‘You’re tired of living your life in the public eye?’
‘Perhaps.’
‘Well, Bledburn’s the place to be in that case,’ he said, with a smile. ‘The public eye rarely comes to visit.’
‘And so you’re moving to Nottingham. Is that for work? What do you do?’
‘Property,’ he said, but he didn’t seem keen to elaborate and his face
relaxed when the waiter appeared with large plates of seafood salad for them both. ‘So, tell me about LA. You must have a few tales up your sleeve about life in the city of angels.’
She did indeed, and she told them with relish, so that two hours slipped by easily and without any further thought of the sexy stranger in her attic.
She remembered him, though, on the drive back when they passed a retail park just off the ring road.
‘Oh. Would it be a real pain if I asked you to drop me off at this shopping centre? I want to go to Hobbycraft.’
‘Hobbycraft?’
‘For paints and crafty bits and pieces,’ she said, as Lawrence turned on to the slip road.
‘Wouldn’t a DIY store be more appropriate?’
‘For the house, yes. I just thought I might get into painting. I’ve never had time for that kind of thing, till now.’
‘Of course. Perhaps you can quit showbiz and become a famous artist instead.’
She laughed. ‘It’s that easy, isn’t it?’
He accompanied her round the store as she filled her trolley with artists’ materials. Going shopping in non-designer shops was something Jenna hadn’t done in years. She had assistants to do all that kind of thing for her, usually. She enjoyed the novelty of pushing the trolley and choosing all the different pots and tins. But it was a little nerve-racking to be doing something for Leonardo while Lawrence stood by and watched her. It was as if she was giving him away.
She almost asked him if he could take her to the supermarket too, but then thought that might be stretching a first date too far. She’d run into town herself later on and get some food in. The new range would be delivered tomorrow and she’d be able to cook properly. When had she last done that? Until then, it would be cold cuts from the deli counter and perhaps a bottle of wine. Wine glasses.
Her mental shopping list took her all the way back home.
‘You’re quiet,’ commented Lawrence, parking outside the house.
‘Sorry. Got a lot of planning to do and it’s on my mind – about the renovation. Thank you for a lovely lunch.’
‘It was a pleasure. I don’t suppose there’s any chance of a coffee?’
Jenna laughed, but she had no intention of inviting Lawrence inside, not while Leonardo lurked in the attic. Thank goodness for watertight excuses.
‘No chance at all – I don’t even have a kettle. I’m afraid the boiler man is still working on the hot water so the mains is probably off. Another time, perhaps.’
He nodded gravely. ‘Another time. Yes. Well, thank you for the best company I’ve had in ages. We must do it again, soon.’
‘Yes, we must.’
He was leaning over towards her. A waft of his expensive aftershave drifted up her nose, delighting her olfactory nerves. She reciprocated, bending towards him until their lips brushed, just lightly enough to be polite, just firmly enough to mean business.
She got out before he could make another move, which seemed very likely.
‘I’ll call you,’ she said.
‘You do that.’
He didn’t drive away immediately but sat in the car while she hurried up the steps and into the house. From the drawing room window she saw him, still there. He was texting somebody, by the looks of things.