Richer Ground by Jessie M Page B

at the mo. But to be honest Rick... and this is only my opinion based on my brief observation... she's stuck in that dark old house with your dad all day... it's not a good environment for her depression and to recover from all this.”
    “ Where else is there? I'm away a lot.”
    “ I don't have all the answers, but I can help you think of something.”
    “ Thanks so much anyway Ali. For helping Dad out. How did you two get on by the way?” There was a note of tension in his voice.
    “ To start with he was rude and unpleasant. Then I gave him what for and we became best pals.”
    He laughed so loudly, she took the phone from her ear.
    “You are so funny. I can just imagine you giving dad a what for.”
    “ I told him to stick his upper class snobbery where the sun don't shine... kind of.”
    “ Ha ha... don't... my ribs are killing me.”
    “ But once we got past the class difference we actually got on very well. He's lovely. I mean it.”
    “ I'm not sure I'd go that far. And what about this date?”
    “ He's taking Mum to a cocktail party.”
    “ I hope she isn't too bored.”
    “ I don't think she will be. They've taken a big shine to each other.”
    “ I can see the attraction, from Dad's point of view.”
    “ Rick!”
    “ She's a doll. He'll be licking her feet before they get the canapés.”
    She squealed with laughter.
    Then it went quiet.
    “ Been thinking about me?” he asked.
    “ All the time.”
    “ What about getting Thursday off, did you swing it?”
    “ We're all set. Order the roses and champagne and I'll arrive in my fur coat and silk underwear.”
    “ What a nice idea.”
    “ I don't actually have a fur coat, or want one really... and my underwear isn't silk... but I can make do...”
    “ Ali...  I'm taking you for dinner. To the London Hilton. Get yourself a pretty evening dress.  And don't worry, you'll have your champagne. It'll be a sleepover, so bring some other clothes...”
    “ Now I am excited! You're really taking me to the Hilton?”
    “ Yep.”
    “ I want to kiss your lovely toes.”
    “ There's other far lovelier parts of me to kiss.”
    “ I'll start at the feet and work up to those, nice and slowly...”
    “ Mmmm... sounds good.” His voice sounded croaky and then he coughed, in a spluttery fashion. She'd obviously stirred Richer up. “Sorry, I'm going to have to go. I'm on a coffee break. It's a long late meeting. And very boring by the way. Talking to you has been a welcome diversion, Debra aside.”
    “ Text me later.”
    “ I will, 'bye beauty.”
    “ Bye.”
    She clicked off in a daze.
    She was going to make sure this was the best night of her life. New dress, hair, nails... the whole shebang.
     
     
     

Chapter 7
     
     
    Jasper collected her at 11 o'clock in his evening suit, looking far too elegant and sexy for an old guy. He smelled pretty good as well.
    He'd already dropped her mother home on the way back from their party. She asked if they'd had a nice evening and he smiled broadly and said her mother was absolutely delightful and that he was seeing her again. Taking her to Lingfield, for a spot of horse racing at the weekend. All he needed was to find someone to sit indoors with Debra for a few hours. She said sadly, she couldn't personally help with that, because she was working, but she knew her friend Joss would probably daughter-sit for thirty quid, if he liked. Joss was always broke. They agreed to sort that out later.
    After that she took the opportunity to raise the idea of the Richer party. He was all for it. The family needed a lift, he said.  They agreed that the venue should be at Jasper's. It could be set up easily there, without Rick knowing. She knew she was taking a bit of a risk, being so early into things with Rick, but parties took a while to organise. If it all went wrong between them, she could drop out gracefully.
    She also dared to raise Debra's predicament with him. She tried to explain, tactfully, that Debra needed more