‘He has a crush on you.’
‘Oh, he does not!’
‘True. Told me in the pub after one too many beers.’
‘Oh!’ I thought about it. ‘I’m sure that was just the beer talking anyway.’
‘Nope. He remembered. The next time I came up here, he was all flustered and trying to apologise.’
‘Why?’
Jesse gave a shrug. ‘Guess he thought I’d be angry for some reason, or jealous? I don’t know.’
‘What did you say?’
‘Told him I needed not to fuck it up because you were probably better off with him anyway.’
I giggled. ‘That was very sweet of you.’
Jesse pulled a face. ‘I do not do sweet. It was honest is what it was. Ray’s a good bloke.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Before I went in.’
‘Promise not to get stroppy?’
I folded my arms and raised a brow.
‘I didn’t want you to know in case, you know…’ He scratched the side of his jaw and made a rolling motion with his hand.
‘No. I don’t know.’
Jesse did a head wobble and rolled his eyes. ‘In case you used it to your advantage.’
‘You think I’d do that?’
‘No. I don’t. You’re right, I should have told you. Some people would though.’
‘I am not some people.’
‘Like I said, you’d be better off with Ray. He’s less likely to do stupid things like that.’
And then he threw me that grin that would keep me from ever looking anywhere else.
* * *
It had taken a few weeks for Jules and me to get back to where we’d been but, thankfully, with both of us wanting and working at it, we had. When I fancied a change of scene from my desk, I’d take my laptop and notes into the café and have lunch there at the discounted family rate, despite me trying to insist I pay full price. It had also been an opportunity to meet more of the villagers. They’d chat about the house, how it was coming along, and as time went on, the conversations felt more natural and relaxed. The questions weren’t just about that, but also me. How was I settling in and how was the new business coming along? One couple had even asked for a card to pass on to friends who were looking for an interior designer.
I’d caught sight of myself in the hall mirror at Jesse’s one morning, a hard hat at my hip, work boots on and the once carefully cut layers of my hair now overlong and growing out. I’d looked so different and in a way, it had felt as if I were seeing myself for the first time. The real me. The one who wasn’t pretending to be anything she wasn’t. The one who was happy to say, ‘This is me, take it or leave it.’ And then I’d called Ned and we’d both run to the Mini and jumped in to head out to survey another job.
* * *
‘At last!’ Daphne said, taking my hands. ‘Come in, come in!’ Jesse’s mum bustled me in the door. Despite several invitations, neither Jesse nor I had felt ready for the whole “meet the parents” scenario but eventually, we’d had to bite the bullet. ‘We were so looking forward to meeting you before and then that awful storm came along and then one thing and another, well, the time just goes, doesn’t it? Thankgoodnessyou were all right though. Jesse said at the time it was a close thing.’
‘Let the poor girl breathe, Daph.’
I looked up from where Jesse was helping me off with my coat to see an older, greyer version of him striding along the hallway towards us, a broad smile on his face.
‘Hello, son. Jules and Pete are already here. And you must be Felicity. It’s a pleasure to meet you at last. I’m Doug.’
