This was it, the last one of the day. All of the previous five houses that I had looked at today were completely not what I was looking for so I wasn't holding out much hope that this one would be any different. "Wait until I catch up with that estate agent." I thought. I glanced up at the numbers on the doors as I walked past.56, 58...aha...number 60. I opened the gate and walked through, closing it behind me. The front garden was obviously well kept with some pots and hanging baskets. A wind chime floated in the light breeze, causing its metallic tune to softly ring out. I took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.
The door opened slightly on its chain and a woman's face peeked through. "Hi I'm Mr James to view the house."
The door closed and I heard the chain being released allowing the door to be opened fully.
"Hi, please come in." came the voice behind the door.
I walked in to the hallway and heard the door being closed behind me. I turned to see an attractive looking lady, probably late thirties -early forties, elegantly dressed in a black top, mid length black skirt, small heels and sporting a tired look as if she had done this a thousand times recently and was expecting the same outcome.
"Please, follow me." she said.
I followed looking at hall as we made our way into the living room. It was a nice size, fireplace, bay window, sofas etc. I followed as she walked on.
"This is the kitchen."
I laughed absent-mindedly.
"Oops sorry." she said. "It does kind of stand out that it is a kitchen." And for the first time she smiled. Looking back on it now that's when I knew, but at the time it was more of a breaking the ice moment.
A short tour of the rest of the house followed, me making nodding gestures and pleasant utterances about the size of the rooms, the decorations and then all of a sudden we were back in the hallway in what seemed less than five minutes.
I looked at her and was about to say thank you and make my exit when she asked, "You look shattered Mr James. Would you like a drink before you go? Tea, coffee?"
"Thank you." I replied. "Tea would be great and please call me Neil. Mr James makes me sound like a teacher."
She smiled again, but this time it was a different smile, more welcoming as if I was now more than some bloke looking for a house.
We went to the kitchen and she began to make the tea. "You are not going to buy the house, are you?"
It was more a resigned statement of fact rather than a question.
"Ms?"
"Oh, please call me Ellie"
"Ellie, it's a lovely house, it really is but i think you and I ought to change our estate agent. This is the sixth house today he has sent to visit that is really not what I am after so I can only presume that he has been sending round other inappropriate buyers?"
I already new the answer i was about to get.
"Yep, you're about the twentieth in the past two weeks."
She walked over and sat opposite me at the breakfast bar, placing my drink in front of me together with a sugar bowl.
"So I am going to propose a toast...to new estate agents!!"
We clanked mugs.
"To new estate agents." I repeated.
We both laughed and it was like the burden of the whole world had removed itself from her shoulders. More relaxed now I could take in her features. The cute smile, the well-defined cheekbones, the lovely long blond hair, the shiny now sparkling eyes but also the sense of sadness behind them.
"So what is it you do Neil? I will assume you not a teacher."
"No." I laughed, "I am just your run of the mill salesman but it is a proper product, none of this double-glazing-insurance rubbish that gives us all a bad name. I sell sports equipment right the way up from sports socks to weight machines."
Ellie nodded as if in approval that I was not some fly-by-night.
"Well Mr Sports Salesman, can I be so bold as to ask if you have eaten yet? I was going to make some dinner anyway so you wouldn't be intruding and I'd be welcome of some company."
She blushed as if realising that she may have come across as being a little forward, but the blush was short lived as i answered the question with a friendly smile.
"I'd be delighted to accept your invitation, Ms House-Seller."
She laughed and got down from her stool and made her way over to counter. The way she glided over the kitchen floor had me transfixed as she moved about the room, her heels tapping over the laminate surface. She sure was the most attractive woman I had seen in a long time.
"Would you like anything in particular Neil?" she asked glancing up at me. "Food I mean." she clarified as she smiled cheekily at me.
I chuckled. "And how did you know that I would take that question to mean anything else?"
I put on my best innocent look.
She laughed loudly and I smiled back.
"I will have whatever you are having Ellie."
I winked at her and she smiled.
"Ok, go through to the living room and make yourself comfortable. I'll rustle up something."
"I'd much rather watch you." I said cheekily.
"Scat, go on, you silver tongue charmer of a salesman...you have been banished...go" She pointed the way.
"If i must." I sighed as if mortally wounded. As I walked off I laughed loudly "Missing you already."
I heard Ellie giggle as i made my way out of the kitchen.
Once in the living room i looked around. On a table by the sofa sat some pictures mainly of Ellie but some with another girl. Over the hall hung a picture of this same girl in her graduation gown and diploma. I hadn't heard Ellie enter the room.
"Oh that's my daughter, well step-daughter actually. And yes before you ask her father is no longer around. And yes before you ask, it was his secretary."
I smiled "Sorry, i wasn't prying and i have noted your mind reading skills. I was actually wondering how someone so young as you could have a daughter?" I stood there innocently.
"Cheeky bastard" she mumbled and then laughing retreated to the kitchen. I laughed and sat down. In no longer than a couple of minutes Ellie returned with two plates of chicken salad and sat down next to me on the sofa.
"Oops the wine" she said as she got up
"Oh, none for me please. I have to drive home and you know what the police are like."
She looked at me smiling and questioning.
"Ok, Okill have white please. Gee I crack so easily."
Ellie returned with two glasses and the bottle. I smiled at her.
"Tabitha"
I looked up "Funny name for a wine"
"Oh ha-ha. That's the name of my step daughter."
"She looks like a credit to her step-mother."
Ellie blushed. "Smooth git! You can tell you are a salesman. Anyway, you know enough about me, my marital status and some of my past. Your turn Neil?"
I paused "I'd have thought you'd have known, what with your mind reading powers being so good."
I cowered as she playfully slapped me on the arm, both of us laughing. "Ok, I am 29. Have been married once to, well how can I put it, ah yes..the bitch from hell. Left me three years ago for one of her students to go travelling around world. Best thing she ever did for me. I've lived alone since, had one serious-ish relationship that lasted four months or so until she got bored of reading magazines and doing her nails and wandered off into the sunset."
"So you are off women then?" Ellie said