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Gwen suppressed the flicker of irritation at her son’s lack of warmth.
As if he realized it as well, he came to himself with a rueful smile and held out his hand for John to shake. “Of course, I remember now! Those were the good old days, eh? I have a distinct memory of eating a Mr. Whippy in the rain because Mum wouldn’t allow ice cream in the caravan.”
“Well, it can get everywhere and it’s so sticky,” Gwen replied with a smile, and John shook Matthew’s hand.
“I think I have the same memory,” he told him. “Adults weren’t allowed ice cream indoors, either!” He glanced back at Gwen with a humorous smile that she saw her son noticed—and had his eyes narrowing.
For goodness’ sake, Gwen thought with genuine irritation now. Was she not allowed to have friends?
Seeming to sense the slightly uneasy mood, John glanced between them both and said, “Maybe now would be a good time to have a look in the shed for those tools?”
“What tools are you looking for?” Matthew asked. “I’m only asking because I’ve done a bit of a reorg of all the outside sheds, so if you’re looking for something in particular, I could tell you where to find it.”
“One of your father’s toolsheds,” Gwen told Matthew, “where he kept some woodworking things. I don’t think you’ve had a look through that, have you?”
“No, I don’t think I have,” he admitted, and Gwen gave him a pointed glance before turning to John.
“I’ll show you where it is,” she said, and left Matthew alone in the kitchen.
Outside in the garden, John let out a small, uneasy laugh. “Are you sure I won’t be stepping on any toes by working on this?” he asked.
“No, you won’t be,” Gwen replied firmly. “It’s true Matthew has been involved in the garden quite a bit, but the things you’re offering to do are jobs that he can’t.”
“Even so—”
“I want them done, and I like your ideas,” Gwen told him. “Don’t worry about Matthew.” She opened the door to the shed, breathing in the musty smell of earth and sawdust. “Goodness, I don’t think anyone’s been in here in years,” she exclaimed, as she brushed cobwebs from the workbench. “David had another toolshed for more everyday things. I think Matthew has that one well in hand, but he clearly hasn’t been in here.”
John stepped into the shed behind her, and Gwen was suddenly, rather overwhelmingly conscious of how small the space was, how close John was. “As long as you’re sure,” he said, his voice low and near her ear.
A shiver went through her that she did her best to suppress. It was absolutely no good having these kinds of feelings, she told herself. Really, it was rather ridiculous in a woman of her age, and especially when John was clearly still missing Michelle. Besides, she wasn’t at all sure she could trust her own feelings; after so many years on her own, maybe she was just getting a bit carried away.
“I’m sure,” she replied, slipping past him as quickly as she could. Out in the garden, she took a steadying breath of cool, clean air. “But I’ll leave you to it for now, if you don’t mind. You can do what you like with anything in there. And if you need anything else, let me know, and I’ll see if I can find it.”
“Thank you, Gwen,” John told her sincerely. “You don’t know what it means to me, to have a project.”
“You don’t know what it means tome,” Gwen replied, “to have you doing this for us!”
With a cheery smile, she turned and walked quickly back into the kitchen, steeling herself for a confrontation she knew she wasn’t going to like.
Sure enough, Matthew was still in the kitchen, looking a bit like a sulky schoolboy.
Gwen shook her head as she closed the door. “What,” she asked him, “was all that about?”
“Was allwhatabout?” Matthew returned in a tone of injured innocence.
“Matthew!” Gwen shook her head, her hands planted on her hips. “Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about! You weren’t very friendly with John. In fact, I might say you were almostrude.”
“I wasn’t,” Matthew replied, although under Gwen’s steely stare, his expression turned abashed. “All right, maybe I was, at least a little bit, but only because I was so surprised, Mum. I didn’t even know he was coming today, or that you’d been in touch with him.”
“I didn’t realize I had to inform you of all my business,” Gwen replied. “Or whom I’m friends with! I’m a grown woman as well as your mother, Matthew Davies, I’ll have you remember.” She stared him down until he dropped his gaze.
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “I admit, I acted like an idiot. I was just surprised.” He paused before asking cautiously, “But what are you saying, Mum?” He looked up at her. “Is this guy important to you?”
Gwen’s breath came out in a rush as her shoulders slumped a little. “Matthew, I met him again for the first time in ten years yesterday. He’s a friend, that’s all.”
“When I came into the kitchen—”
“That’sall,” Gwen emphasized, her voice taking on an iron-like quality she hadn’t used with him since he’d been small. “Now, maybe you could see if he needs any other tools? He’s got some plans for the garden that I think you’ll like.”
