Millie's Game Plan

by Rosie Dean

  ‘Hi,’ she said. ‘It’s been a long time. You all look fabulous.’

  Ashley’s wife blinked and took another swig of wine. If I’d thought I looked drop-dead…well…average, I was now merely dead average. And in all the commotion of greeting Serena, none of us had even noticed her escort, who was pulling out the chair beside me – none except Ashley’s wife, who suddenly perked up. ‘Hello,’ she said, eyes flashing.

  ‘Hello,’ he replied, as I looked up. ‘Hello Millie, fancy seeing you here.’

  My jaw sagged as the Reverend Josh Warwick smiled down at me. And to think I’d thought he’d been showing an interest in me. Even Sacha had been convinced. Cuh. It would appear that His Reverence was not quite the squeaky clean, blue-eyed boy I’d thought him to be. ‘Yes, fancy seeing you here,’ I said, stroking a strand of hair that had never made it into the beehive, and pulling my shoulders back.

  ‘We were all at Uni together.’

  ‘Ah,’ I said, guessing that was how he’d ended up working at Marshalhampton church. It seemed the old boy network permeated every walk of life.

  ‘So, are you here to photograph the event?’ he asked, looking down at me with those crystal blue eyes, all soft and melting above his classic grey suit and white shirt – no dog collar.

  ‘No, not at all. Haven’t even brought my camera.’ I leaned away from him. ‘I’m here as Lex’s guest.’

  Josh flashed a look at Lex, who had switched his attention from Serena to us and was reaching out to shake his hand. ‘Josh,’ he said abruptly.

  ‘Evening, Lex.’

  Lex stood up and beamed a very warm smile in Serena’s direction. ‘Serena, you’re looking even more gorgeous than I remember. How are you? It’s been ages.’

  Serena nodded. ‘Yes. Ages,’ she said and turned immediately towards me.

  Wow! There had to be some history there or I was J-Lo’s double.

  Josh made the introductions, ‘Serena, this is Millie. She’s a very keen photographer, she’s working towards an exhibition on village cricket.’

  It’s possible I blushed, he made it sound so grand.

  ‘Sounds like fun,’ she said, shaking my hand.

  ‘Thank you for waiting for us,’ Josh said as he sat between us. ‘Sorry we held you up. This looks good. Bon appétit.’

  So…no grace before dinner? I imagined he might pause to say a quiet one to himself but he just tucked in, like everyone else.

  The salad was, I’m sure, delicious but all I could think about was how weird it all was. Sacha would shriek when I told her.

  Lex was the perfect date – charming and attentive. Just as he should be, and just like Josh was being attentive to Serena. Not that I minded, of course.

  ‘Tell me, Josh,’ I said, ‘what are Marshalhampton’s prospects in the Hampshire cricket league?’

  He looked at me. ‘We’re in the third division so not that hot.’

  ‘Does the team have ambitions to move up?’

  His head tilted. ‘Millie, are you really that interested in cricket?’

  ‘No,’ I said, rather sheepishly.

  He laughed. ‘So what are you interested in – really interested in?’

  I almost gagged as I tried to define what that might be. I worked. I got up at six, was in the office by eight, had lunch at my desk, was home by seven-thirty and often back at my laptop by nine. I even worked some weekends if a proposal needed tweaking or copy needed reviewing. So I told him about Hamlets.

  A smile spread across his face. ‘I’m impressed,’ he said.

  ‘I enjoy it. It’s nice to give something back.’ I paused to sip my wine, preparing to tell him about Grease, when Lex cut across me.

  ‘So, Serena,’ he said, ‘tell us what you’re up to these days.’

  I took another slurp of wine and noticed Josh’s hand stealing across to squeeze Serena’s.

  ‘I’m designing handbags.’

  ‘Handbags?’ I said. ‘Who do you work for?’

  Serena’s face brightened. ‘I’ve just set up my own company. But it’s very early days.’

  ‘Maybe Millie can help you with your marketing,’ Lex offered.

  Serena smiled. ‘Oh, if I hadn’t already appointed an agency, I’d be very happy to talk about working with you, Millie.’ She was genuinely lovely. ‘Only, Sam Gordino’s looking after that side of things. Have you come across him?’

