminds me of Trumpton .”
    Sam laughed. “Yes, with the soldiers and band that plays at six every evening when the whistle blows.”
    “Misspent youth watching kids’ TV.” He parked in front of the thatched cottage public house. “This place hasn’t changed.”
    “No, it hasn’t.” She walked with him into the pub. “Nor has the interior. It even smells the same.”
    Adam grinned and went over to the food section. “Hi, could I have a table for four please?”
    The girl looked at the book then back up. “About five minutes?”
    “Sure.”
    Sam looked at him. “Four? Who’s joining us?”
    “We are.” The familiar voice jolted through her. Dad’s here?
    Adam had set her up. Irritation flooded her. How dare he interfere in her private life and pull a stunt like this?
    Sam rolled her eyes at Adam in the most derisive way she could manage. “You are kidding me.”
    “Don’t be rude,” he said, through the smile. He held out a hand. “Hello, Vincent.”
    “Adam,” her father replied. “Hello, Sam.”
    “Dad,” she said.
    “Sam, this is LaVera, my fiancée. Love, this is my daughter, Sam.”
    Sam nodded, her hands staying firmly in her pockets. “Hello.” She took in the older woman, nothing like she’d imagined her to be.
    “And this is Adam, Sam’s…” he faltered.
    “Husband,” Adam said. “Albeit separated. It’s nice to meet you.”
    Sam shook her head and headed to the door. She didn’t want to be here, forced to be nice to someone she saw as replacing her mother.
    “Sam, please.” Her father caught her arm, holding her fast. “You’re here, we’re here. And you’ll have to wait for Adam anyway.” He’d lowered his voice to a whisper.
    “I’ll get a cab to the station and a train home from there, or something.”
    “Don’t be stupid, Samantha. Adam went to a lot of effort to organize this so we could all talk on neutral ground.” Her father’s tone of voice immediately made