Free Needles and Pearls by Gil McNeil Page A

right?’
    ‘She knows we’re having supper, if that’s what you mean. I haven’t booked under a false name or anything. It’s no big deal, Ellen.’
    ‘Unless you kiss him again.’
    ‘Look, I’ve told you, it wasn’t a
kiss
kiss. He’d just found Archie – that was different. It was a Thank God kiss.’
    ‘Whatever. Just ring me later with a full debrief.’
    ‘OK.’
    ‘And darling –’
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘If you feel like not kissing him again, just go for it.’
    Great. That’s made me feel so much calmer.
    Gran’s reading stories when I leave, and promises not to get conned into reading past eight-thirty; although we both know she’ll cave. It’s a ten-minute walk to the pub, and I’m feeling rather grown-up being out in the evening without the boys. I can’t remember the last time I had supper without a small person in tow, keeping an eye on my chips for any extra-crispy ones.
    Martin’s wearing a dark-grey suit when I arrive, looking unusually smart. Bugger. Now I feel underdressed in just myskirt and jumper; I should at least have gone for high heels instead of my boots. He’s sitting at the table with a bottle of wine, and Connie winks at me as she takes my coat.
    He stands up as I walk across the restaurant.
    ‘You look lovely. I’m sorry I’m dressed like this, but it was either this or jeans, and most of them are covered in paint at the moment.’
    ‘You look great, Martin.’
    He blushes.
    ‘No, I look like I’m off to a sales conference, but Mum had ironed a shirt, not that I ask her do my ironing or anything, far from it, but she won’t have it.’
    ‘She’s the same in the shop. Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean –’
    ‘No, it’s fine. I know what she’s like.’
    There’s an awkward silence. Bloody hell: I’ve managed to make him feel uncomfortable in his suit and made fun of his mother, and I’ve only just sat down. I wonder what I’ll come up with for an encore.
    ‘Would you like a glass of wine? Connie brought this over; she said it was one of your favourites.’
    ‘Lovely.’
    ‘Do you know a lot about wine?’
    ‘Not really, but Connie usually brings a bottle when we have our Stitch and Bitch Group.’
    ‘That’s your knitting group, isn’t it?’
    ‘Yes, knitting and cake. Mark makes them. I think they’re the real attraction.’
    He smiles.
    ‘And how’s it going, with the shop, I mean?’
    ‘Pretty well. I’m never going to make my fortune, but as long as it pays the bills I’m happy, and now the upstairs is opened up with your new shelves and everything, there’s so much more room for stock, which has really made adifference. I’ve been thinking about starting another group on Saturdays, for beginners. Unless you already knit, buying wool isn’t really something you do on impulse, but once you get going it’s really addictive.’
    ‘Have you thought about a website?’
    ‘Sort of. It’s on my list, but I’m not really that good with computers; I’m fine with the orders and emails but that’s about it.’
    ‘I could help, if you like. It wouldn’t need to be anything complicated, but you really should have one – everyone’s got them now.’
    ‘Not in Broadgate they haven’t.’
    ‘Well, you can be the first then.’
    By the time our food arrives he’s drawn all over three paper napkins, and I seem to have agreed that I need a website, with online shopping facilities and a customer database.
    ‘Have you got a digital camera?’
    ‘I did have, until Archie dropped it in the sea taking pictures of a crab.’
    ‘You’ll need one so you can put things up on your site.’
    ‘OK … This fish is delicious. Is yours good?’
    ‘Lovely. What laptop have you got?’
    ‘A blue one.’
    He smiles and shakes his head.
    ‘What’s your budget?’
    ‘About twenty quid.’
    ‘Am I sensing a bit of resistance here?’
    ‘Sorry, no, it would be great, I’m sure it would. It’s just, well, imagine how you’d feel if I handed you a ball of wool