We’d dropped off the dog, put Mum’s mind at rest, and had now been on the road nearly half an hour. Cal had finally given in about ten minutes ago and was sleeping soundly in the passenger seat. A couple of dips in the road had him bumping his head against the window on which he rested but he didn’t wake. Each time I heard it, I winced.
As the next lay-by came into sight, I pulled off, keeping the engine running. Unwinding my scarf, I rolled it into a small bundle and leant over Cal. Wrapping one arm around his side, I hefted his not insubstantial weight away from the window momentarily and with the other, rested my scarf there. Gently I released him and made sure his head was now against the soft material, rather than the hard glass. I didn’t fancy having to explain to little George that I’d been kind enough to drive his father so that he could sleep but in doing so had also managed to brain him.
***
I pulled to a gentle halt and checked the address again. It seemed this was the place. Cal was still sleeping and I hated to wake him. Being up all night with his son had clearly taken it out of him, plus I knew from Xander that Cal had recently been working at night after George had gone to sleep, trying to get on top of things after a recommendation by a celebrity had increased the demand for his services even more.
As I sat for a moment, the engine ticking and cooling in reaction to the bitter air surrounding it, my phone rang. Diving my hand into my pocket, I fumbled for a moment and pulled out the mobile, almost juggling it in my haste to shut it up.
‘Hi,’ I whispered.
‘Why are you whispering?’ Giselle asked.
‘Cal’s asleep.’
There was a pause. ‘Oh really?’ she asked, the biggest of smiles in her voice, ‘Well, at bloody last. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time he went out with a woman on her own and I know for certain it’s been far too long for you.’
‘Actually, I’ve never dated a woman on her own, or otherwise,’ I countered, my smart-arse gene coming to the fore.
‘You know what I mean. So? How was it?’
‘How was what?’ I asked, confused.
I could practically hear her rolling her eyes.
‘The sex of course!’
‘Giselle. We’re in the car.’
‘Wow! Really? I guess once the fire’s finally lit, there’s no stopping you two! OK, so same question?’
‘Gis, it’s definitely not what you think.’ I was still whispering but I had a feeling I could have played a short concerto on the car horn and Cal wouldn’t have stirred. He’d barely moved since he’d closed his eyes, even when I’d manhandled him earlier.
‘It isn’t?’
‘No.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Umm … I know it’s been a while, but yes. I’m pretty sure I would know if something like you’re suggesting had happened.’
‘Shame.’
‘Not really. Too complicated.’
‘Life is complicated.’
‘This is true. Which only illustrates my point better. Why add more to the mix?’
Giselle let out a sigh as she was prone to do whenever we veered onto the topic of me dating. Or more specifically, not dating. ‘So, what is happening then? Where are you and why is Cal with you but asleep?’
I gave her a quick catch-up and then got to the crux of it.
‘So, how do I wake him up?’
‘What?’
‘What’s the proper form for waking him up?’
Giselle’s tinkly laugh, unlike my own head back, belly laugh, drifted down the phone.
‘What’s the problem? You have a male best friend, three brothers, and worked with a tonne of blokes. I’ve seen them dozing in the garage on the television. Surely you must have had to wake one of them up before.’
‘Of course. All of the above I just give a shove and tell them to wake up.’
‘So?’
‘So. That doesn’t seem appropriate here.’
‘Why not?’
‘I … don’t know.’ And that was the truth. I had no idea why this was such an issue. Cal was like any other bloke. Except I already knew that wasn’t entirely true. Which was exactly the problem.
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake this is ridiculous, I should just –’
‘Kiss him,’ Giselle offered.
‘What?’ I squeaked. This was something I very rarely did. Especially not in a whisper.
‘Kiss him. I can categorically say he won’t mind.’
‘I might!’
‘Liar.’
I didn’t have an answer for that.
‘It’s not appropriate.’
‘Says who? Honestly, hon. I’m telling you he really wouldn’t mind. And I don’t think you would either. Maybe it’s time to –’
‘OK. I think he’s waking up anyway. Talk to you later. Bye!’ I hung up and glanced over to Cal who was still completely sparko. It wasn’t an outright fib to Giselle. Cal had actually moved slightly but his breathing stayed deep and steady and rhythmic and whatever I’d hoped, he wasn’t about to wake up. Damn.
‘Cal?’ I called, quietly.
Nothing.
‘Cal?’ I tried again.
Nope. Bugger. I wrapped my hand around a bicep that even under his squidgy jacket still felt pretty prominent. This time I gave him a gentle shake as I called. There was movement but no definite result. I shifted position, leant over a little more, and tried again. Cal’s head moved and thick-lashed, heavy-lidded eyes opened sleepily and looked directly into mine.
Oh crap. That’s so not a helpful image to have in my mind right now! I sat back quickly and gave the rogue thoughts of Cal’s “just woken up look” starring in other possible situations the good hard shove they deserved out of my brain.
