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‘So, have you, erm,’ she laughed, composing herself as she sat down. ‘Have you lived here long?’
‘Just under four years, we bought the place shortly after we got married. We wanted to be out in the countryside, away from the light pollution and the bustle.’
‘Cole loves me almost as much as he loves the stars,’ joked Elsie.
‘Almost,’ he laughed.
‘Do you have a telescope?’ asked Tom.
Cole smiled with pride. ‘It’s more of an observatory. Did you want to come take a look?’
Anna grinned as Tom’s eyes widened. ‘Yes, I’d love to.’
As the two of them left the room, Tom glanced back at Elsie and for a brief moment she caught his eye. For just a second she saw a glint of something there.
She knew that look, it was that backward glance that everyone does when they’ve seen someone attractive - that irresistible urge to look again and to satisfy that part of you that enjoyed just looking at them, but he had done it with a boldness and a smile that made her feel weak at the knees.
She laughed to herself. He had literally swept her off her feet.
Anna had noticed too, and she giggled as Elsie turned to look at her and blushed.
‘He’s a cheeky fucker isn’t he? You are his type though. Tall, brunette, fast talking, ultra smart. I bet you do Yoga.’
Elsie laughed and nodded as she continued.
‘I sometimes wonder what the hell he’s doing with me?’
Elsie frowned and went to speak, but Anna carried on.
‘Oh, don’t worry. I know he loves me,’ she laughed at this and raised her eyebrows. ‘It’s just I’m small, blonde and whilst I’m not dumb, I’m not an MIT graduate crypto-scrumptious brainiac either.’
‘You’re smart and hot,’ said Elsie. ‘Are you kidding me?’
Anna’s expression changed and she frowned and then smiled, taken aback. ‘No one’s said that to me in a while. Thank you.’
For a long moment the two of them looked at one another, a brief frown flashing across Anna’s brow as the seconds ticked away. Then Elsie sensed someone standing in the doorway and she turned to look, blushing with guilt.
Alice raised her eyebrows as the two of them grinned awkwardly, more than a little flustered.
‘Were you two having a moment?’ she laughed. ‘Did I interrupt the start of something beautiful. The kids are out the back, the men are upstairs, I reckon I could stall everyone for at least ten minutes if you two want to get it out of your system.’
‘Ooh la la, no,’ giggled Anna, going bright red. ‘We were just talking.’
‘Are you sure? Because she’s great in bed, she’s does this thing with her tongue-‘
‘Alice!’ interrupted Elsie, her eyes wide.
‘Oops, I’m in trouble now,’ she said, making guilty eyes at Anna whose expression was somewhere between hysterical and shocked.
Emilia stepped in behind her sister, placing her hand in the small of her back as she looked around the room. ‘Is my big sister being mean?’
Elsie laughed as Anna looked away relieved. ‘She’s just being her usual self.’
‘Oh gosh,’ admonished Emilia, shaking her head. ‘It’s the worst when she does that, isn’t it?’
‘Hey,’ laughed Alice. ‘Now who’s being mean?’
‘I’m going to push off,’ said Emilia to them all. ‘I need to get back before my husband starts to worry.’
