Ignoring the pelting rain Sarah grabbed an umbrella as she and Evie ran helter-skelter down the garden path to the mews. The new tenant was due and her mother had suddenly been called away to the funeral of an old family friend in Wicklow and had asked her to be there instead for the handover.
‘Don’t worry about money or anything like that,’ she reassured her daughter, ‘but just make sure you give Angus two sets of keys and show him how to work the heating and the water immersion and the alarm panel.’
‘Will do,’ said Sarah, who was curious to meet this Scottish guy her mother had been telling her so much about. His job designing computer games sounded great, really fun, but he was probably one of those computer nerds who never switched off.
Evie played around the living room and kitchen as Sarah pulled the curtains and did her best to make the place look cosy considering it was such a wet miserable night. She had a welcome bag of essentials with tea and coffee, milk, sugar, butter, bread and biscuits and had flicked on the heating to warm the place up. She loved this house. Her sister Grace had done an amazing job in terms of the simple design and making sure it captured light from all directions. Upstairs she checked the bedrooms quickly before racing with Evie to answer the doorbell.
‘Who are you?’ asked the lilting Scottish accent.
‘I’m Evie,’ her daughter said, introducing herself to the stranger.
There was a very wet young man at the door trying to balance a massive box in his hands in the doorway. Embarrassed, Sarah ushered him in.
‘I just need to find somewhere to put my computer down,’ he explained.
She directed him to the rectangular dining table. ‘I’m Maggie’s daughter, Sarah,’ she said shaking his hand once it was free. ‘Mum had to go to a funeral and asked me to let you in.’
He grinned. ‘And I’m Angus Hamilton.’
Wow! He was just the kind of guy she always fancied: a little taller than her, skinny, with spiky hair and the very faintest tracing of a beard. He was wearing jeans and a leather jacket and boots. But it was his eyes that got her, big and dark and soulful.
‘I’ll just grab one more bag from the car; I can get the rest when the deluge is over.’
‘Take the umbrella,’ she advised, watching him disappear along by the hedge.
By the time he came back with a backpack and a flat screen for his computer she had put the kettle on. She was dying to hear more of that lovely Scottish accent.
He dumped his jacket on the expensive metal coat stand beside the front door and paced around the downstairs.
‘This place looks even better than I remember.’
‘Glad you like it.’ She smiled. ‘I brought you over a few welcome things like sugar and milk and coffee.’
‘That’s kind of you,’ he said, running his fingers through his damp hair.
‘We only live across the garden in the basement, and Mum wanted to make sure that you were OK.’
‘I appreciate it,’ he said seriously as she walked him around the rest of the house and gave him all the necessary instructions.
‘The kettle’s boiled if you fancy a cup of tea or coffee,’ she offered, hoping he wouldn’t think her too pushy.
‘Only if you two stay and join me,’ he said, opening the pack of chocolate biscuits and offering one to Evie.
Sarah finished off the coffee and carried the two mugs over to the black leather couches where he was busy telling Evie all about the Loch Ness monster.
‘She told me that she likes dinosaurs,’ he explained.
Over the next hour Sarah found herself filling him in on the local shops and telling him about all the hot night spots and good restaurants to go to in Dublin that her sisters and friends regularly frequented.
‘It’s good to get recommendations,’ he teased, ‘but surely that can’t beat trying out the places yourself!’
‘I do go out sometimes,’ she protested, ‘but with having Evie to mind, it’s not as easy.’
‘So it’s hard for you and Evie’s dad to get out?’
‘No, that’s not it,’ she said truthfully. ‘He lives in Italy so we rarely see each other.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘No need to be,’ she said firmly. ‘I’ve got Evie and that’s all that matters. What about you?’
‘I’m twenty-seven and from the parish of Barclay in Edinburgh. I have one sister and two brothers and studied engineering, specializing in computer systems, which I now design, along with games – which are a sort of sideline and hobby of mine,’ he added mockingly, his dark eyes fixed on her face. ‘And I have a lovely girlfriend Megan whom you will no doubt meet when she comes to visit me in a few weeks’ time.’
‘Great,’ she replied, trying to hide her plunging disappointment. He was too good to be true. Someone like Angus was bound to have a girlfriend in his life. Her mother was right, though, he was a nice guy and she hoped that at least they could be friends.
‘Hey, Angus, I’d better go,’ she exclaimed. ‘Time to get Evie to bed or she’ll be like a bear tomorrow. She’s going to a birthday party at the Puppet Theatre. I said I’d give the other mum Jess a hand as she’s bringing twelve six-year-olds!’
‘Sounds like fun!’ he said and she could tell he actually meant it. ‘I’m big into those kind of places myself!’
Sitting up at her own computer later that night typing a story she was making up for Evie about a dog and listening to the lashing rain and gusting winds outside, Sarah found herself genuinely relieved to know that Angus was only a minute or two away.