‘You might find some in Kington, but I’m not sure any will be open today.’ It’s Sunday.
‘Kington? Knighton? That’s confusing.’
‘Knighton is the nearest town, but Kington is bigger. It’s across the English border, about twenty minutes away. You could always order some to come next-day delivery.’
‘You get mail delivered here?’ I ask with surprise.
‘No. I have a post office box in Kington. I’ll give you the address.’
He disappears inside.
I get up and look at the few metres between where I’m standing and the door. Could I make a jump for it? Save me putting my boots back on?
I take one giant stride, trying to land on my tiptoes, and then another, just as he reappears at the door. I crash straight into the hard wall that is his chest.
‘What the hell are you doing?’ he asks with amusement, steadying me with his hands.
‘Trying not to get my feet dirty,’ I mumble, my face flushing as I meet his eyes.
He looks down. ‘Yeah, that did not work.’
I glance at his right hand – his grip feels different to his left – and see that he’s holding an iPhone.
‘You have aniPhone?’
‘Why are you shocked?’ he asks, his hands fixing me inplace as he takes a step backwards, putting distance between us again.
‘I thought you were a hermit in the woods.’
‘Hermits like music too, you know. At least, this one does.’
‘Does anyone have your number?’ I ask as I follow him inside, brushing off my feet and subsequently cringing at the state of my hands.
‘I’m on a WhatsApp group with some amateur astronomers.’
‘No one else?’ I ask as I wash my hands at the sink.
‘Who are you thinking of?’
‘Beca?’ I glance over my shoulder at him.
He instantly looks weary. ‘She’s got my post office box address in Kington. We’ve exchanged birthday and Christmas cards, but we haven’t spoken in nearly a year.’
‘Why not?’ I ask nervously.
He sighs and nods at the butterfly chairs.
I notice a second mug of steaming coffee on the table and pick it up with a thanks before taking a seat, facing him.
He releases another long, heavy breath and meets my eyes. ‘She tried really, really hard to convince me not to sell,’ he confides.
‘But you did anyway.’
‘Yep.’
‘And she wasn’t happy?’
‘No.’
