Page 27 of You, As You Are

Without question, Iain chugged his tea and set the empty cup down before getting to work.

Half an hour later, Iain had proven himself to be incredibly helpful. If not just for his physical strength – Maisie hadn’t ogled his giant thighs of solid muscle under the looseness of his jeans once,ppft, not at all – but for how he’d offered up the use of his car with a considerably larger boot space than Vera’seldermobile. Iain folded down the back seats for extra space, and the boxes loaded up easily. The ones containing her clothes tallied to a ridiculous number, since outfits that matched her style and came in her size were difficult to find in good quality on the regular. Nothing had been thrown out before her first move, her entire wardrobe had travelled with her, which meant at least six boxes were just full of long skirts and colourful blouses.

Maisie rummaged through the living room trying to decide what else could fit in the car before they made the first trip to her new flat. Most of her work items were all stacked on the dining table she’d been using for a desk, but the box of pre-packaged jewellery was yet to be taped shut.

Iain dipped his hand in then held up a packet of capybara-shaped stud earrings. “Did you make these?”

Ah.What was he going to think of her whimsical side-business? “Yes. I sell them online.”

“You’re talented.”

It was a stunted compliment, but she’d take it. “Thank you.”

“This box might be the last we can fit in the car. We’ll have to do another round for the mattress, drawers, and your computer,” Iain said as they stared at what was left.

Maisie glanced at the mantle clock. It was only midday so there was plenty of time for driving back and forth. She securedthe boxes of her ready-made products and noticed how careful Iain was to load the car up with those particular ones.

He shut the boot with purpose. “Hop in.”

Out on the street, Maisie looked back at hernainin the doorway.

“You two go on,” Vera called. “I’ll wait here and pack up what’s left in your bedroom.”

Thank god Maisie had emptied out her nightstand drawerbeforeher grandma could get her hands on it, more so the items she’d kept inside. Some things a grandma should just not know. Like what methods Maisie resulted to because of her dating life’s ineptitude.

“We’ll be back soon,” she called as she rounded Iain’s car in the mizzling rain.

“Take your time.” Maisie could’ve sworn that there was a glint in Vera’s eye.

Iain’s car was …nice. Maisie didn’t know much about cars at all, but it looked like the type of vehicle you’d expect to see a young family of five stepping out of at the supermarket. She sat herself down on the plush leather seat and buckled herself in.

“Sorry to have ruined your Sunday plans.” She looked over at Iain, appreciating the angle of her view.

He glanced at her between checking his mirrors to pull out into the residential road. “Didn’t have any. Only walking Ted.”

“I owe you for helping me with this.”

“It’s fine.” His hands settled on the steering wheel, making it look tiny in his grasp, and Maisie’s gaze shamefully roamed over the tendons and knuckles.Ugh.He just had to have big hands, didn’t he? A woman like her – when there was so much she craved to be held – couldn’t settle with anything less.

“It’s not ‘fine’,” she rebuffed. “People don’t just do favours like this where I’m from.”

“Well you’re not there anymore, are you?”

She pursed her lips but couldn’t stop herself from smiling and shying her face away towards her window.

Iain manoeuvred the couple of bends towards the busier road that split Aberystwyth in two, navigating the system of one-way streets better than she could. It didn’t phase Maisie that she’d be living along a main drag, surrounded by all kinds of shops and cafés. If she needed milk at eight in the morning, then all she’d have to do was cross the street. And the constant noise would remind her of home.

It’d been too silent in Vera’s house, especially when she’d been all alone in the evenings.

Maisie couldn’t help herself any longer – she’d been itching to ask, “Did you really textNainthe other day asking if I was okay after the nettle thing?”

Iain’s silence spoke louder than the grim twitch in his lips. “She told you …”

“Have you ever known Vera not to gossip?”

“I just didn’t want you to have hurt yourself.”

“Well, I’m all good. My blisters have healed, and my arse is no longer itchy.” Maisie’s brain caught up to her tongue and she turned into a human-shaped ball of flame. “I just said that out loud, didn’t I?”

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