When Alice Met Danny Read Online Free PDF

Building Control consent I can make these applications on your behalf. OK?’
    ‘Absolutely.’ Alice felt as if a very heavy weight had been removed from her shoulders. She had a thought. ‘I’ve only got one key at the moment. I’ll get some duplicates made tomorrow. How do I get one to you?’
    He explained that his offices were right in the town centre, not far from the auctioneers. She agreed to drop him in a couple of keys the next morning. He drained his pint, politely refused the offer of another and stood up.
    ‘If you don’t mind, Ms Grant, I had better get off home. My wife is going out to her art club and I’m keeping an eye on the kids.’
    ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to keep you. And it’s Alice, please.’
    He reached out and shook her hand. ‘See you tomorrow, Alice. Come to think of it, if you delay coming to see me until the afternoon, that’ll give me time to get some prices together for you. That way you’ll have a better idea of what it’s all going to cost you.’
    ‘Thank you so very much.’ She gave him a little wave as he made his exit.
    She sat back with a contented smile on her face. Things were looking better. The bar had filled up a good bit by now. A glance at her watch told her it was almost eight o’clock. She took a sip of wine and began studying the faces of the locals. A bleep from her iPad told her she had received an e-mail. It was from Danny.
    Dear Alice
    How awful. I do hope you manage to get things sorted out. I feel terribly responsible. It was, after all, my idea for you to look at auction sites and I was the one who recommended Beauchamp. Maybe if I hadn’t suggested it, you wouldn’t be in this fix now.
    Can I at least try to make up for this in some small way by buying you dinner on Saturday night? I would love to see you again and to hear all the gory details. That is assuming you are still talking to me….
    Danny
    She pressed
Reply
and started to type.
    Don’t be so silly. I’m a grown woman and I should have known better. And, of course, there’s no need to buy me a meal. But, anyway, I would be very happy to have dinner with you on Saturday. Why don’t you come round to my place for a drink before we go out? By the way, I spent half an hour holding you, then five minutes scratching your ears this afternoon and you enjoyed it.
    XX
    Alice
    She read it through, hesitated, then removed the last sentence. It sounded a bit flirty. That wouldn’t do at all. After all, she was soon to be his landlady.

Chapter 8
    The sun was still shining the following day, although it was a cold start. Breakfast in the cosy kitchen would have been even more enormous if she hadn’t stopped Mrs Tinker from filling the frying pan with food. In the end she consumed a bowl of cereal, two fried eggs with bacon, toast and numerous cups of tea. She vowed not to eat again that day assuming, of course, that she could raise herself from her seat. Danny the dog was in a playful mood and she found she actually enjoyed his company. He kept giving her not so gentle nudges under the table when Mrs Tinker wasn’t looking. By the time she had demolished the bacon and eggs, she could feel his head resting on her thigh.
    ‘You can give him the bacon rind, if you like.’ Mrs Tinker was well aware of what was happening under the table. ‘It’s the one exception I allow and he knows it.’ At the sound of her voice, the dog emerged like magic and took the leftovers very delicately from Alice’s hesitant hand.
    ‘He’s very gentle, isn’t he? I thought he might have my hand off.’
    ‘He’s a lovely dog.’ Breakfast over, the dog wandered over to his mistress and sat at her side. She scratched his ears.
    ‘So, you’re staying on for another night?’
    ‘Yes, if that’s all right, but no cooked breakfast tomorrow, please. I have a dinner date on Saturday night and I need to have a bit of room left over.’
    ‘I was sure a pretty girl like you would have a young man. Have you been