“And what else is there for me to do?”
“I’ve a couple of pictures that need hanging and a shelf to go up. I do have a drill, and I can use it, but I’m worried I’ll screw it up and make a mess of the wall. Are you good with power tools?” she said.
Zack almost choked on his laughter. “Sweetheart, I grew up on a farm. I could use a drill before I could write my name.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s not true,” she said as they went into the manor house.
“Maybe not quite but it wasn’t that far off. There may have been an issue with Scott and an electric saw at some point, but let him tell you about that. And it didn’t involve Keren.”
She watched him looking around the entrance hall and the reception desk that were completely different to how they had been even a couple of weeks ago, let alone how it had been when it was Sunrise.
“You’ve done an amazing job,” he said. “Are bookings still growing?”
“Since the website went live bookings have been more than I anticipated. I’ve had articles in a few magazines and on the odd blog too, which has helped.”
She led him through the lounge and snug with its quirky bookcases displaying a range of fiction and non-fiction, along with ornaments and curios. The flooring was wooden, with rugs scattered through near the chairs and sofas.
“I can’t believe how different it is,” he said, walking slowly. “This must’ve cost you a fortune to do.”
“Probably not as much as you think. I sourced a lot through salvage companies and had an acquaintance reupholster and paint the furniture, although some is new. My aunt makes curtains and cushions and wouldn’t charge for the time, just the materials,” Sorrell explained, feeling like she was rambling. Mark had no interest in the soft furnishings, so why Zack would be remotely interested she wasn’t sure.
“She did a good job,” he said. “Has Gran seen this yet? She’d approve.”
“She bobbed in a couple of days ago and booked a room for her granddaughter and husband,” Sorrell said. “She did look at the hemming of the curtains.”
“I’d like to say that I don’t know what that is so I can hold on to my man card, but having project managed building a new care home, I can’t lie,” Zack almost mumbled.
Sorrell smiled. “I’ll let you keep your man card. I wouldn’t tell your brothers though.”
“Fuck no,” he said, heading into the extension and what Sorrell had termed the sunroom. “There’s a lot I don’t tell my brothers and Jake. This is incredible. You’ve totally changed the place.” He looked up at the glass roof, white metal piles supporting across it. “You want the fairy lights wrapping around those?”
“Yes,” she said. “I know it’s going to be fiddly…”
“Let me give Scott a call. I know you’re handy—you’ve overseen all of this—but between me and him we can have this done in no time. Is that okay with you?”
Sorrell picked up the string of lights and fiddled with them. “Of course. The quicker you can get it done the better—I’m sure you’ve got plenty to do today.”
He frowned and shook his head. “I’ve nothing else to do today. I can help you out with whatever else needs doing. It’s just for something like this, where height is involved, Scott’s useful. He has no fear.”
“Apart from Keren,” Sorrell said, fiddling even more. “He looks terrified sometimes when he sees her.”
“Has she told you what happened yet between them?” he said, sitting down in one of the weathered leather chairs. His long legs spread wide and she imagined straddling him in that chair, his big hands holding her ass and then his fingers exploring.
Sorrell stood up a little straighter and hoped to God that she wasn’t blushing. “Keren hasn’t said anything. She won’t even acknowledge his name.”
“Neither will Scott,” Zack said, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He made a call and then spoke quickly, asking Scott to come over and bring a wide plank of wood and another set of stepladders.
“You sure this will be safe?” Sorrell said, sitting down eventually. She was still playing the image of herself bracing her arms on the back of the chair while those fingers conjured magic.
“No, but we’ve done stuff that really isn’t safe. Just don’t mention Keren,” Zack said.
“Were they ever friends?”
There was a nod. “Up until they were a bit more than kids. Then all of a sudden he started walking out when she appeared and she pretended he didn’t exist. Neither of them have ever said why,” he said. “They will both still go to stuff now even if they know the other will be there. For a while, they wouldn’t turn up.”
“Doesn’t Rayah know what happened?” Sorrell said, twisting one of the lines of fairy lights around her fingers to untangle it.
Zack rubbed his chin. “No. What do you want to do after we’ve got everything sorted here? You must need to get away for a bit. Want to have a drive out somewhere?”
