‘Straighten up a bit,’ she said through a fixed smile, noticing stares and double-takes from people passing them on the way back to their cars. ‘You look as if you have some kind of degenerative spinal cord condition.’
‘Charming.’
Rather than take her advice, he wrapped an arm around her, his hand landing on her hips.
‘I’ll need you to prop me up, then, won’t I?’
‘Jason. All these people . . .’
‘What? Ashamed of me?’
‘Oh God.’
She took deep breaths, keeping her head down all the way to the glass-fronted building.
The coffee shop was the first concession on the left and she headed purposefully to the counter, catching nobody’s eye and forcing Jason to up his pace if he wanted to keep her by his side.
‘A regular skinny latte, please, and . . . Jason?’
‘A coffee.’
The barista was studiedly polite.
‘Is that a filter coffee or one of our espresso beverages, sir?’
Jason blinked.
‘Like, y’know, a coffee. Brown stuff in a cup with a bit of milk.’
‘I think maybe a regular Americano with some milk from the jug,’ Jenna offered.
‘Americano? What, like, American coffee? What’s the diff?’
Jenna paid and steered Jason away from the counter before any more of this tedious encounter could play out.
‘I’m only asking a question,’ he said, giving Jenna a glare.
‘Jason, it’s just a black coffee and you add your own milk, OK?’
‘Why don’t they call it that, then?’ he persisted. ‘Why doesn’t it say Black Coffee on the menu instead of all this unpronounceable shit?’
‘I take it you don’t frequent coffee shops, then?’
‘No, I bloody don’t. There’s one in Bledburn High Street but it’s a fucking rip off joint. Four quid for a cuppa, they want. I can get four boxes of fucking PG Tips in Poundland for that. They’ve seen the likes of you coming.’
‘They’re very popular,’ Jenna said mildly. ‘Or there wouldn’t be so many of them, would there? Obviously there was a huge gap in the market.’
‘Can’t believe there are so many people with more money than sense. Well, in LA, I guess . . .’
‘Oh, so I have more money than sense, do I?’ Jenna teased lightly.
‘Much more,’ he said, relenting a little. ‘Or you wouldn’t be here with me. Double whammy, doll.’
She leaned into him, and he gave her bottom a brief but unmistakable squeeze.
She heard giggles from behind them.
‘Jason,’ she whispered loudly. ‘There are eyes everywhere. Behave.’