With a nod to his dog, they were out the door and off across the field.
‘It was a genuine question,’ Isaac said, helping himself to a profiterole. ‘This process is as good a time as any for Elliot to start making some friends. Plenty of single mums whose kids play for the Harriers would be ecstatic to have him cook them dinner.’
‘What, you mean like Connie?’ I said, dumping my plate on top of Elliot’s and marching out the other door.
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Isaac called, hurrying after me into the hallway. ‘Connie and Elliot?’
‘Nothing,’ I said, already half-way up the stairs.
‘Then why would you even say it?’
‘I don’t know, Isaac. Why would you imply there was something going on with Elliot andme?’
‘I didn’t mean to. I’ve just always thought there was maybe something…’
What?
My heart was hammering so hard it could have cracked a rib.
‘Isaac, we share a house. I have a long-term boyfriend, who’s planning on proposing to me once he’s back. Please don’t start being an arse about me and Elliot.’
‘I know. Bad day. Bad joke. I’ll apologise to Elliot later.’
‘You do that.’
‘Him and Connie, though?’
‘Bad joke,’ I yelled back, stomping up the rest of the stairs.
* * *
Elliot returned nearly an hour later, when I’d got over my sibling strop, come back down and almost finished clearing up.
He looked at me, brow wrinkling as his brain tried to locate the relevant information. I resisted the urge to remind him who I was.
‘I asked you to come on a walk.’
‘It’s fine.’
‘And then I stormed out, leaving you to tidy the kitchen.’
‘I said it’s fine. You helped me with the first lot of mess, that I’d made all by myself.’
‘I’m sorry. I can’t remember why I lost my temper. But it’s no excuse.’
He started putting away the few remaining items still on the draining board, face creased with misery.
‘Elliot, I said it’s fine! Isaac was being extremely irritating. I was equally annoyed, and also stomped off.’
‘I hate not being able to remember what he said. WhatIsaid.’
‘Hey, you remembered asking if I wanted to go on a walk; that’s something.’ I flicked the kettle on, more than ready for some tea.
‘I remembered as I walked back into the garden and saw you at the kitchen window.’ He took two mugs out of the cupboard and handed them to me.
I spent a flustered minute while the kettle boiled trying to decide how much to tell him. ‘Isaac asked who you were going to cook for next week.’
‘That seems a reasonable question.’ The doubt was clear in Elliot’s tone.
