It took Maddy a few seconds to gather her thoughts and remember where she was. Early morning sunlight flooded the room, birds were singing and seagulls screeching. Maddy reached for her mobile to check the time. It was coming up to six-thirty a.m. The builders were due at eight. As she didn’t want them to catch her still in her pyjamas and looking like she’d been dragged through a hedge backwards, she decided it was best to get up. Plus the camp bed wasn’t comfortable enough to make her want to lie in.
It wasn’t until she’d made a cup of coffee from the builders’ stash that she realised she had nothing to eat for breakfast. Of course the cupboards would be bare. The fridge contained milk and some soft drinks which the guys obviously helped themselves to. Knowing the Spar shop in Tinners Bay would be open, Maddy walked down the coast path to fetch the basics. The red wine was a generous gesture from Val, but hardly breakfast material.
Maddy returned loaded with shopping and found the house still empty of builders. She busied herself in the kitchen and ate her cereal perched at the breakfast bar on one of the high stools – they were the only seats she had in the house. She had a lovely view of the garden, even from the kitchen, because of the open-plan layout of the downstairs. Walls must have been knocked through, creating a lovely light, airy feeling.
She was just about to take a mouthful of cereal when she noticed a man in the garden. An initial moment of anxiety soon calmed when she realised he must be the landscape gardener Simon had talked about. He was tall and broadly built with black hair, as far as she could make out. In fact, there was something familiar about him …
Harry.
He’d turned and looked at her through the window as if he had a sixth sense that he was being watched.
She left the bowl of cereal on the worktop and went out the back door, walked down the side of the cottage, and round into the garden.
‘What are you doing here?’ she said, placing her hands on her hips.
‘I’m working.’ Harry wiped his forehead with a gloved hand. He’d been cutting away at brambles. ‘I could ask you the same thing?’ He frowned at her. His blue eyes flashed with annoyance.
‘This is where I’m staying.’
Harry removed his gloves and dropped them on the ground and moved towards her. His expression said it all; his brow furrowed and his jaw tensed. This was the reaction Maddy had dreaded.
‘If you’d told me you were moving here, I certainly wouldn’t have let you go.’ He gestured to the cottage behind him. He clearly knew what state it was in.
‘You don’t own me. I can live where I like.’
‘Maddy, your own house is probably more habitable than this. This is a building site!’
‘Slight exaggeration, don’t you think? At least here I do have a kitchen.’
‘And bare walls, plaster dust, the builders …’
‘Look, I’m doing Roy a favour.’
‘Roy?’ Harry frowned, and the faint crow’s feet around his eyes wrinkled.
‘Yes, Roy Trewyn, the man who owns the restaurant, you know, where we dropped the paintings off in Padstow? Didn’t you know that this house belongs to him?’
‘No, I was hired by Simon, but that’s good to know.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I’m not seeing a lot of cash.’
‘Well, maybe if you were here more.’ She now remembered why Roy had wanted her at the house, to keep an eye on the workmen … Was she actually here to keep an eye on Harry? Was he not pulling his weight?
‘I told Simon I had other jobs I needed to keep on top of. It’s the summer, grass grows, plants need attending to.’ Harry’s voice rose with agitation. ‘Besides, those customers are paying me regularly. Simon keeps giving me cash in dribs and drabs. I have a mortgage to pay; I need a regular income.’
‘Okay, don’t bark at me.’
Harry’s intense gaze dropped. ‘I’m sorry, but if I’d known you were moving here, I would have talked you out of it.’
‘I know you would have. That’s why I didn’t tell you.’ She hugged herself, rubbing her upper arms. The breeze was cool this time of the morning.
‘Why Maddy? Why did you feel the need to move out?’ He stepped closer. She couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth. Could she? How silly would it sound if she was reading too much into things? Living with Harry had been so easy … maybe too easy. She’d panicked, worried she was getting attached to someone she couldn’t have.
Maddy shrugged. ‘Like I said, I’m doing Roy a favour.’ Harry shook his head as if he didn’t believe her. ‘And, I, uh, I didn’t want to take advantage of your hospitality. I wasn’t sure if you were really happy having me there.’
‘I wouldn’t have offered if it was a problem.’
Maddy was desperate to change the subject and go back inside to her breakfast. The sun hadn’t spread its warmth yet. ‘Do you want a coffee? Now I’m here, I can keep your caffeine levels topped up.’
‘I could murder one. Thanks.’
***
Harry watched Maddy walk back into the cottage, then turned and kicked a wheelbarrow close by. He would have insisted she stayed with him if he’d known. It might be closer to her gallery, but there was no furniture, plus the builders were constantly coming and going throughout the day. What had been so bad about living at his?
