address. Mum and Dad drove me over…” She gestured at her parents, sitting in the car. They both raised a hand, waving at Alex through the windscreen. “I was going to look in just in case you were at home. And here you are!” She looked at his neck, examining his bruises. “You look terrible! Have you been involved in a car smash?”
“Not exactly.”
“Anyway, Alex,” she interrupted. “I’m really pissed off with you. I saved your life in Cornwall, in case you don’t remember-although I have to say that giving you the kiss of life on the beach was the high point of the holiday-and the next thing I knew, you’d simply vanished. I didn’t even get so much as a thank-you card.”
“Well, I was, sort of… busy.”
“Being James Bond, I suppose?”
“Well…” Alex didn’t know what to say.
Sabina took his arm. “You can tell me all about it later. Mum and Dad have invited you to lunch and we want to talk about the South of France.”
“What about it?”
“That’s where we’re going this summer. And you’re coming too. We’ve got some friends who’ve lent us a house and a pool and it’s going to be great.” She looked closely at his face. “Don’t tell me you had other plans?”
Alex smiled. “No, Sabina, I haven’t got any plans.”
“That’s settled then. Now, what do you want for lunch? I fancy an Italian-but he’s been ignoring me so you’ll have to do!” She laughed.
Alex and Sabina walked down the street together. Alex glanced up. The clouds had parted and the sun was out.
It looked as if it was going to be a bright day after all.
Anthony Horowitz