  Had I? His agency was the hottest thing in town. The provincial outfit I worked for didn’t come close. ‘Absolutely. He’s fantastic.’

  Lex’s hand slipped over mine. ‘I’m hoping Millie will help me with a new project I’m working on.’ My head swung to look at him. He shrugged. ‘That’s if you fancy it?’

  I looked into his green eyes, which seemed to smoulder through those inky black lashes. Fancy it – right here, right now, I wanted to say. Instead I gave a slightly husky but professional response. ‘That sounds interesting, maybe we should meet next week to discuss it.’

  He leaned towards me. ‘I’ll ask my secretary to call you and arrange it,’ he said, low enough for only me to hear, which softened the blow of thinking about his secretary. I dearly hoped she was some boot-faced, super-efficient relic of the seventies.

  ‘What’s the new project?’ Josh’s voice broke through our special moment. Spoilsport. Maybe he fancied me, after all.

  Lex looked at me and drew a breath, like he was feeling every bit as revved up as I was. Lucky me. ‘It’s something for the commercial market. Most of our wines are sold through restaurant chains and bistros. I’m hoping our latest venture will meet a wider market.’

  Mama mia! He didn’t even have to talk dirty to rouse me. This guy was absolutely tailor-made for my future. Josh continued to look at him, waiting for further information that Lex wasn’t about to supply. And why should he?

  ‘It’s never a good idea to talk about your product before it’s launched,’ I explained. ‘You don’t want the competition beating you to it. And, it dilutes the impact.’

  Josh’s eyes moved to look at me, and he smiled. ‘Fair enough.’

  Lex squeezed my hand. We were already a team and exchanged a hot, meaningful look. My mascara was waterproof but I didn’t have data on its melting point.

  The voice of the pregnant wife brought me back to reality. ‘Would you all like to join us next Saturday? We’re going to Classics at Clavering Park.’ Her face was beaming. ‘It’s great – provided the weather holds out. Everyone brings a picnic.’

  I looked at Lex who shrugged. ‘Sounds like it might be fun,’ he answered.

  ‘Michael’s going down early to put up the gazebo – so we’re sure of a good spot.’

  Ashley’s wife’s eyes darted from Serena to Josh and back to her husband. ‘Unfortunately, we can’t come. We’re going to be in the Virgin Islands.’

  ‘What’s unfortunate about that, Gemma?’ Ashley asked. ‘We’re going to the best bloody hotel they’ve got. It’s costing me a packet.’

  Gemma rolled her eyes and reached for her wine glass and drained it.

  It was agreed. I would be joining Lex and his chums at Clavering Park next Saturday. Two dates in two weeks. Now I really would have something to tell my mother. Lex gave me a side-long glance and smiled, like he was really pleased at having another opportunity to take me out. And if I wasn’t kidding myself, it was a smile that promised hot, raunchy, moaning sex. I think I may have moaned just thinking about it, and he leaned in to place a kiss behind my earlobe. The heat of his breath and the delicious surprise of it made my tummy flip.

  Unfortunately, I could feel the waiter hovering beside us.

  I had to be really careful if I wasn’t going to end up in bed with Lex. In fact, I’d already decided I wouldn’t – despite whatever temptation he might put my way. I owed it to my plan and our future to be more circumspect. Now, I needed to broach the subject of how the evening might end because he’d made no mention of how long the party would last or whether he planned on driving m
e home, or drinking and staying at his flat in London. I prefaced the topic with a little cough. ‘We haven’t really discussed plans for the rest of the evening, but tomorrow I have to go to my sister’s in Lymington. It’s a family bash – tenth wedding anniversary. Noisy children and volley ball on the back lawn.’

  He smiled and his hand moved to rest on the back of my chair. ‘Millie,’ he said gently, ‘If you’re thinking of inviting me, I’m afraid I’m going to have to let you down.’

  ‘No!’ I exclaimed. Did he honestly think I was the kind of girl to drag my new boyfriend to a family gathering after one date? My current schedule for Lex meeting my mother was pre-Christmas drinks – at the absolute earliest – and it was too soon to say which Christmas. I smiled. ‘I wouldn’t dream of inflicting it on you. No. I just wanted to let you know, because…well… if you were planning on us staying in London, tonight...’

