Chapter 10
CHARLIE
It’s not until I’m putting my suitcase and laptop bag in the boot of Pete’s car that it hits me.
I’m going to be staying at his house.
Well, not actually at his house with him, but next fucking door. I still can’t believe I said yes. Neither could Seb when I called him while packing up my stuff. He was torn between making sure Pete wasn’t a serial killer and waving metaphorical pom-poms.
“You look like you’re thinking hard,” Pete says as soon as I get in the car. “If you’re having second thoughts, I can drop you off at the lodges instead.”
“Seb was concerned that I don’t know you all that well.”
His eyebrows rise. “Seb?”
“My best mate. I called him to let him know I was leaving the pub and going to stay with you.”
“In my annexe,” he says, frowning. “And I like to think we’ve got to know each other a bit over the last week.”
“We have.” We totally had, and up until talking to Seb, the thought that Pete might be anything other than a lovely guy had never occurred to me. Fucking Seb.
He sighs. “I get it. You can’t be too careful these days.”
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Don’t apologise. You’ve every right to want to be safe.” He shifts in his seat. “Hailey and Charlotte know where you’re staying. Would you like to call Seb so he can speak to me himself? You can give him my phone number and address so that he knows exactly where you’ll be.”
“You’d do that?”
His smile goes a long way in easing any doubts Seb sowed. As does his offer to call Seb. I draw my bottom lip between my teeth, torn. But then Pete makes the decision for me.
“Call him.”
So that’s what I do.
Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I pull up FaceTime and hit Seb’s number. He answers almost immediately, and I realise my mistake too late.
“Hey, shouldn’t you be on your way to the hot lumberjack’s house?” Seb’s voice fills the car and I groan, wanting to slide under the seat.
Pete’s laughter follows a second later, and Seb smirks. “Sorry. You didn’t say you had company.”
Pretty sure my face is on fire by now, but really, can it get any worse? I tilt my phone so Seb can see me and Pete. “Seb, meet Pete. He wanted to talk to you so you won’t think he’s a serial killer.”
“I was joking!” Seb glares at me, then shrugs a shoulder. “Eh, mostly, anyway.” His eyes narrow as he focuses on Pete. “So, you’re Pete, then?”
“In the flesh.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you.”
I palm my face. Yes, it can get worse.
Pete glances at me, eyes full of amusement. “Pete Harbrook. I own the local garden centre and Christmas tree farm.” He rattles off a phone number and address. “That’s where Charlie will be staying for the next week.”
Seb glances down at something, and it takes me a moment to realise he’s writing it all down.
“I actually listed it on Airbnb but only opened bookings from March next year. You can check the place out if you want.”
“I will, thanks.” Seb finishes writing and looks up, gaze curious.
And yeah, no way am I letting him ask anything else. I think we’ve established my gut was right where Pete’s concerned. “Right, we better get going. Bye, Seb—”
“Wait, wait, wait. I haven’t finished talking to Pete.”
“Yes, you have. I’ll call you later when I’m settled. Bye.” I end the call before he can protest again, and Pete chuckles.
“I don’t mind talking to him if he wants to interrogate me a bit more.”
“Maybe some other time.” Or never. Either works for me. I yawn suddenly and Pete frowns again. “Sorry, I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“You’re sure about this, yeah?”
I meet his gaze, letting him see I mean it. “Yes.”
“Okay, then. Let’s go.”
He starts the car, soft music from a local radio station filling the silence. We’re just pulling out onto the main road when Pete glances over at me. “So . . . you’ve mentioned me to Seb then?”
Gonna kill him. “I may have mentioned you in passing.”
He hums. “Now or before.” He glances over at me. “You know, after New Year’s Eve.”
“I knew when you meant.” Is it hot in the car?
It feels hot suddenly. “Fine.” I let out the heaviest sigh and Pete laughs.
“I told Seb that I met you outside the pub on New Year’s.
And that I saw you again that morning when Hailey spilt tea on you.
” I look out the window so he can’t see me blushing.
“I see.”
I can practically hear the smugness in those two words and I hide my smile with my hand.
I’m not sure what we’re doing here. It feels like flirting.
To be honest, the whole evening felt like that, like we were leading up to something that neither of us dared to acknowledge.
Especially after that kiss the other day.
But for the next week, we’re going to be living a whole lot closer, and I don’t know if that changes anything.
I’m still chewing on that as Pete slows the car down and turns off the road onto a driveway. It curves around, then comes to a stop in front of a large, detached house. It’s bigger than I was expecting. I let out a low whistle. “This looks lovely.”
