Sarah's Secret

‘Tonight?’

Sarah stared at him, surprised, and for a moment considered saying she had other plans, just to sound less eager. But only for a split second. ‘Yes. Tonight would be fine.’

‘Good. I’ll call for you at eight.’

Sarah waved as he drove off, then went indoors to find her grandmother coming downstairs, frowning.

‘I saw you getting out of a strange car, Sarah. Who brought you home?’

‘Jake Hogan.’ Sarah looked her grandmother in the eye. ‘He asked me out to dinner tonight.’

Margaret’s face hardened. ‘Are you going? You hardly know the man.’

‘I’m going out for a meal, Grandma, not a dirty weekend.’

‘Don’t be coarse!’ Margaret turned to go back upstairs, but Sarah called after her.

‘By the way, I had an invitation to Nick Morrell’s wedding this morning.’

‘Really? If it’s when I’m away in Italy I won’t be able to look after Davy for you,’ was the instant response.

‘Actually it’s mid-week, when she’s in school,’ said Sarah, swallowing the angry retort she longed to make. ‘I must go. I’ve got homework to do before I’m free to enjoy myself,’ she added deliberately, and gained the hollow victory of knowing her arrow had found its target, by the look on Margaret Parker’s face.

But Sarah refused to let the incident affect her buoyant mood as she hurried off to deal with the contents of her briefcase. She could sit in the garden tomorrow. Tonight she was dining out with Jake Hogan.

Work done in record time, Sarah went off to shower in the small bathroom lined with Jake Hogan’s Pentiles. After a prolonged session with a hotbrush and all the cosmetic aids at her disposal, she dressed, and, as a gesture of conciliation, went up to her grandmother’s sitting room to say she was about to leave. ‘Will I do?’

Margaret eyed the linen trousers and amber sleeveless top with surprise. ‘You wear that to work.’

‘I’m keeping the new dress for Nick’s wedding.’

‘So you’re definitely going, then?’

‘Of course I am. You know I’m fond of Nick. I booked a room this morning. Anyway, I haven’t a clue where I’m being taken tonight so I thought this rig would do for most places.’ She looked her grandmother in the eye. ‘And in case you’re worried about the expanse of bare flesh I shall wear my jacket all evening even if I fry.’

Although Margaret Parker had been too offended by Sarah’s parting shot to wish her a good time, from the moment Sarah opened the door to Jake Hogan she knew the evening would be a success. His fawn linen jacket was creased just enough to look good, and his smile filled her with an anticipation she had never felt before sharing a meal with Brian.

‘You look wonderful, Sarah,’ Jake informed her.

So did he, but she kept that to herself in case he took it as a come-on. ‘Thank you.’

‘In this heat I thought you might like a meal in a pub garden tonight,’ he said, handing her into his car. ‘But if not we could eat at that place near the Pump Rooms in town.’

‘I’ve been there just recently,’ she said quickly. For the farewell meal with Brian. ‘Eating al fresco sounds wonderful.’

And it was. Jake drove her deep into the Gloucestershire countryside to the Trout Inn, a pretty, unpretentious pub with a stream actually flowing through the garden.

‘This is so lovely,’ said Sarah, looking round her with pleasure as he led her to the table he’d reserved. ‘You knew how I’d choose, then.’

He gave her an outrageously smug smile. ‘I booked at the other restaurant, too. I’m a belt and braces kind of guy.’

She laughed. ‘What happens when you don’t turn up there?’

‘I told them to free the table if we hadn’t made it by eight-thirty.’ He shrugged. ‘They were happy. I’m a good customer.’

‘You dine there a lot?’ she asked, picturing a succession of glamorous companions.

‘Lunch mainly, with clients.’

Sarah sat back in her chair while Jake went off to get drinks, putting on mental brakes. She’d only just met the man. Who Jake Hogan entertained to lunch, dinner or breakfast—especially breakfast—was none of her business. Nevertheless, she liked the idea of business clients better than other women. She grinned at her own absurdity, the smile still in her eyes when Jake came back with drinks and a menu.

‘You look happy. I’m glad you like it here.’

‘It’s the kind of place Davy would love, too,’ she said, deliberately bringing her child into the conversation.

Jake gave her a questioning look over his glass of beer. ‘Did you have to pay someone to stay with her this evening?’

Well done, thought Sarah. Some men changed the subject the moment she mentioned Davy. ‘No. She’s a weekly boarder at Roedale.’

‘Your old school?’

She shook her head. ‘At her age I went to the school in the village where I was born. How about you?’

‘Liam and I are also products of state education.’ He smiled wryly. ‘But with differing results. Liam’s were uniformly spectacular, mine less so. I joined the family business straight after fairly respectable A-levels. But Liam can boast an Oxford degree, plus an MBA from that high-powered place in France.’

‘Impressive,’ said Sarah, not sure she liked the sound of Liam Hogan and his credentials.

‘Would you mind if I took my jacket off?’ Jake asked.

‘Not in the least. I’m too warm in mine, too,’ she said, ignoring her promise to Margaret.

Jake helped her out of her jacket, eyeing her bare brown shoulders with appreciation. ‘You’ve obviously been on holiday recently.’

She shook her head, smiling. ‘Part of it is natural skin tone, the rest fresh air. We’ve had a heatwave, and I finish work at three. A short session in the garden after work every day is a lot cheaper than a foreign holiday.’

‘You obviously never burn.’

‘I keep under an umbrella and use sunscreen. After my day in the office I yearn for fresh air.’ She leaned back in her chair, relaxed. ‘Where do you get your tan? Golf?’

‘No, genetics. My mother’s Italian. We get our skin tone from her.’

‘Unusual with fair hair.’ And very, very appealing to Sarah.

Jake waved a menu at her. ‘What do you fancy? Obviously the trout’s good.’

‘I’ll pass on that,’ she said hastily. ‘My father used to fish for trout when I was young. With far too much success for my liking.’

He laughed. ‘Does he still do it?’