Page 23 of Doubting Hearts

I felt the blood drain from my face. “Err, no. I was in there earlier checking on something, and they might have heard me swear when I stubbed my toe.” I winced dramatically. “I knocked it against the mower.” Even to me it didn’t sound very convincing. But sharing the alternative story, the truth, with her, was simply too horrible to contemplate.

She nodded, her face alight with amusement. “How’s the toe now, then? All better?”

I nodded. “Yes. It’s better.”

“And is there anything else that feels better as well?” Her voice was gleeful.

I felt ill. She knew. Her shoulders starting shaking, and within seconds she was laughing, tears running down her cheeks. I stood and glared at her.

“Oh, God, Toby, your precious face. What a scream. You idiot, I’ve known about the bloody garden hut for ages. So does Lucas. It’s a little difficult to not see when you and Rain have disappeared for one of your little trysts and you come back with a goofy smile. Lucas says Rain comes back all bouncy and happy, and he just knew something was going on. So we watched you both one day, and lo and behold… into the garden shed you both went.”

I gazed at her in horror. “You watched us while we were in there?” Could this get any worse?

She shook her head, tears still streaming down her cheeks. “No, you idiot. We’re not that bloody voyeuristic.” Her voice was musing. “Although, as you know, I have this fascination with gay-man sex, so that might not be such a bad idea….” Her voice trailed off at no doubt murderous look on my face.

“Seriously, Tammy. Who else knows?” I could hear the panic in my voice.

“No one else. Both of us have been keeping an eye out on the area when you two are in there, and we try and keep people away so you can have your little tête-à-têtes undisturbed.” She eyed me lasciviously. “You’re both pretty needy, aren’t you? Every day, Toby?”

I blushed then, something I wasn’t in the habit of doing. “Are you sure Eddie doesn’t know? He winked at me when I came in.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Eddie just thinks the two of you together is really sweet, but I don’t think he’s figured out the garden shed element yet.”

I groaned loudly. “Great. Just great. Now we’ll never be able to use that place again in case you or Lucas decide to set up bloody cameras in there and YouTube us.” I scowled. “What did you tell the customers that heard me in there?”

She smiled innocently. “Oh, there were no customers who heard you. I made that up just to see what you’d do.”

My eyes narrowed. “You are a bitch, Tam.”

She shrugged. “Guilty as stated, my love.” Her eyes softened. “I think it’s great that you and Rain have a thing going, Toby. You look very good together. The whole hotel knows you two have something happening.”

“As do you and Lucas,” I said slyly. “The two of you seem to be hitting it off.”

Since the incident in the car park with Neil, Tammy hadn’t said much other than she was deciding what to do about it. I’d got the impression she was warning me not to push her, and I was happy to oblige.

At least she was thinking about it. Her face went pink. “Lucas is a nice person,” she said primly. “We’re friends.”

I kept my face bland. “Would you like to borrow our garden hut? It’s going cheap at the moment.”

She giggled. “Stop being so dreadful.”

We grinned at each other. I was relieved, actually. It made the fact that Rain and I were going to have to find another place to develop our relationship that much more necessary.