‘Hi.’ He smiled. His voice had that sleep-roughened edge. The thoughts I’d dismissed previously sniggered and crept back in. I did my best to ignore them.
‘Hello!’ I said brightly. ‘Nice sleep?’
Cal shoved himself up a little, noticing the scarf under his head. He caught it as it slid down.
‘I’m pretty sure that wasn’t there when we started out. In fact –’ he looked at it and then me ‘– I’m almost convinced it was around your neck.’
‘It was. But your head was making some rather unsettling bumping sounds against the window.’
He was looking at me in that world-disappearing way again. ‘Thank you.’
‘No problem,’ I replied, trying to keep my voice sounding casual as I took the scarf back from him.
‘I didn’t mean to sleep the whole way and leave you to it. I’m sorry.’
‘Really not a problem. You clearly needed the rest and it’s nice to get out for the day anyway.’
Both of us peered out at the blackening sky and the odd large raindrop that had now started bouncing intermittently off the windscreen.
Cal laughed. ‘You sure about that?’
I shrugged and chuckled. ‘I am. I’ve not actually been outside the village since I got home. It’s good to get a change of scenery.’
Cal nodded and rubbed his hands over his face, trying to wake himself up. ‘OK. Let’s go and check out the car before this scenery – and us – start getting distinctly soggy.’
‘Oh. I was just going to wait here.’
‘Don’t you want to come? I thought you might be interested?’
‘Of course. I just didn’t want to overstep or get in the way.’
Cal shook his head. ‘Get your arse out of the car and come help me decide whether this is a good buy or not.’
I pulled a face. ‘That I can do.’
Cal shot me a grin through the glass as he closed the door and before I knew it, I’d returned it, full wattage. Walking around to the front of the car, I looked up at him.
‘Cute hat,’ I echoed unthinkingly as I took in the fleecy beanie he’d now rammed down to try and protect his ears from the vicious wind that was swirling around and nipping away at us.
I couldn’t see them thanks to the hat, but from the expression on his face, I was pretty sure his eyebrows just shot up. The laugh that followed confirmed it. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, gave a squeeze, and hustled me towards the porch of the house.
***
Cal had been right not to delay seeing the unloved classic car. It was apparent that with some skilled TLC, he’d more than recoup his money on it at auction and should make a very healthy profit. The bulk of the rain had held off as we’d loaded it onto the empty trailer I’d been towing behind us. We then made sure it was well covered with a tarpaulin.
But now, as we sat in the cosy window nook of a pub, the nearby fire warming us through, the temperature had fallen and the earlier threat of rain had turned into very real snow. Large flakes tumbled in the wind, bumping against the wibbly, leaded glass of the window, and settling into a pile in the corners of each small pane. We’d ordered food and now sat with our drinks at the table, stomachs growling. It was hard not to notice Cal’s eyes regularly flicking to the car outside. He’d let me choose where we wanted to sit but had seemed pleased – and perhaps relieved – when I’d chosen this table.
‘It’s all right. It’s still there,’ I said, as his eyes drifted again.
He gave a half-smile, as if he were a little embarrassed at being caught. ‘I’m sorry. It’s incredibly rude of me to keep looking out of the window when you’re sat in front of me. Especially as you’ve given up your free time to help me!’ My arm was resting on the table and Cal covered my wrist with a large, warm hand. ‘I am grateful. I hope you know that.’
I flapped my other hand. ‘Don’t even worry about it. I totally understand. There’s a lot of money sitting under that tarp. I’d probably be the same. And besides, you don’t have to apologise to me. It’s not like we’re on a date or anything!’
His fingers contracted with just the slightest pressure on my wrist and I felt a tingle in places I’d known to be tingle free for quite some time. I took a sip of my drink and gave my own glance out of the window, glad of the warmth of the fire to excuse any flush in my face. His hand moved from my wrist to his drink.
‘No. But that’s not the point. I’m enjoying your company and yet I’m blowing it by staring off out the window. It’s pretty rude.’
I shrugged. ‘You’re still paying more attention than some actual dates I’ve been on so don’t be too hard on yourself.’
‘Then they were idiots.’
I smiled. ‘No, not really. I just don’t think I was exactly what they were expecting.’
He tilted his head. ‘What were they expecting then?’
I stirred my drink and stabbed the lemon slice with the straw a few times. ‘Not a tomboy.’
‘You don’t always dress like a tomboy.’
‘I know. Sometimes I dress up as an elf.’ I grimaced. ‘But … well, they were dates set up via Giselle, and I think these blokes thought that as I was her friend, I’d be similar.’
‘It’d be boring if everyone were the same.’
‘That is true.’
‘And I still think they were idiots.’
