Chapter Seven #2
‘On the Somerset coast, yes, though we used to come down to Cornwall occasionally. Me and a bunch of mates I’d met through the sport. When I saw the job in Penzance, I realised it was a five-minute drive from the big kitesurf centre at Marazion. It felt like a sign.’
‘I love it there. It’s an amazing place with those big flat beaches and St Michael’s Mount as a backdrop.’
‘It was a dream place to kitesurf,’ Ruan added wistfully.
‘You said you used to kitesurf. Why did you stop?’
He sighed. ‘I had an accident. I was at an unfamiliar beach … and let’s say I misinterpreted the wind conditions and ended up colliding with some rocks.’
‘Ouch.’
‘Yeah. Luckily there was a rescue boat on hand, but I’d torn some shoulder ligaments and grazed my legs badly. The grazes have healed but the shoulder’s still not fixed enough for the kind of kitesurfing I want to do. So, I’ve turned to the gym instead, which is incredibly boring.’
‘Oh, I bet! I couldn’t stand to get my exercise indoors on a treadmill.’
He eyed her over the rim of the bottle. ‘You don’t need to exercise.’
She arched an eyebrow, wondering if he was trying a line on her but concluding he probably wasn’t. ‘Now who’s digging a hole?’
He grinned. ‘I only meant that your job is so physical and it’s in the outdoors and it’s creative. I envy you.’
‘I love it and I wouldn’t change it for the world, but it can have its downsides. It’s hardly a steady job, but I’m not complaining. It’s what I choose to do.’
The food arrived and proved to be as good as Tammy had hoped, although she tried not to think of her dwindling bank balance after splurging on two nights out in a row.
There was no way she was going to let Ruan fork out for the whole bill.
Even if he earned a lot more than she did, she’d no intention of owing him anything.
Anyway, with her extra shifts at the gallery, she could afford a couple of special nights out.
‘This is really good,’ Ruan said, shelling the last of his chilli prawns.
‘It sure is.’ Tammy dipped a fry in her sriracha mayo. ‘It was a risk trying a new place but I’m glad I chanced it.’
‘I am too,’ he replied with a look in his deep blue eyes that made her stomach do a delicious flip. ‘Glad you took a risk yesterday and tonight.’
Tammy had a fry in her mouth so couldn’t reply, which was just as well. She hoped he’d put her reddening cheeks down to the spicy mayo.
‘Talking of risks …’ he began.
‘Mmm.’ Her reply was hampered by a mouthful of fry.
‘The thing is, my shoulder’s not great but I’m fed up waiting for it to be perfectly healed. I’ve finally finished my physio and some mates have asked me if I want to go to Marazion this weekend. They’ve booked an Airbnb.’
‘That sounds fun. So why d’you like kitesurfing so much?’
‘I dunno. Because you can’t cheat the elements. It’s outdoors. Like I said, I hate the gym even though I’m supposed to do rehab and strengthen my core. All that boring stuff.’
Tammy didn’t think watching Ruan strengthen his core would be boring at all.
‘I hated PE at school too,’ she said, toying nervously with a spoon on the table. ‘I always liked doing my own thing, out on the beaches and in the fresh air, working with the elements. Maybe we’re more alike than we think.’
Ruan captured her gaze with his. He had beautiful deep blue eyes and his serious expression both mesmerised and disarmed her. ‘Maybe we are,’ he said softly.
Over the next few seconds, so much happened so quickly that Tammy couldn’t remember the exact sequence of events afterwards. Ruan had appeared to lean in closer and reach for her hand. Flustered and nervous, she’d jerked it out of reach and knocked over her beer bottle.
‘Oh God, sorry!’ she burst out, grabbing for the bottle.
She was too late and it rolled off the table, bounced off the banquette seat and crashed on to the wooden floor. By some miracle, it didn’t break and was almost empty, but it was now rolling around between their feet.
‘Sorry,’ she muttered again and dived under the table for it, but Ruan had the same idea at the same time.
Their heads almost clashed and their fingers reached for it simultaneously.
Tammy found herself on her knees, face to face with him under the table.
Reaching for the bottle, their fingers collided and, this time, lingered.
It felt like a scene from Bridgerton , yet this was the twenty-first century where she didn’t need to worry about being an unmarried woman in the company of a man without a chaperone.
She could still feel the warmth of his hand on hers.
Why had she pulled away when he was only going to touch her hand in empathy?
Or had he been about to kiss her? All she knew for certain was she was scared by the powerful effect he was having on her.
This was meant to be a fun evening and was turning out to be … intense.
Finally, Tammy won the battle for the bottle and replaced it on the table, her hands still not 100 per cent steady. ‘What are we like?’ she said, laughing awkwardly.
Ruan simply smiled. ‘I’ll order you another one.’
‘Thanks. Better make it zero this time,’ she joked, ‘if that’s what happens after one beer.’