Page 81 of Entwined in Norway

‘Really? Because I think you probably would have kicked me out onto the landing in my birthday suit.’

‘Your birthday suit?’

‘Naked.’

She laughed. ‘Maybe I would have. But being in a tiny bed with you really takes the edge off my rage.’

‘I love this tiny bed. I’m going to get one just like it for my cabin.’

‘Do you want me to live with you?’ She hadn’t been sure if he’d asked her that.

‘If you want to.’

‘I think I do want that one day. Except I have my own place now.’

‘You got the yellow house?’

‘Yes. I found out a couple of days ago. It was a close thing. I had to bid right up to my limit to get it, but now I have it, I can’t wait to move in.’ The enormous amount of work ahead of her to sort out the house in Loddefjord before that could be sold was a problem she was happy to worry about another day.

‘Congratulations.’ He grinned at her and kissed her temple.

‘It needs some work. I was going to ask Mats, but maybe we could do it together before you start building your place.’ She didn’t think Mats would mind. He had enough going on with his own house-buying plans and the cabins he was working on for the family.

‘Sure.’

‘Thank you. I’d love that.’

‘Me too. I’m so happy for you, Ida. I know how much this means to you, to be starting on your own path to mending after losing your parents.’ He didn’t add and yourself, but she could hear the unspoken words.

‘I’m not sure I would have come this far without you. I definitely wouldn’t have bought a house,’ she laughed. ‘When I started working for Mats, even before the hotel opened, I felt part of something again. At the time, I thought it was because I was doing things for the family, but I’d always been doing things for the family. This job gave me something else. Something for me again. A purpose, I suppose.’

‘You do so much for your family, Ida. Maybe that’s why it took hanging out with me to see you could still do that as well as doing your own thing.’

‘Maybe. It’s made me realise I want to be here with them, but not living with any of them anymore. And I don’t think we should live together right away.’ She felt bold saying it.

‘That’s okay, Ida. I want to date you, the old-fashioned way. The two weeks we spent together were amazing, but we both went into that having decided it was a one-time thing. And now it’s not. We need to do things properly.’

‘I can’t think of anything I’d love more. Where are you going to live?’

‘I’m hoping my new girlfriend might negotiate me a long-term rate for room 308.’

She laughed. ‘You’re not going to survive in this room for months on end. And we have a list of people waiting for this room.’

‘Sure you do.’

‘You’re not the only one who has a soft spot for it. I was living here until some guy booked it a few weeks ago and I got kicked out.’

‘Ida! You never said.’

‘You and me are the only people who have ever stayed in this room.’

‘Wow. That’s pretty special.’

‘It is,’ she agreed. ‘It’s yours if you want it. But you’re going to want to stay over at mine sometimes. It has a beautiful view of the water. Oh, but the bathroom is in the eaves, like it is here.’

‘I think we can probably do something about that. I’m going to need a shower I can stand in.’

‘And when it comes to it, I’m only staying over at your place if you buy a proper big bed.’