Page 7 of Eternal Love
Her phone, a text from Camilla.
Sorry, sorry! Things got hella hectic at work. So, what’s this I hear about a handsome handyman? Do tell xo
Julia grinned. Trust Camilla to focus on that aspect of her message.
She dragged her prune-like body from the bath, wrapped herself in a towel and proceeded to get dry. She rooted through her bags but couldn’t find her pajamas. Fine, underwear it was, it’s not like the handsome handyman was going to be wandering around.
She climbed into bed, luxuriating in the feel of the silky sheets on her bare skin. She pulled up her message chain with Camilla and set about replying. By the time she’d finished, her eyelids were dropping like heavy bricks.
It wasn’t long until she drifted off, her dreams full of manors and handsome princes who looked suspiciously like Theodore.
****
After a hearty,ahem, breakfast of tea and dry toast, and wearing a huge shirt and biker shorts, Julia decided it was time to get to work. Her gaze was pulled to the outbuilding that sat in the garden. She hadn’t seen Theodore leave it yet. Maybe he was sleeping in. He could do that. It wasn’t like she was his boss ... not really. Or maybe he was already up and working, it wasn’t likely they would bump into each other—this place was huge.
Julia wasn’t going to do any of the building work, oh no, the rooms that needed no structural work was where she would shine ... she hoped. She’d got all the supplies she needed, different types of paint, tools, everything. She was going to start on the ground floor and work her way up and around. Dining room first. That’s what led her to be covered in dust and paint a few hours later, but she was fully absorbed in what she was doing, and she hadn’t had that feeling in ages. It made her soul sing.
A knock at the door.
“Good morning, Julia.”
She turned around and his smile made her weak at the knees. “I see you’re getting into your work,” he said, gesturing to her appearance.
Julia caught a glance at herself in the mirror. She was filthy. “Oh.”
He frowned. “No, I like it.”
“Me too,” she said in a small voice, climbing down from her stepladder to face him. “I know now that I made the right choice. I feel...” she trailed off.
He waited patiently for her answer, like he really needed to hear what she would say. Like she was water, and he wanted to drink her in.
“Like I have a purpose, like I belong to this house, and it belongs to me. If that makes any sense.”
“I’m so happy for you. God knows this house deserves a good guardian. Someone who cares about it. You’re perfect,” he said.
Her heart raced.
He cleared his throat. “You’re the perfect guardian, I mean.”
“Thank you.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “So, what’s the plan? It will be a few weeks before I can really get to work, as I’ll need the full team. But there must be things I can help you with ... minor fixings, painting, even if it’s just following you around, holding the paint can,” he said with a small smile.
Her lips parted. He would be following her around for ... weeks if she wanted.
“Yes, okay, um, you could help me with the painting. Your height could definitely come in handy,” she said, gesturing to her short-ass frame.
He grinned. “Looks like you’re stuck with me, then.”
She couldn’t help herself from grinning right back. Oh God, she was in trouble. And hewastrouble. A distraction.
So, she and the distraction got to work.
