“Run upstairs,” Edie says with a smile. “I’ll go. But be quick.”
“Hello.” Edie looks at him coolly.
“Hello.” Steve seems uncomfortable, holding a huge bouquet of red roses and clutching a bottle of champagne in the other hand.
“For me?” Edie, naughtily, sighs in pleasure and places a hand on her chest.
“Er . . . actually, I was looking for Kit? ” he says uncertainly.
“She’s upstairs,” Edie says. “Come in. I’m Edie. I live next door.”
“Lovely to meet you,” Steve says, putting the champagne down and reaching out to shake Edie’s hand, looking directly into her eyes as he says it with warmth and meaning.
Wow, Edie thinks. He’s good.
“Come into the kitchen,” Edie says, leading the way as Steve follows. “Is it someone’s birthday? ” she asks.
He laughs. “I just wanted to drop something nice off for Kit.”
“That’s certainly very nice. I’m sure she’ll be impressed.”
He frowns. “I wasn’t trying to impress her. I just wanted her to know what a lovely time I had last night. We went to the theater.”
“I know. It sounds like a wonderful play.”
“It was.”
They sit in silence for a while, Edie quite comfortably, Steve looking around the room, clearly wishing that Kit would come downstairs.
“So how long have you lived in Highfield?” Edie says, finally.
“Just a couple of months.”
“Have you found it a good place to meet people? ”
“I met Kit”—he smiles—“so I’d have to say yes.”
“True. But uprooting becomes much harder, the older we get. Do you have any family or friends here? ”
“I don’t.” He shakes his head sadly. “But I’m a pretty outgoing guy. I’ve joined the gym and I’m doing quite a bit of stuff. I hadn’t expected everything to be so family-oriented here. It’s not really the place for a single guy, other than, of course, the number of divorced women.” He laughs, then catches himself. “Not that I’m looking at other divorced women.”
“Of course not.” Edie winks at him. “Well, welcome to suburbia, I guess. That’s what it’s like. Tell me, do you play tennis? ”
“Sure,” he says.
“Good. You can join my tennis game next weekend. We’re one short. Len Blackman just dropped out.”
“I . . . er . . . when is it? My weekend is a little busy.”
“Nonsense,” Edie says sharply. “It’s Saturday morning, ten o’clock at my friend Rose’s house—in View Point Drive. We’ll expect you there and I won’t take no for an answer.”
They both look up as Kit clatters down the stairs in jeans and a gray sweater, hair pulled back in a ponytail, face now washed and clear.
Standing up, Steve adjusts his expression to one of pleasure.
“Steve! ” She walks over, catching sight of the roses and champagne, and blushes wildly. “What are you doing here? ” She stops in front of him, wants to kiss him, but feels awkward, and couldn’t kiss him in front of Edie, anyway.
“I just wanted to thank you for last night.” He smiles down at her.
“Last night? But I didn’t do anything.”
“You didn’t have to. I just . . . well . . . these are for you.”
“Oh Steve. They’re so beautiful.” Kit turns and opens cupboards, ostensibly to look for vases, but in fact to hide her face, red with embarrassment and pleasure.
“I should go,” he says, moving toward the door. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you by turning up unexpectedly. I was just going to leave them on the doorstep but I saw someone in the kitchen and wanted to see you. Maybe I can see you later? ”
“That would be nice,” Kit says, beaming.
“I’ll call you this afternoon.”
“Well?” She can’t help herself. She expected Edie to pass judgment as soon as Steve left the house, but so far she’s said nothing.
They are in the car, on their way to the pumpkin patch, and Kit is trying not to say anything, wanting Edie to bring up the subject first, but she just can’t wait.
“Well, what? ” Edie says innocently.
“What did you think of him? ”
There’s a long pause, and as they pull up to a light Kit turns to Edie, who sucks her teeth.
“I don’t like him.”
Kit starts to laugh. “No, seriously, Edie. What did you think of him? ”
“Seriously? Kit, have you ever known me to mince my words or tell you anything other than the truth, even if I know it’s absolutely the last thing in the world you want to hear? ”
Kit’s heart starts to pound.
Edie sees the expression on Kit’s face and backtracks immediately. “Oh