She looked up at the hinges as though she hadn’t even noticed. ‘Yeah, I suppose it could. But that would be like admitting I still use a swing, wouldn’t it?’
‘What’s wrong with that?’
‘Nothing, I suppose.’ She got up and walked over to the fence, looking up at him. ‘What’s up? You look how I feel.’
He raised his eyebrows and folded his arms along the top of the fence. ‘You’re having parent trouble too?’
‘Yep.’ She took a sip of her tea, then put it down on the table nearby and pulled over a chair of her own, so she could climb up and claim her own bit of fence beside him. The way they had done when they were teenagers. ‘My mum was supposed to be coming over in time for the lights switching on, but she’s been delayed.’ She dropped her voice and leaned closer to him. ‘I spent all that money on those lights for nothing.’
His heart gave an odd broken beat in his chest as he looked at her lowered eyelashes, the downturn of her pale pink lips with their perfect Cupid’s bow at the centre. ‘It’s not for nothing. We can still put them up and enjoy the evening. And they’ll be there ready for when your maman comes to visit too, even if it’s a little later than you hoped.’
She gave a shrug and he touched her wrist gently.
‘Youdeserve to enjoy those lights, Ashleigh. Deciding exactly where you want them to be and joining in with the whole street. It’ll be fun.’
She looked up at him and smiled. ‘It will? Even if Nan kills me?’
‘Maybe if she sees how much they mean to you, she’ll change her mind.’
‘Hmm.’ Her eyebrows drew together like she thought he was crazy, but a smile was forming on her lips now. And she hadn’t moved her hand away. ‘We’ll see. Would you still be able to help me if I do?’
‘Of course. Don’t abandon your plan because she has let you down. Please.’
‘Okay,’ she replied softly. ‘What parent are you having issues with?’
‘My papa. He’s offered me a promotion, and I’m not sure I want to take it.’
‘Oh. That’s what you mean by being at a fork in the road with your career. So it’s stay where you are or take a promotion?’
‘He won’t understand if I say no. He struggles to understand anything that conflicts with what he thinks is best.’
‘Where did you learn to be so empathetic from?’
‘My maman, I suppose. Though that’s an entirely different issue.’ He rolled his eyes.
‘I always thought everything was so perfect with your family. Even though your parents are divorced.’
‘Noooo. What is the saying? Ignorance is bliss.’
‘My ignorance?’
‘No, I meant—’
‘I know. I was joking.’ She laughed and put her other hand over the top of his, where it was still resting on her wrist.
They both looked down at the layering of their hands as though they’d only just realised that they were drawing closer and closer together, skin tingling and faces tilted towards each other, only a few centimetres apart.
Ashleigh pressed her lips together and shifted back, causing her chair to wobble. She grabbed at the top of the fence with both hands to steady herself and the distance was back, the physical connection broken.
‘How are the plans for your display going?’
‘Good.’ He cleared his throat, when the word came out low and thick. ‘I’ve got the plans for about half of it. Moulds designed and being printed up by my maman’s supplier. I’m missing something else though. Unless I do the Pavilion and the clock tower on a huge scale, it will only fit half the display. What else do you think I should include?’
She bit her lip and he tried not to stare. ‘Well, the obvious thing missing is the pier. When people think of Brighton, they think of the seaside.’
‘Of course.’
‘Would you…would you like to go exploring tomorrow? I could take you to my favourite place on the seafront,’ she said.
‘I would love that,’ he said, probably far too eagerly. A day out at the sea would be very welcome, blowing the cobwebs away from the cluttered thoughts that had been gathering in his mind, and, well, if Ashleigh wanted to spend time with him, even if it was just as a friend, how could he resist?
