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‘You don’t have your phone on you.’
She stopped by the exit, turning to glare at him. How did he know that?
‘Not unless it’s hidden under that dress,’ he said, scanning her flimsy gown.
Smart-arse. ‘Do you have your phone on you?’
He unearthed it from his trouser pocket. ‘I do.’
‘Fine. But I’m taking the lead, okay? This is my grandma, my family, and my problem to resolve.’ She pushed open the door.
‘Believe me, I have no wish to involve myself in your family dramas.’
‘Huh! Bit late for that, don’t you think?’
‘Meaning?’
‘You kissed my mother.’ She let the door slam in his face and marched across the forecourt, satisfied that she’d had the last word.
He appeared a moment later, catching her up as she half-ran, half-shuffled towards the road in her long dress, battling against the strong wind. ‘Wait up!’
No way was she waiting for him. ‘Do you often go around kissing daughters and mothers from the same household?’ she said, crossing the road. ‘Is it like your thing? Do you have a fetish, or something?’
‘Of course not, and for the record, she kissed me.’
Beth yanked up her dress and hopped over the ditch. ‘I didn’t see you objecting.’
‘I didn’t have time. The second she kissed me, you showed up.’ He jumped the ditch behind her, landing safely on the other side and not face down in the muddy water. Shame.
‘Apologies for interrupting you. How inconvenient.’ She marched across the moor, holding her skirt in one hand, searching for her grandma. There was no sign of her. The sky above was a mottled grey, the clouds moving at speed, creating shadows across the landscape. Even the weather was being theatrical this weekend.
‘What is your problem? You’ve been busting my balls all weekend.’ He caught her up again and they stopped to scan the area. ‘Do you know what your grandmother is wearing?’
‘You know damn well what the problem is.’ She swung around to face him. ‘And of course I don’t know what my bloody grandma is wearing. Her nightgown, probably.’ The idea of Grandma Doris being out here, alone, made Beth feel sick. A dollop of cold hit the back of her neck. She looked up. ‘Great, it’s started raining.’ That was all they needed. ‘Grandma Doris!’ she yelled, scuttling away and hoping for a reply. But if her grandma had answered, it was lost in the wind.
Matt climbed onto a large boulder, shielding his eyes as he searched the area. The horizon was obscured by rolling mist. The poor light masked the rocky boulders, creating a blur between land and sky.
‘Can you see anything?’
‘Nothing.’ He jumped down. ‘And I still don’t understand why you don’t trust me.’
Beth resumed walking, noticing that her white trainers were once again caked in mud. ‘I would’ve thought that was obvious. First you lie to me about your dad, and then you hook up with my mother. I’d call that untrustworthy, wouldn’t you? Grandma Doris!’
‘It sounds like an excuse to me. You’re searching for reasons to reject me, because you don’t have the courage to see if this thing between us means anything.’ He cupped his hands around his mouth. ‘Doris! Are you there?!’
‘There is nothing between us.’
‘Fine.’ He turned to face her. ‘Then stop busting my balls, because if you don’t care about me, why are you so bothered about me kissing your mum?’ He walked off before she could respond.
She had to run to catch him up, the shawl around her neck was now wet and irritating. Her hair was falling out of its clasp and her glasses were steaming up. ‘You said she kissed you.’
‘She did.’
‘Like I’m going to believe anything you say. Grandma Doris!’
‘I don’t lie, unlike you.’ He stopped so abruptly she almost smacked into his back.
She stumbled to avoid falling into him. ‘What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t lie.’