He realised his anger was due more to the fact that he liked Maddy, much more than just as a neighbour. He cared about her. They’d become friends. It was ridiculous to feel this way in such a short space of time about someone – wasn’t it? But he did.
Maybe the space would do them both good. But he still wanted to keep a look out for her.
He hadn’t slept great last night, wondering where the hell she was staying. He’d risen early, and thought he’d get on with some work at the cottage before he went onto his other jobs. His regulars wouldn’t be happy with him rolling up at seven a.m. to mow their lawns.
Harry walked into the house via the side door, straight into the kitchen. Maddy was at the counter pouring hot water from the kettle into two melamine mugs.
‘Sorry about the cups, they’re Val’s.’ Maddy handed him a cup of coffee.
‘Thanks.’ Harry looked around the room. The kitchen needed tiling but was all up together, i.e. the cupboards were fitted and the sink plumbed in. She even had hot water. The dining and lounge area needed flooring of some sort. Wires poked out of the plaster where wall lights needed to be fitted. Harry dreaded what the upstairs looked like. ‘Look, if you change your mind, I’ll happily let you stay at mine again.’
Maddy didn’t get a chance to answer him. The front door banged, and someone bellowed, ‘Hello, are you decent?’
‘We’re in here,’ Maddy called. She flicked the switch on the kettle once more.
Simon walked into the kitchen. A couple of other men carried on through to start work on the extension outside the lounge. Harry took an instant dislike to the smug grin all over Simon’s face. He’d taken the job because a big contract would be good for business, but he didn’t like the man he had to work for.
‘Oh, I see you’ve met the gardener.’
‘Landscaper,’ Harry said, scowling at Simon.
‘Yes, Harry and I are actually neighbours,’ Maddy added.
Simon nodded his acknowledgement, then started spooning coffee into a couple of mugs he’d fetched off the draining board. Harry tensed. He didn’t like the way Simon got close to Maddy, touching her arm as he reached for the sugar out of the cupboard.
‘How did your first night go? Sleep okay?’ Simon said, looking at Maddy and ignoring Harry as if he didn’t exist.
‘Yes, it was fine, actually.’
‘I’ll start on the bedroom today so that we can get the curtain pole up and some curtains hung for you.’ Simon rested his hand on Maddy’s shoulder.
‘Okay, thank you.’
‘I’ve got some colour ideas I might run by you, too.’
‘Oh, okay …’ Maddy said. ‘Would Roy want that?’
‘Like I said, this place needs the woman’s touch.’
‘And I’ll get a path cleared for you so that you can use the footpath below the garden,’ Harry said. He shouldn’t be jealous of Maddy’s attention to Simon, but he was.
‘Oh, that would be really great.’ Maddy smiled at Harry. Simon’s expression darkened.
‘Going to be here all day today, then? Or just part-time?’ Simon said, his eyes narrowing onto Harry.
‘Yes.’ He would be now. He would put off the other jobs he’d intended to do until tomorrow. ‘I’ve told you, I can’t do much until I get the mini-excavator, plus I need to keep on top of the other gardens I maintain. They actually pay me.’ Harry glared back.
‘Right, well, I’d better head off to the gallery.’ Maddy placed her mug in the sink and eased out of the way of the two men. ‘Catch you both later.’
Maddy grabbed her handbag, keys and hurried out the front door.
Simon exhaled loudly, then said, ‘She’s one hot chick.’ He finished making the coffee.
‘Don’t even think about it.’ Harry’s fists clenched, so he shoved them into his pockets.
‘Why, are you soft on her?’
‘No, but she’s a friend, and she doesn’t deserve to be mucked about.’
‘Who said I’d muck her about?’ Simon shrugged. ‘If she comes onto me, I’m hardly going to turn her down. Would you? Anyway, the girl probably needs some fun.’
Harry’s jaw clenched, his teeth grinding. Would Maddy go for a guy like Simon? And why did that thought fill him with jealousy? Why did this guy rub him up the wrong way? Since taking this job on, Harry had felt a dislike for the man. It wasn’t as if Simon had done anything wrong, except failing to stump up some cash up front, which Harry had said he’d need for the hire of the excavator. But Harry didn’t like his cockiness and the arrogant way he carried himself. He would have to keep an eye on him.
As Harry worked cutting away at the brambles and weeds that had grown ferociously in the garden, he wondered if he should have said anything at all. He’d given too much away to Simon. He had shown his weakness for Maddy, his concern. Simon was the kind of guy who’d want to get one up on another man, one up on him … And would he use Maddy to do so?
