“Oh no,” says the woman. “I’m Alison’s father’s mother, but since their divorce, it’s only me she stays in touch with. I’m afraid my son wasn’t the best role model. He drank too much, went out too much … he really put poor Maria through the wringer until, one day, she decided enough was enough.”
“Oh right,” says Rachel, making note of another part of Ali’s backstory that she’d omitted to reveal. “It’s interesting that Will reminds you of your son, then. They say that women often gravitate toward men like their father, even if it’s not a conscious decision.”
The old woman smiles wryly. “Well, let’s just hope that he’s only similar in looks, and not personality. As ashamed as I am to admit it, I wouldn’t want Alison to end up with someone like my son.”
Rachel smiles and puts a reassuring hand over the woman’s on the bar. “The only problem Ali will have is trying to keep up with Will’s wanderlust.” And his desire for children, she thinks.
“His wanderlust?” queries the woman in a high-pitched tone. “That doesn’t sound very conducive to a happily married life.”
Noah laughs. “It’s not that kind of wander or lust. She just means he’s always got half an eye on taking off to explore the world. It’s how he’s always been, but now he’s got Ali, he’s got someone to do it with, if they both feel so inclined.” He takes another large slug of his gin.
“Oh, I see,” says the woman, clearly relieved. “It’s all such a worry, isn’t it? You think they’re hard work when they’re little, but that’s just the start of it. You worry even more when they grow up.”
“That’s very true,” says Rachel knowingly.
“Do you have children, then?”
Rachel nods. “Just the one, though he’s hardly a child. Like you say, I can’t quite believe I’ve got a nineteen-year-old.”
“So, he’ll be going off to university, will he?”
“He’s already gone, just over a month ago, and although we all felt he was ready, we miss him terribly.”
“Ah, an empty nest,” says the woman, looking at them both. “That must be hard.”
Rachel offers a smile. “It takes some getting used to.”
“Do you have a photo?” asks the woman.
“Oh, yes,” says Rachel, taking her phone out of her clutch bag and flicking through to find a picture that shows Josh in all his handsomeness.
The woman takes the phone in her hand, peering closely at the photo before looking between Rachel and Noah.
“Well, there’s no mistaking who he takes after,” says the woman, handing the phone back to Rachel and looking at Noah. “He’s the spitting image of you.”
“Oh … oh … no,” blurts out Rachel, feeling a heat creep around her neck. “We’re not together.” She does a frantic backward and forward motion with her hand. “My husband’s over there.” She points to where Jack is sitting next to Paige. “That’s Josh’s dad. We…” She starts the flapping motion with her hand again. “We’re just good friends.”
“Oh my goodness,” chuckles the woman. “Well, so much for my powers of observation.”
Noah’s mouth pulls back into a tight-lipped grin, but his eyes are alight with shock, burning a hole deep into Rachel. She shifts, uncomfortable under his intense stare, desperately looking for a distraction to ease the strained atmosphere.
She goes to speak, though to say what, she doesn’t know, but her throat constricts and her mouth dries up instantaneously when she parts her lips. She wonders if her discomfort is obvious—how can it not be to Noah, who knows her better than most? But when she fleetingly glances at him, he looks at her as if she were a stranger.
“If you’ll excuse me,” he says, through gritted teeth.
Rachel watches him, her heart pounding, as he weaves his way through the restaurant and out the door.
“It’s been lovely meeting you,” says Rachel to the old woman, who’s happily sipping her gin and bitter lemon.
“You too, dear,” she says. “See you for the big day tomorrow.”
“Looking forward to it,” says Rachel.
Keeping one eye on Noah through the window, she scans the room for Jack and is relieved to see him sitting, deep in conversation, with Paige. Although that will no doubt do little to subdue his truculent mood, it gives Rachel time to pacify Noah, whose mindset worries her even more right now.