‘Please, Jamie, come to the kitchen and eat. Let’s try to be normal again.’
He met her eyes. ‘Were things ever normal between us?’
She gave a small smile. ‘Not sure what to call it.’
‘I don’t deserve someone like you in my life.’
‘Yes, you do. None of it was your fault.’
‘Don’t make excuses for me.’
Alice let go of his hand and headed for the door. ‘There were excuses. Big fat ones. But right now, all that’s important is you eating. So, come on.’
Jamie followed her to the kitchen. Every step feeling surreal. He used to dream of the day he’d go home to Port Berry, rebuild his life, but being there didn’t feel real. Being so close to Alice was unbelievable on every level. ‘I see not much has changed about the old place.’
Alice opened the fridge. ‘Mabel was stuck in her ways, but I plan to do a bit of an upgrade here and there.’ She waggled a packet of ham. ‘Sandwich, or would you rather wait till Demi comes back to make some hot lunches?’
‘Sandwich is fine, thanks.’ He was happy to eat anything she offered, just happy to be around her.
‘Coming right up.’
‘I can help you with this place. I’m okay with a paintbrush.’ He smiled when she glanced his way.
‘That’ll be nice.’
‘After this, do you want me to put the Christmas decorations up? You know, what with me not being allowed to hang out in my room.’
Alice’s giggle was one of his favourite sounds. ‘I’m not going to be the boss of you.’
‘Oh, you’ve always been the boss of me.’
She placed a plated sandwich on the table where he sat. ‘Not true. If I had been, I would have kept you out of prison.’
Jamie reached for her hand. ‘You kept me alive in prison.’
A beat passed.
‘You had no one writing or visiting you,’ she said quietly, water pooling in her eyes until she blinked it away.
Jamie pulled back. ‘Erm, shall I make us a drink or something?’
‘There’s juice in the fridge, or you can put the kettle on.’ She glanced over her shoulder as she headed to the breadbin to put the bread away. ‘Or did you mean something stronger?’
‘Juice is fine.’ He went to the fridge, putting the ham away at the same time. He needed something to do other than keep staring at her.
Alice sat down with her own sandwich. ‘Do you have any plans?’
He joined her side, passing her a glass of orange juice. ‘I have that appointment tomorrow at The Butterfly Company to talk about finding a job. So I’ll go from there.’
‘Anything else?’
‘Not just yet. What about you? I know you didn’t tell me everything about your life.’ He bit into his sandwich, wondering if she might mention a boyfriend.
‘Just this place occupying my mind. And now you.’ She gave him a friendly nudge of the arm.
Jamie swallowed hard. ‘So, erm, you don’t have a partner?’
‘No.’
