AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She angled her body away, as if disinterested. ‘How come?’
He deliberated how much to say. ‘My parents’ marriage was… complicated. I grew up in a house with a lot of shouting and arguments and drama. My dad drank too much, and my mum took the brunt. I was so determined not to become like them, I think maybe it influenced my choices when it came to dating.’
She frowned. ‘In what way?’
‘I avoided anything that had the potential to become difficult or challenging. I opted for safe instead.’
‘Oh, you mean like a used car?’ Her sarcasm wasn’t lost on him.
Fair enough, he’d deserved that. ‘Which is how I know that safe doesn’t work,’ he said, looking her straight in the eye.
She blinked a few times. ‘How many women are we talking about? Hundreds? Thousands?’
‘Three,’ he said, turning and heading over to a display cabinet filled with swashbuckling swords.
She followed him. ‘Three?’
‘Two long-term, and one that lasted a few months.’
She seemed to mull this over, the cogs in her brain almost audible as she processed the information. ‘Let me get this straight. You opted for safe, but when things became too boring and you realised you weren’t attracted to them, you left, making them feel rejected and heartbroken. Right?’
‘Wrong. They left me.’
A pause followed. ‘All three of them?’
‘All three.’ He turned to her. ‘So, you see, you’re not the only one who doesn’t trust their own judgement.’
A lengthy pause followed. They were staring at each other with a mixture of annoyance and something far more primal. He could almost feel the air crackling around them, sparking and threatening to combust. They were either about to start kick-boxing or kissing. And he wasn’t sure which would cause the most damage.
The moment was broken by a group of kids racing through the museum, being chastised by their parents.
Both Matt and Beth simultaneously cleared their throats, backed away like they’d been caught in a compromising position, and swiftly transitioned from the museum into the gift shop.
The neighbouring room was filled with a range of paranormal memorabilia and publications about ghosts, as well as the usual offerings of books, toys and puzzles. The shop included a selection of clothing – nothing in his size, of course, but there were a couple of nice scarves he thought his mum might like.
With the silence remaining between them, they finished the tour and ended up in the farm shop. They were greeted by an array of delicious goods, ranging from cheeses to pastries to expensive liquors. As a man who used avoidance to manage his cravings, he didn’t find the experience as enjoyable as intended. It was more like mental torture, testing him and luring him down the path of indulgence.
He knew his issues with food came from his own making. Aside from possessing a terrible sweet tooth, he worked long shifts and often missed meals. There were times when he was too tired to cook anything healthy, so he’d end up eating processed meals or takeaways. Then came the onset of guilt, which would result in him starving himself the next day to compensate. He didn’t need a nutritionist to tell him this wasn’t conducive to healthy living.
‘Would you like to go on a picnic?’ she suddenly asked, turning so quickly he almost bumped into her. Okay, not what he’d expected. But before he could even utter a response, she backed away. ‘Sorry, stupid idea. Forget I said anything.’
He caught her arm. ‘I’d love to.’
She chewed on her lip. ‘Don’t feel like you have to do me any favours.’
‘I’m not. It’s a beautiful day and we’re in a beautiful part of the country.’ He let go of her arm. ‘Why wouldn’t I want to get outdoors and enjoy the sights? It’s a great idea.’
Her eyes darted about, landing everywhere except on him. ‘I could put together a hamper and meet you outside the main entrance in twenty minutes. Maybe you could head back to the gift shop and buy one of those waterproof picnic blankets.’
Eager to escape the farm shop, he readily agreed. Partly because he was willing to do anything to improve the atmosphere between them, but mostly because if he stayed any longer, he was in danger of raiding the cake counter. ‘Sounds like a plan. See you outside.’
Twenty minutes later, Matt was waiting outside the inn and wondering if his actions had caused her to bail on him. After leaving the farm shop, he’d made the spontaneous decision to buy Beth a gift and leave it outside her bedroom door with a note saying,Even pirates get to be comfortable sometimes.
As there was no sign of Beth emerging from the inn, he feared he’d been too presumptuous and ruined things between them. Maybe he’d scared her off with an inappropriate gesture. What had he been thinking?
Luckily, his panic turned out to be unfounded when Beth emerged from the inn carrying a rucksack. Her hair was down and she was wearing the sweatshirt he’d bought for her, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
She pointed to theKeep Calm and Drink Rumslogan on the front of the soft blue hoodie. ‘Funny,’ she said, looking less stressed than earlier.