Harry chided himself for his childish thoughts. Maddy would soon see through Simon’s smooth facade.
***
Shattered and dying to try out the huge bath, Maddy returned to the cottage after six. It was nice to leave the car behind and walk to the gallery. She plonked her bag down on the kitchen worktop and her phone pinged to tell her she’d received a text message.
It was from Harry.
Have you eaten?
No, she texted back.
I’ll meet you at the cottage in half an hour. I’ll bring dinner. H x
She frowned but sent back, OK. To be honest, there was a brand new oven in the kitchen, but because it wasn’t hers and the house was likely to be sold, she wasn’t sure how much she wanted to use it – and get it dirty. That would mean cleaning it.
She hoped it wouldn’t be long before she was back in her own house.
To busy herself, Maddy did the washing up. The builders weren’t very good at cleaning. They clearly just swilled the mugs under the tap, because the insides still had tea stains. Maddy screwed up her face at the thought.
The kitchen had a space for a washing machine and a dishwasher, but those gaps were still empty.
She put the plates and cutlery on the counter and poured herself a glass of wine from the bottle Val had left. She only had one wine glass, though. Harry probably wouldn’t want any if he were driving, she decided, taking a sip guilt free.
The knock at the door startled her. She opened it to find Harry holding two carrier bags, one smelling of fish and chips.
‘Hey,’ he said, grinning at her. It made her insides skip seeing him.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
‘Hey,’ she replied, hoping her face wasn’t giving her away. In the kitchen, she gathered the plates and cutlery.
‘Don’t worry about that; we’ll eat outside.’
‘Outside?’ Although it was July, it still got chilly in the evening with the breeze coming off the sea.
‘I thought I’d have a bonfire to get rid of some of the rubbish I cleared today, and we could sit by it.’
‘I haven’t got any garden chairs.’
‘I have.’ He handed Maddy the carrier bags and went back out the front door to his pickup. He was soon back carrying two folding chairs and took them out to the back garden where, unnoticed previously by Maddy, stood a pile of bramble and wood ready to be burnt. It was a fair way down, away from the cottage. Maddy donned her pink and grey Animal jumper that zipped up at the front and followed him out.
Harry appeared mesmerised by the flames, staring into the orange blaze that crackled and spat and smoked. He turned upon hearing Maddy’s approach. For a moment she thought she’d glimpsed fear on his face, but he beamed his smile at her, and whatever he’d been thinking vanished from his expression.
‘Everything okay?’
‘Yes, yes … I forgot about the smell …’ Harry shuddered. ‘Not exactly environmentally friendly, but I used to love a good bonfire,’ he said as the flames roared.
‘Used to?’
‘Yeah, it’s a long story …’
‘As an ex-firefighter, I’d have thought you’d frown upon garden fires.’ She nudged him to show she was teasing and made her way forward towards the heat.
‘Not too close, Maddy,’ he said, blocking her with his arm to stop her from getting closer. ‘As a fireman, I know to respect fire, like a surfer would respect the ocean.’ He pointed out towards the tide, and the black dots of keen surfers still in the water. A whole new level of bonkers those surfers were. The area around the fire was clear and safely situated well away from the cottage. Yes, the safest person to start a fire was probably a fireman. Then Maddy thought of her mother’s words as they’d driven to Truro. A fireman would know how to start a fire too, and not make it look like arson. Which her house clearly did look like, she chided herself. Harry was the last person to have set fire to her house.
Maddy and Harry huddled by the fire, eating fish and chips still in their paper. Once the fire had died down, Harry seemed more relaxed. He stuck two foil packages into the heat of the ashes at the edge of the fire.
‘Today, I cleared a path, so you’ll be able to come and go via the footpath more easily. And I fixed the gate.’
‘Thanks, Harry, you didn’t need to.’
He winked at her. ‘Yes, I did.’
They watched the last of the surfers exit the water as the sun set, and the lights of the houses on the opposite side of the bay lit up as it got dark. Tinners Bay Hotel, looking as if ready for its maiden voyage, was the most prominent and brightest building. Maddy wondered if some candles out here would add to the ambience, then worried it might look too romantic, so ditched the idea – plus she remembered that she didn’t actually have any candles at the cottage. Luckily, the fire gave off enough heat and light.
Harry added more wood and fetched the foil packages out of the fire with a gloved hand. He placed one on the pile of paper still in Maddy’s lap and handed her a teaspoon.
She opened the package to find a cooked banana in its skin, with chocolate buttons pushed into it. All now melted and cooked. It was delicious.
