‘Did I?’
‘When we talked in the pub … it made me realise maybe we’re more normal than I’ve always thought.’
‘All normal and all very strong women.’ He held up his hands. ‘Not a criticism in the slightest. But I’m glad you’re beginning to seethe normality, that’s a good thing.’
All being here in the shop never would’ve happened a few months ago, they all would’ve pushed against it, yet somehow it had happened naturally today and none of them had flown into panic mode that it could be the worst idea ever.
She rotated the material to fix the rest and ended up with a pretty good repair, and after inspecting her handiwork handed thetrousers back to him. ‘I’ll be downstairs.’ She was about to walk away but he reached for her hand and pulled her back. Deep brown eyes became impossible to look away from.
‘Are we ever going to talk about that kiss?’ he murmured.
She’d been comfortable talking about her sisters, not quite so at ease when it came to the kiss.
‘You know I’ve liked you for a long while,’ he began and before shecould decide whether to blurt out that she liked him too, he said, ‘I’m not sure you really know what you want.’
She wanted to kiss him again, that much she knew. It was everything else that came with it, the longer-term she had a problem with, the fact she’d need to learn to trust and accept the bumps along the way. She wasn’t sure she’d ever be ready for that.
‘I’m worried I’m not enough foryou.’ He pulled his trousers back on.
His claim came as a shock. ‘Whatever makes you think that?’
‘You need a change, I can see it. You say you’re happy here at the shop, but you have other passions too – the great outdoors, photography. And I think it’s those things that will truly make you happy.’ Fingers beneath her chin, he tilted her face upwards. ‘I’m just not sure whether you’ll findwhat you’re looking for here in Butterbury.’ Was he about to kiss her?
He moved closer, they were inches apart, but he pulled back at the last minute. ‘I’d better go.’
She barely managed a nod. His closeness made her dizzy, almost unsteady on her feet.
‘I guess this makes us more than friends, you know that, right?’ He smiled tenderly, not taking his eyes away from hers as though it went againstall of his better judgement not to kiss her now the way he had beneath the mistletoe. ‘You’ve seen my bare butt today. Thatdefinitelymakes us more than friends.’
She laughed, she couldn’t help it. ‘I’ll see you back downstairs.’
But despite the jokes on his part, Daisy had to wonder, was he as insecure about starting something up as she’d always been?
