‘Then it sounds perfect. In fact, you’d be doing me a favour. What time shall I expect you?’
Walker saw an opportunity to help and stood up.
‘I can bring her over now, Amber, if that works for you?’ he said.
‘I’ll put the kettle on,’ Amber said, before hanging up the phone.
Walker found himself in the beam of a second dazzling smile from Gabi. He grinned back. He’d done good.
Chapter Five
Gabi
The knight in shining armour drove well. Gabi couldn’t help but like that he drove a manual, and his gear changing was smooth and swift. Just as she liked it. One of her pleasures in life was driving. And if she couldn’t do it herself at the moment, it was curiously satisfying to ride passenger to someone who obviously enjoyed it too.
‘Do you think the restaurant will be okay?’ she asked and was reassured by a firm nod as he kept his eyes on the road.
‘I’d say so,’ he replied, in his soft Scottish burr. ‘I’ll pop back later and take another look in the roof space, just to make sure.’
‘Nice car,’ she said, watching his hands expertly turning the wheel. ‘On set, they always ferry us around in the smoothest, quietest electric cars. Sometimes, even driverless ones. But nothing feels like a revving engine.’
‘I know exactly what you mean,’ he said, flashing her a grin. ‘I tried electric. But it wasn’t for me.’
‘Have you known Etienne for long?’ she asked, remembering the easy way they communicated and the hug they exchanged as Walker left.
‘A good few years now,’ he said. ‘I met him when he took over The Bistro. He’s a really good guy, and a changed man since he’s fallen in love with your cousin.’
‘They say love changes everything!’ Gabi laughed. ‘Although I’m probably not best qualified to confirm or deny.’
‘I’m happy to be optimistic,’ Walker said. ‘You never know what’s round the corner.’
Walker was relaxed as he drove, one hand on the wheel, which put her at ease and they chatted freely. Him telling her about his role as a firefighter and how he’d always wanted to be able to help people. Gabi reciprocating, explaining how she’d always been drawn to adrenaline and a job in stunts had seemed a great fit. It felt like only a minute or two before they pulled up outside Amber’s old English cottage.
Walker carried her cases up the garden path as though they were empty. Gabi swung along behind him on her crutches as the front door opened and Amber appeared, just as gorgeous as Gabi remembered her.
‘You’re here!’ Amber said. ‘We’re going to have such a good time.’ She opened the door wide, beckoning them inside. ‘It will be nice for me to have some grown-up conversation in the house.’
Jayden sat at the kitchen table watching something on an iPad. He raised his head when they entered and waved in Walker’s direction before immediately returning his attention to the screen.
The kitchen was wide, and Gabi could navigate easily around the wooden table with her crutches. Walker carried the cases down to the snug that Amber had turned into a spare bedroom, and Gabi sank into a chair.
‘Tea or coffee?’ Amber said and she got busy with the request for coffee, opening kitchen cupboards and picking out what she needed from the assorted jumble that Gabi could see inside. It was so different to her own kitchen in her London penthouse apartment. Her shelves were sparse. She wasn’t there that much, so everything in there was long life: jars of sun-dried tomatoes, packets of pasta, coffee and bottles of sparkling water. Amber’s pantry was stuffed with crisps, nuts, and sticky jars of jam and spreads. In the fridge, as Amber fetched the milk, Gabi spied jars of half-used pasta sauces. Chocolate biscuits and bars sat on the countertop in a box marked TREATS. On the table, a fruit bowl full of apples and grapes and bananas. Gabi never had fruit in the flat. It went off before she got a chance to eat it.
Walker stuck his head back in the door.
‘Tea, Walker?’ Amber waved a ceramic mug at him with ‘world’s best mum’ painted on the side. He pushed the hair back off his forehead.
‘No thanks, going to run. If I go now, I can still get to the gym before shift.’
‘Thanks again,’ Gabi said, thinking she should get up but suddenly unsure whether to give him a hug or shake his hand. The hand that had held her knickers.
‘Happy to help.’ He grinned, turned and was gone. The two women waited until they heard the front door click shut.
‘That was lucky– Walker to the rescue!’ Amber said, slopping milk into Gabi’s coffee and passing it over.
‘I don’t normally need saving,’ Gabi protested.
‘I’ve no doubt about that. But everyone should have a Walker in their lives.’ Gabi was impressed by the reputation he held with his friends. But then also slightly dubious. Nobody was that perfect. Not in her experience. She blew her coffee and changed the subject.
