Whatever.
It didn’t matter.
She was probably overthinking things anyway.
What did matter and what she ought to be thinking about was that they were here, and it was time to slip into the role of adoring, snark-free fiancée, which thankfully had become easier with practice.
The long wide gravelled drive was lined with soaring cypress trees and the warm late afternoon air was filled with the sweet scent of jasmine and honeysuckle. When the drive split, Theo took the left fork, and a minute later pulled up outside a surprisingly modest house that was ochre in colour, had petrol-blue shutters at the windows and elaborate iron balconies, and exuded old soft warmth.
While Kate smoothed her windswept hair, Theo climbed out of the car and strode to the boot. ‘It should be open,’ he said. ‘Go on in.’
‘Can we?’ Kate asked in surprise. ‘Oughtn’t we wait for our hosts?
‘It’s the guest house. It’s all ours.’
Oh.
Oh, dear.
She hadn’t anticipated she and Theo being on their own. In fact she hadn’t given their accommodation any thought at all. But clearly she should have because this place didn’t look big enough to have two bedrooms and what that might mean she didn’t like to think.
In some trepidation, she pushed open the door and stepped inside, the sudden drop in temperature scattering goosebumps all over her skin. The flagstone floor was covered with a series of rugs in terracotta and white. The open-plan space was divided into cooking, dining and sitting zones. At the far end to her right was a huge fireplace. In front of it was a long, comfy-looking sofa and a table stacked with magazines. In the middle was a dining table that seated four, and on the left the kitchen. Off that was a utility room and a shower room, and then, up a wide flight of stone steps, the cool white en-suite bedroom.
Singular.
‘Ah, Theo?’ said Kate, heading back downstairs to where Theo was coming in with their bags and dumping them just inside the front door.
‘What?’
‘Bit of a problem...’
‘What is it?’
‘There’s only one bedroom.’
His dark brows snapped together in a deep frown. ‘Right.’
‘I’m happy to take the sofa.’
‘I’ll take the sofa.’
‘You’re bigger than me.’
‘You’re pregnant.’
Ah, so he hadn’t forgotten... ‘Only just,’ she said, not wanting to analyse the giddy pleasure and weird relief she felt at the knowledge.
‘It’s non-negotiable.’
It was ridiculous. ‘We could share the bed.’
His jaw clenched. ‘No.’
‘We could put pillows down the middle or something.’
‘No.’
‘It is huge.’