Maddy let the banana and chocolate slide down her throat. ‘So, why did you come tonight?’
‘Thought you might like the company.’ Harry tucked into his own banana.
The company was nice. Maddy couldn’t argue with that. But was this Harry’s way of making sure she was okay?
‘How’s Sookie? You fed her today?’
‘Yes, of course, I fed her before I came here tonight,’ Harry said. From a carrier bag by his chair, Harry brought out a flask, pouring its contents into two melamine mugs. He handed one to Maddy.
‘What’s this?’ she said, which was a stupid question because the aroma gave it away.
‘Hot chocolate.’
‘You have come prepared.’
‘I know. A proper boy scout.’ Harry grinned. ‘Now do you want your marshmallows on top or toasted?’ He presented a skewer with a marshmallow on the end.
‘Toasted!’ Maddy hadn’t toasted marshmallows over a fire in she didn’t know how long. Probably the last time was one bonfire night when she and Ed were kids. She leant forward with her skewer, closer to the fire. ‘Ah, thanks for this, Harry.’
Harry made to reply, but his smile dropped and he turned round. Maddy heard it too and looked over her shoulder. Someone was approaching them, but in the failing light, it was hard to make out who it was.
‘Oh, it’s you two. I saw the smoke and thought I’d better check it out.’
Simon.
‘You were in the area, were you?’ Harry spoke before Maddy could, and his tone was cold.
‘Thought I’d call round, check on Maddy—’
‘It’s a little late to be checking on Maddy, don’t you think?’
Maddy shivered. All of a sudden it was cold sitting by the fire, yet it was giving off plenty of heat. You would have to be blind not to see the animosity between these two. It was so unlike Harry. She zipped up her jumper.
‘Well, you’re here,’ Simon said.
‘I got here hours ago.’
Maddy didn’t know the time, but the sun had fully disappeared and they were in complete darkness. The evening had flown by, relaxing with Harry. It had to be well past ten now.
‘Anyway, I was going to ask Maddy if she fancied going for a drink down in the village,’ Simon said, ignoring Harry and looking at Maddy.
Maddy had no make-up on and hadn’t even showered yet – and she’d been so looking forward to that bath. Not showering wasn’t a bad thing, considering she was sat by a fire and now stank of smoke. The last thing she wanted to do was go for a drink, especially with Simon. It was too late.
‘Maddy?’ Harry turned towards her now. The flames of the fire flickered in his eyes, his face an orange glow, probably like hers.
‘Oh, um, thanks for thinking of me, Simon, but I’m happy here. Maybe another night?’ Oh, God, why did she say that? Now he’d try and drag her out another night.
‘Okay, well, I’ll catch you in the morning, Maddy,’ Simon said.
‘Yes, bye.’ Maddy waved, watching Simon retreat. ‘You really don’t like him, do you?’ she said more quietly to Harry once Simon was out of earshot.
‘There’s just something off about him.’ Harry started to put marshmallows onto a skewer and handed it to Maddy. He wouldn’t look her in the eye.
‘I’m glad you’re here,’ she said, smiling. ‘Otherwise I may have got dragged out to a bar.’
‘Yeah, that’s what worries me. You sure you don’t want to move back to mine?’
‘Oh, Harry, this is only my second night here. It’ll be fine.’
When finally Maddy couldn’t eat any more marshmallows, and Harry had let the fire die right down so that he was happy it wouldn’t be a hazard – the fireman in him – they retired from the garden into the kitchen. Maddy sniffed her clothes.
‘I’d better jump in the shower before bed.’
‘Yeah, I’d better leave you to it.’ Harry gathered up his things. ‘I’ll leave the chairs here. You could do with some seats in the lounge by the looks of things.’ For a moment, she saw his disapproval of her staying here flicker in his expression, then it was gone again.
‘Okay, thank you.’
She showed him to the front door, where they stood awkwardly for a moment. Should she hug him, kiss him? She’d had such a lovely evening, she didn’t know how to show her gratitude.
She rose on tiptoes and kissed Harry on the cheek. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘Tonight was fun.’
Swiftly, he dipped his head, and kissed her back, his lips lightly brushing hers, sending her heart racing for a second. ‘Goodnight, Maddy.’
She wanted to ask him to text her when he got home so that she knew he’d arrived safely, knowing he had narrow country lanes to navigate but thought better of it. He’d think she was ridiculous. So she waved, closed the front door, locking it, and after switching all the downstairs lights off, headed upstairs to the bathroom, desperate for a shower. All the time, she tried deciphering her feelings for Harry.