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‘Something’s up,’ she says. ‘You’re being weird.’ With her free hand she squeezes his knee. ‘Weirder than usual, I mean.’
He flinches at her touch – as much from surprise as guilt. These last few months, physical contact between them has been rare. Her sudden effort to address it has him spooked. ‘I am?’
‘What happened last night? Your chat with Max. What did he say?’
Joseph shrugs. ‘He … got some things off his chest.’
‘Like what?’
Here it is, then, he thinks.The moment of departure. The point where my deception truly begins.Joseph breathes deep, and starts with something that may not be a lie at all. ‘Max is seeing Drew.’
Erin blinks. Her mouth drops open. ‘Max andDrew? Wow. Of all the things you might have hit me with, Joe Carver, I wasn’t expecting that.’
‘Me neither. I don’t know how Tilly will react. Apparently, they haven’t told her.’
‘Ouch.’
‘What?’
‘I’m just not sure that’ll play well.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because Max has always worshipped her, for a start. And because Tilly’s had him around her little finger for as long as we’ve been together. I don’t think she’ll appreciate her best friend intruding. It might feel a little claustrophobic. Still, at least it won’t last long, this thing with Drew.’
‘What makes you say that?’
‘He’s a good-looking boy – and next month he’s going to be hundreds of miles away in St Andrews, surrounded by smart and single young women.’
‘You don’t think Drew’s smart?’
‘I think she’s whip-smart. Ambitious, too. Even with all those hours at the salon, she’s still finding time for that college course. A few years from now she’ll be opening her own place, no doubt.
‘But Drew’s still a homebody at heart. She’ll likely never leave Crompton. Whereas Max just wants to spread his wings. Which means I guarantee this is just a bit of summer fun until they go their separate ways.’
‘Can we avoid telling Tilly, then? I don’t like keeping secrets, but I promised Max I wouldn’t say anything – and I don’t want to mess up these last few weeks before he goes.’
‘I won’t blab. But if Tilly asks me a direct question, I won’t lie.’
‘That’s fair.’
Erin slaps his leg and stands. ‘OK, Carver, you’re released. There’s heaps to do and we’re running out of time.’
Joseph sighs out his breath. He climbs to his feet, trying to mask his discomfort, and crosses the kitchen to the door.
‘Oh, I almost forgot,’ Erin adds, behind him. ‘What happened to Max’s car?’
Joseph turns, meets her gaze. And discovers that his wife is studying him far more closely than he’d expected. His scalp shrinks on his skull. Has she been deceiving him all along? Pretending to hoover up his bullshit while saving the tougher questions until he’s off-guard? Was her earlier physicality a ploy? Does sheknowsomething?
He blinks, as if waking from a daydream – and castigates himself for his lack of trust. Bad enough that he’s concealing the truth. Projecting his guilt on to Erin helps no one.
‘Joe?’
He hasn’t prepared for this, needs to shut down her curiosity fast. Only one explanation feels remotely plausible. ‘I drove it over to the bungalow last night, locked it in the garage. Less temptation for Max that way. At least until we get it road legal.’
He replays his words, trying to decipher Erin’s look. For better or worse he’s committed himself, now, to a version of last night’s events.
‘You drove over to Saddle Bank at three o’clock this morning?’