‘Did you get any further sorting your finances out?’ he asked, before grunting. ‘Sorry, nosy bugger, tell me to mind my own business.’
‘It’s fine, I don’t mind you asking; I did offload a lot on you. And actually, Mum’s boyfriend has been a big help.’
‘Really?’
‘Really.’
She filled him in on how Malcolm had turned up out of the blue, lent her some money, how they’d sat down and hashed out a plan for her to get on top of things.
‘He sounds like a decent bloke.’
‘He is. He has a good heart and Mum seems really happy.’
He hadn’t mistaken it, had he? The atmosphere between them… heated, with a pulse. It was difficult not to reach out and pull her towards him. Was she thinking that maybe they could find their own happy, with each other?
‘Are you sure you can’t stay?’ he asked again.
She hesitated but only briefly. ‘I have to go.’ She held the iPad up. ‘I’ll give this to your mum.’
He leaned against the door jamb when she stepped outside but soon stood straight again, conscious of not assuming his knee was totally normal. He’d reached the stage where despite any discomfort, sometimes he could forget. It was as if the negativity at the doctor’s office that day had made him let go of the ferocity with which he was pushing his recovery and as a result, he’d actually begun to move further.
‘Can I help with the tree drive?’ he asked quickly before she could leave him to it. He didn’t want her to go. He enjoyed her company too much.
Her gaze fell to his knee but rather than an outright no, she said, ‘You sure?’
‘I can give it a go. Take me with you, we’ll see how I am, I can always hobble off if it’s too hard. Call it a different sort of physio session, if you like.’
‘You’re on.’ She gave him a time to be at the airbase. ‘But you tell me the minute your knee gives you trouble.’ She held up awarning finger when his facial expression must have given away that he had absolutely no intention of doing that. ‘I mean it, Gio.’
‘On one condition. You finally agree to letting me take you to dinner.’
She looked surprised.
‘Is that a yes?’ he asked when she said nothing. ‘Actually, don’t answer me now, but promise me you’ll think about it.’
She grinned, nodded and as she walked away, told him, ‘I’ll see you at 10a.m. sharp.’
It wasn’t a date, but it was a start. She’d admitted she’d worried about him, she cared, and now she was letting him in that little bit more. Plus, she hadn’t turned him down flat at the suggestion of dinner either.
And it was the best feeling ever.
28
Bess walked to her mum’s after delivering the iPad to Marianne. She was sure she was still smiling from Gio’s company when she arrived for coffee and cake.
With Malcolm happily watching an overseas cricket match on the television in the lounge, Bess and her mum sat in the kitchen with their second slice of lemon drizzle each.
‘You and Nadia could take on the world with your baking, you know,’ Bess said.
‘You need your sustenance for work later and the tree drive tomorrow. I can’t believe how many people have their trees ready and waiting on the grass verge. I hope you’ve raised lots of money.’
‘People have given very generously this year.’
‘I am glad. I don’t think a lot of people realise that the air ambulance isn’t funded by the government – you need the generosity of the community.’
‘We sure do and we’ve raised a few thousand pounds already.’ Bess licked her fingers when she finishedher piece of the soft, moist cake. ‘Does Malcolm really not want a second slice? I’ll take it to him if you like.’
‘He’s not got as sweet a tooth as me, love. He’s all right with the cricket and the roaring fire.’ They shared a giggle when they heard him cheer at the match from behind the closed door.
