Page 51 of The Surrender

“Disgusting,” he breathes, making me look up at him. He smirks and takes my shoulders, leading me on. “It might lighten things up.”

“No, Charley will just put ear defenders on them when she wants to swear at you.”

“I have wide shoulders. I can take it.”

“You shouldn’t have to.”

“It’ll be fine. Stop stressing.”

We arrive at the table, and all three adults look up at us, only Lloyd standing. “Nice to finally meet you officially,” he says. “Lloyd.”

“Jude Harrison.” Jude accepts Lloyd’s hand before turning his eyes onto the girls. “Good to see you again. Sober.” Both the girls smile, but Charley’s is tightest. I fear the worst. They won’t appreciate Jude’s not-so-subtle hint that he rescued them and delivered their drunken arses home, and therefore deserves a break. “And who are these two cuties?”

I laugh under my breath, and Jude looks back at me in interest. “Sorry,” I murmur.

“This is Elijah and Ena,” Lloyd says when Charley doesn’t speak up.

“Aunty Melia!” Elijah bounces in his booster chair, while Ena smacks the table of her high chair with a cup.

“Hey, you.” I lower to the seat Jude pulls out for me and help myself to the bottle of wine in the middle.

“What the hell happened to your hand?” Charley takes it, checking the dressing, reminding me that I’ve not seen her since the wedding.

“She had an argument with a glass,” Abbie pipes up as I reclaim my hand, catching Jude’s fleeting guilty look.

“Wine?” I ask him, as he pulls the knees of his trousers up and sits. Taking the bottle from me, he proceeds to pour for everyone, me first, him last. “Thank you.” I look at the girls expectantly, and both tilt their glasses a little in a half-hearted thanks too.

“Thanks, mate,” Lloyd says. I don’t miss the look his wife throws him. Disapproval. This is going to be tougher than I thought.

“So, what’s everyone having?” I pluck a menu out of the stand on the table and start scanning the options.

“Nolightconversation before we order?” Charley says, straight in, no foreplay. She smiles, it’s fake, and plucks a menu out too.

“As long as itislight.” I smile sweetly at her before turning it onto the server when she lands by the side of the table. “Hi.”

“Good evening.” She smiles at everyone in turn. “Can I check if anyone has any allergies?”

“Nuts.” Jude points to me. “Amelia’s allergic to nuts. Severely allergic.”

“Thank you.” I cast him a sideways smile. “I’ll take the lamb kebabs with yoghurt and mint dressing.”

“Are there any nuts in that?” Jude asks.

“No, sir, no nuts.”

“And there’s no chance of contamination, is there?”

“Not at all, sir.”

“Good.” He returns to browsing the options, satisfied.

“I assume the yoghurt and mint dressing is cool,” I say, popping the menu back.

“Yes, very cool.”

“Great. It’ll match my friend’s mood.”

Jude coughs, Abbie chuckles, and Charley glares at me. I lose myself in more wine and turn my attention onto Ena while everyone else orders, hoping the atmosphere improves.