Chapter Nineteen
L ynsey moved the screwdriver beneath the stubborn plaster a little more before taking the hammer and tapping the end. Still, it wouldn’t shift. She and Zac had begun the task of knocking what plaster was left on the walls off since she’d finished her shift at the bakery, and they’d almost completed the wall with the fireplace in the living room. If only this bit would take the hint and let go of its death grip on the brickwork.
‘Here. Tilt it a little.’ Coming up behind her, Zac encircled his arms around her and covered her hands with his, manoeuvring the screwdriver before drawing the hammer, still in her grasp, back and driving it forward. Sure enough, the plaster dropped to the heap at their feet.
‘Thanks.’ Twisting around in his embrace, she pushed her goggles onto the top of her head and grinned. ‘I’ve got to say, it’s super handy having a builder here.’
‘Haha, I bet it is!’ removing his own goggles he unwrapped his arms from her waist and took the hammer and screwdriver from her hands before lowering them to the floor. Straightening his back again, he wrapped his arms back around her waist as she did the same. ‘We’re almost done with this wall.’
Twisting her head around, she looked at the wall. He was right. Apart from little patches here and there and a ton of white plaster dust, the wall had been taken back to the bare brickwork.
Walking them into the middle of the room, Zac gently turned her in his arms to face the wall. ‘So what do you think? Do you like it? Hopefully you can get an idea of what the room will look like with all the walls the same.’
Leaning her back against his chest, she placed her hands over his in front of her and took in the scene in front of her, trying to imagine the same exposed brickwork throughout the room. ‘I think it looks cosy. I really like it.’
‘Good. I was hoping you would.’ Leaning his head down, he kissed her on the side of the neck, his lips warm against her skin.
Closing her eyes as he kissed her, she leaned her head back against his shoulder. ‘This isn’t going to get weird, is it?’
‘Weird? What’s going to get weird?’
‘Us, I mean this. What if you decided you don’t actually like me that way and break things off with me? You’ll leave me in the lurch with the cottage.’
Zac gave a low chuckle. ‘Believe me, I can’t see myself breaking things off with you. And, besides, I’m a professional. Nothing would come in the way of my work.’
His words echoed in her mind as she replayed them. He’d said he couldn’t see himself breaking things off with her. Did that mean what she thought it meant? That this wasn’t just a quick temporary thing? She looked down at the floor and tapped the toe of her trainer against the floorboards, watching as a mound of dust fell from the fabric to the floor.
‘What are you thinking?’ His lips brushed against her skin as he spoke.
‘Nothing.’ She couldn’t ask him; she didn’t want to appear as though she wanted more than he did. If she asked him what was going on between them and he turned round and said it was just a bit of fun or something, she didn’t know if she could keep seeing him around the cottage, It would be her not wanting him to continue working here.
Taking his hands away from hers, Zac turned her gently to face him before moving her hair from her eyes. ‘You can ask me anything. I’ll always be honest with you. No secrets.’
Squeezing her eyes shut so she couldn’t see his reaction, she spoke quietly and quickly, instantly regretting her decision to say anything at all. ‘What is this? Is this just a bit of fun to you?’
‘A bit of fun?’ Zac chuckled. ‘Do I look like a guy who just wants a bit of fun?’
Opening her eyes again, she felt a rush of heat explode across her face. ‘No, I mean. I don’t know. Up until just over a year ago, I’ve been in a long-term relationship. I’m so out of touch with the dating world.’ She cringed inside. She’d done it again. She’d jumped to conclusions. ‘Sorry, I don’t mean that I think we’re dating, I just...’
Smiling, Zac’s eyes filled with warmth. ‘I guess we should clear this all up, then?’
She nodded. There, she’d gone and spoilt whatever was going on between them before anything had really begun. Well done, Lynsey.
‘Lynsey, will you go out with me?’
Shaking her head, Lynsey laughed. It had been what she wanted – to know where she stood – but now he’d asked her, she almost felt as though she was right back at secondary school and her crush was asking her on a date. ‘Yes, of course. I’ll go out with you.’
Wiping the back of his hand across his forehead, Zac chuckled. ‘Phew, I thought you were going to turn me down then. Thank you for asking where you stood. I wanted to have that conversation with you yesterday after we first kissed, but I didn’t quite know how.’
Lynsey grinned. ‘Well, in that case, I’m grateful for my complete incompetence in the dating scene.’
‘Haha, that makes two of us. I too, was in a long-term relationship up until last year. It’s why I moved back down to Penworth Bay. I had to wind my business back in Wales up, finish a few jobs I’d promised to do, but as soon as they were over, I knew I wanted to return to the bay where I spent my childhood.’
‘Well, I’m glad you did.’ Leaning forward, Lynsey went to kiss him just as the ringtone of her mobile filled the room. Pulling it from her pocket, she held it to her ear, mouthing, ’sorry’ before speaking. ‘Hi.’
‘Hey, Lynsey, it’s Brooke. Are you still coming to the pub quiz? It’s about to start.’ Brooke’s voice was muffled, and Lynsey could hear the mumbling of chatter in the background. She must already be at the pub.
‘Oh, sorry. I didn’t realise what the time was.’ She looked across to Zac and mouthed, ‘pub quiz.’
Zac gave her the thumbs-up before moving away and collecting the tools they’d been using.
‘Yes, we’ll be there as soon as we can.’
‘Great. See you soon. Can’t wait to introduce you to the rest of the bakery family.’
‘Bye.’ Ending the call, Lynsey began helping Zac to tidy up before she straightened her back and frowned. ‘You grew up here, right?’
‘I did.’ Zac nodded as he placed the tools he’d gathered into his toolbox. ‘I’ve visited many times between then and now, too.’
‘Then do you know how big Elsie’s family is?’
Straightening his back, Zac frowned before breaking into a grin. ‘Are you talking about the bakery family?’
‘Yes, it’s just Brooke’s spoken about them a couple of times, Diane too, and from the way they talk, there’re a lot of them.’ She shrugged.
‘Haha, there’re hundreds of them. Well, not hundreds, but it certainly seems that way sometimes.’ After wiping his hands down the front of his jeans, Zac passed Lynsey her coat. ‘Elsie’s bakery family is made up of all the past and present volunteers at the bakery. Including their partners and families.’
‘Oh, I see.’ Lynsey nodded. That made sense. Shrugging into her coat, Lynsey grabbed her keys from the windowsill. She felt a flutter of excitement. If the other local previous volunteers were as lovely as Brooke, Wendy, molly, Teresa, Diane and Robyn, then hopefully she’d have another couple of friends in the bay. Now she could see progress being made on the cottage and she’d settled into her routine of working at the bakery and then renovating with Zac in the evenings, she really was beginning to feel settled here. Yes, she’d made the right decision to choose to call Penworth Bay her home. ‘Let’s go and meet them then.’