‘Urge him to,’ she says. ‘I’m a teacher at the school he’s making it for,’ she explains, whispering conspiratorially, ‘I put the job his way.’
Eek, I hope I haven’t just landed him in it.
‘Well, it’s all looking fantastic so far,’ I enthuse, overegging it a bit. ‘The kids willloveit.’
She smiles. ‘I know they will. Charlie’s pieces are works of art.’
She and Thomas have gone into their house by the time Charlie appears.
I hop down from the wall. ‘I just saw Jacqueline, no, Evelyn, no—’
‘Jocelyn,’ he helps me out as he pushes the pram up to the door.
‘That’s the one. Nice lady. She offered to babysit April for you if you need some help.’
‘That was nice of her,’ he murmurs, leaning over April to put his key in the lock.
‘She meant it. I could tell,’ I state, wheeling my bicycle up the path behind him, my shopping hung over the handle. ‘She’s around this afternoon,’ I add, looking around for something to lock the bike to.
‘Okay, thanks,’ he says as he pushes the pram over the threshold.
I can tell by the tone of his voice that he’s not going to accept her offer of help, but I don’t know why.
‘What isthat?’ he asks, stopping so abruptly that I almost ram into him. He turns around to face me.
‘A bike.’
His face breaks into a sudden, surprising grin. ‘Where did you get it?’
‘Bicycle-hire place.’
He laughs, and I realise I should probably be annoyed that he finds the idea of me on a bike so funny, but the sight and sound of him laughing is so lovely that I find myself giggling in return.
‘What?’ I ask, mock-affronted. ‘Is it so strange that I want to get some exercise?’
‘Not at all.’ He shakes his head, trying to keep a straight face as his green – or hazel, still can’t decide – eyes sparkle. ‘But you’ll look like a right div on that thing. Bring it indoors,’ he urges. ‘There’s nowhere to lock it up out there.’
He moves the pram out of the way and holds the door back for me, so I wheel the bike into the hall.
‘You know what? Return it,’ he says suddenly. ‘You can borrow Nicki’s bike while you’re here.’
I freeze, my smile locked in place as my eyes grow rounder. He immediately sobers up.
‘No, I couldn’t.’ I shake my head.
‘Yes, you can,’ he mutters quietly, shutting the door behind me. ‘It’s in the shed. I’ll get it ready for you this weekend.’
‘Honestly, I—’
‘It’s a good bike,’ he interrupts. ‘Practically new. She bought it with the money from her book.’
I continue to protest.
‘I want it to get some use,’ he says, cutting me off again, and I know he’s had enough of my arguing.
‘Okay, thanks,’ I say edgily.
He shoves his hand deep into the pocket of his shorts and pulls out a set of keys.
