Stephanie slept late the next morning, and by the time she had come downstairs for breakfast her father had gone.
“What was Dad doing here last night?” Stephanie asked her grandmother, as she poured herself a bowl of cereal.
“He is hosting a conference in the guest house in a few days, so he was setting up, I suppose,” she replied.
After breakfast, Stephanie popped into the village to get her morning coffee and agree her hours for the week with Andy.
She was leaning against the counter chatting to him when she felt someone close behind her.
“Hi, you,” James bumped her shoulder gently with his. “Are we still on for seeing your grandmother later?”
“Yeah – come over around three?” she suggested. They stepped away from the counter as a group of people arrived and ordered coffee.
“Okay,” he replied looking at her intently. “I really enjoyed last night.”
Stephanie blushed, “Yeah, me too.”
James raised an eyebrow “It would be good not to be interrupted next time.”
Stephanie was still smiling as she left the café, and bumped straight into Matt, who stood blocking her way. His eyes slid over her slightly flushed face and shook his head over her shoulder at James, who glared back. Matt draped his arm around Stephanie’s shoulders and pulled her outside.
“Wotcha doing, Steph? You don’t want to become another of Knox’s conquests, ’cause believe me, that bed post has quite a few notches on it,” he said quietly as he walked her around to her car.
Stephanie blushed. “Don’t be a killjoy, Matt,” she said, slightly annoyed at having her happy bubble burst. “I’m just having fun.”
“Well, I’m just looking out for you, cuz,” he said gently. “I don’t want to see you get hurt. Our family doesn’t have a good track record when it comes to the Knoxes.”
Stephanie struggled to shake her irritation as she drove home. I don’t think I’m quite as naïve as Matt suggested, but of course James is in a band and as we all know, musicians attract girls like mud attracts pigs. I am clearly going to have to be on my guard around James and not let things get out of my control.