“Well, you will injure your ankle,” Dorothy said.
“I wouldn’t worry, it’s fashionable, Mum,” Beth said.
Hannah was impressed. Fashionable wasn’t a word Beth usually ascribed to her.
A car horn beeped, and Hannah’s gaze flew to the window. She hesitated. She hadn’t been on a date since being with Carl, and having kept a lid on her anxiety all day, it suddenly came to the fore.
“A bet’s a bet,” Dorothy said, reminding Hannah that she didn’t have a choice.
“I’m not backing out,” Hannah said. “I’m just nervous.”
Beth laughed. “It’s not like you’ve got anything to worry about. It’s obvious Gabe’s mad about you.”
“He’d have to be to carry you on his shoulder all that way,” Archie said. “I wouldn’t have done it.”
“That’s because you’re not strong enough,” Beth said.
Shaking her head and chuckling, Hannah grabbed her handbag. “Behave for Aunt Dorothy,” she said, as she headed for the front door. “And I won’t be late,” she called out, shutting it behind her.
Making her way down the garden path, Hannah took in Gabe’s smile as she approached. She blushed as his eyes widened in appreciation. He stood, casually leaning against the passenger side of his car looking every inch the Greek god she’d come to expect. Hannah couldn’t fail to notice he also smelt divine as he leaned in and kissed her cheek.
“Your carriage awaits,” he said. Opening the door so she could climb in, Gabe let Hannah get settled before closing it and heading round to the driver’s side. “Good to see you made an effort for me,” he said, putting his keys in the ignition.
Again feeling her cheeks redden, Hannah playfully tapped his arm. “I’m not dressed like this for you.” She made a show of sticking her nose in the air. “It’s for me.”
“Why do I believe you?” Gabe said, his grin continuing long after he’d started up the engine and pulled away.
“I still don’t see why you can’t tell me where we’re going,” Hannah said, eager to find out. “It’s only fair I know what I’m letting myself in for.”
“If I did, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”
“What if I don’t like surprises?”
“Trust me, you’ll like this one.”
With no other choice, Hannah stared out of the window, looking for clues that might reveal where they were headed. Unfortunately for her, none seemed to be forthcoming. “Come on, Gabe. Tell me.” She fluttered her eye lashes. “Please.”
The man remained silent.
Finally, he pulled off the main road and Hannah figured it out. Hannah straightened up in her seat. Having taken that very turn many times herself over the years, she, Beth and Archie had enjoyed many a lakeside picnic. “What’re we doing here?”
Driving down towards the water, Hannah wondered if Gabe had thought on similar lines and arranged an evening of al fresco dining. Unable to imagine anything more romantic, she craned her neck to look through the windscreen hoping to spot a blanket, with food and glasses of wine ready and waiting. As Gabe brought the car to a standstill and turned off the engine, Hannah felt bewildered.
There was nothing. All she could see was grass and water.
“Come on,” Gabe said, seeming excited to get going.
With her curiosity growing, Hannah climbed out too. She watched Gabe head to the rear of the vehicle and opening the boot, pull out a picnic basket and blanket. Hannah smiled, glad to see she was right.
Leaving the basket and blanket by the car, Gabe took Hannah’s hand and led her to the water’s edge. “Ta Da!” he said. Throwing his arms out wide, he waited for her reaction.
Confused, Hannah wondered what she was supposed to be looking at. All she could see was a rowing boat.
Hannah’s eyes widened as she realised the boat’s significance. “I can’t believe you remembered.”
“It’s not quite a catamaran,” Gabe said.
“No, it isn’t,” Hannah replied, her heart melting. “It’s better.”
