Twenty seconds in, my warning bells are ringing again. If he’s already trying to take over, I might need to fight for this harder. ‘I don’t actually have anywhere else to go. That’s why Scarlett will definitely say I have priority if we speak to her.’
He blows out his cheeks. ‘Unfortunately, I’m the same. And since I’ve been here some time, I must have been offered it first. I’m confident I’d get the casting vote, but I’m prepared to be generous.’
My heart sinks. ‘Right.’
He takes a breath. ‘There’s only one parking space, and my car needs a charger, so if I take the space here, I’m happy to pay for your parking in town.’
This is outrageous, but he sounds very sure of his ground. ‘What if I need to shop or come home in the dark?’ We walked in along the beach because I’d never get a horse box down the lane from the St Aidan road, and I have the parking permit Scarlett arranged for the town, but I’d planned to leave the car here the rest of the time.
He pulls a face. ‘In those situations I’m happy to pay for taxis.So the only outstanding issue is tidiness.’ His eyebrows go up. ‘You left some bags in the kitchen?’
‘In a very neat pile.’
This time he stares at me sideways. ‘Once we find somewhere suitable for you to put your things, you owe it to Scarlett and Tate to keep the place as neat as they would.’ He’s still staring. ‘If you’re on board with that, we’ve covered most areas.’
Which leaves me with more questions than ever. Why would anyone who talks like a company brochure be here in St Aidan where everyone hangs loose? Why isn’t he off tidying a boardroom somewhere?
I give a cough. ‘Except the bedroom.’ It’s the last place I want to draw attention to when I can’t take my eyes off his bare forearms, but I can’t help making fun of his tone. ‘We haven’t talked about long-term sleeping arrangements yet. Or will your vision for that be circulated in a group email later?’
He takes a step back. ‘Sorry. I assumed we’d take a week each, with Sunday as changeover day.’
I stare him straight in the eye. ‘In my house share experience clear communication works better than assumptions, Miles.’ I pause for a second. ‘A bedroom change every two weeks would give us both more continuity.’ Damn. That’s an extra week before I get my hands on Scarlett’s organic hemp sheets and super-king bed, just because I want to disagree with him.
‘It’s your call.’ The stare he sends back is as hard as mine. ‘Great point there, Betsy Beth, but if you’re going to be picky about every detail, you’re going to wreck this before it begins.’
It’s a total myth about redheads being hot-headed, because I’m normally three degrees icier than a glacier, but right now I’m blazing. ‘And ifyou’regoing to act like a dictator– well, what you just said.’ I don’t give him space for a comeback. ‘My quip about emails was ironic, but we should swap details. I’ll leave mine on a Post-it on the fridge– youdoknow what a Post-it note is?’
‘Obviously.’ He looks up at the sky. ‘Whether Scarlett and Tate would want them plastered over their Fisher and Paykel brushed-zinc American fridge-freezer combo is another question entirely.’
The last time my chin jutted out like this I was six. ‘Fine. I’ll leave my Post-it in the fruit bowl.’ I read the triumphant curl on his lips, and know I’ve walked into a trap.
‘Good luck finding one of those in a minimalist kitchen.’
My jaw drops open in proper horror. ‘Where the hell do I put my apples and bananas then?’
He shakes his head as if he were talking to a lesser being. ‘In the crisper drawers in the fridge. Bananas in a beeswax bag.’
‘What?’
‘It’s all covered in Tate’s running manual video. I’ll forward it to you once I get your details. There’s a right and wrong way to use your veggie drawers, too. If you want to get ahead of the game with your salads, google it.’
Miles and Tate seem to have entirely missed the point of chilling in Cornwall. It’s so absurd I’m biting back my laugh. ‘So shall I leave the Post-it in the deep freeze with the mega pack of fish fingers I’m going to buy, or would it be better in the bathroom next to your extensive collection of shower products?’ He’s not exactly keeping the place as Scarlett would inthere.
His forehead wrinkles as he considers. ‘Either way, be sure to put it in a Ziplock bag.’
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. ‘Why?’
‘So that your message arrives intact. Both are high-moisture environments.’
Now I’m the one chasing the clouds across the sky with my eyes. ‘If that's everything…’
‘It’s not.’ There go his eyebrows again. ‘You may want to forget the fish fingers. They’re pescatarian, and Scarlett’s kitchen is strictly veggie.’
Of course. I knew that anyway. I’m only forgetting because he’s making my head spin. His brand of save-the-world fakery always makes me desperate for fish finger sandwiches dripping with melted cheese. Close up he’s also got this disgustingly delicious scent that’s completely at odds with his obnoxious personality. In my current state I should be blind to this. It’s a bit unnerving that I’m not.
To round this off I pull out my sweetest smile. ‘Is that everythingnow?’
He’s looking down on me, and his voice has softened. ‘Maybe this isn’t the disaster it seems. Tate always said if I got to know you better, I’d like you.’
