She heard his sigh, even though the breeze was hissing in her ears and whipping his hair across his eyes. ‘Yes. Does that make a difference?’
The volleyball men were shouting again. Martyn acknowledged with a wave and began to trot down the slope.
Honor watched him go, muscles rippling under his running clothes, long-sleeved and full length so that his tan wouldn’t get diced up. ‘Yes,’ she whispered. She sighed and climbed to her feet. If she wasn’t too much mistaken, Martyn had just told her that what he wanted was commitment. According to the rules, that was meant to make her happy. Funny.
* * *
Back home, Sunday was one of Stef’s favourite days to work at the diner because it would be jumping with kids out of school and Monday to Friday workers who’d broken free from their treadmills.
But the Teapot, he discovered this particular Sunday, boasted the same number of grey heads, tan cardigans and sensible sandals as it did any other day.
Comparing the quaint Eastingdean Teapot to the chrome and plastic Drives Diner was like comparing a tinkling music box to a jukebox blasting out Springsteen.
Robina smiled vaguely in his direction but didn’t stop work, if you could call it work, decorating a cake. Customers read fat Sunday newspapers or murmured their way through tedious conversations, puttinglyin words that didn’t need it, likerealandquick.
Stef couldn’t stand to watch that much nothing happening. He left after one cup of coffee.
He wandered down the street, crossed the busy coast road and gazed at the ocean for a while, hugging his jeans jacket around him. It would be over eighty degrees in Connecticut,right now. He ought to be there, enjoying the sun, celebrating his freedom, not chasing around liddle ole England. The sooner he made Honor see sense, the better he’d like it.
So he turned and made for Honor’s rented house. But when he reached it, it was empty. Or, at least, if Honor was there, she wasn’t answering the door of the dull-but-cutesy, white-painted, single-storey house. Mooching back down the stairs, he took a seat on the second step. He’d wait.
He waited for quite a while, giving himself a numb butt, bored to tears with the view of untended garden. Finally, he was rewarded not by Honor running up the drive but by a small white car pulling in. A bug. And, well hey, the woman who hopped out was the other one he’d watched giving Martyn Mayfair a hard time right after Robina-mom-in-law had finished screaming at him. Stef’s nose for trouble twitched. He rose to his feet as she made for the steps. ‘Hi.’
She pulled up short, eyeing him speculatively.
‘I’m Honor’s husband, Stefan Sontag.’
Her eyebrows snapped down. ‘Honor’shusband?’
He sighed. ‘Yes, ma’am. But I guess you didn’t know about me, right?’ He pinned on his best rueful-and-harmless expression.
‘That’s right.’ She didn’t look any too pleased to be in possession of the knowledge and it took her several seconds to digest it. ‘I’m Clarissa; Honor’s renting the bungalow from me,’ she said, eventually. ‘I called to ask her to get her grass cut. Again.’ She glanced down at where the grass had grown so long that it had fallen over the edge of the drive. ‘She keeps promising . . .’
Stef smiled, scenting opportunity. ‘I don’t think Honor cares for yard work. But, now I’m here, I’d be happy to do it, if I can find a machine to use.’
She brightened. ‘No problem. There’s one in the garage.’
‘Do you have another key? Honor only has one but she said she’d ask her landlady for another — and that’s you, right?’
‘That’s right. But she should have a spare.’ Her lips pursed in fresh suspicion.
He grinned. ‘That’s what she said! She was sure she had a spare. But you know Honor, she’s forgotten where it was. Just like she’s forgotten the time, now, most likely.’
‘The key should be hanging up inside one of the kitchen cabinets.’
‘Great.’ Stef stood back and gestured Clarissa ahead of him. ‘If you can just let me in, I’ll search for it.’
Clarissa hesitated. ‘I ought to wait and ask Honor if it’s OK.’
Damn!But Stef was too shrewd to complain. He just made a performance of settling himself back on the step. ‘I appreciate you looking out for her safety. I’ve been real worried while she’s been here in Europe and I won’t be happy until she’s home in Connecticut with me.’
For several moments, Clarissa just looked at him. ‘You’ve come to fetch Honor home?’
‘That’s my plan.’ He laughed, as if stating the obvious.
She tapped her keys on her palm. ‘I see.’ She tapped some more. Faster. ‘It’s just that Honor rented the bungalow for four months.’
He went for sincerity. ‘And if Honor signed up for four months’ rent, that’s what you’ll get.’ He launched into a eulogy about Honor being so honourable that she’d travel across continents just to return a few cents she owed.
