Chapter 23
Twenty-Three
T he next day, excited butterflies fluttered in my stomach as I watched Bradley study my plans. It wasn’t often I got to show off my skills to someone who could truly appreciate them.
Bradley and I sat in the deserted playground while I talked him through my plans for the school garden.
The garden was a big enough space but with only a tiny budget.
Still, I’d made it work. I was going to install a trellised walkway leading from the gate into the garden.
I’d allocated an area for bug hotels accompanied by bird feeders and an outdoor classroom where children could sit and study the wildlife.
Further on I was going to create an edible garden, consisting of four raised beds for growing vegetables, a small greenhouse, and even an orchard.
The end of the garden would be the wilderness area, with willow huts and of course a wildlife pond right at the bottom.
Flowerbeds would be scattered throughout and line the edge of the garden.
A winding brick pathway tied the whole thing together.
“You could use more perennials,” Bradley said thoughtfully. “These beds will have to be replanted each year with the amount of annuals you’re using.”
“That’s fine. Rosie has said she’ll give an ongoing discount on flowers and some of the parents have offered to donate.
It’ll be an ongoing project. It’s never supposed to be finished as such.
I want it to always need work so the children can really get stuck in and learn year after year.
” I bit my lip, watching his chocolate brown eyes study my work.
“So? Do you like it? Does it live up to the garden you did at your nana’s care home? ”
“I wouldn’t compare them. That was supposed to be sat in and soothed by, this is meant to be an educational adventure. I think it’s beautiful, Lo.” He smiled at me and I was surprised by how hard it was to look away. “Come on, let's empty your van.”
Before leaving work, Bradley had helped me load up all of the supplies from Rosie’s into my van. Now we began the arduous task of carrying it all around the school building, through the playground, all the way to the garden. By the fourth trip, I was definitely grateful he was here.
As long as the light held out, Bradley worked with me to get the infrastructure laid down. We used bamboo canes to mark out our beds, the location of the edible garden and so on until finally, I could see a skeletal view of how it was going to look.
Bradley leaned against the gate, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his dirty jeans. “That is going to be a lot of digging, Lola.”
“Scared your muscles aren’t up to the task?” I teased.
“Hey, my muscles can handle anything.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket, breaking the moment. I pulled it out and sighed as I read the message.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
“Just my sister. She’s meeting a friend for drinks tonight. I forgot I’m supposed to be on babysitting duty. I should go,” I said reluctantly.
“Sure.” He gave an easy shrug and followed me out the gate. “I think it’s sweet that you take care of your nephew. I have two nieces, and I miss hanging out with them.”
“Maybe you can go home to visit soon? I bet they miss you too. Ryan is a handful but I’d miss him like crazy if I couldn’t see him every day.”
Bradley gazed down at me as we walked, an amused smile playing around his mouth.
“What? Do I have dirt on my face?”
“No,” he laughed. “I just like your kindness. It’s a quality I value in…in people. In friends.”
I decided to ignore the awkward tone in his voice.
As much as I enjoyed spending time with Bradley, Alfie was an ever present force in my mind that refused to allow space for any other man.
Tomorrow seemed like such a long time to wait to see him but he’d said he was tied up with meetings tonight.
It bothered me that I was already missing him, I was already more attached than I liked.
“Well, thank you and thanks for helping me with all of this. I’ll see you at work tomorrow?”
“Yeah, and then on Saturday we can really get stuck in.” He walked away, an excited grin on his face. Like me, he couldn’t wait to get started.
I got home as quickly as I could, entering my cottage with a flurry of apologies for being late.
Natalie rushed straight by me out the door with a call over her shoulder that Ryan had already had his dessert so not to listen when he tried to tell me otherwise.
I found my nephew on the couch in his pyjamas watching cartoons.
I grabbed a bowl of the chilli my sister had made for dinner and joined him.
He snuggled up next to me, accepting the occasional forkful of food I offered him.
Ryan’s bedtime came quickly but, as tired as I was, I wasn’t ready for sleep yet.
After I put him to bed, I returned to the TV but I couldn’t focus on it.
My body still sung with Alfie’s touch even though it had been more than a day since I’d seen him.
To keep myself distracted, I decided to get up and make a casserole for dinner tomorrow, to give Natalie a night off from cooking.
