9
Christie was sat near the bar. On the table in front of her lay samples of wallpaper, swatches of fabric, colour charts and brochures. She was on a mission, wanting to get the alterations just right. It baffled Dermot the way she seemed to be agonising over shades, patterns and textures. Surely it wasn’t that hard, was it?
The breakfasts had just been served and the guests were passing her. Daniel smiled to himself and stopped.
‘Thinking of a refurb?’
Christie, deep in concentration, suddenly looked up.
‘Just the bedrooms and hallway.’ She smiled too. To her surprise he took a seat next to her. His beautiful pale blue eyes glanced over the samples. Christie wondered what he did for a living. It would be a stroke of luck if he was an interior designer – he looked the arty type. He definitely had style. His clothes, although casual being khaki green combat pants and a long-sleeved olive T-shirt, fitted him perfectly and were obviously of good quality. He had a sharp haircut and just the right amount of stubble to look ruggedly handsome, rather than unkempt. He smelt fresh too. Christie caught a whiff of sage as he sat close to her. His broad shoulders brushed up against her.
He noticed her sizing him up and grinned back at her. ‘Hope you don’t think I’m being nosy.’
‘Not at all!’ she exclaimed, blushing slightly.
‘I enjoy this kind of thing. I’m actually an architect, but love seeing how a building I’ve designed comes to life inside.’
Christie’s face lit up. She really could do with a second opinion, especially from someone who knew what he was talking about.
‘Ah, I see. In that case, Mr—’
‘Daniel,’ he cut in. Those eyes bored into her, making her stutter a little.
‘I… I’m Christie,’ she replied faintly.
‘Well, Christie, what did you have in mind?’ He nodded towards the table and laughed. ‘You’ve quite a bit to choose from.’
She laughed too. ‘I know, Dermot thinks I’m bonkers.’ She gestured towards him behind the bar, where he was busy replacing bottles. Daniel smiled again. Christie noticed his cheeks dimpling, then realising she was staring once more, forced herself back to the issue at hand. ‘I thought of a warm, rich colour for the hall, something welcoming, like this Hawthorne Yellow.’ She pointed to it on a colour chart.
Daniel nodded his head in agreement. ‘Yep, like the sun’s shining through it permanently, keeping it airy and light.’
‘Precisely!’
‘What about curtains?’
‘I thought this tweed, with pale creams, browns and the same yellow running through it?’ She looked eagerly for his approval. Again he nodded. Christie was on a roll now, keen to show him her ideas for the bedrooms. ‘Let me show you my bedroom,’ she gushed.
Daniel’s eyebrows rose in mock seduction. ‘If you insist,’ he replied playfully, making Christie blush again.
‘Sorry.’ She giggled, then opened a book of wallpaper samples.
Her hands stopped on a page that was pretty enough, but slightly too girly in his opinion, with its pale pink background and swirly silver pattern. Was there no husband sharing this bedroom with her? Instinctively he looked down to her left hand and noticed a pale ring mark where clearly a wedding ring had recently been removed. Plus, wouldn’t she have said “our bedroom” not “my bedroom”?
Christie took his pause to be a negative. ‘Maybe not – it was only going to be a feature wall.’
‘No, it’s nice,’ he quickly interrupted. ‘What about the rest of the guests’ rooms?’
‘That’s where I’m undecided. Should I keep them all similar, country-chic style, or individual?’
‘Definitely individual, give them a theme.’
Christie’s face lit up again. Hereally didget it, she thought. ‘That’s an excellent idea!’ she gasped with enthusiasm, making Dermot glance over.
‘Just one thing though.’ Daniel appeared a touch more serious, making Christie frown.
‘Yes?’
‘You’ve no family room. Maybe take the biggest bedroom and put a sofa-bed in there, to cater for a couple of children, if need be.’
Christie blinked. Of course – how could she have missed that? All her rooms were either double or twin. None provided for a family.
‘You’re absolutely right,’ she conceded.
‘Just a thought.’ Daniel shrugged, then rose from the table. ‘I’ll let you get on.’ He gave another charming smile and left her with lots to ponder, and not just the décor. Had he suggested a family room because he had one? She watched him stroll out of the bar with a quiet air of reassurance about him, like he was happy in his own skin. He wasn’t showy, or overconfident, unlike someone she could mention, but friendly in a down-to-earth manner.
Dermot noticed her perusal of him and chuckled to himself. Christie might kid herself she could take on the world single-handed, but deep down he sensed she wasn’t meant to be alone. He’d also clocked the guest scanning her hand for a wedding ring, and gave him credit for it. Most young men nowadays wouldn’t have bothered. Hmm, watch this space, he told himself with hope.
Daniel made his way back to his room. He too was wondering a few things. Like what was the set-up here? He’d learnt from chatting to the locals that Dermot had been the landlord of The Templar and Christie had recently bought it. Obviously, Dermot was still working here, but what had happened to Christie’s husband? The ring mark on her hand told him she must only have just separated from him. Why? Then he reprimanded himself; after all, it was none of his business was it? Even so, it left him a touch perplexed that someone as sweet as Christie clearly was, and a beauty to match with her fresh complexion and dark corkscrew curls, could possibly end up on her own.
