‘Only a little while.’ He kissed her nose. ‘Good morning. Did you sleep well?’
She didn’t bother hiding her self-satisfied smile. ‘I certainly did. You?’
‘Yup.’
She pushed herself up to lean back against the headboard and peered at her alarm clock. Six thirty. ‘I should get up.’
‘Me, too.’
‘Shall I make us breakfast?’
Brodie took his glasses from the bedside table and slipped them on. ‘I can go and fetch some eggs from the barn while you shower, if you like.’
‘Sounds like a good plan.’
She watched him as he ate, unable to recall when she had ever been happier. Brodie looked up and, seeing her watching him, smiled. ‘You not eating?’
‘I am.’
‘What are you thinking?’
She wondered if he loved her as much as she now realised she loved him. ‘I was thinking how cute you look in your spectacles.’
He pulled a face. ‘Spectacles? That’s such an old-fashioned word, but I’m glad you think so. My sister always teased me that they made me look like an eccentric professor.’
‘I’m not sure I’ve ever had a teacher who looks as cute as you do.’
‘I’m pleased to hear it.’
She sighed happily and continued eating her scrambled eggs.
‘I hope you’re not going to try and do too much heavy stuff today, in the damaged barn I mean.’
She shook her head. ‘No. Joe mentioned I should call my insurance company and leave everything until an inspector has been to visit.’
‘Good idea. I’ve been thinking…’
About her, she hoped. ‘About?’
‘Maybe you could fetch seaweed instead.’
‘Vraic, you mean?’
His fork stopped halfway to his mouth. ‘Sorry, did you say vrak?’
Lettie giggled. ‘I said vraic. Vraic is what my dad calls seaweed. You grew up here, didn’t you ever hear it called that?’
He thought for a moment then shook his head. ‘No, but probably because my dad is a dentist from Kent and not a farmer from Jersey, so we never spoke Jersey French.’
‘It’s called Jèrriais.’ She wanted to know why he was thinking of seaweed. ‘Why did you mention seaweed though?’
‘I was remembering my uncle telling me how there’s often a lot of seaweed washed up onto the beach after a big storm. Maybe it’s something your father collects for his fields?’
‘It could be but I’ve never seen him do it.’ She wondered if she had simply never taken enough notice and felt guilty to think that might have been the case.
‘I thought you might be able to gather some for your fields.’
‘You weren’t thinking about anything romantic then?’ She narrowed her eyes.