I chuckled and took a pull on my straw. Cal smiled and took a sip of his drink. Replacing it on the table, his long fingers then stretched out to snag a spare cardboard coaster. Turning it around on its edge, he let it slide between his fingers before turning it onto the next edge and repeating the motion.
‘I meant what I said. I really do appreciate you coming today. It was very kind of you.’
I nodded, confused at the expression in his eyes. If I didn’t know better, I’d have said it was surprise. Also, if I had known better, I’d have kept quiet at this point.
‘You seem surprised.’ Clearly, I really didn’t know better.
Cal kept his focus on the beer mat. ‘Not entirely. I …’ He flicked a glance up and then went back to the beer mat. ‘Like I said at the shop the first time I met you, it’s just different here. It’s taken some getting used to.’
‘People in the village just want to help. We don’t mean to be nosy or butt in. And most people will back off if you refuse nicely.’
I’d had my own experience of this when I’d returned home for a few weeks after my last relationship had ended badly, painfully, and very publicly. It wasn’t always easy and, of course, although they were being nosy, for the most part, people did actually care. In today’s world, that wasn’t always an easy concept for people to grasp. Especially outsiders, so I could see how Cal might struggle with this aspect of village life.
‘It’s nice that people want to help, and although I really made the move down here for George, I think it’s been good for both of us.’
‘All that fresh air!’
He laughed. ‘Something like that. So, you were born in the village, Xander said, right?’
I met his gaze and held it for a moment. He’d deftly moved the subject away from himself and he knew I’d caught it. I smiled and let it go. It was up to Cal what he did and didn’t share with me. And like I’d said, it wasn’t a date. We weren’t there to discover how much we did or didn’t have in common. It didn’t even matter. So, why did the knowledge that he’d just shut me out bother me?
I pushed away the feeling and kept the smile. ‘Born and bred, as they say.’
‘A lot of people seem to have stayed, from what I see, even if they work in London. It’s nice that it’s kept that community feeling. Very few of the places I looked at had that feel.’
‘So what made you choose our little village?’
Cal spread his hands on the table. Large and strong, the right one had a scar running across the back of it, silvery and faded as though it had been there a long time. ‘It just felt right,’ he replied eventually. Looking up from his hands, Cal pulled his mouth to the side – an action I’d seen George doing when he was thinking. When George did it, it was so cute it made me want to squeeze him. When Cal did it, I wanted to do a whole lot more than squeeze him. I rubbed a hand over my face and cleared my throat unnecessarily.
‘You think that’s daft?’ he asked.
‘No. No, I don’t,’ I replied, meeting his eyes in reassurance. ‘I think sometimes the universe has a way of telling us what we need to do.’
The corner of that delicious mouth quirked. ‘The universe told me to do it? Is that what you’re saying?’
‘Maybe. Or whoever, or whatever you believe in.’
‘OK.’ Cal was nodding.
‘If I even begin to think that you’re mocking me, I’m leaving you here. You know that, don’t you?’
He laughed. ‘I’m fully recovered now. I can drive myself.’
I dangled the keys to the side of me, making sure they were just out of reach. ‘Not without these.’
Cal rubbed a hand across the darkening stubble on his jaw. ‘So the rumours about you being smart as well as pretty weren’t unfounded then?’ He laughed.
‘I think that depends on the lighting but yeah, we can go with that.’
Cal shook his head and I was prevented from having to deal with any comeback by the arrival of the waitress.
‘Two lasagnes?’ the waitress asked us.
‘Yep, that’s us. Thanks.’
‘OK, now be careful. The plates are hot.’
‘Thanks.’
The food smelled delicious and my stomach let out a growl in anticipation. Thankfully I didn’t think anyone else had heard it.
‘Ooh, sounds like you need to get that down you!’ The waitress chuckled.
I gave a half-embarrassed smile and busied myself unfolding my napkin and laying it on my lap.
‘Sorry it’s taken so long to get some food. We probably should have stopped for lunch before we saw the car,’ Cal said.
‘Don’t be silly,’ I replied, digging into the lasagne, my mouth watering as I loaded up my fork. ‘If we had, it would have put us behind and we’d have been loading the car up in this now.’ I nodded sideways to the window. Outside the snow was falling steadily. The roads still looked clear and moving but in places that didn’t have traffic, or hadn’t been gritted, the snow was settling quite nicely.
‘That’s true.’
‘It just means I appreciate this even more now.’
‘Well, just so you know, I’m paying.’
I waved my now empty fork at him, unable to argue with a mouthful of delicious, and very hot, lasagne.
He waved his own back at me. ‘No arguments. You’ve done more than enough today. It’s the least I can do.’
I swallowed. ‘I was happy to!’
‘And I’m happy to pay so it’s all good.’ He took a big forkful and grinned, before his eyes widened and he put his hand over his mouth. ‘Oh shit … hot!’