  His fingers stroked the inside of my arm. Oh boy, he was going to be hard to resist. ‘Would you like us to stay in London, tonight?’ he asked, looking from my eyes to my mouth.

  I swallowed. ‘That might be very nice but I need to be in Lymington for twelve.’ Now I was looking at his mouth. It wasn’t smiling but his lips were parted slightly, as if waiting to receive mine. We hadn’t even had our first kiss yet, how could I possibly contemplate more? Well, of course I could contemplate it and had. I’d dwelt on little else since Wednesday.

  He seemed to consider the options before he said, ‘That’s okay, I’ll drive you home and stay at Marshalhampton.’ His fingers trailed up my arm and over my shoulder, coming to rest on the back of my neck.

  I looked down momentarily, and saw my chest rising and falling rather more quickly than usual. I looked back up. ‘Are you sure?’

  He leaned into me again. ‘On one condition…’ I tilted my head towards his, inhaling his cologne, ‘…next time I take you to dinner – alone – you promise to wear that dress.’

  ‘It’s a deal,’ I breathed.

  Then he leaned closer and kissed my lips – gently and briefly. ‘That’s the kind of deal I like.’

  After giving me a smouldering look, he sat back, looked around the table, raised his glass and said, ‘Well, everybody, it’s great to see you after all this time. Cheers.’

  I raised my own and noticed, I believe, a spark of interest in Serena’s eyes. Yes, I thought, this gorgeous hunk is with me.

  Chapter 13

  The party ended around midnight, with hilarious, witty speeches from Dominic and his ex-best man. As we waited outside for the doorman to bring the car round, it was still warm – oppressively so. Lex stood facing me and pulled me close with one arm around my waist, while the other hand stroked small circles on my shoulder. ‘So this family lunch is absolutely unmissable, is it?’ he asked.

  ‘On pain of death, yes.’

  ‘Well, we wouldn’t want that, would we?’ he said, moving forwards and closing his lips over mine. He tasted of coffee.

  People were passing on the pavement and I heard one of his friends say, ‘See you haven’t lost your touch, Lex.’ I pulled back and giggled. Lex looked round as we heard the thrum of his car’s engine approaching. Behind him, Josh was waiting with Serena. I looked long enough to detect they weren’t entwined round one another. Josh was fiddling with his mobile phone while Serena stood passively by, her hands folded round her evening bag. Then Lex was guiding me to the car, opening the door and I was lowering myself into the front seat.

  As we drove towards the motorway, I said, ‘I wouldn’t have put Serena and Josh together.’

  ‘No? He was sniffing around her years ago.’

  ‘Were you all big mates at Uni?’

  ‘Not so much with Warwick. He was hardly my kind of chap,’ he said.

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘Water under the bridge, Millie,’ he said and glanced at the clock on the dashboard. ‘Should have you home by one.’

  My curiosity was spiked but I didn’t expect to get any more on the subject tonight. I thought about Serena. I’d distinctly detected something passing between her and Lex. Had they been an item and had Josh been the one to break them up? If Serena and Josh had been going out since university, that could account for why public displays of affection between them weren’t necessary. Mind you…it didn’t account for why he’d seemed so interested in me at the cricket match.

  We arrived at Bridgeman Villas just after one. Lex had really opened up the Maserati on the motorway. And, I must admit, zooming down the M3 with all that power throbbing beneath the bonnet and Lex by my side, it was difficult not to feel a tad stimulated. Now and again, I’d glance over at him. He had a strong profile, with a straight, angular nose and slightly flared nostrils. I could see the vague imperfection in his top lip where the scar broke its outline.

  ‘Can I tempt you in for a small brandy?’ I asked, knowing Sacha was on an overnight shift. I was convinced I had plenty of self-control and was banking on him being enough of a gentleman to leave it at the brandy.

  He looked across at me, ‘In that dress, you could tempt me with cold tea.’

  ‘Really? Builders’ or Earl Grey?’

