Things I Want My Daughters to Know_ A Novel - Elizabeth Noble [82]
“You ski well?” She slapped him on the shoulder. “Hey, big picture, please. We were talking about exes.”
“Okay, so we’ve established that we’re both borderline dysfunctional with the opposite sex and possibly incapable of forming lasting relationships. Next. You ski well?”
“Oy! Speak for yourself. I’m not dysfunctional. I’m peripatetic.”
“Ouch. Isn’t there an ointment for that? I could take a look in Mum’s medicine chest….”
“Be serious!”
“Why?” He took her mug from her and pulled her to him. “Why be serious? Look—I’m glad you haven’t got a closet full of skeletons. I’m glad you haven’t got a ‘one who got away’ or a ‘he was the love of my life’ in your past. I’m glad you’re here with me now. I’m glad I get to introduce you to my mother—lousy circumstances notwithstanding. And she’ll be glad that I’m not gay. I suspect she had her suspicions, after all these years of apparent inactivity on my part.”
Amanda smiled into his shoulder. “Well, I can certainly clear that up for her.”
“Thank you! Although maybe go easy on the details of my heterosexuality.”
“I’ll try and hold myself back. I’m sure she’d be very proud of you, though. When will she be back?”
Ed looked at his watch. “About an hour or so, I expect…why?”
It was her turn to lead with her hips. “I thought you might give me a tour…show me…you know, where I’ll be sleeping….”
“That would be my pleasure.” He took her hand and led her toward the stairs.
IT WAS ACTUALLY FORTY-FIVE MINUTES. BY THEN IT WAS COMPLETELY dark outside, and Ed’s mother’s headlights, turning into the driveway, flashed a warning signal to them where they lay catching their breath in the pretty guest bedroom, having once again proved Ed’s credentials as a very, very straight guy.
“Jesus, is that your mum?”
“Yep.” Ed had jumped up like a scalded cat and was pulling his boxer shorts on.
“Great. Perfect. She’ll think I’m a slut!”
“Not if you move your bloomin’ arse.” He threw her bra at her and smirked.
Ed was dressed, but disheveled and flushed, his shirttails hanging, by the time his mother opened the front door and began calling him, and Amanda was hastily pulling her sweater over her head and smoothing her wild and tangled hair into a low ponytail.
“Ed? Are you here, love? Why aren’t there any lights on down here? You haven’t started any fires….” She sounded tired but not really cross.
“I’m on it, Mum. Give me five minutes.” There was no way down, except past her. Amanda rather wished for back stairs. “I’ve just been…showing Amanda where she’s sleeping.” Behind him, Amanda could see eyebrows being raised. He stood aside, and she saw that the raised eyebrows topped a wide, and utterly knowing, smile. She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. “Mum, this is Amanda. Amanda, Mum.”
“Also known as Nancy.” Ed’s mum stepped forward and held out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Amanda. Welcome.” There was no edge at all to her voice, and the smile stayed broad. If she was shocked and appalled, she was hiding it well.
“Nice to meet you, too.” She tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear and grinned sheepishly.
Ed’s mum was still a very pretty woman. Her eyes were edged with crow’s-feet now, and her wavy auburn hair was flecked with gray, but her big eyes were still a bright green, with long, sweeping eyelashes, and her skin was fantastic—her cheeks were flushed rosy with the cold. She must have been stunning when she was younger, Amanda realized. And she must be exhausted. If she looked this good after days on end spent crying and worrying at the hospital, imagine how she’d look when she was trying.
She looked kind, too. Her deep voice was softened by a slight burr, and it made her sound gentle.
“Ed, now that you’ve…orientated Amanda…perhaps you’d like to start the fires! It’s cold down here.” She said it in a way that let them know she knew exactly how warm it had been up there.
“Absolutely.” Ed started gratefully into the living room, leaving the two women together in the hallway.