My Year of Saying No - Maxine Morrey Page 0,43

other one like a shiny, but very heavy, rug. ‘Then I think various people should perhaps mind their own business. You get out plenty. As for the other, no, no and definitely no. This was all my own fair hand.’

‘Really?’

‘I did ask for some advice from my sister-in-law, but that was once I’d chosen everything, which was probably a bit of an arse-about-face way of doing things, but still. Luckily, she felt I was pointing in the right direction and encouraged me to just go ahead.’

‘Apparently you have an eye for design then.’

‘Thanks.’ He stood, gaining a height advantage over me. ‘Are you going to tell me what unsettled you earlier when I said about building our friendship and no expectations? Did I say something wrong?’

I forced that nonchalant face back on and prayed to god Seb bought it. ‘I honestly don’t know what you mean. I’m fine and agree, it’s been lovely to meet up. I just still feel like I’m imposing a little.’ Maybe if I gave some sort of possible reason, Seb would stop sniffing around for any others like Humphrey did when he knew I had treats in my coat pocket.

He gave me a long look and I could tell he had his doubts, but, in the end, he decided not to push it and let it pass.

‘OK. Well, you’re not. Let’s get that established once and for all. Deal?’

‘Deal,’ I said, sticking out my hand and feeling like I’d dodged a bullet. However, as Seb took my hand within his own large one, he met my eyes and I knew I hadn’t dodged it at all.

14

Seb gave me a quick tour of the house, Scooby trailing us the whole time, and talked to me about the improvements he’d made and those he hoped to make in the future.

I took a seat at the breakfast bar as he made us hot chocolate. No powder and microwave here, as was my general procedure, but the full works, with hot milk and proper chocolate melted slowly in, his hand moving rhythmically with the whisk as we continued chatting, relaxed in each other’s company.

I knew Seb still felt I was hiding something, but I was really enjoying the time I was spending with him. Not just because he was gorgeous, but because I had always felt, from the first moment I’d met him, that I could be myself with him and that wasn’t something I wanted to lose, even putting aside the fact that he was my best client. He was fun and kind and entertaining. And, bonus, he had a great dog. I’d managed this silly crush well enough in the past and I could get past it now. Admittedly, it wasn’t quite as easy as I’d hoped, knowing now that he was even better in real life than he was on a screen, which made the process a good deal harder, but there we are. It was still totally doable.

‘Here you go!’ Seb said, cutting into my reverie by placing a steaming mug of the most delicious smelling hot chocolate in front of me, along with a spoon for the whipped cream and tiny marshmallows decorating the top.

‘Oh blimey!’ I said, looking down at the creation. He’d had his back to the breakfast bar for most of the time he’d been creating these masterpieces, so I’d had no idea quite how much he’d gone to town. ‘This looks amazing! It’s a good job I don’t live closer or else I think I’d be having to look for a bigger model car tomorrow.’

‘Oh, nonsense,’ Seb said, coming around the kitchen island and grabbing both the drinks. ‘Let’s go and sit in the lounge. It’s more comfy.’

The living room, as with the guest bedroom, had no whiff of macho bachelor about it. Again, it was homely, comfortable and bright. It embraced the look of a show home but with softened edges so that it still looked like you could live in it rather than be afraid to sit down, unlike my sister’s house. Beautiful but don’t mess it up – but that suited Sally. It was very much her ethos in life.

It amazed me how we were even related sometimes, but, as Seb had said earlier, it wouldn’t do for everyone to be the same, and when it had come to me moving out of the house I’d shared with my ex, Sally had been an absolute star. Her organisation and penchant for tidy and neat had been the