Scarlett isn’t the kind of person to deprive herself, but she only has one lounger because Tate isn’t the type to sit still, and there’s no point in wasting precious terrace space. He’s far more likely to be striding around talking on his phone, which is why it comes as a bit of a surprise that I’m having to fight his friend for the lounger.
I can’t leave it at that.
‘So when you’re bossing it, what are you in charge of?’
He shifts his foot onto the fence. ‘I grew a clothes company from a market stall to a global operation.’ He’s reacting to my blank look with a sardonic grin. ‘Now it’s worldwide, I mostly work remotely.’
It’s all remote from me. ‘So you’dreallyrather be on Scarlett’s chaise in St Aidan than in your executive suites in random capitals?’
‘Something like that.’ He hesitates. ‘Even multi-national tycoons face bumps in the road sometimes.’
His answer throws me. ‘Aren’t those super-expensive cars you drive designed to float over the potholes? Surely people like you can’t have ordinary problems like the rest of us?’
‘You’d be surprised.’
The twang of sympathy in my chest is unexpected. ‘Should my heart be bleeding for you?’
‘Definitely not that. I’m just less hands-on than I was. And slightly in between projects.’Miles leans forward and rests his elbows on the fence. ‘So how’syourwork going? Did that Fenella person like what you sent her? Have you uncovered lots of locals making incredible earth-friendly products that no one has heard of before?’
What’s unbelievable is thatwhateverhe talks about, his voice always has the same mocking edge.
‘It’s Fenna not Fenella, and sheisusing the piece.’ As he helped, I owe it to him to tell him that much at least. She actually used the word ‘delightful’, but unlike Miles, I’d rather play my achievements down than boast about them from the rooftops. ‘I’m still compiling the list of local craftspeople.’ I haven’t uncovered as many stand-out shops as I’d hoped for, but I’m not about to share that with him.
Miles tilts his head to one side. ‘Did you see the Deck Gallery up above the bakers? That might be worth a visit.’
Funny he should say that. I walked in there twice, hoping to say ‘hi’ to Scarlett’s friend Plum who’s the owner, and came straight back out again both times when I saw him lounging with a coffee cup in front of him.
I can’t help asking. ‘Do you have an interest in local crafts?’
He gives a shrug. ‘I’m in business; for me, anything that turns a profit is worth a closer look.’
I throw a freebie out for him. ‘There’s a vegan ice cream parlour selling home-made ice cream for dogs. If you’re looking for a takeover, they do it in six delicious flavours.’
He sniffs. ‘I’d be looking for wider distribution deals, rather than making the stuff myself.’
Typical. Guys like him, who do nothing but cream off the profits, are everything I despise.
He clears his throat. ‘Talking of freezers, I think you dropped some stuff in the utility?’
Let’s get this right. ‘You mean the mud room?’
He nods.
If he’s picking on this, he’s picked on the wrong person. ‘If you’re talking about the patch of floor in front of the washing machine that was full ofyourclothes earlier when I went to putminein– yes, that’s down to me.’
Come to think of it, that was my third attempt to use the washer, and every other time I tried it was in use too, which was why I finally gave up and dumped my own load on the limestone tiles instead.
He blows out his cheeks. ‘We can’t afford student squalor this early in the game. We’ll both get more out of this if we keep our standards high.’
I give a sniff. ‘My pile of clothes and damp towels isn’t squalor. It’s actually holding my place in the queue for the washing machine you’re hogging.’ He’s not the only one who can talk like he’s reading an effing thesaurus either. ‘For one small human, you do a ginormous number of wash cycles. Would you care to enlighten me with what’s going on there?’
He shrugs. ‘It’s not complicated. If I have washing, I put the washer on. It’s two loads a day, three maximum. Watch and learn, here, Betty Beth– that’s the way to avoid trip hazards spilling out across the kitchen.’
I’m staring at him. ‘You can’t be serious? Even with an eco-washer, that’s a terrible waste of waterandpower. Haven’t you ever heard of a laundry basket?’
Miles stares at me through narrowed eyes. ‘Every good business model actions things as they occur, and I extend that to my daily tasks too. This way I’m ready to move on to the next big thing the minute it comes up.’
It would be sensible to do our washing together, but however much I want to save the world, I’ve found the limit of my commitment here. I’m still making detours to the boat-dwellers shower block at the end of the harbour, whenever I need to ‘properly’ use the loo, so I’m not ready to risk getting my Brazilians tangled in his chinos.
