“I hope he gave you his number,” Liv said.
Knowing he had, Hannah suddenly felt a tad warm. “You’re as bad as Aunt Dorothy,” she said, not wanting to blatantly lie for a second time.
Dorothy placed a ceramic dish in the centre of the table. “Help yourselves.” Setting down a ladle, she took a seat herself. “Anyone would think no one noticed the little wink he gave you before he left.”
“He didn’t,” Mel said.
Dorothy nodded. “He certainly did.”
Talk about her aunt being a troublemaker. Recalling the moment, Hannah felt her cheeks redden. “That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Then why are you blushing?” Mel asked, with a grin.
“The lady doth protest too much,” Liv said.
“You forgot to mention the coffee invite you turned down,” Dorothy said.
Hannah willed Dorothy to stop encouraging her friends, but their excitement grew regardless.
“What coffee invite?” Mel said.
“Was this before or after the flowers?” Liv asked.
“Why did you turn it down?” they both said.
The latter was a question Hannah continued to ask herself. “Never mind that, I thought you were both hungry,” she said, avoiding having to answer. “It’s time to eat.”
Good manners meant allowing her guests to help themselves first. However, watching Liv spoon ladle after ladle onto her plate, Hannah had to wonder if there’d be enough left for the rest of them.
Evidently feeling the weight of Hannah’s stare, Liv stopped what she was doing. “What?” she asked.
Hannah indicated her friend hand over the utensil.
Finally, everyone was served and Hannah looked down at the beef casserole adorning her plate. Packed with meat, onions, carrots and celery, which were topped with creamy sweet potato mash, like Liv, she was starving. As she dived straight in, Hannah’s tastebuds immediately hit on the garlic and parsley. She closed her eyes, savouring the flavours. “Why does food always taste better when someone else cooks it?”
“When you’re done here can you come and stay with me, Aunt Dorothy,” Mel said. “This is delicious.”
Too busy eating to say anything, Liv gave an emphatic nod.
“Speaking of white knights, any news on Russel?” Hannah asked.
Mel wrinkled up her nose and shook her head. “I’ve been thinking about what you said though. About me being the one to move things on. And I agree. I’m a modern woman, in a modern world and all that.” She seemed to be trying to convince herself as much as she was everyone else.
“Mel met Russel online,” Hannah said to Dorothy.
“And you’ve yet to get together in person?” Dorothy appeared impressed. “How thrilling.”
“I’m planning on suggesting a date,” Mel replied. “I just haven’t yet plucked up the courage.”
Hannah gave her arm a reassuring rub. “You will when you’re ready.”
“As will you,” Dorothy said to Hannah, with a cheeky smile.
Hannah turned her attention to Liv. “Liv, here, is dating a vegan.”
Liv paused in her eating. A chunk of beef sat on the spoon that was halfway to her mouth. “I’m doing a bit more than that,” she said, letting out a naughty laugh. She came over all dreamy. “Quentin and I have just spent the most passionate couple of days together.” She sighed at the memory, before bringing herself back into the room. “Why do you think I’m so hungry?”
“Liv!” Hannah and Mel chorused, while Dorothy suddenly guffawed. Talking about sex at the dinner table was bad enough, to discuss it in front of Dorothy was something else.
