Merger By Matrimony

‘Something like that.’

‘Cosy.’

‘Yes, it is. Why are you driving so slowly? I want to get back.’

Callum pressed his foot marginally harder on the accelerator and muttered something inconsequential about speed limits, fines and points on a driving licence.

‘What points?’

‘Never mind. It doesn’t matter.’ He felt his jaw begin to ache and realised that he was clenching his teeth. ‘So what do you do on those long, balmy evenings, anyway? On your compound?’

‘Long, balmy evenings? It’s not a seaside resort.’

‘No, of course not.’ Clenching again. He relaxed his jaw muscles and realised, with a twinge of disappointment, that her house was now within view. The guard barely glanced at them. He just waved them through and he pulled up very slowly in front of her house.

‘Thank you very much,’ Destiny said, fiddling with the seat belt and finally releasing it. ‘It was lovely to meet Stephanie. I’m sorry if you think that it’s my fault that you’re going to have dinner with some boring friends tomorr—’

‘Oh, forget it.’ He waved aside her apologies irritably and watched as she walked up to the front door. For a tall girl, she was surprisingly agile, graceful even. She’d never answered his question about what she spent her evenings doing, he realised. He waited, watching as various lights were turned on and switched off, tracing her progress through the house, even though he couldn’t see a thing because the curtains were all drawn. When the place was in darkness, he impulsively got out of his car, sprinted up to the front door and insistently buzzed the bell, keeping his finger on the button until he heard the sounds of shuffling behind the door.