‘No, I’m good for now. I’ll have something later.’ He held her gaze for a moment, the little smile now a broad grin. He didn’t miss the small flush of colour to her cheeks before she turned away.
‘What you doing two weeks Sunday?’ The question brought Erin to a halt.
She turned to face him. ‘Why?’
‘Bex and Joe are having a barbecue. Didn’t know if you fancied coming. You could catch up with Bex, maybe. It’s all very casual and low key.’
‘I’ll be busy. I’ve got something on.’
Kerry raised his eyebrows. ‘Really? You’ve got something to do in Rossway.’ He could tell she was being evasive. It intrigued him. ‘Come on, you never know, you might enjoy yourself. Or is it that you don’t want to associate with the locals?’ He gave a wink to show he wasn’t being totally serious.
‘It’s not that.’
‘So…,’ prompted Kerry. ‘You going to enlighten me?’
‘I hardly know you, for a start.’
Kerry let out a small burst of laughter. She dipped her head but he could see the smile on her face.
‘Okay. I’m twenty-six. My star sign is Aries. My favourite food is Indian. I like rock music and ride a motorbike. I love the sea and hate the gym.’ He rattled the facts off like a machine gun in rapid-fire mode. ‘Oh, and I was kicked out of the Scouts for setting fire to a tent…by accident, of course. What more do you need to know? Come on, say yes.’
‘Normally, I would say yes,’ said Erin.
‘Just say it, then,’ said Kerry. ‘It’s not hard. Y. E. S. Yes. Go on, give it a try.’
‘I have a visitor coming. From England,’ said Erin. The smile slipped from her face. ‘My boyfriend.’
Kerry hadn’t been expecting that, but then he wasn’t entirely surprised. Why wouldn’t she have a boyfriend? ‘Bring him too,’ he said. Not because he especially revelled in the idea, but a certain morbid curiosity had swept over him. He’d like to see what sort of fella had won Erin’s affections.
‘I’m not sure,’ said Erin. ‘I haven’t seen Bex since I left Rossway all those years ago. She might not even want me gate-crashing.’
‘Bex won’t mind. She’s the most laid-back person I know.’ Kerry lifted the bowl to scrape the last of the ice-cream for Storm.
‘I’ll have a think about it.’
The bell tinkled above the door as two customers arrived. Erin smiled at Kerry, before going off to greet them. Kerry turned his attention to his coffee.
‘All done?’ said Erin coming over to them some ten minutes later. She took the bowl and coffee cup from the table.
‘If you do decide to come to the barbecue,’ said Kerry ensuring a casual tone to his voice, ‘it’s Apple Tree Cottage, Corkscrew Lane, but I’ll see you before then anyway.’ He wiped Storm’s mouth with a napkin and lifted him down from the chair. He pulled out a note from his wallet and gave it to Storm. ‘Here you go, Superman, give the money to the lady and say bye.’
As Storm went to pass the note to Erin, he let go of it too soon and it fluttered to the floor. Erin stooped down and picked up the money, handing it back to Storm. ‘My treat.’
‘Say thank you to the lovely lady,’ prompted Kerry, giving Storm a gentle nudge forwards.
Without warning Storm planted a rather sloppy kiss on Erin’s cheek. ‘Thank you, lovely lady,’ he said.
‘Thank you, Storm. You’re welcome.’ Erin stood up.
Kerry grinned and then, on impulse, he too gave Erin a surprise kiss on the other cheek. ‘Thank you, lovely lady,’ he said.
‘What was that for?’
‘Just being friendly,’ said Kerry, feigning innocence.
Kerry left the café without so much as a backward glance, feeling very pleased with himself. He ignored the small voice of warning in his head. Erin Hurley was complicated, secretive and she had a boyfriend. He should be staying well clear, but never one to walk on the safe side, the intrigue was drawing him in.
Joe’s parents, Max and Louise, were at Apple Tree Cottage when Kerry arrived back with Storm. While Louise cooed over the baby and made a fuss of her grandson, Max took Kerry to one side.
‘You got a minute, Kerry?’
Kerry followed his uncle into the garden and lighting a cigarette each, they wandered towards the far end of the lawn, where the hedge and picket gate segregated the vegetable patch.
Kerry had no idea what Max wanted to talk about, although the troubled look on his face gave him a good indication he wouldn’t like what was coming next. Max pushed his hand into the back pocket of his trousers and pulled out an envelope. He proffered it to Kerry. ‘It’s a letter from your mother. Go on, take it.’ He waved the letter in his hand. Kerry could see his name written in his mother’s hand-writing, no address, no stamp. ‘It came in another envelope with a card for your aunt’s birthday,’ explained Max, as if reading Kerry’s thoughts.