Chapter 20
Alyssa huddled inside her parka, wriggling her toes inside her boots to try and keep them warm.
Spring might just about have arrived, but at this time of the morning the sun was still half asleep.
And so was she. At least Teijo had heated seats in his car, so her rear end was toasty.
They were on their way to Love Task Three, and for some reason, Alyssa couldn’t help stealing glances at Devan, who was sitting in the front.
It wasn’t that she liked looking at him.
Of course she didn’t. But she couldn’t escape the weird thought that he seemed sort of different, since her mother told her he’d been separated from Sylvie for ages.
And what was that thing she’d said about those two never having had a spark?
Alyssa shook her head and looked away. She’d insisted on sitting in the back of the car, away from him.
What on earth was she hoping to deduce from scrutinising the side of his head?
As if anybody’s ear ever gave away trade secrets.
Anyway, he surely looked the same as he always did.
Irritatingly laid-back, and nice to the point of smarmy.
Only this time, a little rumble of something like guilt stirred in her belly as she thought that.
From what little Teijo had mentioned in his email, she might have all weekend to stop judging Devan on past crimes and confront him. The thought was mildly terrifying. On second thought, maybe a liar never changed their spots – or whatever that saying was.
‘Can you divulge where we’re going yet?’ Alyssa asked, her gaze fixed on the trees and fields beyond her window.
Somewhere in the middle of nowhere, as far as she could make out.
This had better be swanky, because she’d entrusted Pikachu to Jess from the shop for the whole weekend.
Who knew what the going rate might be for mouse-sitting.
Devan hadn’t asked Teijo any nagging questions, though maybe he’d plotted this himself, complete with big hairy spiders and buckets full of quinoa.
Or was she being a bit unfair on him? He’d arrived at the car with a cinnamon apple latte, an Americano and a green tea, and had given her first choice.
At six a.m. on a weekend, she hadn’t even pretended she was going for green tea, and he hadn’t smirked when she’d grabbed the latte.
But it would take a hell of a lot more than a nice drink from Apple Blossom Lane to fix his list of misdemeanours.
‘You’ll see,’ Teijo replied. ‘But I can tell you’re going to love it. ’Appy Together is just brilliant at creating the perfect tasks.’
‘Bit of a shame it’s so far away from Hartglove,’ Devan said absently.
‘I ran a poll to see if the locals were feeling more love lately, so we can shake off that dreaded “loveless” stigma and make our town a more attractive place to live, though our efforts don’t seem to have changed much. Maybe we need something more.’
More than flying over the town in a heart-shaped hot air balloon and breaking your back digging over a damned love garden?
‘I must hand out more of my love coaching business cards,’ Alyssa said fake-pleasantly.
The car arrived at a clearing in a wooded area next to a lake, Teijo jumping out like an excited puppy and pulling out supplies from the boot. Alyssa and Devan joined him.
Alyssa did her best to stop her heart from sinking as she took stock of Teijo’s goods.
She knew she often gave off outdoorsy vibes on social media, because photos of nature and lovely walks were far more uplifting than snaps of her watching Bake Off and eating a meat feast pizza.
But Teijo’s equipment looked a hell of a lot like there would be camping involved. Had she really signed up for this?
‘Camping?’ Alyssa asked casually. ‘Just for the photos though, right?’ If she could go home to her own warm bed after a little photoshoot, she’d do the best smiles ever.
‘The seven love tasks are a genuine experiment, Alyssa,’ said Teijo, as though she’d mortally wounded him. ‘Real life isn’t just a thing we do for the pics.’
Said the guy whose middle name ought to be ‘When am I getting my exclusive?’
‘What will we be doing?’ asked Devan, helping Teijo to organise the kit.
‘Great question,’ said Teijo. ‘We have Alyssa to thank for this one. She asked the app for something involving fewer people, after the allotment task. And we know from her initial questionnaire that she aces everything from white-water rafting to campfire cuisine.’
Alyssa grimaced. She must get a touch more honest and update that bloody thing.
‘And Devan is clearly fit and adventurous,’ Teijo added, sweeping an arm at him.
Adventurous in his choice of clothing, Alyssa noted, eyeing his latest Save Hartglove T-shirt, emblazoned with ‘Don’t Play Hart to Get’, which he’d insisted was Mrs Halfpenny’s brainchild. Likely story. At least it vaguely fitted this time, and he was wearing it with suitable layers.
Devan shrugged. ‘I have most of my adventures behind a computer screen, but I’ll try.’
‘Teamwork and trust,’ said Teijo. ‘The app thinks you could both benefit from less time paddling your own canoes.’
Devan raised his eyebrows.
Teijo explained they’d be building a raft from logs, to get them across the lake to their wild camping spot. He was churning out other words, but Alyssa’s thoughts were too busy spiralling.
She’d be sleeping in a tent. With Devan. In March? Who even did that?
‘Hang on, won’t it be freezing?’ asked Alyssa. ‘What if we need anything? Are there shops? And places to eat?’
‘I’ve packed everything you need,’ Teijo insisted. ‘And written instructions, because phone reception will probably be non-existent.’
