Husband Material (London Calling, #2)

by Alexis Hall

I was about to deliver a fantastically clever and witty reply when the sound of barking echoed from inside and four ecstatic spaniels burst from the hallway. I say ecstatic, but they were, of course, ecstatic to see Oliver, who was great with dogs, and not at all interested in seeing me, who they’d known their entire lives. On the plus side, Oliver did look incredibly cute kneeling down to receive an armful of fur and puppy-dog eyes. “Charles,” he said, bestowing scratches, pets, and scruffles, “Camilla, Michael of Kent. Hello, Eugenie, old girl; who’s a good girl, you are, yes you are.” I never worked out how Oliver or, for that matter, anyone else, was able to tell the dogs apart. Once Oliver had finished greeting the woofles as he occasionally and embarrassingly called them, all seven of us went through to the front room. “Judy,” Mum announced, “look who is here. It is Luc and his fiancé, Oliver, who, as you know, he has told us he is engaged to.” I sort of liked that Mum was bad at deception. Judy, however, as a result of…of…a great many aspects of her tumultuous life history, had no problem with it at all. “Ah, of course.” She beamed. “Congratulations, old boys. Meant to bring you a gift, but it’s fattening up in the lower pasture.” “You know,” said Oliver incredibly gently, “I am still a vegan.” It wasn’t much of a protest, but it was more than he would have managed two years ago. “Not to worry.” Judy seldom let go of an idea once it was in her head. “Keep it in the ...