That One Moment (Lost in London #2)(32)

“Are these for Vi, perhaps?” he asks knowingly and adjusts his glasses while inspecting the three I’ve already completed. After I finish sanding the one I’m currently working on, they all just need to be stained and varnished. I shrug and his brows rise knowingly. “Want to talk about it?”

Shaking my head dismissively, I reply. “There’s not much to talk about. Except for the fact that I sort of agreed to do this ridiculous countdown challenge for Doc, but it’s a horrid idea.”

“Why is that?” Theo grabs one of the metal stools. He drags it up to the counter and sits down.

I pause what I am doing and reply, “It just is, all right.” I glare at him, annoyance dripping from my features as I grab my leather cuff and nervously unsnap and re-snap the clasp.

“Easy, sport…No need to get testy. If it’s a bad idea, why are you working on more boxes?”

“I don’t bloody know.” I stand up straight and toss the sanding block on the counter in a huff. Leaning back on the opposite counter with my arms crossed I continue, “Maybe I’m just trying to be a nice bloke for a change.”

Chuckling, Theo replies, “That doesn’t sound like you.”

“No, it doesn’t.” I slice my hands through my hair and then scrub them down over my face. “I’m just feeling confused by her. She’s so good, you know?”

Theo balks. “How do you know she’s good? What do you actually even know about her?”

My eyes find his. Christ, he’s right. I hardly know her. We sort of went from cake to suicide in two seconds flat. I know sod all about her and I feel like a proper jerk for just now realising. “I guess I don’t know that much, but that’s part of the stipulation of the challenge.”

Theo rises. “Well, I don’t think it’d hurt you to get to know the girl a bit if it helps you finish your mission. You’ve never been one to back down from a challenge, mate.” He touches the box closest to him and smirks. “And look, you went to all this trouble.”

I eye the four keepsake boxes wistfully as Theo makes his way back up to the flat insinuating in no uncertain terms that it would be wise if I stayed down here for a bit longer. Living with Theo and Leslie has been good for me, but it’s not ideal. I basically bear witness to them falling even more in love with each other every day as they tackle happy family life, fussy baby and all. It’s a lot of fighting and making up and me taking long walks to give them space. I definitely need to find a place of my own…and soon. But I’ll feel a lot more confident with myself if I can get through Doc’s challenge first. His approval means so much to me.

Seizing hold of my brief moment of bravery, I shoot Vi a text. To my surprise, she agrees to my request even though it’s already after nine. I quickly get all my supplies ready and wait on bated breath for her arrival.

Thirty minutes later, I’m standing outside the shop thinking about how nice a cigarette would taste right now when she comes striding up. Her blonde hair is tied up on top of her head in an adorable messy bun. She’s wearing black leggings, ballet flats, and a deep V-neck, black shirt that reveals a colourful neon yellow tank beneath it. She looks cosy, like she had been planning on a quiet night in.

“Where’s Bruce?” I ask, pushing myself away from the side of the building.

“Left him at the flat,” she says, eyeing me like she’s trying to figure out my motive. “I don’t have to lug him everywhere, ya know.”

I eye her seriously. “Probably safer if you do.”

She frowns at my protective suggestion and says, “So what are we doing? Your text was rather cryptic.”

I grin and hold the door open for her to walk past me. My hand brushes the small of her back as I guide her through the shop entry. The urge I feel to touch her more is heady, but I push it away as quickly as it arrives. She steps in and looks back at me in confusion. I gesture to the large wooden workshop counter and her eyes alight in realisation.

“Are these the same boxes?” She hustles over and picks one up, opening it and looking inside with a surprised smile that I take a mental snapshot of.

“They just need to be finished,” I offer.

“Where did you get them?”

I give her a sheepish look. “I made them.”

Her jaw drops. “You made them? But you never said anything before!”

Shrugging, I reply, “I thought maybe you could help me finish them and we could talk.”

“Oh yes, I’d love to!” She begins tugging at her top, attempting to knot it around her waist. “We can continue with your countdown while we work.”

“Actually, I’d prefer we skip the countdown tonight.” I walk over and grab a pair of rubber gloves off the counter. “I just thought…I don’t know. I feel like a wanker for not knowing much about you, so I thought maybe we could spend the night talking…like I’m not some complete f*ck-up with a dark and twisted past.”

I glance up just as her bright blue eyes darken. “Hayden, I’ve never looked at you like that…Not once.”

Her severe expression winds me up. I nod awkwardly and hand her the gloves. “All right, tonight I’m going to teach you how to stain. Think you’re man enough for the job?”

She watches me for a moment, evidently letting my self-deprecation slide. “Manlier than most bubbly blondes I’d say.”