Page 41 of A Fresh Start on Crumcarey
Maggie didn’t hesitate. Throwing herself down onto the sofa next to him, she let out a contented little sigh that instantly made Luke’s heart do a triple-turn and dive of its own.
Breathing slowly, he did his best to relax… and let his arm fall across her shoulders. Maggie snuggled into him.
‘You’re right,’ she sighed. ‘I needed to test it out for myself.’
She glanced up at him and Luke suddenly felt like he couldn’t breathe… like he couldn’t look away from her.
‘Definitely a good sofa,’ said Maggie. ‘Not bad company, either.’
‘Mm-hmm,’ said Luke as her face inched towards him.
He couldn’t look away. Their faces were close. Very close. Suddenly, it felt like she was a magnet and he was utterly helpless - caught in her field, speeding towards her. He couldn’t pull away… even though he knew he should.
‘I guess we’d better sort out the rest of the room,’ he said, his voice low.
‘I think the rest of the room can wait,’ said Maggie with a small smile, before closing the gap between them.
CHAPTER 19
MAGGIE
For the first time since she’d started her new job, The Tallyaff was empty. Maggie knew she should be glad of a few minutes of peace and quiet to catch up with restocking the little shop – but right now, she could really do with the flurry of a busy ferry run to get her out of her own head.
‘No such luck,’ she muttered, grabbing a large box of crisps and starting to re-fill the racks.
The ferry and flights had a different schedule today, and they weren’t expecting any visitors for at least an hour or so. Unfortunately, it was giving Maggie far too much time to chase herself around inside her own head… and she felt like she was spiralling in ever-decreasing circles around a plughole of doom.
She’d kissed Luke.
And… it had been amazing.
More than amazing.
Gah!
It hadn’t been one of those kisses where they’d broken apart and realised they really shouldn’t be doing what they were doing. Nothing like it, in fact.
They’d kissed and kissed and then kissed again. They’d barely paused to take a breath - ending up wedged on her new sofa in a tangle of limbs and pushed-up jumpers.
That sofa was most definitely going to be her favourite spot in the whole cottage if that sort of thing happened on it on a regular basis!
‘And there’s the rub,’ she muttered, hurling one crip packet after another into the waiting basket. It would be a miracle if she wasn’t smashing them all to smithereens – but there was something satisfying about thewhoosh-cruncheach packet made as it pelted into the target.
‘Tell me,’ said Olive, appearing at her side and quietly removing the box of crisps from her reach before she could ruin them all, ‘is it all crisps you hate, or do you have something against Firecracker Prawn in particular?’
‘Sorry,’ muttered Maggie, placing the remaining pack she was holding gently into the basket.
Olive chuckled. ‘I think you need a break.’
‘No I—’ started Maggie.
‘Okay, let me try that again,’ said Olive wrapping an arm around her shoulders and steering her out of the shop and over towards the bar. ‘Ineed a break, and I’m making us a drink. As your boss, you will sit down with me and tell me if you like the way I make hot chocolate.’
‘Hot chocolate?’ said Maggie, mildly surprised that it wasn’t going to be one of Olive’s classic triple shot coffees.
‘Yes… because something tells me you need a dash of comfort this morning,’ said Olive. ‘And the smashed crisps me youdefinitelydon’t need any more caffeine!’
‘Fair point,’ laughed Maggie, feeling the tight band of worry give way a little under the beam of Olive’s friendship.
