Page 129 of The Sleepwalker
When they reach the landing, she turns on the cabinet lights in the open-plan kitchen and leads Linus over to Sven Erik’s new wine fridge.
‘You’re the expert, you pick,’ she says as she takes out two glasses.
‘Expert is a bit .?.?. Uff, my voice sounded weird there,’ he says nervously. ‘Expert is a bit much, but I’ll happily take a look .?.?.’
‘Red,’ she says.
He opens the tall door and takes out a couple of bottles to study the labels.
‘Great wines .?.?. What do you fancy? A Pomerol?’
‘Don’t mind. You pick.’
‘A 2016 Château Lagrange,’ he says.
Ida catches sight of herself in the large mirror on the wall, and is taken aback by the intensity on her face.
Her eyes are bright, her cheeks flushed and her lips parted.
She hears Linus pull out the cork and pour the wine. He runs an antiquarian bookshop-cum-wine bar, and often says that it is easier to sell old wine than old books.
Ida turns to him with a smile and whispers a soft thanks as she takes the glass he holds out to her. They toast and both take a sip.
‘Very nice,’ he says quietly, holding the wine up to the light. ‘But it’ll be even better once it’s had time to breathe.’
She strokes his arm. ‘I read the book you gave me. It was .?.?.’
‘What did you think?’
‘I liked it, a lot.’
‘I’m pleased to hear that .?.?. God, I sound like someone out of a Bergman film again,’ he says, laughing a little too loudly.
He gave her a copy ofThis is How You Lose Her, a collection of short stories by Junot Díaz, last week, and she devoured it over the course of two evenings.
Ida reaches for his free hand and presses it to her cheek. She holds his gaze and hopes that they both start to feel a little more relaxed soon.
‘What are you thinking about?’ he asks, leaning back awkwardly against the island, where the wood veneer has started to bubble.
‘This. Us .?.?.’
Linus looks down and swirls the wine in his glass, high up the curved sides. He lifts it to his nose and inhales, then takes a small sip with a frown.
‘Incredibly good Merlot,’ he says.
‘You really do like wine, don’t you?’
‘Does the hat wear a funny Pope?’ he replies, glancing up with a thoughtful look on his face. ‘Did I just say what I think I did?’
‘I thought it was a joke.’
‘Good .?.?. let’s pretend it was.’
‘Does the hat wear a funny Pope?’ she repeats with a smile.
‘Stop.’ Linus laughs.
Ida pours herself another glass. He has barely touched his, she notices, and she puts the bottle back down on the moisture-damaged counter and checks her phone to see if she has any messages.
