He reached out and drew his knuckles gently down her cheek. It was so soft. She instinctively turned and kissed his fingers. It was all he could do to withdraw. But withdraw he did, pushing his hands well into his pockets where they couldn’t get him into trouble. He stepped away. “I’ll call you.”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
He walked back into the small lounge, unable to prevent a big grin on his face. The neighbors returned it. “You off now?” asked the man, jumping to his feet in an old-fashioned gesture.
“Yes. I’ve got to get back.”
“Sorry to disturb you,” said the old lady with an expression which showed that she wasn’t in the least bit sorry.
“You didn’t,” replied David. “I was leaving anyway.” He didn’t want them to think he would in any way take advantage of Amber, although in a different way he had intended to. But no longer. “Goodbye.”
Amber opened the door and stood there, casting a long shadow down the path as David walked to his car. “Goodbye,” she called out. He waved back at her as she closed the door. He stood looking at the row of cottages for a moment. Amber’s curtains weren’t drawn and he could clearly see the three of them chatting and laughing in her front room. He stood, mesmerized by the view, before opening his car door and sliding in. Even then he dipped his head to get one last view of her—red hair flaming under the orange glow of the low-watt lamps, her clothes a flashing mix of colors as she flitted around passing cups to her guests before stopping in front of the window. She caught his gaze and, lifting her hand to him, wiggled her fingers. The simple gesture caught at his chest and plucked something there. He made an involuntary movement to his chest, beneath which he knew were his ribs and his lungs and another part of him which he’d only been interested in for its ability to keep him alive—to continue to pump blood and oxygen around his body. It seemed it had now acquired another function which was solely focused on this unusual woman who appeared like an angel in her window.
He waved back and turned on the engine, pulling his gaze determinedly away from her. What the hell was happening to him? He had no idea and, for once in his life, he didn’t care. Because it felt right. He slipped the car into gear, gave Amber once last wave and drove the short distance to his sister’s house. It seemed his world was suddenly growing a lot smaller, and he didn’t mind at all.
6
The gray watery expanse of Lake Ellesmere slowly gave way to the suburbs of Christchurch, and still Amber leaned against the window of the car, fretting over her first exhibition at an inner city gallery.
“Aren’t you excited?” asked Maddy, turning to Amber in the back seat of the car. “First proper exhibition and all that!”
“Yes, of course I am,” she replied, still seeing the gray of the water in her mind’s eye. It seemed to fit her mood.
“You don’t look it.”
Amber shrugged. Maddy was right, she didn’t. And neither did she feel it. “It’s just…” She sighed. “It’s all happened so quickly.”
“That’s more reason to be excited. How David pulled it off, I don’t know!”
Amber sucked her lip. Nor did she.
Gabe looked at her in the rear-view mirror. “Is the gallery owner a friend of his?”
Amber shrugged. “I guess.”
“Don’t you know?” he asked.
“No.” She pulled her gaze from the growing suburbia and looked at Gabe. “Want to know why?” She didn’t pause for a response. “Because I’ve hardly spoken two words to him in the two weeks since I last saw him. And I thought we were getting on so well.” She slumped back in the seat and rubbed her forehead.
“Over to you,” murmured Gabe to Maddy. Amber couldn’t even be bothered to glare at her brother. What was it with men and emotions? They came across all tough and yet didn’t seem to be able to handle, let alone talk about, their feelings. If they had them. Amber grunted to herself. Especially David. He was the worst of the lot. Kissing her so tenderly and sexily one minute and then disappearing with hardly a word. What on earth could be so pressing that he made sure he didn’t come anywhere near her for two weeks? But she knew the answer. Nothing. Nothing was so pressing. It was obvious that he didn’t want to have a relationship with her. The kisses which she’d thought to be so wondrous obviously were significantly less wondrous for him. The exhibition? Well, she guessed that was either a friendly favor, or a parting thank you gift. Thank you for what, though? That was the question.
Maddy reached through to the rear seat, grabbed Amber’s hand and squeezed it. “He’s probably busy. Arranging an exhibition for you at a prestigious gallery is hardly the sign of someone not interested in you.”
“I guess not. It’s just…”
“What?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. How can I know what I don’t know?”
Gabe’s brow lowered in confusion.
Maddy squeezed her hand. “You can’t. But he said he’s coming, didn’t he?”
Amber nodded.
“Then maybe you should ask him what it is you don’t know. Ask him why he’s holding back, what makes him come on strong one minute, and then back off the next.”
Gabe shot a quick smile at Maddy, obviously relieved that his beautiful wife was able to untangle Amber’s thought processes.
