‘Jesse, this is Felicity DeVere. She’s the new owner of Paradise Farm.’
‘Felicity.’ He nodded. ‘Nice to see you again.’
Julie’s head snapped round towards him. ‘You’ve met? When? You didn’t tell me.’
Jesse folded his arms across an expansive chest and tilted his head the smallest amount as he eyed his sister. ‘I wasn’t aware I had to report every new acquaintance I made.’
‘No, obviously not.’ She rolled her eyes at me. ‘Eat, eat!’ she said, chivvying me up, but it felt a little uncomfortable to start eating with the audience I now had. I was also more than aware a few more ears had perked up in the meantime. ‘I’m just surprised you hadn’t mentioned you’d met Felicity here, what with her being the owner of the farm now.’
‘I left something behind at the DIY shop and your brother kindly brought it round for me,’ I explained, sensing Jesse’s discomfort.
‘Oh.’ Julie seemed disappointed. ‘Right. So, are you eating?’ she asked, looking up at her brother.
‘That looks good,’ he said, pointing at my plate.
‘Coming up.’ Julie laid a hand on my shoulder, then headed back behind the counter, leaving her brother standing by the table.
‘Sorry about that.’
I looked up.
‘About what?’
He inclined his head towards his sister, who was now busy laughing with another woman as the café began to fill with what seemed to be regular customers. ‘She’s always been pretty chatty.’
‘I think she’s lovely,’ I replied genuinely and my words brought a smile.
‘Thanks. I’ll… I’ll leave you to get on with your lunch.’
He turned to take the last table behind me just as an elderly couple swooped in. ‘Sorry, Jesse, love. You don’t mind, do you?’ they asked, making themselves comfy.
‘Oh… No, not at all.’
I caught his eye and pushed the empty chair at my table with my foot. He hesitated.
‘I won’t bite,’ I whispered, widening my eyes at him as he rested his hand on the back of the chair. ‘Besides,’ I continued, ‘you’re not my type.’
The smile was slow and way too sexy, something he was apparently unaware of. ‘Touché.’ His gaze fell to the laptop screen taking in the builders’ website I’d pulled up.
‘Don’t use them. You want someone who’s a specialist in restoration ideally.’
‘They’ve got a lot of good reviews.’
‘That’s as may be, but you’ve got a Victorian farmhouse. That’s not the same as sticking an extension on a new build.’
‘Thank you for that excellent example of mansplaining but I’ll do my own research, if you don’t mind.’
Jesse looked as if he very much did mind, judging by the tiny muscle in his jaw that was flickering away like a dodgy light bulb.
‘I’m trying to help.’
‘Which I appreciate but, as I said before, if I need it, I will ask.’
He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. ‘Right.’
‘Here you go!’ Julie appeared at the side of the table and put Jesse’s lunch down in front of him.
‘Looks great, Jules. Thanks.’
