‘How long have you lived here?’ Charlie asked, after a few minutes, as he rearranged his legs.
‘Oh, quite a few years now,’ I replied. ‘I managed to get in before the prices tipped into insane territory, luckily.’ I watched him subtly trying to get comfortable for a couple more moments as he nodded in response.
‘Here,’ I said, ‘put your feet on the end of my chair.’
‘Oh, no. Thanks, anyway, I’m OK.’
I let out a laugh. ‘You are so not OK. Just put your feet on the end. I’m not using that bit anyway.’
He straightened his long legs out until his feet rested on the end of the other lounger.
‘Better?’
‘Better,’ he agreed. ‘Do you like it here?’
‘I do. It’s far enough away from the centre but also easy to get there when I want to. And I love watching the boats and the water. I think I must have been a sailor in a previous life. Or a fish.’
I saw an amused look cross Charlie’s face.
‘And do you live here on your own?’
I slid a glance to him and did my best to hide the smile that was itching to escape, but I needn’t have bothered because Charlie got there before me.
‘Oh, I didn’t mean… that sounded like I was trying to… I was just…’
‘It’s fine, Charlie. Don’t worry.’ I waved my hand. ‘I know you were just making conversation.’
He did a tiny head-shake to himself and took a sip of the coffee before giving me a smile that did a good job of mixing embarrassment and shyness.
‘I’m sorry. I’m not very good at small talk. Luckily, Marcus and my best mate, Alex, are connoisseurs at it. They usually help cover any failings on my part when we go out.’
‘You shouldn’t think of them as failings. It’s just that everyone has different skills. And that’s good. It makes the world a more interesting place.’
‘You don’t think being unable to talk to a potential client without it sounding like I’m trying to chat her up is a failing?’
‘No, I don’t. I think you were just making conversation, which you’ve admitted isn’t your speciality. And the fact that you still made the effort does you a vast credit.’
Charlie tilted his head at me, the vague shadow of a smile in those incredible eyes. ‘Are you always like this?’
‘Like what?’
‘Finding a positive spin for things?’
‘I do like to try. But between you and me, even I’m finding it hard to find something – anything – positive with this tax stuff. I can’t tell you how relieved I was when Amy told me you were coming to save the day! Why does the tax office make it so difficult?’
He shrugged.
I pulled a face and laughed. ‘That’s a polite way of saying that it doesn’t seem all that difficult to you.’
‘No! Not at all. It’s just – well, like you said – people have different skill sets. Mine happens to be numbers.’
‘Lucky for me! Do you want to go in and start taking a look?’
‘Sounds good.’
I let Charlie manoeuvre himself out of the chair and step back through the door. I unfolded my legs and followed him. Maybe two large loungers really were too much out there, I thought, glancing at them again as I reached for the door handle to balance myself. What I found instead was a very muscular arm. I looked up as Charlie took my hand with his and steadied me in through the door.
‘You know, whilst it is cosy, I’m a little worried it’s also an accident waiting to happen,’ he said, glancing back at the balcony.
