‘And you have to rush off.’
He had the grace to nod in amusement. ‘Touche. So what’s he like?’
‘Nice, I think. Normal, as far as I can tell. We have the same eyebrows.’ If he made some smart remark about the two of them having the same morals she might have to stamp on his foot.
‘The same eyebrows? You mean you take it in turns to wear them when you go out?’ Doug shook his head. ‘You want to splash out, get yourselves a pair each.’
Chapter 21
’Look, I’m sorry about yesterday,’ said Gabe.
Sally, just home from yet another pre-Christmas shopping trip, dumped her bags and took off her coat. ‘Really? Yesterday you were like a grizzly bear with a sore head.’ Actually that didn’t begin to describe him; yesterday he’d been like a bear with a sore everything.
Gabe shrugged and smiled. ‘Yesterday wasn’t the best day of my life. Now I’ve slept for thirteen hours I’m feeling a lot better.’
Well, that was a relief.
‘So I hope we can get along,’ he continued, clearly keen to make amends.
‘Me too. Can I ask you something?’
‘Fire away’
Sally eyed him in his falling-to-pieces Levi’s, bare feet and ancient T-shirt full of holes. ‘Don’t you think it’s a bit weird to be so tidy and nitpicky and go around looking such a scruffy mess?’
It had been a genuine question — she was interested, that’s all — but Gabe instantly got his hackles up.
‘No. Don’t you think it’s weird that you go around looking like you’ve stepped out of Vogue, yet at home you live in a tip?’
She pointed a warning finger. ‘Look, we’re stuck with each other, for better or worse. Please don’t start being annoying again.’
For several seconds their eyes locked. Sally could tell he was struggling to control his irritation.
Lola hadn’t said as much, but she wouldn’t be surprised if Gabe was a little bit gay on the quiet.
He was exceptionally good-looking for a start. Obsessive-compulsive when it came to tidiness.
And what straight man would ever have eyelashes that long?
‘Right. Sorry’ Evidently having reminded himself that he was supposed to be making amends, Gabe said, ‘How about a cup of tea?’
Oh well, she could be conciliatory too. ‘Great. White please, one sugar.’
‘And I’m making fettuccine Alfredo if you’re hungry.’
Ha, absolutely without a question gay. Bisexual anyway. The Australian girl must have found out — caught him flirting with some leathery-wiry Crocodile Dundee type or something — and packed him off on the first flight home.
But who cared, if he was a good cook? Sally slipped out of her shoes and removed her silver drop earrings. ‘I love fettuccine Alfredo. OK if I have a shower first?’
‘Fine.’ But the way the word came out, it didn’t sound fine.
‘What? Why are you looking at me like that?’ From the way Gabe was acting, you’d think she’d just ripped the head off a baby bird.
‘You’re just going to disappear into the bathroom and take a shower now?’
Sally gazed at him in disbelief. ‘Am I supposed to make an appointment?’
‘No.’
‘You want me to say please? Is that it?’
A muscle was thudding away in Gabe’s jaw. ‘No, I don’t want you to say please. I just don’t want you doing what you’ve just done.’
He was off his rocker. Would he prefer her not to breathe? Bewildered, Sally said, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘This!’ He pointed to the dumped carriers, and to her coat and umbrella on the chair. ‘This’ Her handbag on the coffee table. ‘Those.’ Her shoes on the carpet. ‘And them.’ Her silver earrings on the window ledge. ‘And those.’ The armful of glossy magazines she’d tried to put on the arm of the sofa, which had slithered off and landed in a heap on the floor. ‘You came into this flat one minute ago and look at the mess!’
‘Oh. Sorry’ Was that really what was upsetting him? ‘I’ll pick them up later,’ Sally said nicely, to humour him. ‘I promise.’ No you won’t, you’ll pick them up now’
‘But I’m just—’
‘Now,’ Gabe repeated firmly.
‘But—’
‘Or I throw them out of the window into the street.’
God, talk about neurotic. But since he clearly wasn’t going to give in, she rolled her eyes and retraced her steps around the living room, picking everything up. Even though it was a complete waste of time because she was going to need all these things when she left for work tomorrow morning.
‘Good. Well done,’ said Gabe when she’d finished. You had to pity him really.
