in good graces with Kirchoff’s, the samples Kathleen asked for had been shipped and received. Erik was frantically trying to tie up all the loose ends concerning the trip before his departure date next week.
“Hello, Erik,” she said in a casually friendly tone. “How did you know where to find us?”
“I called the house and Alice said you were working today. I had the number of your office telephone.”
How had he gotten that? she wondered.
He caught her attention again when he said, “Say, I just got home. I wasn’t here last night. Your and Seth’s gift was waiting for me on my front porch. Luckily, someone didn’t steal it. I wanted to call and say thank you.”
“He got the housewarming gift and says ‘thank you,’ ” Kathleen explained to Seth. To Erik, she said, “I ordered it that day we went shopping. You liked it, remember? I… we,” she amended, “wanted to get you something for your new house.”
“It’s gonna look great, if I can remember how to hang it. Which end is up?”
“What’s he saying?” Seth interrupted.
“He says that he can’t figure out how to hang it up.” Then, into the receiver, she said, “Don’t you remember? The beige part goes on the top—”
“Why don’t you go over and show him?” Seth broke in.
“What?” Kathleen exclaimed.
“I didn’t say anything,” Erik said.
“Not you, Erik,” she said in confusion. “I can’t,” she said to Seth.
“Can’t what?” Erik asked.
“Oh, for goodness sake!” she cried. “You two are driving me crazy.”
“Give me the phone,” Seth said, and grabbed it from her hand. “Erik, what’s going on? Did you like the wall hanging? Kathleen described it to me. She liked it, and I trust her judgment.” Kathleen chewed on her lip while Seth listened to Erik’s reply. She didn’t like the direction this was going.
“Well, I think she should go over and help you hang it.” There was a silence while he listened and Kathleen held her breath. Erik would probably have plans.
“No, she won’t mind. She’s finished here. I wanted to hang around until all the decorations were up. I’ll send her over.” He laughed. “Oh, by the way, you may not recognize her. She looks like a schoolgirl.”
He hung up the phone while a dismayed Kathleen listened to his next words with the trepidation of a defendant listening to the decision of the jury. “He would love to have your help. Go on over and I’ll see you at home.”
“Seth, I don’t want to leave you here—”
“Why? Are you afraid I’ll get attacked by a giant reindeer?”
“I don’t want you to work too hard. You’re—”
“Having a ball. I’m all right, Kathleen. Now will you get going? Erik’s waiting for you. I’ll see you later.”
What choice did she have? If she made more of the issue than it warranted, he would wonder why she objected so strenuously to going alone to Erik’s house.
She left a few minutes later, pulling on her corduroy jacket against the chill November evening. An ominous fog had rolled in off the Bay and blanketed the city. Her headlights shone on the moisture-slick streets as she drove carefully through the twilight.
Her hands were unaccountably moist on the steering wheel. She was being silly! Erik no doubt wanted her advice in hanging the artwork, and then she would calmly take her leave. Or maybe he had someone there with him. Tamara? He hadn’t spent the night at home last night. He had said so without any explanation as to what or, more appropriately, who had kept him away from home. Had he been with Tamara? Were they warming up for those sun-drenched days in the Caribbean?
By the time she parked her Mercedes—which Seth had given to her soon after their marriage—in front of Erik’s condo, she was in a temper. It was with a certain belligerence that Kathleen pressed the button of the doorbell.
Her bad humor wasn’t improved when Erik threw open the door and promptly burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny?” she demanded, thinking she must have ink on her nose or something even more humiliating.
“I’m sorry, little girl, but I’ve already bought my Girl Scout cookies. Try me again next year… when you’re grown up.”