Cal had cleared his little table for two plates.
Tess saw that first when he opened the door: the papers stacked on a chair, the work bag moved to the floor, a bottle of water and two glasses in the middle. He had made room for the whole evening, he said. No rushing away afterward.
She had wanted that so much. Now she stood in his doorway with the ring price still turning in her head.
“Come in,” he said. “It's almost ready.”
“You cooked?”
“Don't sound that surprised.”
She took off her coat. He hung it on the chair with the papers, then changed his mind and put it somewhere safer. The flat smelled of garlic and something warm and slightly burnt.
“Which cupboard?” she asked.
He pointed. Tess pressed the door with a finger. It fell open.
“You weren't exaggerating.”
“I never exaggerate.”
She looked at him.
“Not about cupboards.”
He came close, put a hand at her waist and kissed her. For a second the ring price went quiet. Tess held his shirt and kissed him back.
“Hello,” he said.
“Hello.”
The little flat was unfamiliar, but his mouth wasn't. That made her want to stay in the doorway with him and let the food burn. He pulled away first, looking toward the stove.
“Sit down. Please.”
Tess sat. He gave her a plate and put the pan in the middle so they could help themselves. Pasta, sauce, a little crispy topping he had made because she liked it. She reached for the topping, and he slid the bowl away.
“Leave me some.”
“I'm taking a normal amount.”
“Your normal amount.”
She gave him one spoonful from her plate. He looked down at it, then at her, and smiled.
Her phone buzzed.
She turned it over too quickly.
“You can look,” Cal said.
“I don't want to.”
But she did look. Ben had sent Can you tell me when you could send the two hundred and forty, if Mara agrees to this ring? I have to ring the shop before six.
Cal watched her face.
“What?”
“The replacement. He wants to know what I can pay.”
“What did you say?”
“Two hundred and forty. Some now. I don't know. I keep saying things before I think.”
Cal set his fork down. “That's quite a bit.”
“It isn't most of it.”
“It doesn't have to be most.”
“You weren't there.”
She hadn't meant it sharply, but it came out that way. Cal leaned back. Tess took a mouthful to keep herself quiet.
It was good. He had put too much pepper in, exactly as he used to, and she could feel the warmth spreading through her mouth. She wanted to say so, to get them back to the table he'd cleared.
“This is nice,” she said.
“Thanks.”
He picked up his fork again. For a few minutes they ate. He told her he had walked home carrying the groceries because he'd forgotten where he'd parked his car. Tess laughed, then thought about her bag and stopped.
Cal noticed.
“We can put it aside for an hour,” he said.
“I know.”
“I'm not saying forget it.”
“I know.”
Her phone buzzed again. Ben had added Not asking you for the rest. I need to know what I can count on.
She pushed the plate away a little.
“I need to tell him I haven't decided,” she said.
“You said two hundred and forty.”
“I know what I said.”
Cal looked at her. “Is that not what you can pay?”
“It is. Eventually. But Mara doesn't want another one. I don't know what I'm paying for if she won't wear it.”
He reached for his own phone.
“I've still got Ben's number. I'll ask him what's actually happening.”
“No, Cal. I can talk to him.”
“I know you can.”
He had already found the number. Tess stared at his thumb over the call button.
“I don't want everyone deciding over me.”
“I'm not deciding.”
He pressed it.
When Ben answered, Cal stood up and walked toward the window. Tess remained at the table. Her fork lay in a streak of sauce. She could hear Cal saying he was with her, yes, she wanted to help, two hundred and forty was what she'd said.
She stood too.
Cal lifted one hand, asking her to wait, and kept talking.
“Yes, that shop. Right. If they can hold it. No, she can't do the whole thing. You know that.”
Tess felt a hot, unpleasant relief. Somebody was telling Ben the limit. But Cal was also speaking in her place, turning the unfinished things she had said into an arrangement.
She went to the sink, ran a glass of water and drank it.
“Okay,” Cal said. “Tell her. I'll pass it on.”
He hung up and turned toward Tess.
“He's putting down the deposit himself. He gets that back if he doesn't buy it. Your two hundred and forty can wait until they decide.”
“He's done it?”
“He's doing it now. They'll keep it until Tuesday.”
“Because you told him I'd pay?”
“Because I told him what you could pay.”
“I haven't decided.”
Cal put the phone down on the counter. “You keep saying nobody can fix anything. I found out what could happen. That's all.”
“That isn't all.”
“Fine. I should have asked.”
“I said no while you were calling.”
He looked away.
The room was small enough that they couldn't stop standing close to each other. Tess could smell the food between them, garlic and warm pepper, cooling.
She picked up her phone. Ben's new message was already there.
I've paid the deposit from my savings. They'll hold it till Tuesday. You and I can talk tomorrow.
She held it out. Cal glanced at it, then looked back at her.
“You're not committed to anything you didn't offer,” he said.
“I didn't ask you to explain me.”
He pulled out his chair and sat. His face was closed now.
“Eat while it's hot,” he said.
Tess sat too. She tried one mouthful. The topping was soft and the sauce had thickened on the plate. Cal ate without looking at her.
“It isn't hot,” she said.
He set down his fork.
She collected her coat.
Cal stood in the middle of the room. “Are you really going?”
“Yes.”
“We could just start again.”
“Not tonight.”
He nodded once. He didn't kiss her at the door.
On the pavement Tess took her phone out. She typed to Ben, Please speak to me directly. I'll tell you tomorrow. Then she sent it before she could rewrite it into something nicer.
Behind the window, Cal began clearing two plates.