Page 15 of You Only Live Once
‘Sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t think.’
‘It’s all right,’ I said, letting out a sigh. ‘But let’s talk about something more interesting.’
‘You are interesting.’
‘Hmm. How did you get on today?’
Jack proceeded to tell me how well the meetings had gone. He’d even squeezed in an extra one and already had three clients on the books, and through the village grapevine had another two meetings lined up next week.
‘That’s great!’ I said, genuinely thrilled for him.
‘Thanks. I’m really pleased too. I knew it was a risk coming back here and trying to start again. I had a decent amount of clients before but I can’t expect them all to need my services.’
‘I’m sure there are plenty of new people here since you moved away. And there seems to be much more of an interest in gardens and gardening and outdoor spaces in general these days. I have a good feeling about it.’
‘Is that so?’ he said, leaning back in his chair.
‘It is. Now, are you ready for pudding?’
‘I’m not sure I have room,’ he said, patting his stomach and laughing.
‘Nonsense, of course you do. You have to make up for barely eating the last day or so. There’s never much to those airline meals, certainly not for someone of your size. Besides, if you’re going to be working in this garden, plus the work you’re already building up, you’re going to need the energy. You can always say no, of course,’ I said putting the plate of steaming sticky toffee pudding and custard in the centre of the table, an innocent look on my face.
Jack looked up at me, the corner of his generous mouth tilting up one side. ‘Oh, yeah. I could always say no,’ he said and picked up a spoon.
* * *
The next morning, I wandered out into the garden, still slightly bleary-eyed, my hands curled around a cup of herbal tea and my feet tucked into functional, but admittedly ugly, welly shoes. The good thing about living on your own is that you don’t have to worry about looking glamorous, or even normal. I turned the corner and walked slap-bang into a fast-moving Jack. He moved even faster backwards as he tore off the T-shirt which was currently soaking up the hot tea I’d just poured down it from his body.
Oh. That’s right. I didn’t currently live alone, and here I was with scary bed hair, a dressing gown that had seen better days, legs that definitely needed a shave, and welly shoes. Opposite me stood a tanned, currently half-naked Adonis. I stared at him for a moment. I was never great for conversation first thing in the morning but today had an added level of difficulty. At least, right at this moment it did.
‘Put some clothes on!’ I blurted.
Jack was still batting his chest with his T-shirt. ‘I had some clothes on until you chucked boiling water over me!’
‘It wasn’t intentional, and I only have it at ninety degrees for herbal tea.’
He gave me a look that suggested he didn’t think either of those made much of a difference right at this moment and strode off towards the house, returning a few minutes later wearing a fresh, clean T-shirt.
‘Sorry,’ I said. ‘You gave me a fright. I didn’t expect to see anyone out here this early.’
‘It’s fine. You gave me a third-degree burn so I guess we’re even.’
I pulled a face at him, and he relinquished the hint of a grin.
‘Are you all right?’ I made a gesture that sort of encompassed his chest area while trying not to look at said chest area, although the image was most likely burned into my retinas forever now.
‘Yes. I’m fine. It was just as much my fault. I didn’t expect you to be out here this early either and I wasn’t looking where I was going.’
‘What are you doing out here, anyway?’
He looked down and smiled. ‘Come with me.’
‘I bet you say that to all the girls.’
He laughed. ‘Not these days. Come on.’
Just around the corner lay a huge pile of greenery and brown stuff that had once been green. Behind it, a tiny part of my garden no longer looked like an out-of-control mess. I was immediately transported back to the moment that I’d come to view the house, falling in love with the building, the garden and the tranquillity it promised. A wave of emotion swept over me, and I turned away from Jack so that he couldn’t see the tears threatening in my eyes.
