Page 53 of Be More Capybara

‘Thanks.’

His tone was flat. Her Madison comment had definitely ruined the atmosphere. ‘I’m sorry I mentioned your wife. Is everything ok?’

He started unpacking the shopping bag. ‘I had a phone call from my attorney just before I left the Grange.’

‘And?’

‘I’ll have to go over there for a deposition.’

‘Can’t you do it over Zoom or something?

‘Better if I do it in person, apparently.’

‘Will you get to talk to Madison?’

‘No. She doesn’t have to be there. I’m just not looking forward to being back in New York. I’ve been able to shut it all out to a certain extent. We’re in a little bubble here.’

‘When will you go?’

‘I’ve been thinking about that. Mum invited me to join her and Klaus, and Julia and family for the solar eclipse upstate in a few weeks. I could organise it to coincide with that.’

‘You didn’t mention going on holiday.’

‘She asked me about it the first day I was back. I wasn’t sure what I was going to be doing for the next week, let alone months in advance, so I left it open. But I could do both. She’s picked a nice part of the country to stay.’

Helen was thinking about the last eclipse they’d been at. From the way he was avoiding eye contact, Nigel might be thinking about it too.

He picked up the bag of spuds. ‘Anyway, that’s weeks away. I have potatoes to prep. Where’s your peeler?’

39

NIGEL

Nigel arranged the final layer of potato slices in the dish and sprinkled the top with grated nutmeg. He opened the oven door.

Helen looked up from her laptop. ‘How long’s that going to take?’

‘About an hour and a half,’ he said, sliding the dish onto the top shelf and slamming the door shut. ‘I’ve got a 55-minute gap before I need to do anything else. Fancy a glass of wine while we wait?’

‘Why not?’ Helen closed the laptop. ‘I’ve done enough for today. You have got this timed to the minute.’

He grinned. ‘I’m actually 5 minutes behind schedule.’

Not that it mattered. He picked up the wine bottle. Just the right temperature. Helen presented him with two glasses. ‘Thank you.’

She looked at the bottle. ‘A white Rioja. I thought you’d bring red.’

‘You prefer white, don’t you? The wine merchant said this one would work with steak.’

‘You went to the wine merchant’s?’

‘Yes. You sound surprised.’

‘I’m usually a supermarket wine drinker. You’re spoiling me.’

Because I like spoiling you. But Nigel decided against saying that out loud.

He handed her a glass.