‘You’re in no shape to work today. And I wouldn’t eat that if I were you either.’ He pointed towards the limp, pre-packaged salad that she’d fetched from upstairs. He might be right. On a second look it didn’t look all that appetising.
‘So what am I supposed to do? Sit around staring at the wall all day?’ The images that formed in her mind when faced with blank walls frightened her. ‘I’ll get a headache just from being bored.’
‘Is that a challenge?’
‘Maybe.’ Of course it was. Challenging Euan could turn into a regular pleasure if she wasn’t careful.
‘In that case, you’d better come with me.’
CHAPTER SIX
HE’D INSISTED THEY have lunch at his house, and she’d put on a panama hat and sunglasses for the ten-minute walk. A pair of plimsolls didn’t seem the first choice of footwear to go with the pretty summer dress she was wearing, but they were practical and she carried it off. Sam made everything she wore look stylish, irrespective of whether it was a designer suit or a pair of jeans.
When he turned into the quiet street where he lived and led her up his own front path she seemed surprised. ‘This is lovely, Euan!’
He stopped to look at the white rendered front of the house, which had pale blue-grey shutters and a shade darker for the door to match the roof slates. He hadn’t done that in a while, but the sense of satisfaction at what was almost all his own handiwork was still there.
‘Thanks.’ Her approval cut deep. Right down to the places that he tried so hard to defend. ‘The place was a bit of a wreck when I bought it.’
‘You did it up?’
‘Yep. A few years ago now. I moved here from London when I finished medical school.’ He’d left the flat that he’d shared with his wife, breaking his last ties with that life. Brought nothing with him, just his clothes and his medical books. If asked, Euan would have said that he regretted cutting Marie off so completely now, but since he didn’t generally bring the subject up, no one had ever asked.
He ushered her inside, leaving her in the hallway inspecting the tangle of metal, shells and pebbles fashioned into the shape of a mermaid that stood in the corner. ‘This is gorgeous. Did you do it?’
‘No, someone I know made it. She works with glass, but also uses bits and pieces that get washed up on the beach.’ Juno had been a client at the clinic, but her addiction wasn’t what defined her any more. Her art spoke up for her much more eloquently. ‘Would you like some toast?’
‘That would be great, thanks.’ When Euan looked back through the open door of the kitchen, he could see her running her fingers lightly along the mermaid’s tail.
‘Juno’s got a workshop in town.’
‘I’d be interested to see what else she does.’
‘We can walk down there this afternoon if you like. I haven’t seen her for a while and I’ve been meaning to drop in.’
She walked into the kitchen, skimming one hand along the shiny, sea-green cabinet doors and squinting into the light-filled conservatory beyond. ‘Sounds good.’
‘We’ll do that, then. After we’ve eaten.’ Euan flipped open the fridge and left her to wander into the conservatory and look around.
‘What broadband speed do you get here?’ The question seemed like an innocent enough one, if a little geeky.
‘I have no clue.’
‘Hmm. I could check your speed for you. If I had my laptop with me.’
Euan chuckled. She wasn’t getting her laptop back today, even if she begged. ‘You mean you can’t just sniff the air and tell me if my internet’s working as it should?’
‘Normally I could. But all I can smell is the toast at the moment.’
He made a lunge for the toaster, saved the two thick slices before they burned and dropped them onto a plate, gesturing to her to sit down at the kitchen table, where he’d put out butter, ham and a selection of salad vegetables from the fridge. She sat down, her hands folded in her lap.
‘Don’t wait for me.’ Euan dropped two more slices of bread into the toaster and carried a couple of glasses to the table, along with cartons of milk and fruit juice. ‘I’m afraid it’s a bit makeshift.’
‘It’s great. I can just take whatever I want.’ She grinned at him and started to butter her toast. ‘So this is your sanctuary, is it?’
He supposed it was. ‘Everyone’s got to have somewhere. It’s important to have your own space.’
She took a bit of toast, nodding as she chewed. ‘Yeah. I have office premises, but I usually work at home. I’m rethinking that.’