Page 28 of Winter at the Cornish Garden Café
‘Dad was in a pickle because he couldn’t find his reading glasses. He has three different pairs and refuses to get varifocals.’
‘Did you find them?’ she asked.
‘Yes.’ Lucas laughed. ‘He was wearing them while he read the paper in the bathroom and he took them off and left them on the sink.’
‘On no!’ Thora smiled. ‘At least you found them.’
‘Thank goodness. He was getting really worked up. He hates not being able to read or do the crossword. Anyway, he was hungry then, so I had to make him some lunch and settle him for a nap before I left. I asked if he wanted to come for a walk, but he’s tired after last night and didn’t fancy coming out in the snow. I told him we could wrap him up warm, but he wasn’t keen at all.’
‘It was lovely when I walked to work,’ Thora said.
‘It’s getting frosty now, so be careful on the way back down.’ Lucas removed his hat. ‘I can walk with you if you like? Make sure you don’t slip.’
‘I think I can manage to walk myself down,’ she said. ‘I’ve been doing it for long enough.’
Lucas’ eyes widened. ‘Of course. Sorry. I didn’t mean to?—’
‘No, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I said that. It was unnecessary. A part of me gets defensive sometimes when there’s no need to do so.’
They gazed at each other like they were trying to work out if they had changed too much to establish a new connection.
‘I would be very grateful if you’d walk down to the village with me,’ Thora said eventually. ‘I do hate falling over.’
Lucas’ lips turned upwards. ‘I’d think most people hate falling over.’
‘Oh, I don’t know … some might like it. You know, like clowns and stunt people.’
They laughed, and then Lucas looked down at the plates on the counter. ‘Can I give you a hand to tidy up? Make it faster for you to close for the day?’
‘That would be great.’ Thora gestured at the remaining customers sitting on the green sofa. ‘I’m sure they won’t be long.’
Ten minutes later, the customers had gone, and she locked the door, then placed her hands in the small of her back and stretched.
‘You OK?’ Lucas asked.
She met his eyes in the reflection in the window. ‘Yeah … Just getting older and stiffer.’
‘It’s not all fun and games, right?’ he said.
‘Not at all, sadly.’ She turned around. ‘Right, would you like that drink?’
‘Please.’
‘Coffee?’
‘Perfect.’
He helped her to clear the tables, then they took them through to the kitchen. Thora started loading the dishwasher and Lucas washanding her cutlery for the top shelf when a fork slipped from his hand. They both bent over to reach for it, but she grabbed it first. As they went to stand up again, Thora realised how close they were. She met his eyes, his pupils dilated and his lips parted. He was so close she could smell his spicy cologne, sense his warmth, feel the energy vibrating in the air between them.
Lucas reached out and touched her cheek and electricity jolted through her making her limbs tingle and a tiny spark rippled down her spine. She closed her eyes as he moved closer, and then their lips met.
For the first time in almost twenty years.
She dropped the fork, and it clattered to the floor, then slid her arms around his neck. He picked her up, wrapped her legs around his waist and carried her to the kitchen island. He held her there, gazing into her eyes and she felt lightheaded, dizzy with longing and the conflicting emotions bubbling inside her.
And then they were kissing, their bodies pressed close, their hearts racing. Lucas kissed her in a way her whole body remembered, and she moaned against his lips as the years dropped away. She was no longer forty-one but eighteen, fizzing with youthful excitement and enthusiasm and looking forward to a future with this man. He entwined his hands in her hair, and she touched his cheeks, his neck, his shoulders, wanting to believe he was there in the way she’d dreamt about so many times.
Lucas broke off the kiss, leaning back to meet her gaze. He caressed her cheeks, and his blue eyes shone like still pools, deep and filled with emotions she could only guess were reflected in hers.
