Hattie blinked. Another amazing offer – but strangely not one she wanted to accept. She remembered how safe she felt at his house: she couldn’t let herself come to rely on that. No, she needed to be in her own place, stand on her own two feet. But Xander would undoubtedly prefer the space there. She smiled. ‘That’s unbelievably kind, but I really think I’d like to live here. Xander probably wouldn’t! I’ll have to talk to Leonie about it. Shall I ring her now? Or shall we go home first?’
‘Do it now. I’ll have another good look at what work needs doing here.’
Leonie asked a lot of questions but she was satisfied with the answers and on the whole didn’t seem too bothered by the thought of Xander staying at Luke’s.
‘I’ll go on being responsible for him getting to college and home again,’ Hattie said. ‘Though if Luke offers him a lift, I’ll probably say yes.’
‘That’s fine,’ said Leonie. ‘Get Xander to call me when you’ve told him about this new plan.’
Hattie hesitated and then said, ‘You do seem a bit more relaxed about everything, Lennie.’
‘I’ve realised that Xander has been thriving since he’s been with you, Hattie. Your scatterbrain approach to life seems to work for him.’
As so often happened, Hattie ended a phone call with her sister feeling faintly insulted.
‘So my sister is on board with it. Now we must ask Xander,’ said Hattie, ‘and if he’s not sure, we can show him this place so he’ll know what he’ll be missing.’
Luke’s deep chuckle gave Hattie a warm feeling.
As predicted, Xander liked the idea of staying with Luke. ‘But we’d still have meals together and things?’ he asked. ‘I like your cooking.’
‘Of course!’ said Hattie, flattered that the boy who apparently only ate plain pasta enjoyed her more eclectic meals.
He hesitated. ‘You won’t be offended, will you?’
Hattie flung an arm round him. ‘Of course not!’ she said. ‘I wouldn’t have suggested it if I would have been. But I’m hoping it’s only temporary. I’m going to be looking for somewhere we can live together.’
Xander sighed. ‘It’s a shame we had to leave the last place. But I don’t blame you for not feeling safe there. Luke will take care of us,’ he added.
‘We don’t need anyone to take care of us. But it will be handy living at Luke’s while he’s away, while we’re getting the lodge sorted.’
‘How will we do that without Luke?’
‘He’s not the only builder on the planet! And I’m not incapable.’
Luke didn’t seem to be aware of Hattie’s bold words and was at the lodge with his tools the next day.
Luke cleared the gutters and reattached a drain pipe to the wall while Hattie held the ladder. Then he repaired the roof over the kitchen.
‘It needs replacing, really,’ said Luke. ‘But that’ll keep the rain out for now.’
Hattie noted this down along with the hours Luke worked, so Aiden could pay him.
‘How are you getting on with the painting inside?’ asked Luke.
‘Come and see.’
Xander was there wearing an old pair of shorts and T-shirt. He was wielding a roller loaded with white paint. ‘This is fun!’ he said as Luke and Hattie entered the room. ‘Mum’s never let me near paint before.’
‘Maybe try to get a bit more of it on the wall and less on the floor,’ suggested Hattie. ‘But otherwise you’re doing a fine job.’
‘You’re certainly speedy,’ said Luke.
‘I know white paint isn’t imaginative,’ said Hattie, ‘but it’s brightening the place up a lot and it’s only temporary. But let’s go back now. You guys must be tired.’
‘You mean you’re tired, Hattie,’ said Luke.
She nodded. ‘And hungry! Shall we go home via the fish and chip shop? On me.’
