Chapter 3
Jack was relishing his morning run on the beach.
It had always been his regular routine when younger, but less so as he’d got older.
The property renovation business, which he’d formed with Robin, had completely taken over, and it was ironic that they should be at their busiest when he’d had to take a break to recover from his injury.
Jack had been installing the windows on their latest project when he’d tripped and fallen, causing the glazing to smash and cut his hand.
After a rush to A so true he wasn’t even forming any.
This wasn’t due to lack of interest – far from it.
His good looks had turned many a woman’s head.
With his short blond hair and sparkling blue eyes, he looked like a young Ewan McGregor.
No, he simply hadn’t found the time to plough into a relationship.
Perhaps having some time off work lately had made him reassess his life, given him the space to consider what he was missing out on.
Look at Robin, he managed his work-life balance well, didn’t he?
Jack made his way back home, only a short walk down the beach, turning into a cove on the hillside.
His house was his absolute pride and joy – and rightly so.
Aptly named ‘The Cove’, it had a chalet vibe, made of large glass windows and plenty of wood with steps leading to a wraparound sundeck to take in the sea views, and had an outdoor shower and hot tub.
Artfully shaped to echo and enhance the hillside setting made it a real unique build.
It had been designed by a crack team with experience in travel, construction and interior design; mainly himself, his architect dad and interior designer sister.
Building the house had been a family affair, and as heartfelt appreciation for their contribution, Jack had declared that it belonged to them all.
His sister and her family holidayed there often, and his parents regularly visited on weekends.
Pounding up the wooden steps, Jack opened the large glass door and made his way into the open-plan main living area, consisting of a kitchen-diner and lounge.
He washed the samphire in the sink and put it in the fridge to cook later.
His kitchen units reflected the colours of nature outside, all dark blue gloss.
He went up the stairs to a luxurious master bedroom, with a bespoke chunky wooden bed, to the en-suite with a walk-in shower.
He badly needed to freshen up from his run.
His sweat-stained T-shirt told him how out of shape he’d become.
As the hot, steamy jet of water sprayed over him, Jack contemplated further.
No, he definitely had to make some changes.
Number one: get a life. Make time for himself.
Socialise with friends. Number two: get a girlfriend.
He craved that one-on-one relationship that he’d so poorly lacked of late.
The first he could do, of course he could.
It was just a matter of prioritising. The second, well…
Once again, that red-haired beauty flashed into his mind. Now that he’d have to work on.