“I’m on my way out. I’ll come over on Sunday or tomorrow, if you want? We can have a proper catch-up.”
“We could come in now for a quick cuppa if you’ve got ten minutes,” her dad suggested.
“I haven’t got ten minutes. I promise I’ll visit you over the weekend.” Her hand shifted to her bag while her mind conjured up the hundred pounds in her purse. Much as she’d like to believe her parents really were concerned about her welfare, she was sure she could get rid of them quick if she gave them money. And she really wanted to get rid of them as fast as possible.
Noah’s car caught her eye as she pulled her bag off her shoulder. Panic swept through her.
“My friend’s here to pick me up,” she said, giving both her parents a quick squeeze at the same time. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Who’s your friend?” her dad asked, peering in the passenger window as the car came to a stop beside them.
“No one you know,” she muttered, reaching for the door handle.
“Hi,” Noah said, stepping out and walking around the car. “Everything okay?” he asked as he planted a kiss on her cheek.
“Fine.” She nodded, slightly manically. “My parents just called around.” There was no way she could get out of introducing them now. “Ron and Sue,” she told him.
“It’s really nice to meet you,” Noah said, shaking their hands as he introduced himself.
Her dad smiled brightly. “We were hoping to spontaneously take our little girl out for dinner, but it looks like you beat us to the post.”
“You’re welcome to join us,” Noah said.
Briefly, Keira clung to the hope that they’d decline the invitation, even though she knew they wouldn’t. Especially since her dad had clearly been angling for an invite. There was no way they’d come to take her out for dinner. She wasn’t sure they’devertaken her out for dinner, unless you counted McDonalds – which she didn’t.
“That’d be lovely,” her dad replied.
“If we’re not intruding?” her mum asked, tilting her head and looking questioningly at Keira.
“It’s fine,” Keira said. What else could she say?
“Shall we all jump in your car?” Ron asked Noah. “We came on the bus.”
“Yeah, of course.” Noah opened the passenger door for Keira while her parents got in the back.
“Sorry,” Keira mouthed, but Noah shrugged in reply, not looking the slightest bit perturbed by the situation.
“Where are we off to then?” Ron asked, leaning forwards between the seats.
“We’ve got a reservation at a tapas restaurant by the river.” Noah put the car in gear and pulled away. “I’m sure they can squeeze two more at the table. Is that okay for you?”
“That sounds lovely,” Sue said.
“Dad!” Keira hissed, annoyed by him hanging between the passenger and driver’s seat like an excited child. “Sit back and put your seatbelt on.”
“Seatbelts drive me mad. I always feel as though I’m in restraints.”
“That’s kind of the point of it,” Keira growled. “Just put it on. It’s like you’ve never been in a car before.”
Shifting back into his seat, Ron chuckled lightly. “She’s a right bossy boots this one! Worse than her mother sometimes, and I never thought that was possible.”
Sue gave him a playful slap while he was busy putting his seatbelt on and managing to make it look like some great challenge.
“Noah,” Ron said, once he’d wrangled his seatbelt on. “Could you do me a small favour and close your ears for a sec so I can ask my daughter a quick question?”
“Um …” Slowing at traffic lights, Noah glanced in the rear-view mirror. “Sure.”
Keira could feel her embarrassment levels rising as her dad leaned into the strap of the seatbelt and tapped her on the shoulder.