She resisted the urge to step towards him. ‘Goodnight. And thank you,’ she added.
‘My pleasure.’ He took a step outside and then turned to her. ‘Perhaps we could do it again some time?’
‘I’d like that.’
She didn’t wait to watch him drive away but shut the door before he’d reached the end of the garden path. She leaned back against the door and closed her eyes. She stayed there, listening to the sound of him entering the car, a pause before he turned on the ignition and drove away. There was no abrupt acceleration as he drove off down the long road, although she was sure he must have felt a certain amount of frustration.
She was about to turn off the light when she caught sight of herself in the mirror. Her hair was loose and she hardly recognised herself. She looked so much younger. While she was wearing some make-up, whereas she usually didn’t, it wasn’t that. The change was in the expression in her eyes. They looked larger, more innocent and more hopeful than she’d seen them in years.
She switched off the light and turned her back on her now shadowy image in the mirror. She didn’t want to be reminded of that girl. She’d thought she was gone. But it seemed she wasn’t. And she didn’t have the first idea what to do about it.
Chapter Fifteen
What had he said?
For the nth time that morning, Dan asked himself that question.
One minute everything had been going so well — or so he’d thought — and the next she’d closed down. The warmth and fun had disappeared from her eyes in an instant.
He’d racked his brains and come up with only one thing. He’d asked the question and the next instant the evening had suddenly soured and come to an abrupt halt.
Don’t you miss it?
The question had felt innocuous at the time. Just something polite and interested. He did want to know. And, for some reason, she hadn’t wanted to tell him.
‘Daniel!’
Dan turned to his mother across the café table from him. ‘Sorry, I was miles away.’
‘Yes, I know that much. What I don’t understand is why you insisted on bringing me out for breakfast when your mind is clearly elsewhere.’
He grimaced. ‘Because I want to be here with you, not…’ He shrugged. He couldn’t quite bring himself to say he didn’t want to be elsewhere, because he did want to be with Augi. But that wouldn’t be much good because he knew he still wouldn’t be able to find out why she’d ended their date looking like she’d lost more than she’d gained.
Luckily Kate was once again distracted from his lack of conversation by someone greeting her and stopping to talk. He was convinced his mother knew absolutely everybody in the village. In Kapiti probably, too. And Wellington. Hell, why stop at that. She probably knew everyone in New Zealand. She was the type of person his US friends used to imagine was a typical New Zealander. Someone who seemed to know everyone else. And in her case, they were right.
It had taken them three times as long to walk down the street as it did when he walked by himself. Everyone stopped to talk to her. If she didn’t know them, Kate made it a point to stop and talk to them, and welcome them to the area. If there was ever an informal mayor of the village it was his mother.
He could just picture it.
She got up and hugged the woman before turning back to Dan.
‘That was Karen. I haven’t seen her in ages,’ she said by way of explanation.
‘Uh-huh’, he said.
She gave him a sharp look. ‘What are you smirking at?’ she asked before taking a sip of her coffee.
‘I was just wondering if you’d ever thought of standing for mayor.’
Kate made a dismissive sound, and looked out the window. ‘No way. I had enough politics working in the Ministry of Education to last me a lifetime, thank you very much.’ She broke out into a wide smile as one of the waitresses approached. ‘Hello, there! I haven’t seen you for ages. How is your mother?’
Dan sighed and sat back. That would be another ten minutes he’d never see again. He got out his phone and began scrolling. He nearly passed the message, and had to scroll back quickly. Augi.
He leaned forward, both arms on the table as he focused on it.
‘Have an update from Michigan lawyers. Can we meet?’
He quickly replied in the affirmative. He didn’t want to lose the advantage. He suggested half an hour’s time at her place, assuming she must have changed her work plans.
