Page 43 of A Fresh Start on Crumcarey
Olive grinned at her. ‘Obviously not, and he’s put a beautiful smile on your face these last few days. I’m sorry to say it, but I don’t think Russell did that even when he was living here.’
‘What should I do, Olive?’ said Maggie, begging for an answer that wouldn’t break her heart.
Olive shook her head slowly. ‘Here’s the thing – I don’t have any answers for you. I’ve known Luke since he was a little boy, and he’s always been the same. It’s just like Mr Harris told you. It’s not that he has itchy feet… more like he’s just not found anything big enough to hold him in the one place for very long.’
‘Is that different?’ said Maggie.
‘I’d say so,’ said Olive. ‘I guess what you need to ask yourself is… exactly how do you feel about Luke?’
Maggie shook her head. ‘It’s all so new, I can’t say. But… it feels like… itcouldbe that big. In time.’
‘Then… I guess my answer is… maybe you’re taking all this a bit too seriously.’ Olive shrugged. ‘It’s always a complicated thing, starting something new with someone you barely know. If you want my advice?’
‘So much!’ groaned Maggie.
‘Then I’d say - just relax and let things happen naturally instead of asking all these big questions one day after you’ve shared your first kiss!’
Maggie nodded slowly and then started to laugh. ‘I’m such an idiot.’
‘Oh no you’re not,’ said Olive stoutly. ‘Definitely not. When you meet someone who turns your whole life around in the space of a few seconds, all bets are off. But… give it a chance. It might turn out to be nothing.’
Maggie crinkled her nose. She didn’t like the sound of that much.
‘Or,’ said Olive, popping a huge cup of cream-filled, cinnamon-scented hot chocolate in front of her, ‘or… it might turn out to be something very special indeed.’
‘I like that version a lot better,’ said Maggie with a grin, wrapping both hands around the mug and letting the warmth and scent calm her senses. ‘Thanks, Olive.’
‘Cheers,’ said Olive with a wink, taking a long sip of her own drink.
Maggie took a sip too, then let out a long sigh. Olive was right. She’d come very close to acting like a lovesick teenager after one kiss with a boy she liked. In her defence, though, ithadbeen a long time since she’d had any romance in her life… if you didn’t count the idiot who kept sending her postcards from all over the world, of course – and shedefinitelydidn’t count him.
It was time to look to the future – but she needed to do that one day at a time. She’d only just discovered the wonderful community on Crumcarey, after all. She’d have found them far sooner if she hadn’t been brooding over Russell and convinced that she had to face the world alone.
Now… whatever happened… she’d never be alone again. She was part of Crumcarey – and that was a relationship she was excited to explore.
CHAPTER 20
LUKE
Pausing just inside the door of The Tallyaff, Luke watched Maggie as she chatted with Anna McCluskey. He’d spent all day desperate to talk to her again… to see her again… and now she seemed to have robbed him of the power of movement.
The kiss last night had haunted him all day. It hadn’t helped that he’d been working at Pear Tree Cottage again. Every time he caught a glimpse of Maggie’s new-old sofa facing the wood burner, his spine tingled with anticipation… which was stupid, becauseshemight not want to revisit the moment.
He did though. Very much. Preferably, as soon as humanly possible!
Luke had driven himself practically insane with mental images from the night before as he’d fixed Maggie’s new windows in place. They’d flooded the little cottage with more light than the poor old place had seen for months… and he hoped she’d like it. He hoped all the changes would help her feel like the place was hers… and like she could truly settle and call it home.
As for him… Maggie had turned his world upside down in just a few short days. He’d thought he had a plan. Come toCrumcarey, spend time with Uncle Harris and help out wherever he was needed until the ferry refit was done and dusted. Then he’d be off to explore somewhere new.
Well… that plan was well and truly wrecked!
Last night had left him feeling both scattered and completely grounded. Maggie had blown everything he thought he knew about himself to pieces, leaving his feet planted in Crumcarey’s sandy soil in a way they’d never been before.
That hadn’t been anormalkiss… there had been some kind of magic at work, he was sure of it.
Maybe that’s why he’d completely forgotten to tell Maggie about the drawing with the ice cream spatter, and Stella and Frank’s request for her to redesign their cottage for them. They had a lot to talk about, that was for sure!
‘Luke!’ cried Olive, beaming at him as she appeared through the doorway that led to the rooms upstairs.
