Page 32 of A Sky Full of Stars
‘Any time,’ Lorelai replied, pausing before adding, ‘I take it my grandson was well behaved, too?’
Charlotte grinned. ‘He was.’ She didn’t elaborate, mindful of what Tristan had requested of her.
‘And will you be seeing him again?’
‘Tomorrow,’ Charlotte smiled. ‘Is, er, where he lives dog friendly?’
Lorelai quirked an eyebrow. ‘Well, he’s got a small garden, if that’s what you mean.’
‘That’s good to know,’ Charlotte replied. ‘Comet can chaperone me tomorrow, then.’
Lorelai laughed. ‘I don’t mind keeping an eye on him again for you, if you’d rather. Anything to smooth the course of true love and all that!’
Charlotte really did laugh, then. ‘It’s our second date, Lorelai – hardly the stuff of romantic legend, yet!’
‘Give it time,’ Lorelai replied. ‘Tristan’s a funny one, and I say that as his grandmother, but he’s a decent man, if a little, er, pedantic, sometimes.’ She paused. ‘But you let me know if he gives you any trouble, and I’ll have a word in his ear.’
Charlotte shook her head. ‘No trouble so far. He’s been the perfect gentleman.’
‘I’m glad to hear it,’ Lorelai said. ‘It’s good to know he’s behaving himself.’
Lorelai gave a last smile and then closed the partition door, leaving a head-shaking Charlotte in her wake. She was glad the older woman hadn’t pushed her for more information – she didn’t feel as though she’d given too much away. There wasn’t a lot to tell, but she felt as though she wanted to hug the details to herself, to protect the little world she and Tristan had created during their time together and keep it just theirs for as long as she could.
‘Well, old chap.’ Charlotte looked down at Comet, who was looking expectantly up at her. ‘It must be time for dinner.’ She wandered through to the kitchenette and was about to get Comet’s dog food out of the fridge when her phone pinged with a message. It was too soon to be a text from Tristan, who lived a good twenty minutes away, but, curious, she swiped to see who it was. She drew a breath as a familiar name appeared on her screen. Todd, at long last, was getting back in touch.
33
‘Come on, little brother, spill!’ Tristan’s twin sister, Thea, the older of the pair by four minutes, had a teasing look in her eye as she cut him a slice of cherry and almond cake and poured him a cup of tea. ‘You don’t just descend on me unannounced. What do you need to talk about?’
Tristan shook his head, and, suddenly peckish, took a big bite of cake. ‘I don’t know what you mean, sis. Can’t a guy just pop in and see his family on his way home?’ He’d decided on the spur of the moment to look in on Thea, Dylan and Cora. After such a lovely day in Bristol with Charlotte he didn’t just want to go home to an empty house and although he wasn’t prepared to give Thea any gossip, he still wanted her company.
‘Way home from where?’ Thea asked. ‘Don’t tell me you’re working weekends again? Surely that’s against some kind of employment law?’
‘I wasn’t working,’ Tristan replied. ‘Although it’s not unusual to have to check in at weekends once a site goes live, especially one that’s got so much potential for disaster. And Observatory Field’s in a tricky transitional state right now.’
‘Aren’t we all?’ Thea replied, then sighed. ‘I feel as though my life’s not going to get back on track until I’m out of here and into a home the kids and I can really call our own. How long until it’s going to be ready up there?’
Tristan gave her a sympathetic smile. ‘As fast as I can make it happen, so you shouldn’t be complaining about me working all the hours God sends on it!’
‘I’d rather not be responsible for your professional burnout,’ Thea countered. ‘So please tell me you’ve been doing something fun today.’
Tristan’s slight pause was all his sister needed to jump in on the attack. ‘Oh, so thereissomething to tell? Come on – if I can’t have my own thrills at the moment, I can live vicariously through you!’
Keeping her waiting, Tristan took a sip of his tea and then another bite of the cake. ‘This is really good,’ he said between swallows. ‘Ever thought of becoming a professional baker?’
Thea snorted. ‘That ship has definitely sailed. But thanks anyway – it’s good to have an appreciative audience. Now, you were saying?’
Tristan sighed. Hehadvoluntarily popped in, after all, so he should expect some questions. ‘If you must know, I spent the afternoon in Bristol.’
‘Oh, yes? Martha called you up for anotherI won’t insist on strings if you don’tdate?’ Thea replied archly. ‘What a surprise.’
Tristan shook his head. ‘Not Martha. I think we both know that was going nowhere.’
Thea raised a speculative eyebrow. ‘Then who? Don’t tell me you’ve actually met someone new?’
Tristan kept quiet. Having asked Charlotte not to spill too many beans to his grandmother, he felt like a hypocrite confiding in his sister about their first date. Over the years there had been ebbs and flows in their relationship as siblings but they’d grown closer after Thea’s split from her partner, and Tristan relished that closeness. It made up for many years when he’d been unable to confide in her about anything. Especially the pain of losing their parents. Perhaps he did owe her a brief update.
‘Maybe,’ he said guardedly. ‘But it’s early days, so please don’t give me the third degree.’
