‘Okay. Let’s see who can help.’ Lloyd punched a name into his mobile phone and waited for an answer. ‘Hello Geoff, it’s Lloyd Bridgestone. Look, a friend of ours has just arrived from the U.K. and she’s wants something special.’ He nodded. ‘Yes, that’s what I told her. Okay, I’ll put her on.’ He handed the phone to Suzi. ‘Right, you tell him what you’re looking for.’
‘Well?’ Charlize asked, with an engaging smile as Suzi finished talking. ‘If he’s got anything suitable we might as well take a run up there now.’
The two women spent all afternoon inspecting the available houses, but nothing caught Suzi’s fancy. They drove down to a small cove and wandered along the sandy shore until a chilly wind forced them back to the car. As they headed back towards the city, Charlize asked,
‘And what about Steve? You didn’t tell us if you want us to do something. Lloyd could arrange to bump into him somewhere.’
‘No, leave it be. We’ll meet at the right place at the right time.’
Two days later Geoff Spencer rang to say they had just listed a new property, and urged Suzi to view it as soon as possible because he expected it to be snapped up. Charlize agreed to run her out to see it the following day, and it was mid-morning before they parked outside Wisecombe and Spencer’s offices. Both of the partners were out so the receptionist gave them directions to find the place.
As they left, she called after them,
‘There’s a house across the road that might suit, so you might as well look at that one as well, while you’re there.’
*
Steve was just about to go out that evening when Norah called him to the phone.
‘It’s Harry Wisecombe.’
The man acknowledged his greeting and then said,
‘Look Mr Pardoe, I don’t want to sound as if I’m pushing you into anything, but I’ve got something that should suit you down to the ground. The price is right and the vendor is desperate to sell.’ He listed some the salient features of the house, and then urged Steve to act immediately if he was at all interested. ‘It won’t last long… not at that price.’
‘Okay, I’ll come up first thing tomorrow.’
‘Well, be early, because I’d hate to see you miss out again.
After he had said goodbye, Steve told his mother what Wisecombe had said, and admitted that after months of inspecting properties, he had come to the conclusion that he would never find what he wanted. But even as he spoke he began to wonder if this could be the right one. On impulse, he rang back and arranged to meet the estate agent outside the property the next day.
A sense of anticipation permeated his whole being as he drove to see the house the next morning, but he could not explain why he felt that way. ‘I’ll know soon enough,’ he murmured, pulling up outside an attractive bungalow that bore the name, ‘Rutherglen’.
‘Good morning.’ Harry Wisecombe shook Steve’s hand as he climbed out of car. ‘I must warn you I’ve got a feeling that Geoff is trying to sell this one from under me.’ He gestured to the ‘For Sale’ sign outside a house on the other side of the road. ‘I’m pretty sure the couple of women who are looking at that place right now will be over here in minutes.’
‘Will that matter?’
‘Well, this is a much more attractive property.’ He gave a nervous laugh. ‘It would be a pity to have it snapped up under your nose, wouldn’t it? If you fancy it, of course.’
Steve gave the blue BMW a cursory glance and followed Harry up the garden path. When Harry rang the door-bell, the vendor answered and invited them inside. Almost at the same time, Charlize and Suzi emerged from the other property directly across the road. They checked the estate agent’s brochure, and walked over to the house that Steve was already viewing.
The vendor was answering Steve’s questions when the front doorbell rang again. He suggested that the estate agent continue to show Steve around the house, and excused himself to answer the door. After a few minutes he returned and looked quizzically at Harry.
‘I was unaware that your partner had also arranged for someone to look at my bungalow this morning. Shall I ask them to wait until you’re finished? He looked beseechingly at the two men. ‘I know it may not be altogether ethical, but I hate turning anyone away.’
‘That’s okay,’ Steve replied, ‘but give me first refusal, because I think this is what I’ve been looking for.’
The man returned to the front door and asked the two women inside. ‘Someone else is viewing this bungalow right now,’ he said, ‘and he’s more than just interested in it, but you’re welcome to look around.’
‘Oh, now I really like this. It’s lovely,’ Suzi said, as she walked into the kitchen area. ‘Lots of bench space, big cupboards… and a great view of the sea. Oh yes, I like it.’ As she continued to inspect each room, Suzi became more and more enthusiastic. ‘It’s ideal. It’s exactly what I had in mind. I think I’ll make an offer straight away.’
Somehow or other the two parties continued to move around without making contact. Suzi and Charlize walked into the reception hall just as Steve and the estate agent came back into the house from the garage. They both approached the vendor from different angles as he stood in the hallway.
The look on his face was picture of disbelief when they both chorused at the same time:
‘This is what I’m looking for.’
The man looked from Steve to Suzi and back again.
‘But you can’t both have it.’
At that moment Steve caught sight of Suzi. He caught his breath and stood still as though transfixed. Then he moved quickly across the hall.
‘Suzi Lysle Spencer,’ he exclaimed, with disbelief, as he reached out for her.
‘Steve Pardoe. Oh Steve.’ Suzi pushed past the vendor and threw herself into his arms.
As they embraced, Charlize gently shoved the two men into the sitting room out of the way.
‘Oh, my Suzi,’ Steve whispered into her hair. ‘I’m never going to let you go again.’ He whispered her name again and again before gently tipping her head back to look into her face. The depth of love he saw in her eyes convinced him beyond any doubt that it was right to love her so deeply. Then as he pressed his lips to hers, Suzi sighed contentedly.
‘I knew it would all come right in the end,’ she said. ‘I just knew.’
Charlize watched from the doorway with the happiest of smiles, and lifted her eyes to the heavens. She gave a naughty wink.
‘Well… I don’t know who arranged this, but the place is right, the time is right, and Suzi was right. Those two can’t deny their destiny—it was written in the stars.’
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Written in the Stars Page 27