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Alex and Charlie exchanged smug looks. The herringbone pattern meant that there had been extra work in cutting the bricks at the edges, but they’d both agreed it would be worth it. Now, it was definitely worth it.
‘This is beautiful. It’s perfect. Charlie, you must have worked so hard...’
It was just like Marie to praise the younger member of the team first. Charlie had worked hard, he’d made sure everything was exactly right, and he deserved it. Alex smiled as Charlie’s cheeks began to redden.
‘And you’ve set out all my planters as well. Thank you so much.’
Charlie nodded. ‘Would you like to see the drainage gulley?’
‘Yes, please.’
Alex watched as Charlie led her to one corner of the courtyard, showing her where excess rainfall would drain away from the surface and into a waste pipe.
‘You’ve made such a good job of it. When we put some flowers and seating out here it’s going to be a lovely place for people to sit.’
Charlie was grinning from ear to ear, and had obviously taken about as much praise as one young man could stand from a beautiful woman. He muttered something about having to report back to Jim, and made his escape. Then Marie turned her gaze onto Alex.
No words. Just a smile. But Alex felt just as pleased with her reaction as Charlie had obviously been.
‘You like it?’
‘You really need to ask, Alex? I love it.’
Alex nodded. This was everything he needed. It was well worth the hard manual labour, the aching muscles and the scraped fingers.
‘Our garden...’ Marie turned around as if she could see it right now. Flowers and seating—everything as it would be when it was finished.
‘Yes. I like the sound of that.’
‘Me too. I could really, really hug you. If you weren’t so dirty.’
He could really, really hug her too, and love every second of it. It was just as well that he was covered in grime, with streaks of adhesive all over his jeans.
‘I think I’ll go and give the showers in the gym changing rooms a trial run. Then I’ll go to my office.’
‘This has been keeping you from your other work...’ Marie
shot him a guilty look.
‘There’s nothing so urgent that it won’t wait until tomorrow. I just really need to sit down.’
‘Then come out here. I’ll fetch you a chair and a cold drink, and you can sit and watch me work.’
The idea was much more enchanting than it should be. He could survey his handiwork with a sense of pride at something started and finished amongst a list of tasks that never seemed to end. Better still, he could watch Marie. Her dress brought a splash of colour to the monotonous pale walls of the clinic, and the way she moved injected life and fluidity. He loved the way the light glinted in her hair and—
Enough. He should confine himself to appreciating the colours of the brick. He might even allow himself a moment of self-congratulation that all that tapping with a mallet had borne fruit and they were perfectly level.
‘I’ll be back in ten minutes.’
He grinned at her, leaving her standing in the middle of the courtyard, still looking around, while he headed for the shower.
* * *
Marie couldn’t wait to get started. By the time Alex had returned she’d brought the rest of the pots and seed trays through from the other courtyard and was shifting the planters around into different configurations.
‘Stop!’ Alex was leaning back in his seat, drinking lemonade. ‘That’s the one I like.’
Marie stood back. ‘Yes, me too. Then there’s space for some seating.’
