Don't Want To Miss A Thing by Jill Mansell

table.
    ‘That boy over there. I’ve been watching him. He’s keeping an eye on you.’
    ‘Hm. Not my type.’ At seventeen, Amber’s interest was currently captured by skinny tattooed types with long hair and a taste for heavy rock. Evidently amused that Molly would think she might be remotely attracted to this one, she said, ‘Too clean for me.’
    He did look a bit as if he should be starring in a toothpaste ad. He was the kind of groomed, handsome lad any mother would want their daughter to bring home. Sadly, whenever Amber brought her boyfriends back to Ormond House, the only thing Frankie wanted to do was throw them fully clothed into a hot Dettol bath.
    Amber headed through to the kitchen and Molly carried on working; for a change of scenery she liked coming over to the café to sketch out ideas for the next instalment of Boogie and Boo.
    Ten minutes later the perfect punchline came to her and she broke into a smile of relief, looking up and startling the clean-cut boy who’d been watching her.
    ‘Sorry!’ Molly flapped her free hand by way of apology. ‘It’s OK, don’t be scared, I’m not smiling at you.’
    ‘That’s all right. I wondered what you were doing.’ He had a nice voice and an easy manner. ‘You’re drawing something, but I don’t know what.’
    ‘Comic strip.’ She briefly held up the sketch pad.
    ‘Really? Can I see?’ When Molly nodded he came over to her table and had a look at what she’d done. ‘Hey, that’s Boogie and Boo. You’re good.’ He peered more closely at her sketches. ‘That’s almost as good as the real ones. You should let the artist know, so if he’s ever off sick you could be his stand-in.’
    ‘Thanks.’ Molly, who always signed her work as M. Hayes, kept a straight face. ‘Actually, the artist is me.’
    ‘Oh God, I’m sorry.’ His cheeks coloured up and he looked mortified.
    ‘Hey, it’s fine. You’d only have to be embarrassed if you’d just said I was rubbish. Everyone loves a bit of praise.’
    ‘Well, I’m sorry anyway, but that’s really brilliant. I love Boogie and Boo.’ His brown hair flopped forward as he leaned down for another look. ‘I wish I could draw like that.’
    Molly didn’t make a habit of touting for custom, but seeing as he’d mentioned it. ‘If you’re interested, I run evening classes.’
    ‘You do? Cool. Where?’
    ‘Right here.’
    ‘Oh.’ The boy looked torn.
    ‘Monday evenings. It’s good fun. Amber?’ Twisting round in her seat, she called over, ‘Are there any of my business cards behind the counter?’
    The boy tensed up at the sound of Amber’s name then pretended not to pay attention as she rummaged in the drawer next to the till.
    ‘Yes, still a few left. Do you want one?’
    ‘Please.’ Molly nodded at the boy. ‘There you are, she’s found one for you. Why don’t you go and get it from her?’
    The boy headed over to the counter and mumbled, ‘Thanks,’ as he took the card from Amber.
    So sweet .
    ‘Whereabouts do you live?’ said Molly helpfully.
    ‘Um . . . not far from here.’
    ‘Well, if you want to come along, you know where to find us. Mondays, seven till nine.’
    ‘Right. OK. Well, I’d better be off now.’ Still unable to lookAmber in the eye, he drained his black coffee and flashed a brief smile at Molly as he tucked the card into his jeans pocket. ‘Thanks for this.’
    ‘You’re welcome. And Amber quite often joins us too. It’s not all boring grown-ups. Maybe we’ll see you next week,’ said Molly. Well, a little matchmaking never went amiss, did it? Frankie would be overjoyed if Amber started seeing someone who didn’t sport a dizzying selection of piercings and tattoos.
    ‘Nice try,’ said Amber, watching through the window as the boy headed off on foot down the high street. ‘But I still don’t fancy him.’
    ‘He seems so charming.’ OK, she knew that was the ultimate kiss-of-death thing to say.
    Amber rolled her eyes. ‘And that’s why I