I take a moment to absorb this. Could this explain why Lyla won’t admit that her pregnancy is the result of a one-night stand? Would that upset Suki too much? ‘You mean,’ I add hesitantly, ‘Suki wants to fix you up withDinah?’
Oliver nods, grinning now. His blue eyes catch the morning light.
‘And that’s why she invited you both this weekend?’
‘Reckon so, although I gather that that wasn’t her original plan. But I think a couple of her friends – her so-called friends – dropped out …’
‘Ah.’ I smile. ‘So you and I were late additions?’
He grimaces. ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to put it like that.’
‘No, it’s fine,’ I say firmly. ‘I kind of guessed.’
‘Yeah, I did too.’ Oliver chuckles. ‘Because Suki told me not to make any snap judgements about Dinah. To give her time, to get to know her, as she’s a wonderful person underneath …’
I smile. What had Suki said about me, I wonder?
‘She said you seemed great, that one time she’d met you,’ he adds, as if reading my thoughts. ‘That you’re obviously so supportive of your son.’
‘I try to be,’ I say, slightly taken aback. ‘I’m just doing my best really.’ I pause, keen to veer away fromthe topic before Oliver asks how Ireallyfeel about the baby situation. I had quite enough of that last night, from Dinah. We gather ourselves up and start to stroll back slowly, crunching twigs and brittle leaves underfoot.
‘Does Dinah know Suki’s trying to get you two together?’ I ask.
‘Uh, no. I can’t imagine she does.’
‘So,’ I add carefully, ‘Dinah’s here for you, and I’m here to balance things out—’
‘Are you?’ Oliver looks bemused.
‘Yes. That’s what Suki told me. She said this kind of place—’ I look around at the dense forest ‘—isn’t really Dinah’s thing. But now you’ve told me this, I reckon I’m here to make the matchmaking project a little bit less obvious. You know, to sort of dilute things. Make things less intense …’ I can’t help smiling at the irony.
Oliver looks at me quizzically. ‘What is it?’
Well, things weren’t exactly un-intense when I was grappling with Frank over the hamper and smashing the champagne …‘I was, um … a bit apprehensive about coming here,’ I admit.
‘And I was so rude to you.’
‘No.’ I shake my head. ‘You just seemed preoccupied.’
‘I thought I’d made a big mistake in coming,’ he admits. ‘That’s all.’
We walk in easy silence for a few moments. ‘I hope it all works out,’ I say as Suki’s cabin comes into view. ‘I mean, I hope this weekend’s not too awkward or difficult for you.’ I stop and look at him, registering the vivid blue of his eyes, and wonder what Dinah thinks about him really. He’s attractive, certainly. But I can’t imagine thetwo of them hitting it off. ‘Now you’ve told me all that, I feel a bit bad actually,’ I add.
‘Why?’
‘Because …’ I push back my windblown hair, wondering how best to put it. ‘I won’t be here to dilute things. I’m sorry. It probably seems a bit off, and Suki was so kind to invite me. But I’m not sure about being the balancing-out person this weekend, you know? After last night—’
‘You mean you’re going home early?’ he exclaims.
‘Yeah, I think it’s best.’ I nod.
‘You’re planning to leave me here with Dinah and my sister?’ Oliver feigns horror, and I laugh.
‘I’m sure you’ll survive!’
‘Yeah.’ He nods. ‘Guess I’ll have to. It seems a shame, though, after you’ve come all this way. Why not see how today goes?’ He looks up at the searing blue sky. ‘Weather looks promising.’
‘Yes, it does.’ And now, as Suki appears on the decking, clutching a coffee pot, I glance at Oliver again.
