‘She likes spreadsheets. Which I still don’t think is a bad thing.’
‘They’re fine, within reason.’ He shrugged, then said drily, ‘But keeping a colour-coded Excel spreadsheet of every item of clothing you own is a bit excessive.’
‘Maybe a tiny bit,’ Didi conceded.
‘She also used them to keep track of what every online horoscope was telling her about her upcoming love life.’
Didi laughed. ‘OK, you win. Well, fingers crossed you’ll manage to find some half-decent girlfriend one day. I mean, someone a damn sight better than this bunch of scuzzy losers.’
‘Let’s hope so.’ Shay was doing that enigmatic half-smile again, the one that caused her stomach to do a dolphin dive. Through the open window they heard a rousing off-key chorus of ‘Happy Birthday to You’ being sung by a group of guests outside on the terrace. As they listened – ‘Happy BIRTHday, dear Denzil’ – Didi glanced across at Shay and found herself picturing him naked. The next moment, as if someone had telepathically intercepted her thoughts and sprung into action, his phone lit up and the name of yet another female appeared on the screen.
Sophia.
She pointed to the phone as it rang on. ‘Aren’t you going to answer it?’
‘I’ll call her back.’
Meaning once he was alone. Didi finished her drink. ‘I need to head off anyway.’
‘You don’t have to go.’
Oh I think I do. If only you knew what’s been going on in my head.
His phone stopped ringing. Aloud, she said, ‘No, I must. I’ll leave you in peace. Thanks again, though, for giving up your suite. You’ve made the anniversary couple incredibly happy.’
‘Well I hope it’s made you happy too,’ said Shay.
‘It really has.’ Didi was on her feet now, retreating to the door, her knees like jelly.
‘I’m glad about that. Anyway, it’s not too much of a hardship.’
‘Seeing as you get to sp—’ She froze, stopping the flippant comment in its tracks. Oh my God, listen to me . . .
‘Seeing as I get to what?’
‘I don’t know, I’ve forgotten . . . Sorry, I’m shattered, no idea what I was going to say.’
‘No?’ The corners of Shay’s mouth twitched. ‘I thought you were about to say seeing as I get to spend the night in your bed.’
Mortified, Didi reached for the door handle and shook her head. ‘Oh no, it definitely wouldn’t have been anything like that.’
Across the road, having let herself into the empty flat, Didi changed into polka-dot pyjamas and hopped into Layla’s bed.
‘Hi!’ Aaron’s face appeared on her phone screen, his voice raised so she could hear him above the sound of Freddie Mercury giving ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ his all. ‘Hang on, let me turn it down, I’m just chopping . . .’
Didi watched as he propped her up on the worktop then moved around the kitchen wiping his hands, sweeping the neatly chopped garlic and onions into a frying pan and finally reducing the level of the music he always had playing at top volume whilst he cooked. And he did cook, no matter what time he arrived home from the office or the gym. Other people might grab a takeaway or maybe make do with something to go in the microwave, but Aaron liked to wind down by preparing a meal from scratch. He could chop vegetables like lightning. He even wore a proper chef’s apron over his T-shirt and shorts while he was doing it. For Didi, who far preferred eating to cooking, it was yet another big tick in the list of things to look for in a fiancé.
‘Right, done.’ He was back, smiling at her while simultaneously reducing the flame under the pan of chicken and stirring butter into the frying onions and garlic. ‘How are you? How’s your day been?’ He did a belated double-take. ‘And whose bed are you in?’
‘I’m glad you noticed.’ Didi’s own bed was always made up with white hotel linen, whereas now she was lying against pillowcases that were neon pink, purple and turquoise. ‘It’s complicated. There was a mix-up at work and the Midnight Suite got double-booked. Which means Shay’s had to move out for the night. So he’s over at the hotel in my room and I’m here at Layla’s, sleeping in her bed, while she’s staying in Bourton with Harry.’
‘Definitely complicated. Poor you.’ Aaron deftly flipped over the chicken breasts, crossed the kitchen and extended an arm like a game-show host, indicating the pots of herbs standing to attention along the windowsill. ‘Now then, let’s see if you’ve been paying attention. Which of these should I add to the sauce?’
OK, this was one of his slightly less endearing qualities. He did love to test her on subjects in which she had zero interest.
‘The one with the green leaves?’ she suggested.
He grinned and wagged a finger at her. ‘Come on, I told you the answer the other week.’
‘I don’t know. Surprise me.’
‘Tarragon.’ He picked up the pot second from the left. ‘This one. Beautiful.’
‘I had a quick dinner in the hotel restaurant with Shay,’ said Didi, because if she didn’t mention it, someone else would be bound to.
‘What did you have?’
‘Prawn and mushroom risotto.’
‘Nice. Right, my chicken’s done and I need to concentrate on the sauce. Shall I phone you back afterwards?’
She shook her head. ‘Don’t worry, I’m tired. Going to go to sleep now.’
‘OK, I’ll give you a call tomorrow. Have a good night. Love you.’
His smile was warm but she knew he was longing to get on with constructing the sauce; as he was so fond of telling her, cookery was all about timing. She waved her fingers at the screen and said, ‘Love you too. Night.’
It was kind of frustrating, though. She’d made a point of FaceTiming Aaron so he could be reassured she was alone in bed in Layla’s flat, and he didn’t even seem to appreciate it.
Chapter 20
A week later, Rosa was on her way back from the craft shop when a massive black cloud scudded across the sky, dumping its contents on Elliscombe in general and her in particular.
Urgh. Within thirty seconds she was soaked to the skin, her thin dress clinging to her body. And she’d blow-dried her hair this morning too. Hastily she hurried along Ravenwood Road, splashing through the torrential downpour. Two minutes later, reaching the Esso station, she heard her name being called and saw Benny Colette beckoning to her whilst he filled his car with petrol.
‘Where did this come from? Two minutes ago it was sunny.’ He grinned, safely under cover, and removed the nozzle, replacing it in the holder on the pump. ‘Hop in the car and I’ll drop you home.’
Some offers you couldn’t refuse. Rosa hopped into the passenger seat while Benny went off to pay. Upon his return she said, ‘When I get out, I’m going to leave you with a wet seat. Sorry.’
‘Hey, it’s leather, it can cope. I’m just glad this didn’t happen while I was still on the motorway. I was dropping Ingrid at Heathrow,’ he explained. ‘She’s off on a business trip to Stockholm; back next weekend in time for her birthday.’