It does.
As expected, the small garden out front is neat and tidy, and I can see a hint of a larger garden at the back of the house. There’s definitely something missing though. “I’ve gone from wall-to-wall Christmas decorations to living with the Grinch.”
Thankfully, Pete laughs, then runs a hand over his jaw. “Yeah, it’s not a great advertisement for someone who spends their workday selling Christmas, is it?”
“It’s still early,” I offer.
“It’s really not. December first was Monday.”
“That’s true. You better get a move on, then.”
He rolls his eyes, then taps the steering wheel. “I got all my stuff down from the loft; I just need to put it out.”
“Good job it’s the weekend, then.”
His smile turns rueful. “While that might mean a rest day for you, I’ll be at the tree farm all day tomorrow and Sunday. Traditionally, it’s one of our busiest weekends.”
“What about the rest of the week? Will you have time then?”
“Maybe.” His gaze catches mine, and I really want him to ask me to help him decorate.
I love Christmas. If I were at home, I’d be getting my own tree this weekend.
He doesn’t, though. Instead, he turns off the engine and unclips his seatbelt. “Come on, let me show you where you’ll be staying.”
We get out of the car and Pete opens the boot. Between us, we manage to grab everything, and I follow him around the side of his house to a building that’s far nicer-looking than what I was expecting.
What was clearly a huge double garage now has windows and a front door, and warm light spills out from all of them. Someone’s obviously been in and turned everything on.
Sadie, I remember.
I wonder if she’s still there. Selfishly I hope she’s not.
I glance up and see the skylights in the roof. Nudging Pete, I ask, “They’re not gonna leak, are they?” The rain has stopped for now, but more is forecast overnight.
Pete huffs. “No. The whole thing is only a couple of years old, remember.” He unlocks the door and goes inside, wiping his feet on the mat.
“Wow.” When he said he’d advertised it for let on Airbnb, I should’ve realised what that meant. I stand in the doorway, mouth open as I look around the tastefully decorated space that is—no offence to Hailey, because the pub is wonderful—so much more welcoming than any hotel room. “It’s lovely.”
Pete beams, and it’s such a good look on him, I momentarily forget all about the annexe. “Thanks.” He kicks off his shoes, so I do the same. “Mum decorated it.”
“She’s got great taste.”
The front door leads straight into the main living space.
Off to the right, there’s a two-seater sofa, an armchair, and a coffee table, all facing a wall-mounted TV.
There’s also a small table with two chairs and a kitchen area.
It’s cosy, warm, and inviting, and I smile, so glad I took him up on his offer.
“Through there is the bathroom,” Pete says, pointing over to the left, “And the bedroom’s next to it.” He walks into the kitchen area and opens the fridge and smiles. “I’m going to need to buy Sadie an extra big present this year.” He opens the fridge door wider so I can see inside.
It’s stocked with milk, bacon, eggs, orange juice, and cheese. “She didn’t have to go to all that trouble, but I’m very grateful.” I hadn’t even considered that I’d need to get the basics before coming here.
Pete closes the door and pulls a sticky note off it. “There’s also tea, coffee, and sugar in the jars on the counter, butter in the dish, and a loaf of bread here.” He turns and points to a bread bin on the worktop.
“You’ll have to let me know how much I owe her. And how much I’ll owe you for the week.”
He waves a hand, like it doesn’t matter. “We can discuss that tomorrow.” He sighs and rubs the back of his neck.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s just . . .” He looks up at me, smile wry. “I didn’t think you’d have any food, so I was going to offer to cook you breakfast in the morning.”
Oh.
Now I’m disappointed too. But . . .“Why don’t you come here, and I’ll cook it for you?”
He looks shocked for all of two seconds before his expression softens, and his smile this time is wide and happy. “That would be lovely. I need to leave early though. We open at nine am and I have to be there just after eight.”
“No problem. I have a lot I need to get done tomorrow, so that works for me.”
“Okay, then. I’ll be round about seven?”
“Perfect.”
We stand watching each other.
I want to touch him, kiss him, at the very least hug him goodnight, but will that be weird now I’m effectively his tenant?
Pete sighs. “I don’t want things to be awkward between us.”
“Me neither.”
They are though. There’s no avoiding that.
His gaze drops to my mouth and my heart skips a beat.
Thank fuck it’s not just me thinking things they shouldn’t.
“Can I give you a hug?”
The intensity in his gaze steals my words for a second.