Chapter 13

Their tattooed friends were standing at the front gate of the semi-detached house when they arrived.

“I can’t believe I’m getting two couches in one day,” Josie said, beaming at Sam.

“Not sure I believe it yet either …”

“Oh, don’t be such a grump.” She opened the door and jumped out. “Thanks so much for this,” she said as she approached the house. “I’m Josie, by the way.”

“I’m Brendan,” the one with the face tattoo said. “This is Ryan.”

“That’s Sam,” Josie said, nodding in his direction.

“Come and have a look then,” Brendan said. They followed him to the garage attached to his house and her eyes widened when he opened the door. It really was packed full.

Brendan raised an eyebrow. “You see what I mean when I say you’d be doing me a favour?”

“Are you sure your sister won’t mind?”

“She’s staying in Australia. She’ll be happy I’m getting some space back.”

The couch was in the middle of the garage with boxes stacked on top of it and all sorts of other pieces of furniture and junk around it. Josie scanned the items as the men began to dig it out.

“Would it be helpful if I took this chair off your hands too?” She looked at Brendan with big eyes as she ran a hand over the back of the tatty leather armchair.

“You’re welcome to it,” he said, smiling as he lifted boxes from the couch.

Josie watched as Sam took a box from the couch and placed it on a table. He stood for a moment, his brow furrowed. Then he rubbed at the wood of the table and bent to inspect the legs. He looked so serious. Josie tilted her head, wondering what he was doing.

“I’ll give you twenty quid for the table,” Sam said, looking to Brendan.

“Deal!”

Sam pulled out his wallet and Josie sighed. “You’re making me look bad. You’re paying for stuff and I’m taking things for free. I’ve not even got any cash.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Brendan grinned at Josie and then looked over her shoulder at Sam. “Take the drawers too if you want.” It was a nice wooden set of drawers in the corner, and he was looking them over just as he’d done the table.

“Better not,” Sam said, pushing his wallet into his back pocket. “My garage will end up looking like yours at this rate. And I think we’ll struggle to fit stuff in the van as it is.”

It was a bit of a squeeze getting it all in, but they managed it.

She said goodbye to Ryan and when she reached to shake Brendan’s hand, she couldn’t help but take a better look at his tattoos. “I like your ink,” she said.

He held his arms out for her to inspect.

“Notice he’s got his name halfway up his arm,” Ryan said merrily. “That’s in case he forgets!”

Brendan smiled bashfully. “Some of them I got when I was young. I still don’t regret them, though – they’re part of me.”

She held his hands, turning them and gazing over all the intricate patterns and pictures. “I like how you’ve got love written on both knuckles.” She managed to keep a straight face and didn’t dare glance at Sam.

“My mum would’ve killed me if I got love and hate.”

She grinned at him. “I think you’re a big softie underneath all the ink and muscles.”

“Shh!” He winked. “Don’t tell anyone.”

She thanked them again and shouted goodbye as she hopped into the van beside Sam. “That was interesting.”

“All right,” he said as he drove away. “I think you made your point. They’re good guys.”

“They’re lovely,” she said, relaxing into the seat.

It had been a long day, and she was almost asleep by the time they got back to Oakbrook. She rallied to help Sam unload the couches. There was a lot of laughter as they struggled to get the furniture through the stable doors into the kennels.

Josie’s cheeks were aching by the time everything was in place, and she flopped onto the blue couch which had once belonged to Brendan’s sister. “This is actually a decent couch,” she said, looking up at Sam.

He picked her feet up to sit at the end of the couch and his thumb brushed her bare ankle. He cocked an eyebrow. “Are these the same shoes you wore at the wedding?”

“Yes.” In the silence, she was aware of their proximity and swung her feet away from him. “Why are you looking at me like that’s weird?”

“I’m not,” he said, chuckling. “But I think you’re going to have to invest in something a bit more sturdy if you’re going to be out walking the dogs in all weather.”

“I’ve got a pair of these in grey and another in navy. They don’t show the dirt.”

“You’ll be tramping around here in wellies before you know it.”

“No chance,” she said.

“We’ll see.”

“Stop going on about my shoes,” she said lightly. “It’s a weird obsession you’ve got.”

“I’m not obsessed,” he insisted.

They sat in silence for a moment.

“Thanks for helping me with the couches,” Josie finally said.

“You’re welcome. It was surprisingly fun.”

“It was also surprising that we didn’t get beaten up by the men with tattoos!”

“Are you going to remind me about that forever?” He looked slightly embarrassed. “I’ll admit I might have mis-judged them.”

“You might have?”

“I did!” He leaned back and stared at the ceiling. “Leave me alone.”

“Two couches and an armchair,” Josie said, wistfully. “That was a good day.”

“Three down, seventeen to go.”

“I think it’s going to come in very handy being friends with a man with a van!”

“Are you planning on ruining all my Sundays?”

She gave him a playful shove. “I didn’t ruin your Sunday!”

“I’m kidding.” He reached for the lock of hair that fell from her ponytail and pushed it behind her ear. It made her heart thunder in her chest, and she had to remind herself to breathe. “Sorry,” he said, quietly.

Footsteps in the barn interrupted them and Sam stood abruptly.

“Oh, my goodness!” Annette stared at the large red couch in the first kennel. “You’ve been busy again, Josie!”