rumble but there’s no hint of a threat in it. The flashing red alert feeling in my stomach subsides to amber, and I finally remember to breathe. But I won’t be fooled. He’s probably just trying to knock me off guard with that polite apology.
He takes a step towards me, which galvanises me into action.
I brandish my hairdryer at him. ‘Look, I don’t know who the hell you are. Some weird peeping Tom, who lurks around in people’s back gardens, at a guess. But you need to know that while I might be small, I’m actually deceptively strong.’
He stops in his tracks, glancing from me to the hairdryer, and back again.
Ha! I’ve clearly given him something to think about! I might just have the upper hand now…
He takes another step towards me and my bravado slips. ‘I did karate with my sister when I was ten,’ I blurt out, ‘and we got all the way to blue belt.’ I adopt a kiba-dachi stance, legs wide, knees bent, arms flexed to the side. ‘We’d have made brown belt but we missed that week because we were camping in north Devon.’
His eyes widen. ‘Right.’ His mouth looks suspiciously kinked at one corner.
Is he laughing at me?
He holds up his hands in mock surrender. ‘I was just going to unplug your – erm – weapon?’ he murmurs, pointing at the socket behind me. ‘You’re still attached.’
‘What?’ I watch, bemused, as he disconnects the hairdryer and hands me the plug end of the flex. I take it, suddenly painfully aware of my state of undress and having probably made a bit of an arse of myself.
‘Erm…thank you.’ I grab my dressing gown and quickly cover up.
‘No problem. I’m Ronan Mackay. I’m sorry for bursting in on you, but I honestly had no idea there was already someone occupying the cottage. Barry seemed to think it was free this week. I think there must have been a mix-up.’
‘Oh.’ Barry is Maddy’s dad. ‘You know Barry?’
He nods. ‘I’ve done quite a bit of work at his property over the years. I…found myself in a bit of a fix, needing somewhere to stay, and he gave me the key to this place.’
‘Oh, right.’
‘I’ll go. Find a hotel.’
‘Erm, well…’
He shrugs. ‘It’s no problem.’
‘Okay. If you’re sure.’
He nods. ‘I’ll just make some calls then I’ll be off. I’ll be in the kitchen, if that’s okay.’
I nod. ‘Of course. That’s fine.’
At the door, he turns. ‘Sorry.’ He looks genuinely apologetic.
He disappears downstairs and I’m about to close the bedroom door and get back into bed, when something stops me. I stand there, my head still reeling at the unexpected intrusion, wondering why I’m hesitating. I think I just feel bad that Ronan Mackay is having to find a hotel so late. And it doesn’t feel right to just leave him to his fate in the middle of the night, without trying to help in some way. It’s obviously not his fault that Maddy’s parents somehow got their wires crossed and double-booked the cottage.
I glance at my reflection in the mirror over the chest of drawers. My face is flushed and I have the look of an astonished rabbit. I quickly fluff my fringe and press my palms to my burning cheeks, before re-tying my dressing gown and going downstairs.
He looks up in surprise as I enter the kitchen. ‘The local hotel’s full but there’s plenty more to try.’
I shake my head. ‘Don’t bother.’
‘Sorry?’
‘You can stay. There’s two bedrooms. As you probably already know.’
He nods. ‘I do. I tended to the tree in the front garden last year.’
‘Oh.’
He shrugs. ‘I’m a tree surgeon.’
‘Right.’
‘Are you sure you don’t mind me kipping here for the night?’
‘Not at all.’
‘It’ll be easier finding a hotel in the morning.’ He grins sheepishly. ‘And after the day I’ve had, I’m about ready to crash out. I could probably fall asleep leaning against the wall.’
‘That bad?’
‘Worse.’ He attempts a grin, although the dark circles under his eyes tell me he’s probably not joking. ‘But I won’t bore you with the details. Do you mind if I make myself a coffee?’
‘No, of course not.’ I laugh nervously. ‘You’re a guest here now. Help yourself.’
‘Would you like one?’
‘Er…yes, tea, please.’
He gives me a thumbs up and fills the kettle, and I observe him, my eyes skimming over his physique. Definitely not the apparition I glimpsed in the back garden. Ronan Mackay has the build of an athlete – very tall, with broad shoulders, dark blue jeans encasing long, muscular legs.