As I peeled potatoes, my mind was spinning with thoughts of the school garden. I ran over the plan for Saturday again and again. Did I have the right materials? Enough volunteers?
Those thoughts were interrupted by the buzzing of my phone. I looked at the screen and my heart leapt into my throat. Alfie. I answered immediately.
“My meeting ended early. I’m sending Elliot for you,” he said, not bothering with a greeting.
“Hello, Alfie, my day has been great, thank you so much for asking.”
“Hello, Lola,” he said, not sounding the least bit apologetic. “Elliot will be with you in thirty minutes.”
“Well, tell him to turn around. I can’t see you tonight. My sister’s having drinks with a friend, so I’m babysitting my nephew.”
“He’ll wait until she gets back.”
I took a breath, trying to hold onto my patience. “Alfie, she won’t be back till late. You can wait until tomorrow.”
“Why would I agree to that?” He sounded genuinely confused.
“Because you’re a rational man who understands that I have other things to do?” I said hopefully.
He let out a huff and I could just imagine his eyebrows knitting together. “I want you to come here.”
“I can’t.”
“Then I’ll come there.”
“Absolutely not!” There was no way I wanted him hanging out on my couch when my sister got home.
“Fine.” A sullen silence filled the line. “You’ve been on my mind today.”
“Really?” I said, playing coy. “I didn’t think about you at all.”
“Liar. You’ll think about me tomorrow and then come to me after work. I’m not waiting any longer to have you again.” He hung up, leaving me shaking my head and breathless.
The next day, Bradley joined me in the boutique garden for lunch and we debated once more on adding more perennials to the garden. By the time lunch was over, I’d caved in and agreed to add peonies and coneflowers to the mix.
I headed back into the office just as the phone started to ring. I hurried to answer it.
“Lola, are you alone?” Alfie cut me off before I could start my regular work greeting.
“Alfie, what is your issue with saying hello to a person? Yes, I’m alone. What kind of question is that?”
“Mark isn’t at the office with you?”
“No, I’m by myself,” I answered, starting to get suspicious. “Why?”
“Does your door have a lock on it?”
“Um yes…why?” I asked again. “Do you want me to lock it?”
“Not yet.” I heard the rev of an engine in the background and realised he must be in a car. “What are you wearing today?”
“A dress, why do you ask? What is going on?” He was starting to make me nervous.
“I want you to take off your underwear for me.” I froze, words failing to find me. I must have been silent for too long because he got impatient for a response. “Did I stutter, Lola?”
I inhaled a shaking breath, trying to calm my racing pulse. “Alfie, I’m not having phone sex at work. There are sixty year old ladies buying hydrangeas right outside.”
“Take them off.” The background noise of a car died down, the engine switching off.
“Why?” I whispered, as if someone might hear me.
“I don’t want anything in my way.”
“What the hell does that mean?” I heard a car door slam. “Alfie?” The line went dead. I stared at the phone in my hand. My throat ran dry. I jumped as my office door opened and he stepped inside. “What are you doing here? What if Rosie sees you?”
“I’m just here for a meeting. Obviously.” My grip tightened on the phone as he locked the door behind him.
“A meeting that requires a locked door?”
He took the phone out of my hand and put it back in the receiver. My heart was pounding as he pulled my chair, rolling me out from behind my desk. He knelt and lifted my dress, sighing when he saw my underwear still in place.
“See, now this is going to take extra time.”
Snapping out of it, I batted his hands away as he reached for my underwear. “Alfie, I’m at work.”
“So what?” He reached for me again and this time I put a foot up against his chest, keeping him at bay.
He smirked and stood, holding my ankle. When he moved towards me, I locked my leg and rolled backwards, but he kept walking until I hit the wall with a jolt.
My plan had backfired. He knelt again, taking one of my ankles in each hand, moving for me like a starving animal.
“We can’t,” I whispered.
“We can.” His hands travelled up my calves, exploring under my dress. I clamped my hands down over his own, halting their progress.
“Can’t you wait until tonight?” The look on his face told me that no, he couldn’t. “Why? Why do you need this?”
He seemed caught off guard by my question. “Why don’t you? Why aren’t you begging for it?” He sounded almost insulted.
I touched his cheek. This man was a mystery to me. A dangerous mystery that was very much in danger of breaking my heart. I should make him go but Alfie Tell made me reckless.
“The blinds.” They were still open. Someone would see.