Dreams in Moonlight

Part 13

Amanda chuckled nervously and launched into speech. "Why don't we ask one of your friends to come on a date with us, maybe we could persuade Mallory to make it a foursome. Then you'd see she is a people person."

"If I recall it doesn't take much for Mallory to be easily persuaded." Greg stated and waited to see what she'd say to that.

Amanda looked at Greg in astonishment.

Mallory got to her feet. It was pretty clumsy to watch. But then when you had a long term leg injury it would be difficult to manage on even ground, but with the added challenge of the sand, her clumsiness was to be expected. Temper did not help.

"If you'll excuse me." She stated. Greg automatically reached to steady her. She nodded curtly to acknowledge his assistance and murmured coolly, "Thanks." She dusted the seat of her jeans, "Time for me to head home." She nodded at them again, smiled with a barest flick of her lips and bade them, "Good night." She knew she'd look inept as she stumbled her way across the dunes, but it was either that or stay and face more insults.

It was dusk and as Amanda and Greg watched her silhouette disappear over the sand dunes, Amanda turned to Greg, "What was that about?"

"Ancient history." He replied wishing he'd been less childish. She looked like she really struggled to walk. He knew that in the old days he'd have picked her up and carried her. But then in the old days she had practically danced across the dunes, teasing him and laughing as she enjoyed life.

"Which you are not going to tell me about."

"Nothing to tell. I knew her about ten years ago."

"Really?"

"Just before I left town." He looked over at the dunes, noticed the lampposts glowing in the dark, "It was a small town back then, everyone knew everyone." And he'd been young and uncouth at the time. It had always amazed him that she'd agreed to go out with him.

"You don't like her much do you?" Which Amanda found puzzling, for most people who knew Mallory liked her. "Why don't you like her?"

He shrugged. A few years ago he'd have said he did, very much. "No feelings either way." But he was counting the lampposts, as his eyes tracked across the sand dunes. Ten. Ten lamp posts to the car park.

"She's pretty. She was a promising dancer." Amanda added.

"Yes. Though it doesn't look like she can even manage walking now." He wished he'd managed to behave with a touch more restraint, instead of letting his anger get the better of him.

"No, it is hard."

"Not being able to dance?" He imagined she'd find it very difficult, given how much of her life had been devoted to the activity and the cost to her social life.

"Not being able to walk gracefully."

He nodded. He was rehasing the last few minutes, and had reached the conclusion that his behaviour left a lot to be desired.

"She's a nice person."

He ignored that comment. Instead he glanced at the water line, the sun had all but disappeared. "We've missed the sunset."

Amanda nodded and acknowledged the fact he hadn't commented on her statement about Mallory being a nice person. She wasn't going to push. This man was not the type you pushed. Invited, yes. Seduced, maybe with a great deal of luck. Then with a rueful shrug, Amanda said, "Do you want to come back to my place? I can rustle up something for us to eat."

Greg rubbed the back of his neck, and shook his head. "I'll take a rain check, if that's ok." That meeting with Mallory reminded him, once again, that he was far from over her. And he had no right to take advantage of Amanda just because he had an itch that wanted scratching. "I'm not in a good mood right now. Sorry about what you've just had to listen to, I was out of line with Mallory." He huffed. "So, rain check?"

"Sure." But Amanda could sense that his mind was elsewhere. She wondered whether his conversation with Mallory was the cause. She'd hoped that they'd finally get past the meals out and walks along the beach stage. Which is what they'd been doing the last couple of months. She had been hoping that this evening they might take the next step.