hadn’t
married
Kit’s
grandfather til …
Both Kit and her grandmother laughed at whatever they saw in his face. ‘Relax, Alex,’ Kit ordered, her smile wide enough to ease some of the tension in his shoulders. The woman was a witch!
‘Grandma’s
just
teasing.’
She
tossed
her
grandmother an affectionate grin. ‘Behave, Gran.’
‘You young ones always want to spoil my fun.
Now, Kit, dear, can you explain those extraordinary noises you were making as I came around the side of the house?’
‘I was trying to show Alex the difference between a hyena’s bray and a donkey’s bray.’
‘Hyenas don’t bray, Kit, dear, they laugh. So, how did you get on?’
‘Only Alex can answer that.’
Two sets of identical eyes turned to him for confirmation. His lips final y twitched too. He found himself inclined to warm to Kit’s grandmother for knowing the difference between a laugh and a bray.
And for having eyes identical to Kit’s. ‘She got on perfectly.’
‘Excel ent.’
It struck him that when she’d been a younger woman, Patricia Rawlinson must’ve been very beautiful. She was stil striking now and she had to be at least seventy. Stil , his col ar remained tight around his neck. Hypothetical wal s threatened to close about him. He wanted out of this garden fast.
‘I’l …um…go put the jug on.’ No doubt they had loads to talk about. He edged towards the back door.
‘Hold on a moment, young Alex.’
He almost tripped up a back step. He couldn’t remember anyone ever cal ing him young Alex in his life.
‘I’d like to invite you both to a luncheon next weekend.’
Kit groaned. Alex’s eyebrow lifted. It wasn’t the reaction he’d have expected from her. Images of meat cleavers rose in his mind. Patti might know the difference between brays and laughs, but he’d bet she had a whole lot in common with Caro too.
‘What on earth is this one for?’ Kit asked. ‘And how much wil it cost me?’
‘This one is for breast cancer, dear. A gold coin donation is al that’s required. And I’d appreciate it if you could bring a plate.’
Kit’s eyes danced when they glanced at him. ‘Alex has been threatening to give me cooking lessons.’
‘Oh, darling, if he can cook, why bother learning?’
He’d have laughed if his col ar hadn’t pul ed so tight.
‘I’l definitely come to your luncheon. Alex wil have to be a maybe. It’l depend on whether any deliveries are scheduled for that day. We’ve had a couple of delays.’
His col ar promptly loosened. Kit had given him an out.
A new sick kind of nausea fil ed him then instead.
Maybe she didn’t want him to go to this luncheon.
Why on earth would she? He was going to let her down, wasn’t he? Maybe subconsciously she sensed that?
‘Can I ask Frank and Doreen along? And Caro?’
Of course she’d like to have her friends there. He rol ed his shoulders. Maybe she’d let him tag along too if he helped her bake a cake?
For Pete’s sake! It was only a stupid luncheon.
What did he want with one of those?
‘I saw Frank and Doreen out the front so I’ve invited them already. Caro and co are always welcome.’
Alex thrust himself through the back door, but not before he heard Patti ask, ‘Alex does mean to put your house back together, doesn’t he, dear?’
‘I believe that’s the plan.’
