Chapter 14 #2
He studied her face for a moment with a serious look in his eyes, and then he smiled. ‘I told you,’ he said. ‘Best Full English on the planet.’
‘What about you?’ Lara looked him in the eye. ‘One of the men working at the cottage told me your dad worked for Tom’s construction business before he retired to Spain.’
Jasper visibly tensed. Lara wasn’t the only one with secrets it seemed.
He dropped his gaze and toyed with his cutlery, nudging the knife forward and back in silence for a second or two. Then he took a deep breath and met her look.
‘I suppose it’s only fair. You told me about your family.’
‘You don’t have to tell me. I know sometimes it’s difficult to share stuff like this.’
He held her gaze. ‘No. I want to tell you. When I was at school, I helped Gran in here in the school holidays, and I loved it. Dad wanted me to work with him and Gramps at Bright Bonn Construction, so I did that too, and I loved it just as much. But Mum wanted me to go to university. I can remember the arguments she and Dad had about it. Gramps told me I must do whatever felt right for me, as did Gran. Dad insisted I join the family firm. Mum insisted I go to uni. Neither of them asked me what I wanted.’
‘What did you want?’ Lara asked when he stopped and let out a long sigh.
He shrugged angrily. ‘I wanted to please both my parents. I wanted them to stop arguing about me. I wanted … I wanted to run away and travel the world.’
‘Seriously?’
He shook his head. ‘Probably not. But it had a certain appeal.’
‘Dare I ask what you did?’
‘I went to uni. Not that far from here so that I could spend weekends at home and work with Dad and Gramps, as I did during the holidays. Oddly enough, neither Dad nor Mum were pleased. Mum wanted me to go to Oxford or somewhere equally prestigious. Dad wanted me to join the family firm full time. Eventually, once I got my degree, I moved to London and joined a firm of architects. That’s where I am to this day.
Mum met a former boyfriend online and ran off with him the day after I left.
Dad retired a few years later and moved to Spain.
He did ask Gramps to go with him, but Gramps preferred to stay here.
I’m an only child so…’ His voice trailed off just in time for Maud to bring their breakfasts.
‘Why the serious faces?’
‘We’re sharing war stories,’ Jasper said.
‘Before breakfast? Is that wise?’
He laughed and so did Lara.
‘Probably not,’ said Jasper.
‘I’ll bring a pot of coffee. You both look like you need more than just a mug.’
Breakfast was everything Jasper had said it would be – and more.
But the time went on wings and although Lara and Jasper were getting on like a house on fire, his phone rang a few times after they had finished eating, and, after checking who was calling, and holding his phone so that Lara couldn’t see the caller display, his demeanour changed and his good mood faded.
‘That’s not about Tom, is it?’ Lara had asked the first time it had rung, but he had declined the call and shook his head.
The second time, she didn’t ask, but he got more irritated and jabbed at the screen as he declined the call.
The third time he sucked in an audible sigh and slammed the phone down harder than was wise.
The fourth time he glowered at the screen. Lara felt that if he could have shot arrows from his eyes, he probably would have done so.
The fifth time, Lara said, ‘Someone clearly wants to get hold of you. If you need to take the call, or if you need to leave, please don’t worry about me. You can always drop the cat litter and stuff round later. Or I can come and get them with my car.’
‘No! Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just … complicated. I’ll deal with it later.’
‘I’d better get a move on anyway,’ she said, ‘if that’s okay with you. I promised Roger, the roofer I’d be back before he left and it’s almost lunchtime now. I can’t believe where the time has gone.’
‘Neither can I. I’ll take you home now then.’
They said goodbye to Maud, and Lara promised to return as often as she could.
‘You’ll be sick of seeing me,’ she said.
‘Never,’ said Maud. ‘I might stick an apron on you though, if we’re shorthanded, so watch out.’
‘Hmm. I’m not known for my people skills, so you might regret that. But if you need anything designed, or drawn, or illustrated in any way, then I’m your girl.’
‘Your people skills seem fine to me,’ said Maud, grinning at Lara and winking as she tilted her head in Jasper’s direction while he declined yet another call.
Lara’s cheeks burned and she hurried out in front of Jasper in case he saw her embarrassment.
He was much quieter on the drive to her cottage and they hardly spoke more than a few words. He told her he would go the other way, due to the pothole in the lane, and would turn around at her cottage and then go back through the village and down Old Oak Lane from that end.
He also said that if she needed any help, to give him a call.
She had considered making a joke about whether or not he would decline her call, but she thought better of it.
‘Thanks again for breakfast,’ she said as he edged his way past the now empty flatbed lorry and pulled up on the other side of it just a few steps from her front gate. Which, she noticed, was back in place and even looked as if it had been given a fresh coat of paint.
‘My pleasure,’ he replied, a strange look in his eyes as his gaze lingered on her face for longer than expected.
She felt awkward and nervous as she got out of his car until she spotted the roofer with whom she’d had the long conversation about her front gate.
‘It looks fabulous,’ she said. ‘Thank you so much. And thanks for painting it.’
‘No problem.’ He gave her a quick smile.
‘We’ll be off then,’ said Roger, a second later. ‘See you tomorrow at eight.’
‘I’ll have the kettle on,’ she replied.
‘Wear what you like. But clothes might fit you better.’ He chortled at his own joke.
Before he left, he and his men helped Jasper unpack the boot, without being asked to do so.
‘That was kind,’ Lara said, surprised by their willingness to assist in any way, it seemed. First the gate, then the shopping. They’d be cooking dinner for her next. If only. Although, they might not be good cooks.
Jasper had hesitated at her front door for a few moments, looking somewhat sheepish, as if he had something to say but had no idea how to say it.
‘Thanks again for this morning,’ she said, once more.
‘I really enjoyed it.’ His face didn’t reflect his words. ‘Don’t forget to call if you need to. Or want to.’ He hadn’t met her eyes.
‘Thanks,’ she said, staring at him in the hope that she could read his thoughts, which sadly for her, she couldn’t. ‘If you get a chance, I’d like to know how Tom is, please. A text is fine.’
‘Of course. I’ll text you later. Or call.’
‘Whichever one is best for you. Please give Tom my love.’
His eyes shot to her face. ‘I will,’ he said, almost wistfully.
‘Lara?’ Bob, the electrician, was calling her from somewhere upstairs.
‘I’d better see what he wants,’ she said.
‘Yes of course,’ said Jasper. ‘Bye then.’
‘Bye,’ she said watching him walk away almost as quickly as he had run from her last night.