“Yum!” Marcy inhaled the scent of freshly baked goods and smiled. “Earlier? What time did you get up?”
“Eight. I’m pretty quick when it comes to baking and I already had the pastry ready.”
“Well, thank you very much. I think I’ll save the park shop pastries for later.” Marcy winked and beckoned to the chairs around the low coffee table on the terrace. “Please sit, I’ll go get the coffee. How do you like it? I can make you a latte.”
“Thanks, that would be lovely.”
“One latte coming up.” From the kitchen window, Marcy watched Zoe taking in the outdoor area with interest, and laughed when she settled in the recliner and started playing with the settings. A sudden squeal revealed she had pulled one of the side levers and she looked on with amusement as the chair threw Zoe on her back.
26
Having finally mastered Marcy’s ridiculous chair, Zoe was both puzzled and pleasantly surprised by Marcy’s home. She’d expected many things, but not this; certainly not for someone of Marcy’s age. The functional caravan was sweet, even though it was clear she hadn’t decorated it herself, and the many gnomes that were staring at her wide-eyed made her laugh. The humour of the situation calmed her nerves a little. After last night’s exchange, she’d been tossing and turning until the early hours, too turned on to sleep or even relax.
“Here’s a latte for you… And a black coffee for me.” Marcy put the coffee and almond croissants on the table and laughed at Zoe, who was still wrestling with the chair trying to find a comfortable position. “I see you’re trying to figure out my recliner.”
“How could I resist?” Zoe laughed too. “It’s already tried to kill me once. It looks really eighties.”
“It is eighties.” Marcy took Zoe’s hands, bent over her and placed them on the handles on either side of the chair. Zoe felt a shiver run down her spine as their eyes met. Standing over her like that, she couldn’t help but imagine Marcy kissing her, and she subconsciously licked her lips as she lowered her gaze to her mouth.God, that mouth…“Here. You need to pull both handles and push your legs up.”
Zoe suddenly fell back and was once again met with Marcy’s flirty eyes holding hers. “Hmm… it’s actually really comfortable,” she said, then put the chair back upright. “So… this is where you live.”
“Yep.”
“It’s so you,” she joked.
“Thank you,” Marcy said, playing along while she tried to keep a straight face. “I feel it truly reflects my style.”
“And how long have you lived here?” Zoe’s amused gaze shifted to two garden gnomes, hugging in a corner.
“Three years, give or take.”
“Wow.” Zoe waved at the neighbour who greeted her from the other side of the low fence. “It’s kind of cute.”
“You think so?” Marcy waved too. “Good morning, Maevis.”
“Yes, and the neighbours seemed so friendly when I walked up here.”
“They are.” Marcy lowered her voice. “But they’re also quite demanding. I’m basically the handywoman come PA for everyone in the park.” She chuckled. “It’s mainly fixing things, but I even help some of them with their paperwork; it can be quite time consuming.”
“That’s so kind of you.” Zoe’s opinion of Marcy had changed over the past weeks and now she was seeing yet another side to her; a sweet, caring and quirky side that made her like her even more. She couldn’t imagine anyone in their thirties wanting to live in a caravan park, but it actually seemed pretty fun. “Do you own the caravan?”
“No, I’m just renting it. It’s dirt cheap; the owner hasn’t upped the rent in ten years.” Marcy was quiet for long moments, as if contemplating something. “I’m actually working on a project; a place of my own. I’m hoping to move in soon. I never thought I’d say this, but I think I’m going to miss living here.”
“Oh. Where are you moving to?”
Again, Marcy was quiet, then shook her head having made a decision. “I haven’t told anyone about it, but I’m in the process of building my dream home, not too far from here.”
“That sounds intriguing.” Zoe quirked a brow. “Can I see it? Do you have pictures?”
“No, I don’t have pictures. And as I said, no one knows about it.” Marcy tapped her finger against the side of her nose. “But I might show you before the grand reveal if you can keep a secret.”
“I can keep a secret. But why areyoukeeping it quiet?” Zoe asked. “Wouldn’t it be much easier to build a house with the help of friends and family? Considering your father is one of the main players in construction over here…”
“Yes, it would be easier, but the building site has been my safe haven, my calm place and I’ve never been in a rush with it. I like being there alone with my own thoughts on the weekend. There’s something very therapeutic about perfecting a space and coming up with solutions as I go along, and I guess I wanted to prove to myself that I could do something spectacular without my father’s input and expertise. Also, the concept is unusual, so I knew my parents would have their doubts about it and I didn’t want any negativity involved in my passion project.”
“Unusual, huh? Now you’ve made me even more curious. Are you sure you don’t want to show me right now?”
Marcy’s smile widened. “Now that I’m talking about it, I kind of want to but you’ll still have to wait. I want to at least fill the pool first.”
