‘Not for me, thanks,’ replied Ed as he regarded the barbecue. ‘I’m not really a burger sort of man.’
‘Why don’t you get the hamper from the car?’ suggested Erin.
‘Hamper?’ said Kerry.
‘Ed brought a hamper for a picnic. I forgot to tell him we were coming here,’ said Erin. ‘We might as well share it out now.’
Kerry suspected that Erin’s forgetfulness might have been engineered. He couldn’t for one minute think Ed would have agreed to come here of his own free will. Kerry watched, amused as Ed shifted slightly on his feet and gave Erin a disapproving look at the mention of the hamper.
‘I don’t know if it’s really the thing for a barbecue,’ said Ed.
‘Why ever not?’ said Erin.
‘You know, vol-au-vents, quiche, prawns – I’m not sure it goes with burgers and hot dogs.’
‘Oh, prawns and quiche, now that does sounds posh,’ said Joe. Kerry exchanged a look with him, only this time it wasn’t one of disapproval, quite the opposite. Sometimes it was handy having a cousin whose main hobby was winding everyone up. Joe carried on. ‘Perhaps you could educate us on the finer points of al-fresco dining.’
‘Just go and get it,’ said Erin, her tone of voice betraying the smile she tacked on. A slight pause and another look passed between the two of them, but Ed conceded and ever so slightly stomped off to the car.
‘He’s a bit precious, isn’t he? Aptly named, though, don’t you think?’ commented Joe under his breath. Kerry looked at his cousin questioningly. Joe nodded in the direction of Ed. ‘You know. Ed. As in Dick-Ed.’
For a couple of hours the barbecue passed without incident. Kerry took it upon himself to chat to Ed and find out as much about him as possible. Apart from working out and running, Ed liked to play squash, frequent high-class restaurants in the Covent Garden area and holiday abroad at all-inclusive resorts. Kerry also learned Ed was the manager of a health and fitness centre and Erin’s boss.
‘I was her saviour,’ said Ed, looking very proud of himself. ‘She was working in a beautician’s concession at a local department store when I came in to buy a present for my mother. Erin helped me select some beauty products. I was very impressed with her service and knew she was wasting her time there. When a position came up at my place, I offered her the job. And the rest, as they say, is history.’ Ed leaned over and patted Erin’s knee. ‘Once she started working for me, she simply couldn’t resist me. Could you, darling?’
‘Modest as always,’ said Erin with a laugh. The smile looked a little false and Kerry was sure, as she dropped her gaze, there was a trace of embarrassment there.
Kerry’s questioning was brought to a halt as some of the guests came over to say goodbye and he wandered out with his cousin Shane and Shane’s family, who were also leaving. Joe appeared by his side as they waved to his nephew and nieces drawing away in the people carrier with Shane at the wheel.
‘You and Dick-Ed seem to be getting on like a house on fire,’ said Joe, poking his tongue out to his nephew, who was pulling a face through the back window of the departing vehicle.
‘Just being friendly,’ responded Kerry, turning to head back towards the garden.
‘Yeah, right. Just checking out the competition, more like.’
They sat back down in the gazebo and as Kerry was about to start his second round of interrogation, Joe gave him a nudge in the ribs. ‘Stand by your beds. Here comes trouble.’
‘Hello everyone,’ Roisin smiled, as she reached the gazebo. ‘Hi, Bex, I just came to say congratulations.’ She bent down to give Bex a hug and handed over a small gift-wrapped present, then proceeded to give Joe a hug too. She looked round for somewhere to sit.
‘Here, have my seat,’ said a man she didn’t recognise but guessed, from his English accent, he was something to do with Erin. Her boyfriend, probably. He rose and held the chair back.
‘Thank you. I can tell you’re not a local, you’ve actually got some manners,’ said Roisin as she sat down next to Erin. ‘Hello, Erin, didn’t expect to see you here.’
‘Likewise,’ said Erin.
Roisin was pleased to see an uneasy look cross Erin’s face. She was going to enjoy this.
‘So is anyone going to introduce me?’ said Roisin, looking up at the Englishman as he brought over a plastic patio chair.
Erin made the introductions as he sat down.
‘Ed Hamilton,’ said Erin. ‘Roisin Marshall.’
‘So are you one of Erin’s old school friends?’ said Ed.