It Started With A Tweet(65)
I push him away firmly. ‘Alexis turned up when Rupert was here and he kindly acted as my boyfriend. Thank you for playing along,’ I say turning to Alexis.
‘Anytime,’ he says. ‘You know, playing or actual boyfriend, I am available.’
I can’t help but snigger as Rosie rolls her eyes.
‘Thank you for that, Alexis, but I’m sure Rosie will be the first to tell you that there’ll be none of that under her roof.’
He shrugs and makes himself a sandwich from the fridge.
‘Right, so are we going to get any work done today?’ asks Rosie, sighing and running her fingers through her hands.
I look up at Alexis and he looks as pale as I feel, but I know we’ve got a schedule to follow.
‘Of course we are, but first off, why don’t we make a round of crumpets?’
Comfort food is exactly what we need, for the hangover and, in Rosie’s case, the heartbreak.
‘And then we’ll get cracking?’ she asks hopefully.
‘And then we will, promise, and we’ll work our arses off.’
Dear Jack,
Thank you once again for rescuing me. I have got to stop making a habit out of that, or do you have some sort of knight-in-shining-armour complex and you seek out damsels in distress at any opportunity? As much as I’m desperate to use the Internet, I’ve vowed not to go into the homes of strange men, and I’m also going on a shopping expedition this morning to get kitted out – the next time you see me you won’t recognise me, as I’ll blend in with the locals in my scruffy fleece and hiking trousers.
That’s right, Rosie is letting me off the farm and we’re hitting Carlisle – whoop, whoop! The builders are doing something dusty today and we’ve been told to vacate. Anyway, I’ll see you around soon, if I don’t get seduced by the bright lights of the city .?.?.
Daisy
P.S. John Major and The Price is Right – the mind boggles. Don’t tell me – he guest presented it once? He was on it for a Christmas special?
DAISY,
I’M SAD THAT I’VE GOT TO HANG UP MY SHIELD AND RETIRE MY STEED. I WAS JUST GETTING INTO THE WHOLE RESCUING THING. I’LL HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DAY JOB. BUSTER IS ALSO WONDERING IF HE HAS FULL SKINNY-DIPPING RIGHTS BACK TO THE STREAM YET? AS AM I, AS HE ROLLED IN DEER POO YESTERDAY AND HE NEEDS A WASH. THE LAST TIME I TRIED TO BATH HIM INSIDE, HE ESCAPED WHEN I WAS TOWEL DRYING HIM AND HE WENT RAMPAGING THROUGH THE HOUSE, ROLLING ON ALL THE CARPETS AND RUGS. IT SMELT LIKE WET DOG FOR WEEKS.
HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE GIDDY HEIGHTS OF CARLISLE. I SAW THE LAND ROVER RATTLE DOWN THE ROAD LAST NIGHT, SO I TAKE IT YOU MADE IT BACK OK.
JACK
P.S. NO! GUESS AGAIN. IT INVOLVES JOHN MAJOR’S SON .?.?.
Chapter Twenty
Time since last Internet usage: 1 week, 3 days, 19 hours, 25 minutes and 1 second.
‘And if there are any problems, Rosie, the owner, is going to be back from the builders’ merchants in half an hour or so, and she’ll be working in the bathroom all day,’ I say confidently to one of the carpenters, who have finally come to install the windows and doors.
‘Great. Thanks, Daisy. I’ll crack on, then.’
The past week, I’ve gone from never having spoken to a workman, to getting quite good at organising them. Clearly, all the years of watching Grand Designs has paid off.
I turn my attention back to my Gantt Chart on the kitchen table, and I highlight carpenters on site. I can’t help but smile that, now the project has been whipped into shape, it’s coming along nicely. I might not be able to organise my own life, but it seems that I have no problem project managing a major renovation.
I pick up my cup of coffee and curl my hands around it for warmth as I try and work out what I’m going to do next. Rosie and Alexis headed out to look at en-suite options, and I didn’t really fancy spending my morning looking at different loos. The carpenters are going to be in and out of the rooms doing the doors and windows, so I can’t do any painting. Rosie suggested I look at the leaflets for local B. & B.s and holiday rentals to research the competition, and I’m just trying to motivate myself to pick them up.
There’s a tap at the door and I’m instantly relieved of the distraction. I open it, expecting to see a builder, but instead Jack’s standing before me.
‘Morning,’ I say cheerily.
‘Morning,’ he replies, a slight smile on his face. This is progress from his usual grimace. We stand there for a second and in the end I break the silence.
‘Did you want to come in for a cup of tea?’ I say, holding the door open further for him to come in.
‘Um, no, thanks. I’m just taking Buster for a walk.’
‘OK, then,’ I say, searching his face for any clue as to why he’s standing on our doorstep.
‘I was wondering,’ he says eventually, ‘I mean, I’m sure you’re really busy with the renovation, but I saw Rosie and Alexis driving off earlier on so I thought you might be free, and I’m going for a walk with Buster. I thought you might want to come with us. I’m going up to Angel Hill, which is up at the top of the valley. There’s a track that leads up on a gradual incline.’
For the first time since I’ve met him, he seems flustered, and I feel that the tables have turned, as it’s usually me who feels out of my comfort zone. It’s funny, I feel as if we’ve got to know each other quite well with our jokey letters, but I sense that today he’s nervous.