Chapter 37
Three weeks to go
Brodie pulled into his parking space behind his cottage and let Derek out of the car. He unlocked the house and stepped inside only half aware of the sound of someone’s voice nearby.
‘And where have you been all night, you dirty stop-out?’
Maddie. He closed his eyes momentarily and resisted reminding her that he was an adult now and could do as he pleased. He would much rather have been left in peace to change and spend time before work going over everything that had happened between him and Lettie over the previous twenty-four hours. Instead he knew he would have to listen to his sister lecturing him on either the state of his decor or try to prise out of him where he had been and who with.
He let Derek into the living room and turned to Maddie, forcing a smile on his face. ‘Why are you here so early?’ He made a play of checking his watch. ‘It’s only, what, seven fifteen. You’re not usually even up at this time.’
‘I had to drop Dad off at the airport at six fifteen and thought I’d stop off here on my way home for a quick coffee and a catch-up.’
‘Is something the matter with Dad?’ His mind raced. ‘Mum? Grandad?’
‘Will you stop rambling.’ Maddie pushed past him and made her way to the kitchen. ‘I still need that coffee. I thought we could discuss more ideas for decorating this place.’
He didn’t bother to stifle his groan. ‘Really? Now? Can’t it wait for another time?’
She turned after pressing on the kettle and leant against the worktop. ‘No, Brodie, it can’t. This place is a disgrace. You can’t bring girlfriends back here.’
‘Girlfriends?’ His mind wandered back to Lettie and he sighed. Then, realising his sister was giving him a quizzical stare, went to retrieve two mugs from the cupboard. ‘Here, use these.’
‘Well, if not girlfriends, then other people.’
‘What other people?’
‘Me, or…’ She shrugged. ‘Mum, Dad, or Grandad. I don’t know who. My point is this place is dreadful.’ She waved an arm in a wide arc. ‘I mean look at it. How can you stand living here?’
‘We’ve been over this already. Why don’t you make the coffee while I shower and change and then we can have a brief chat about your ideas. Brief, mind you. I have to get to the practice soon.’
He saw his sister’s gaze take in his clothes and her confused look when she noticed his bare ankles. ‘Whose clothes are you wearing? What’s going on, Brodie?’
‘Nothing.’ He pointed to the cupboard near her shoulder. ‘The coffee is in there. I’ll be five minutes.’
He ran upstairs and hurriedly undressed, making a mental note to wash and return Zac’s clothes to Lettie as soon as possible. As he soaped himself, Brodie remembered what it had been like in the shower with Lettie the previous evening. Now wasn’t the time to go there. He stood letting the water run over his skin and rinse away the soap suds, unable to believe how lucky he felt that Lettie was attracted to him.
‘What are you doing up there?’
At the sound of Maddie’s irritated tone, Brodie turned off the shower and quickly dried and dressed before hurrying back downstairs. The sooner he let his sister have her say about her plans for the cottage the sooner he could go to work and have some peace.
‘Well, it’s about time,’ Maddie said indicating for him to sit next to her on the sofa. ‘That’s your coffee. I’m not sure if it’s strong enough, but we don’t have time to quibble. Now, about the decorations.’
He tried to take in everything she was saying but only heard the odd word and something about sage paint, seagrass flooring somewhere and taking all the paintings in the cottage to the auction along with the bedroom and most of the living room furniture.
‘We can replace it all with something more befitting your lifestyle,’ he heard her say. ‘You don’t want people to think you don’t have pride in the way you live, now, do you?’
Tired of his sister’s bossiness, Brodie took a sip of his coffee. ‘I don’t really mind what they think about this place, as long as they trust my veterinary skills.’
Maddie gave an irritated groan. ‘You’re impossible, do you know that?’
‘I should do,’ he said becoming amused by her bossiness. ‘You’ve told me often enough.’
‘Shall we just agree that I know best where decor is concerned and that you leave all this to me?’
Desperate to end their conversation and go to the practice, he agreed. He showed her to the door, calling for Derek to join him, relieved Maddie seemed satisfied and was about to go. Then recalling how free she could be when it came to spending money ran over to her car.
‘I’ll agree to let you have a free hand with the decorations, but I have a budget and if you go over that amount then you can cover it. Right?’ It was the only way to ensure Maddie didn’t get carried away buying things.
She scowled at him when he told her the pitiful amount that he had to spend on the place. ‘I’ve no idea how you expect me to do much more than paint walls for that figure.’
‘That suits me fine then because that’s really all I want. Are we agreed?’
She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. ‘I suppose I have no choice in the matter.’
‘Not unless you want to pay for it yourself.’
‘Er, I’m doing the consultancy work for nothing don’t forget.’
He patted her arm. ‘I know and I’m grateful to you. And,’ he added, ‘I promise I’ll give you a glowing review when it’s all done.’
‘And tell your patients how brilliant I am.’
‘Yes.’