Neither of them had moved, but Leo had stopped what he was doing and was now helping the little girl line up the toys she’d been playing with.
“Well, you definitely don’t do what I say that quickly, so I’d agree.” Jack picked up her long hair in his fist, wrapping it around.
The gesture made me feel as if I was a voyeur, intruding on a private moment, especially as Simone’s cheeks pinked.
“No one’s vegetarian,” Carina said. “So just cook whatever you want with the ingredients. Shall we head into the town for the market?”
There were various comments made about what to buy and a debate between the two of them about which dishes to focus on. The plan was for them to hold two or three culinary breaks here over the course of the year, some being where they would teach, others where they’d just guest chef in the kitchen. I knew from Jesse that they were designing the menu that would be used in the restaurant most of the year, too.
“We should head off — we have a vineyard tour at midday.” Jesse stood up, stretching, which made him look even more of a mammoth than he had seated.
Carina left her seat too, nodding. “Are you sure you don’t want a lift? Suzette said she would.”
“It’s fine. I’m here as Jesse’s chauffeur anyway, and you have enough to do. What time are we eating tonight?” Carina had offered yesterday to ferry us around the two vineyards, feeling like I was missing out if I didn’t wine taste. I really wasn’t bothered — Jesse had already said he didn’t actually drink much of the wine, and wine was something I preferred to have with food or if I’d had a Very Bad Day.
Carina shook her head and gave me a wry smile. “I think you’re more than just the chauffeur, but have it your way.”
I didn’t argue, just carried on listening in to the arrangements for dinner and trying not to stare at Jesse.
“Maybe when I retire from football, I’ll move here.”
We were outside our second vineyard of the day, the first tour having felt quite commercial and not particularly in depth. The scenery, though, had made up for it, surrounded by fields and flowers, a pretty river running next to the large barns that were used to make the wine.
“Don’t you think you’d be bored?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’d have to try it to find out.” He’d changed into a white linen short-sleeved shirt before we’d headed out, the material and colour making his skin look darker. Jesse caught the sun easily, his skin already darker where the tops he wore for training didn’t cover his skin. The summer so far in England had been hot, hotter than normal, and he now looked like a bad boy pirate, something I was coming to realise was my catnip.
“What would you do to occupy yourself?”
“Maybe have my own vineyard. I like the idea of a simple life, one where you don’t need to race around town or have meetings or shit like that to do, but not one where I don’t have a project. What about you?”
“I think I’d like to write full time if I can make a career from it. I can do that from anywhere.”
“Including a house share in Didsbury?” He raised his brows at me. “I just don’t see you feeling comfortable doing that, Jerrica. When’s the last time you lived with someone other than your brother?”
“When I was at uni.” I wasn’t sure it was such a great idea either, but it might end up being all I could afford. I couldn’t apply for a mortgage until I had three years of accounts to show, and I didn’t want to commit myself to paying out a huge amount of rent either.
“What if I bought a house as an investment and you rented it from me?”
Jesse’s suggestion almost made my head implode from the shock.
“I’m sorry, you said what?”
“Rent off me. It might be a fixer-upper, but you can have a say in what decorating goes on and things like that, but then you get more space and a rent you can afford.” He looked incredibly smug with himself. “Problem solved.”
“Why would you do that?” I knew what I wanted his answer to be.
“Why not? Let’s look at some houses when we get back to Manchester.” His hand went to the small of my back again, just above my ass, his little finger resting just where the curve began.
My whole body felt as if it was melting from the inside.
“I spoke to Nate this morning.”
I heard Jesse swallow.
“What about?”
“You.” I watched his expression darken, his hand moving to my waist. “I asked him if it would cause trouble between you if anything happened between us.”
