CHAPTER14
Dinner was a success, Erin thought, ushering everyone inside to relax in the living room. And for the first time in weeks, she felt happy. Positive. Having a home full of people for the first time since Scott’s death wasn’t nearly as stressful as she thought it would be.
‘What can I get everyone?’ she asked, turning on some music. ‘Tea, more coffee? A cocktail perhaps?’
‘A c-type charger if you have one?’ Aiden said, looking at his phone. ‘I can’t find mine anywhere and I’m down to four percent.’
‘There’s one on my bedside table,’ Beth said. ‘Just take that, I have another in my case.’
‘A Baileys coffee would be good,’ Alex suggested. ‘Been ages since I’ve made them. Do you have skooshy cream, Erin?’
‘Affirmative,’ she replied. ‘Anyone else?’
‘Ooh, yes please,’ Beth answered while she swiped through Erin’s Spotify. ‘I swear, Erin, your musical tastes have gotten worse. How is that possible?’
Becky raised her hand in agreement.
‘Nothing for me,’ Christine responded. ‘I’m rather tired. Aren’t you, darling?’
Becky lowered her hand again. She wasn’t tired, but it didn’t feel right, leaving Christine to go to bed alone while she stayed up. Not when they were trying to work through things. ‘Yes actually, maybe we should turn in. We’ve had a long journey.’
‘It’s only ten o’clock,’ Tara remarked. She almost sounded offended. ‘Alex’s coffees are legendary, totally worth losing beauty sleep over. You can make up the extra hour in the morning.’
‘We’ll catch up properly tomorrow,’ Becky insisted, putting an end to the debate. ‘Night, everyone.’
Aiden returned, passing Becky and Christine on the way out. ‘Thanks for the charger, Beth. You’re a lifesaver.’
‘No worries,’ she replied. ‘We’re making Baileys coffee if you’re interested.’
‘Absolutely. Can I give anyone a hand?’
‘Yeah, I’m sure Alex could use some help,’ Beth replied. ‘Mumford & Sons, Erin, really?’
Alex was already in the kitchen, filling the kettle. ‘How do you not own a coffee machine?’ she asked, ‘I’m having to use the council coffee.’
‘I do own a coffee machine,’ Aiden replied, ‘I just don’t tend to travel with it.’
Alex spun around, soaking her hand under the tap. ‘Oh! Sorry, thought you were Erin!’
He laughed. ‘I gathered that. I’ve been sent to assist.’
‘We need six mugs.’ Alex informed him, plugging the kettle in. ‘Fancy ones if she has them.’
Erin’s kitchen wasn’t overly large but had obviously been designed by someone who had an unhealthy penchant for storage space. There were so many little cupboard doors and hidden units it looked like a blueprint for an advent calendar. Thinking logically, Aiden tried the cupboards above the kettle first.
‘Can I just…’ He brushed past Alex and opened the door above her head. Bingo. Mugs.
‘First time lucky,’ he remarked. ‘Now, what do you consider fancy, because these all look a bit fancy, to be honest.’
‘Hmm, glass ones to the left, I think.’
As he handed them down, she felt proud of herself. Actually, she felt proud of them both.Just two adults behaving like grown-ups, she thought.People fancy each other all the time, it’s normal. It’s human. It’s goddamn biology. It doesn’t always have to mean something. This was just a blip on what will be a wonderful weekend.
Coffee made, Alex added the Baileys and Aiden the whipped cream. ‘Teamwork,’ she said, as they admired their rather infantile-looking drinks.
‘How are we getting on in there?’ Erin yelled from the living room. ‘We’re all gasping.’
‘Coming!’ Alex shouted, lifting the first tray, while Aiden followed behind with the second. If they carried on like this, the weekend might not be so awkward after all.
