‘Not at all. If you could make it a couple of hours earlier next time, you’d definitely be interrupting me, which would be perfect.’
He nodded, that shadow of a smile back on his lips. ‘Duly noted.’
‘Do you want to come in?’ I stepped aside.
‘Only if you’re not busy.’
‘No, I’ve literally just finished this moment. I was going to make myself a cup of tea as a reward. Would you like one?’
‘Sounds perfect. Thanks.’ He came inside and laid down the gear he was carrying near the console table.
‘Have you been out taking pictures?’ I asked, as I bustled off into the kitchen to pop the kettle on.
‘Yes. I drove up the coast and took some of the sunrise around Beachy Head and Birling Gap.’ He followed me into the kitchen.
‘You’ve been up since dawn?’ I turned to him, teaspoon in hand.
‘Well. Bit before. I wanted to get in place for the sun coming up.’
‘Wow.’
‘What?’
‘You’re all chirpy. And you look great. And you’ve been up since dawn. Before dawn. Put all those words together and add me in the mix and it would be a different matter entirely.’
‘Rubbish. You’re always chirpy.’
‘You’ve never seen me pre-dawn.’
‘That’s true,’ Charlie replied, smiling as he took the mug I offered him. ‘Thanks.’
I noticed the hint of blush colouring his cheeks. I hadn’t meant anything remotely in the realm of where his mind had apparently gone but – well, he was a bloke, so allowances had to be made. And he blushed. I mean, really? How could I be annoyed at that? It was kind of adorable. But that didn’t mean I was letting it pass.
‘And that’s not what I meant.’
Charlie chuckled into his tea. ‘Sorry.’
I rolled my eyes. ‘No, you’re not.’ I shook my head. ‘Men. So, can I see what you took?’
‘Of course, if you want.’
‘Of course I want!’
Charlie disappeared and came back a moment later with his camera and a laptop and twiddled about uploading the pictures from one to the other. A few minutes later, he replaced the card in the camera and pushed it aside. I took a seat next to him at the small table in my kitchen and looked at the screen. The most beautiful shot of blush-tinted chalk cliffs appeared on it, followed by more shots, each one as striking, if not more so, than the last.
‘Charlie, these are amazing!’ I said, when we’d cycled through his morning’s work.
‘They’re not bad.’
‘Not bad? They’re fabulous!’
He smiled at me, his bright blue gaze twinkling like the sunlight on the water outside. ‘Thanks, Libby. I’m glad you like them.’
‘Do you sell them ever?’
‘My pictures? No! They’re not good enough for that.’ He took the tech bits and headed back into the living room. I trailed after him.
‘Charlie, they are. Seriously! You should look into doing that.’