Alyssa gulped. She knew about Teijo’s haphazard organising from the one wonky wheelbarrow situation – and that was before she got started on the quinoa. And no phone reception?
‘You’ll be staying with us, for backup though?’ Hell, she’d even consider giving him his stupid exclusive, if he’d give her a lift home when it got chilly.
‘I’ll be leaving you two to take the photos, which you can send to me later. The app thinks you need some alone time. Wouldn’t a reputable love coach like you agree?’
Her chest tightened.
‘But we don’t need to build a raft,’ she blurted. ‘No love coach would advise putting unnecessary strain on an already fragile situation. We could just walk around the lake. A few pics with a tent, and then …’
‘I’ve packed waders,’ Teijo replied. ‘Because life is about enjoying the journey, Miss Heart – as your Instagram quotes are always reminding us. Embrace the ride.’
She’d quite happily shove the ride up someone’s ridiculous T-shirt.
But as Teijo threw a pair of rubbery-looking trousers at her and pointed to the lake, she knew she’d better suck it up and start smiling, if she didn’t want to breach her contract or look like a quitter.
No wonder her agent had opted to stay at home again.
Rufus had all but promised her the tasks would be quick and painless.
And he had not mentioned when questioned the very real danger of being faced with Devan Shaw.
Or indeed the possibility she might be sleeping face to face with him in what was bound to be a particularly small tent. Awkward to the power of a million.
It wasn’t long before she and Devan were listening to the quiet purr of Teijo’s engine, as he disappeared for two whole days – and something inside Alyssa was silently screaming.
The purr had barely disappeared before she was eyeing up routes around the lake to avoid going over it and wondering how long she’d have to hike to a road to hitch a ride.
‘You know he wants photos of the finished raft with us on it?’ said Devan, clearly guessing she was considering escape routes. ‘Shall I get some logs?’
She supposed she ought to at least complete some of the task, before trying to leg it. ‘I’m perfectly capable, thanks.’
‘I don’t doubt it,’ he replied. ‘You’re determined enough to make fourteen rafts and a shed to put them in. You just don’t look like you fancy doing this.’
She paused for a moment. Did he think that about her? That she was determined? It was always strange to hear other people’s take on you, especially when they’d known you well. Though they were both different now.
‘It’s just not my idea of a fun weekend, that’s all,’ she heard herself admitting. At least Teijo and his notepad had gone.
‘I wondered.’ He sat on a log and grabbed Teijo’s instructions on how to make a raft. ‘So why do you tell the app and your followers that you’re into this sort of thing, if you’re not?’
He kept his gaze trained on the paper in his hand.
‘Are you saying I make stuff up?’ she asked.
‘I don’t know. Do you?’
His words hung in the air, which still had a chill, even though the late winter sun was rising. A bird squawked somewhere in the distance.
Alyssa opened her mouth to reply. There were so many things she wanted to say.
This fresh, clear air was almost inviting it.
A small part of her felt like telling him she’d built this whole persona to feel accepted and liked, and that it was all becoming a bit ridiculous.
She imagined the great weight of it lifting as they chuckled at the unlikeliness of her eating mung beans on a white-water raft, wearing painful yoga pants …
The distant bird screeched again, bringing her instantly back to her senses.
What on earth was she thinking? Of course she wasn’t going to start spilling all that, to Devan Shaw, of all people.
She’d only been alone with him for approximately three minutes, and already she was getting extremely strange ideas. This was going to be a long weekend.
‘I’ll find some wood. We’ll go separate ways.’
‘You know, it will be easier if we work together,’ Devan said cautiously. ‘I’ve never made a raft before, have you? And let’s face it, Teijo’s instructions are likely to be shit,’ he joked.
That was something they could agree on.
‘So I guess it’s teamwork or drown?’
Alyssa couldn’t help the laugh that burst out of her. ‘Now there’s a saying for Instagram.’ Though for once, she didn’t want to share it. ‘You know, that’s probably the only reason I’d agree to teamwork with you,’ she said lightly. ‘Survival.’
‘Oh yeah. The only reason?’ He ran a hand through his wayward brown hair, the natural streaks of auburn flashing in the low sun.
Alyssa tried not to notice how the misty air had turned a few strands adorably wavy. She’d probably think the same about a spaniel.
Devan quirked his eyebrows, showing off his deep blue eyes.
He wasn’t wearing his geek chic glasses today.
Not that his eyeballs were any of her business.
One corner of his mouth was twitching into a smile, as though he knew his jokey efforts to look seductive were too much.
Then, inexplicably, one hand moved slowly up his thigh towards his groin.
Alyssa’s mouth dropped. What on earth was he … ?
She shook her gaze away and glared at him.
‘Not even for my massive … bar of chocolate?’
Alyssa let out a relieved breath, mixed with a snort of laughter.
‘Chocolate is survival,’ she said, letting her eyes dance across the chunky Yorkie bar he was pulling out.
‘And here was me thinking I could only impress you with a smile like Teijo’s and a packet of goji berries.’
‘Teamwork or drown,’ said Alyssa, holding out her hand for her share of the chocolate bar Devan was already breaking in half.
‘Is that a deal?’ he asked, his eyes twinkling.