  He smiled and opened his car door, before coming round to open mine. Like a true gentleman, he helped me out and closed the passenger door. Then, not quite like a gentleman, he pinned me against it with his body and lowered his head to kiss me – and I’m not talking gentle lip-brushing, this was snogging at full throttle. One of his legs was trying to prize its way between mine but my skirt was too tight. My hands were inside his jacket and tugging at his shirt, I could feel the muscles across his back flexing, and all good intentions to keep him at arms’ length were slipping into the gutter beneath us.

  Eventually, he pulled back and looked down at me, his lip curled slightly on the side with the scar. ‘I’m not sure if I’ll be able to stop at a small brandy.’

  I’m not sure I want you to, I thought, stepping up and kissing him again, our teeth clashing. His hands were on the move, lower and lower until they were gripping the fabric of my skirt and tugging it up over my thighs.

  Now…I may have been in the initial throes of passion, and Lex was certainly one helluva hunk to tangle with but, call me old fashioned, I drew the line at humping the father of my future children at the kerbside in Marlborough Road. Even if it was up against a Maserati.

  I’m not sure what happened next but either my body transmitted reluctance or he thought better of it. He stood back, breathing heavily, and ran a hand through his thick hair, lifting it from his forehead and exposing a pronounced widow’s peak. He rested his hands on his hips as he calmed his breathing. I wriggled the hem of my skirt down and took a deep breath.

  ‘Sorry about that,’ he said, his voice throaty. He held out a hand, ‘Come on, let’s get you indoors.’

  ‘Should be easy to find my keys tonight,’ I said, holding up my tiny evening bag. He didn’t answer, he was too busy nibbling my shoulder and sliding his hands over me. Finally, we practically fell into the hallway. I think he would have mounted me on the stairs if I hadn’t squeaked that my flat was on the first floor. All the way up the stairs I was telling myself to take it slowly. I hoped I could stall him with the brandy and calm him down. I would tell him we’d enjoy it much more if it wasn’t hurried…and preferably in a nice exclusive hotel, somewhere exotic.

  Sacha had left the light on. I just hoped she’d left the place tidy. Lex shadowed me into the flat; we were like Siamese twins, joined at the pelvis. As soon as the door slammed shut, he turned me round and pulled me to him again. I couldn’t remember ever having had that effect on a guy before.

  There was an odd noise, and I pulled back.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ Lex asked, moving on me again.

  I pushed at his chest. There it was again, coming from the bathroom. Lex looked like a man waking from a deep sleep.

  ‘Sach,’ I called, ‘Is that you?’

  The bathroom door was pulled open by her foot. She was propped ag
ainst the loo in her dressing gown, her face a pale shade of avocado, with her duvet beneath her. She didn’t even acknowledge Lex. ‘Gut rot.’

  Lex recoiled as the smell of sick reached his nostrils.

  ‘Oh you poor thing. Can I get you anything?’

  ‘Fizzy water,’ she said. ‘Sorry about the carpet, I’ll clean it up later.’

  I glanced across to a tell-tale pile of kitchen roll on the carpet. ‘Don’t worry.’ I said. ‘I’ll do it.’

  She shoved the door closed and resumed her retching.

  I turned to Lex whose face was frozen in horror. ‘Sorry,’ I said, stroking his chest.

  He took my hand and squeezed it. ‘Never mind. Some other time?’ Then he turned and opened the flat door. ‘Best leave you to it.’

  ‘Thank you for a wonderful evening,’ I said. ‘I really enjoyed it.’

  His eyes ran over me again, as if he wanted to commit my appearance to memory – or maybe he was thinking about the great sex we’d just missed out on. ‘Me too. Night, Millie.’

  I stood at the top of the stairs as he ran down, and fought the urge to run after him.

  Chapter 14

  What I wouldn’t give for a shot of five-year-old energy. My nieces, Lucy and Amy, ran down the hallway when I arrived.

  ‘We’ve got face paints, Auntie Millie.’

  ‘You can be a cat or a butterfly.’

  ‘Or an angel.’

  ‘No, silly. It’s not Christmas.’

  ‘Mrs Bostock says angels are everywhere all the time, so you’re silly!’

  I planted the dish of mint and pea couscous on the kitchen table, along with a bottle of Barolo. ‘That,’ I said to my sister, ‘is for you and Elliot – so hide it. Mum and Tony won’t appreciate it.’