Mary set her drink down and guided Julie out of the kitchen. Grant watched them both sauntering and swaying away. Julie turned and looked at him coyly before she moved out of sight. He heard more giggling from the hallway before the front door finally opened and then closed, and Mary returned to the kitchen.

‘That was different,’ Grant said.

‘Tell me about it.’

‘She seems… nice.’

‘She’s mad,’ Mary said. ‘But a lot of fun.’

‘That’s one way to describe it.’

‘Yeah, well you can fix your eyes back in your head now, Steven.’

‘What do you mean?’ he asked, feeling his cheeks flush.

Mary looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

‘Where else was I supposed to look?’

‘How about at me?’

Mary twirled around and blew a kiss at Grant.

‘Yeah, when you put it like that.’

Grant got up from his stool and moved over to Mary. She turned away from him and he put his arms around her waist and pressed his lips against the back of her neck. He saw her skin go goose-pimply when he lightly kissed her.

‘How was Ed?’ she asked.

‘Not as much fun as his wife, I’d say.’

‘You didn’t have a good time? Oh, Steven, you didn’t spoil it, did you?’

Grant said nothing. Was he that obvious?

‘That temper of yours.’

‘It wasn’t that bad. Actually Ed was surprisingly ok. Better than his mates at least.’

Grant kissed Mary on her neck again and she let out a satisfied sigh and pushed back so her body was tightly pressed against his.

‘So come on,’ Mary said. ‘What gossip did you get?’

‘Gossip?’

‘About Ed and his wife. What’s the story?’

‘I didn’t get any of that.’

‘Too busy talking about girls and cars no doubt?’

‘Something like that. Why do you ask, anyway?’

‘Oh, I don’t know. There’s something odd about those two. She seems nice and all but… they’re a bit mysterious aren’t they? And the way she talked about Ed. I sensed it’s not all good over there. He sounds so controlling of her. I think she appreciated the chance to get out.’

‘Certainly looked that way to me.’

‘And he’s always so leery and staring when I see him. I really don’t know what he’s about.’

‘Who can blame him when he’s got such a gorgeous neighbour?’

‘Ha, keep working at it, Steven. What does he do, anyway?’

‘For a job? I have no idea.’

‘She doesn’t work at all. I just don’t get them.’

‘I reckon you’re overthinking this a bit, honey. I tell you what, I could really do with a shower. You want to come with me?’

‘I’ve just had my hair and my face done!’

‘Ok, well maybe afterwards we could…’ Grant kissed Mary again, more tantalisingly this time.

‘Not today,’ she said, swivelling around and pushing herself away.