I pull out my keys, triumphant. ‘I work fast.’
‘Clearly.’
‘And I’ve got to get to my other job,’ I say as I unlock the front door and enter the hall.
‘The bar on the beach?’ he asks as he props open the main door.
‘Yes.’ I glance at him as I tackle the lock to my apartment.
Why’s he come over all chatty? Is he bored? Maybe he’s lonely. Heishere all by himself.
‘I tried to go in there last Friday, but I haven’t been back.’
‘I know.’Why hasn’t he been back?‘You came in and I told you we weren’t open yet.’
‘I hoped you’d have forgotten. I wasn’t in a very good mood that day. Sorry I was rude.’
‘Don’t worry about it, it was early. Where had you travelled in from? Do you mind bringing that upstairs?’
‘Caernarfon,’ he replies as he follows me.
‘Wales?’
‘Yes.’
He doesn’t sound Welsh. I turn into the kitchen and gingerly balance the mop handle against the wall. He places the vacuum cleaner down on the floor, along with the bucket.
This room is part of the original cottage, with thick, uneven walls and only one square window set back behind a deep sill. He seems extra tall and broad in the small space.
‘Thanks for your help,’ I say.
‘Not a problem.’
He leads the way back down the stairs, glancing over his shoulder at me as he steps outside, probably wondering why I’m trailing after him.
‘I need to close the gate,’ I explain when I reach the hallway.
‘I’ll do it,’ he replies, turning on the doorstep to face me.
‘It’s a bit stiff,’ I warn.
‘I’ll manage.’ His brows pull together, troubled, as he nods past me at my staircase. ‘You know, you really shouldn’t let strange men into your apartment like that.’
‘You’re not a strange man, you’re a guest. I have yourname and address on the booking form.’ I lean against the door frame and fold my arms across my chest.
‘That doesn’t make you safe,’ he replies, his tone unexpectedly gentle.
His eyes are full of concern as he stares down at me.
I get the weirdest sensation inside me then. It’s as though butterflies are hatching out of their chrysalises and groggily stretching their wings.
‘I’m sure I’ll be okay.’
It feels like a long time since anyone has been protective of me in this way.
How did he go from being rude, blunt and not even replying to my email to being kind and thoughtful?
‘Did you get my email?’ I blurt, suddenly desperate to understand his fluctuating personality.
