‘It’s just so incredible . . . When he looked at me, it was like he wanted to know every single thing about me,’ Layla gushed happily. ‘I can’t wait for you to meet him!’
‘Upright radiator grille and electronically extending rear aerofoil . . . silver brake calipers . . . memory package . . .’
‘And he has the most amazing elbows! I have such a thing for really good elbows, don’t you? They make all the difference.’
‘Oh, wrists are my favourite thing.’ Didi was nodding. ‘I love wrists.’
Shay fought the urge to glance at Aaron’s wrists.
‘And if you go for the GTS, you get another forty-six horsepower. With adjustable sports suspension.’
Never in his life had Shay been so glad to get a phone call. Pulling out his mobile, he said apologetically, ‘So sorry, it’s my father. I’m going to have to take this.’
‘Go ahead, don’t mind me.’ Aaron gestured that he understood. ‘I’ll get us another drink, shall I? Won’t be long.’
Oh God, another drink meant another twenty minutes listening to the contents of a car manual, but Aaron had already disappeared in the direction of the bar.
‘Dad, everything OK?’ Because each time you received a call from the phone of a parent who was terminally ill, you instinctively prepared yourself for the worst. One day the voice at the other end might not be Red’s; it might belong to a paramedic, a doctor or a stranger in the street.
‘Never better,’ said Red. ‘Listen, I’ve got some news. You don’t have to find us a place to stay for the next few months.’
Oh God, now what? Did this mean he’d decided to stay in Edinburgh with Angela after all? Had the plan to renovate their old home been abandoned, meaning that Shay could put the place on the market and spend at least part of the summer relaxing on holiday somewhere exotic?
The thoughts raced through his brain; this was what he’d wanted more than anything. But now that it seemed likely, there was a curious lack of elation. ‘You’ve changed your mind about getting the house done up and moving into it?’ This was crazy; now he was actually feeling disappointed.
‘What are you talking about? Of course I haven’t changed my mind,’ said Red. ‘I’m coming down on Monday, catching the late-morning flight.’
‘I don’t understand. So what’s the news?’ Shay frowned. ‘And where are you going to be staying?’
‘I’m moving in with Rosa Gallagher.’
‘What?’ This was quick work, even by his father’s standards.
‘Don’t sound so shocked.’ He heard wheezy laughter. ‘This is a platonic arrangement, what with me being on my last legs, pretty much. Rosa has a spare room and she could do with the cash. It means I don’t have to spend most of my time on my own and you don’t have to feel guilty about it. You can stay on at the hotel and work on fixing up the house. Doesn’t it make sense?’
‘Have you asked her yet?’
‘Of course I have. It’s all arranged. Right, I’d better go. Need to break the news to Angela. Can you pick me up from the airport on Monday?’
‘I . . . guess so.’
‘Look at me, becoming quite the jet-setter in my old age. Bye!’
‘You look shocked,’ said Didi. ‘What’s happened, is he all right?’
‘Seems to be.’ Shay turned to Layla, who had stopped telling Didi about her date and was now waiting to hear about the phone call. ‘That was my dad calling to let me know that on Monday he’s going to be moving in with your mum.’
Layla’s eyes widened. ‘Are you serious?’
‘It’s what he says.’
‘But . . . if that was true, she’d have told me.’ As Layla put down her wine glass, her phone made a chirping sound in her bag. She took it out. ‘It’s a text from Mum: “Hi, darling, how’s the date going? Guess what, Red Mason’s going to be my lodger until his house is ready! Money for me, company for him! Call me tomorrow”.’
‘Wow,’ said Didi.
Shay realised he was glad the old house still needed doing up.
The next moment he caught himself glancing at his left hand as he reached for his almost empty glass. Did he have nice wrists? What made them special? And for God’s sake, why was he even asking himself this question?
It almost came as a relief to see Aaron threading his way back from the bar with a tray of fresh drinks.
‘I’m going to have to speak to her.’ Layla had turned away from him, was murmuring the words in Didi’s ear, but Shay still heard them. ‘I mean, this is Red Mason we’re talking about.’
Here was something he’d had plenty of practice dealing with over the years. Hearing the faint edge in his own voice, Shay said, ‘You can trust him. He wouldn’t take anything belonging to your mum.’
‘Oh my God, I didn’t mean anything like that.’ Clearly mortified, Layla blurted out, ‘I meant his reputation with women, I swear! Nothing to do with the other stuff. It’s just that there hasn’t been anyone else for Mum since Dad died, that’s all . . .’
‘Sorry.’ And now Shay felt terrible too. He’d gone there, had addressed the elephant in the room, only it had turned out to be the wrong elephant. ‘Of course you didn’t mean it that way. And if it helps, Dad’s already told me this is going to be a platonic relationship.’ He rested his hand on Layla’s shoulder. ‘I really am sorry. I guess I’ve got used to apologising for him. But all those bad habits are behind him now, I promise.’
‘I feel as if I’m missing out here, coming in late and only hearing half the story!’ Aaron, who evidently hadn’t heard the other half from Didi, began handing out the drinks. When it came to Shay, he said, ‘And it’s my turn to apologise now. I just bumped into some American guy up at the bar and he happened to mention that you weren’t interested in cars.’
Ah, Myron from the Midsummer Suite had attempted to engage him in conversation last night, and that time he’d been honest from the word go.
‘As long as they get me from A to B, that’s all I care about,’ Shay admitted.
‘And there you’ve been, putting up with me boring you to tears for the last twenty minutes. You should have said!’
‘It’s no problem. Thanks for the drink.’
‘Hey, no worries. Let’s forget cars,’ said Aaron. ‘What do you want to talk about instead?’
Oh, I don’t know. Your fiancée, maybe?
Didi, her eyes bright, waggled her fingers playfully in the air just to the left of Shay’s shoulder. ‘Well, he likes spiders . . .’
Chapter 11
‘Look, sorry about this, I feel like one of those awful people the week after Christmas, dumping a puppy at the dogs’ home and making a quick getaway.’ As he carried his father’s cases upstairs, Shay said, ‘But the guys with the van are going to be waiting for me outside the house, so I really need to . . .’
‘Make a quick getaway.’ Rosa followed him. ‘I know, it’s not a problem, you go ahead.’