Thea knew quite a lot about wine. Phil, her husband, had taught her. When he wasn’t trying to save the world, one injured hedgehog at a time, he’d amassed quite a collection of bottles. But Thea would never tell Felix Walsh. He’d already judged her not up to the task.
“I stand by my assessment that the parents of Clavenham Primary would be just as happy with beer and spirits as a fine wine. So, I thought I’d run a cocktail bar instead.”
Daniel’s shoulders shuddered as a low giggle filled his chest. “Wouldn’t that be a wonderful way to piss him off? Caviar and cock-sucking cowboys. How poetic.”
“Exactly.”
Thea smirked. Was her idea a childish attempt to make Felix cross? Perhaps. But as Thea had discovered earlier, she quite enjoyed annoying Felix Walsh.
6
FELIX
Felix threw down his pen on the passenger seat of his car with a sigh. It was running out of ink, and as a result, what he’d scribbled down on his pad resembled Morse code. The menu for the dinner dance wasn’t taking shape at all, and he had Thea Fox to blame.
Every time inspiration struck, he thought of her taunting smirk and her accusation that his ideas were too fancy. She had him second-guessing himself at every turn, and hesitation wasn’t something he usually subscribed to.
In fact, he was having a terrible week all around. The messages and calls from his ex-wife, Adrienne, increased by the day. She was back in London and on a charm offensive. He’d avoided any deep and meaningful conversations, but she was laying the guilt on thick. Talking about the repercussions of their divorce on Lucas, and how she’d found some inner peace while she’d been away.
It didn’t come as a surprise. This was her third attempt to balance her chakras in the last twelve months, and according to her company credit card, this last trip had cost a small fortune. Felix wished he could find some inner peace. Or even innerpeas. Anything to lift him out of the creative food funk he found himself in.
Hmm. Peas might be nice. But of course, not with cheese. Thea Fox had said his ideas were too cheesy. He quirked an eyebrow. Had she meant metaphorically or literally? Oh, hell, what did he care. She could keep her opinions to herself and stick to matching wines to his food.
Felix lifted his head as a child’s squeal rang out next to his car. School pick-ups were chaos. Yelling kids and chattering parents swarmed past either side of his vehicle. At the same time, Felix remained quiet and at perfect room temperature in its cream leather interior. Not a crisp packet in sight.
A call to his mobile came over the Bluetooth speaker, interrupting the calm. It was Gemma, his EA. She’d worked with him for four years. Adrienne had called her his work wife. It was true. She knew his likes and dislikes and anticipated his every move while savagely guarding his privacy. The only thing missing was affection. But he’d never had much of that from his actual wife, either.
“Hello, G,” Felix said. “What’s up?”
“I have Adrienne on the line,” she said in a tight voice. “She’s trying to get hold of you. Again.”
Felix tutted. She’d calledhimseveral times, too. They spoke for hours last night. Gone around in the usual circles. She wanted a reconciliation. He didn’t. But he did want Lucas to be happy.
She’d applied the usual thumb screws about being “proper” parents. If she was so fanatical about having the two of them in one place, she shouldstayin one place, near their son, and not forever on holiday. He was more than happy to help rebuildthatrelationship.
“Are you there?” Gemma asked. “What do you want me to do?”
Felix rubbed his neck, easing out the muscles, before a loud “yee-ha!” interrupted him from outside the car. He looked up, squinting into the sunlight. After a quick scan of the nearby playground, he spotted Thea Fox.
She carried a small, blonde child in a piggyback and galloped around the play equipment to the delight of a gaggle of giggling children. She wore a battered-looking green woolly hat and her usual tatty, tight jeans. Felix chewed at his bottom lip.
“Felix?”
It had been days since their bakery meeting, and he had the distinct impression Thea had avoided him. She hadn’t responded to any of his polite emails. Instead, she’d left a couple of cryptic notes tucked under his car windscreen wiper. One asked his opinion on the best brand of tequila. The other asked if they should serve it with the worm or without.
Initially, Felix had panicked, wondering what on earth she was planning? But then she wouldn’t ruin the dinner dance just to spite him. Would she? He may not have handled the wine situation too well so far, but that would just be petty. Crazy. Having said that, the last time he’d seen her, she’d almost mowed down a hiker on High Street before disappearing at Formula One speed.Thatwas crazy.
“Felix!”
“Yes. Sorry. I got distracted.” He hovered his finger over the disconnect button on the car’s centre console. “Tell Adrienne I’ll call her later. I’m picking Lucas up.”
An audible click from the other end of the line filled the car before a light rapping on the glass stole his attention. He looked over but saw no one. Felix’s lips curved.
Moments later, Lucas opened the door behind him and climbed into the back seat. Without a word, the little boy pulled the seatbelt across his body, his thin fingers working fast on the mechanism.
“Hello, Dad. Who were you talking to? Was it Mummy?”
His son’s pale, serious face pulled at his heart. Did Lucas want it to be Adrienne? Felix let out a breath. Honesty was always the best policy where Lucas was concerned.
