He turned and headed towards town to collect his car. That was odd.
‘That was odd,’ Elise said.
‘My thoughts exactly. What do you think it means?’
‘You’re asking the wrong person. I’ve only had two first kisses and one of those was with Ricky Williams when I was six. With Gary, it happened really easily and naturally.’
‘I was wondering if he was just a bit shy.’
‘Could be. If he’s been single for a while, it could be a pretty big thing.’
‘That was odd,’ Clare said.
‘That’s exactly what Elise said.’
‘You told her first?’
Oops, hadn’t meant to let that slip.
‘I thought you’d have told me first. I’m the one who set up the date. I’m the one who’s met him.’
‘Hey, it’s okay. I was about to phone you when Elise called me. I could hardly not tell her. Besides, she wasn’t much help and I knew you would be. What’s your verdict?’
‘Well, it could be any number of things,’ Clare said. ‘He could have been single for a long time and be out of practice. He could be gay.’
‘No! You don’t really think that, do you? He’s been married.’
‘And divorced. Maybe that’s the reason?’
I could tell by the sarcastic tone in her voice that she was messing with me. ‘You’re hilarious.’
‘Bad breath?’
‘I’d have noticed.’
‘Wind?’ Clare giggled. ‘Maybe he was about to do a huge belch and was scared of doing it while kissing you.’
‘Yuck. I don’t think that was it.’
‘In that case,’ she said solemnly, ‘I go back to my question from Saturday night; do you fancy him?’
Did I? ‘No, I don’t think so. I feel as though I should fancy him because we seem so compatible. I thought the kiss might confirm things either way.’
‘You know what else it could be?’ Clare said.
‘What?’
‘That he’s feeling exactly the same as you.’
Must kiss Stevie. Must kiss Stevie. Must do it now. Can’t sit all the way through the film wondering if he’stheSteven. Must kiss Stevie.
‘Are you okay?’ Stevie stopped walking down the cliff path on Wednesday evening. ‘You seem distracted.’
‘Sorry, miles away. What were you saying?’
‘I was telling you about Bonnie eating the wrapping paper last Christmas then trying to munch the tree baubles, but it’s probably not amusing enough to tell twice.’ He laughed. ‘In fact, it probably wasn’t amusing enough to tell once so I don’t blame you for not listening. Are you sure you’re all right?’
‘Sorry. I’m fine.’ I stared down the path again. Over the roofs of the houses in the Old Town, I could see the flashing light at the top of the lighthouse. The photo of Grandma in front of it came to mind. I needed to eliminate Stevie astheSteven once and for all and a kiss was the only way of doing that.
