18. Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Eighteen
T he hot water ran over my skin like silk. It was possibly the best shower I’d ever had, and Rob had taken me to plenty of five-star hotels.
‘You nearly done in there?’
‘Sorry, Harry, I’ll come out now.’
‘It’s heaven, isn’t it?’ said Harry, once I emerged fully dressed with a towel wrapped around my hair.
‘It’s amazing. I didn’t want to ever get out.’
‘You’re telling me,’ said Harry, giving a dramatic shiver followed by a wolfish grin. ‘I’ll get in now, but don’t wait out here in the cold. Seb’s back and has got coffee on the go. No need to knock. He’s expecting you.’
‘I should really get back to Bertie.’
‘Why? He’ll be having a great time with Pat. Stay for a coffee. You need to warm up properly after being cold for so long.’
Before I could argue, Harry jumped into the shower cubicle and the sound of the powerful rainwater shower drowned out further conversation. I walked around to the front of the cabin and took a deep breath. As I stepped inside, I was hit by the delicious combination of wood smoke and freshly brewed coffee.
‘How was your swim?’ asked Seb, his back to me as he stirred the coffee.
‘Amazing. Amazingly cold.’
Seb laughed and turned to look at me. ‘It’s put some colour in your cheeks, at least.’
My cheeks burned brighter, and I walked over to the fire to hide it. ‘Thanks for the blankets and hot chocolate. They made all the difference.’
‘No problem. But don’t let Harry’s thoughtfulness fool you. Now she’s got you in once, you’ll get the usual no-frills experience from now on.’
I laughed and looked around the cabin. I’d expected an explosion of pine, but the walls of Seb’s cabin were white-washed, free of paintings, the views from the windows negating the need for an artist’s work. The whole of the ground floor was open-plan. Clustered around the fire sat a collection of mis-matched armchairs, covered in woollen throws in varying shades of blue and green. A sheepskin rug filled the space in front of the fire.
Seb walked over with a cup of coffee and saw me studying the rug. ‘The rug’s meant to be ironic,’ he said. ‘My sister bought it for me as a joke when she heard I was moving into a log cabin. It’s unbelievably comfy though, not that I’d admit that to her.’
‘It’s a lovely space.’
‘I’ve tried to tone it down since I moved in. It used to look like a sauna, and I’d be reading the newspaper expecting a gang of nude Scandinavians to show up at any moment. I couldn’t live like that. Take a seat.’ Seb pointed to an armchair, and I sat down, kicking off my shoes and curling my legs beneath me.
‘Thanks for letting us use the shower.’
‘No problem. Did it help to warm you up?’
‘Yes, and this coffee’s helping, too. Thanks.’ I blew on the coffee and studied Seb across the rim of my mug. He wore a misshapen jumper, which I guessed must have been a present from Harry. His long hair was tied up with an elastic band, and a line of milky coffee clung to his moustache. I wondered whether my mind was playing tricks on me, whether this was the same man I’d met all those years before? Could Seb have a brother, or a twin?
‘How many siblings do you have?’ I asked.
‘Just the one sister.’
‘No brother, called Baz, maybe?’ I blamed the cold water for making me so bold, but I had to know if I was imagining things.
‘No, just a sister called Beth. Why?’
I noticed Seb wouldn’t catch my eye, and even with all that facial hair, I could tell his cheeks had grown pink. ‘Oh, nothing. You just remind me of someone I met a long time ago.’
‘Couldn’t have been me,’ said Seb. But the way he got up from his chair and pretended to fuss with something in the kitchen told me all I needed to know. It was him. I was right. No wonder he was pretending. I would too, if I’d behaved the way he did all those years ago.
Harry came in, bringing with her a blast of freezing air. ‘It’s a beautiful day, but my God, it’s freezing.’
‘You’re both mad, going in the water in these temperatures.’
‘You’re never tempted?’ I asked Seb.
‘Only when it’s at least twenty-five degrees outside.’
‘Wimp,’ said Harry, punching his arm before pouring herself a coffee. ‘Seb, I’ve found the answer to your prayers.’
‘Oh?’
‘Liv.’
Seb and I erupted into simultaneous blushes, although he had the advantage of covering his with facial hair. Harry carried on oblivious, climbing up onto the kitchen worktop and swinging her legs against a cupboard. ‘Yeah, Liv’s going to help you with the lake project. You can start by thinking of a better name for it. Lake project sounds like we’re about to start dredging or something.’
‘That’s a kind offer, but I can manage it by myself.’
‘Ha, yeah right. How much time have you been able to spend on it this week?’
Seb frowned and studied his coffee cup.
‘Look, I’m not saying you’re not capable of running the project by yourself. I’m just saying you don’t have the time. Let Liv pick up some of the slack.’
‘I wish you’d run this by me first.’
‘Why? It’s a great idea.’
I wanted the chair to swallow me whole. The cousins continued bickering, oblivious to my presence. I felt as though I were eavesdropping on a private conversation, even though that conversation was about me, and I was in the room.
‘I’d better get back to Bertie.’
‘Look what you’ve done,’ Harry told Seb. ‘You’ve made Liv feel uncomfortable. That’s not the way to begin a new partnership.’
Seb ignored Harry and began washing out his mug.
‘If you’d rather work alone, I’m sure there are other things I can help with around the farm. I wouldn’t want to put you in a difficult position.’
‘It’s fine,’ said Seb, his voice betraying his true feelings that it was anything but.
‘If you’re sure?’
‘Of course he is,’ said Harry. ‘Why don’t we set a time for the two of you to meet and get started? How about tomorrow morning after our swim?’
‘Oh, I’m not sure…’
‘About the swim, or the meeting?’
Both, but I didn’t want to make a bad impression so used Bertie as an excuse.
‘We’ll see how Pat’s got on with him this morning, but I’m sure he’ll be happy to watch him again tomorrow. Why don’t you go into the village today and inquire at the school? That will free up more of your time and stop Bertie getting bored.’
‘I don’t think he could get bored on the farm, but you’re right. I’ll call in today and find out if they’ve got any spaces.’
‘Great. Right, Seb, we’ll love you and leave you. See you at dinner tonight.’
‘See you.’
‘Thanks for the coffee.’
Seb answered me with a nod of the head and left me with the distinct impression he was looking forward to our first meeting as much as a visit to the dentist.