Page 83 of Snowed In

There was a long pause. “Did I say it was me?”

I put him on speaker so I could use both hands. “Nope, but I know your voice.”

“You do? I didn’t think you paid that much attention.”

I huffed, glad he couldn’t see me. Not paying attention to Rory was the opposite of the problem I had. “Rory, what’s wrong?”

“Oh,” he said distractedly, like he’d forgotten his reason for calling. “I have a flood in my kitchen. I think a pipe’s burst but I don’t know where it is.”

“Have you turned off the stopcock?”

He was silent for so long that I checked to see if the call had disconnected. “Rory? You there?”

Rory cleared his throat. “Umm…yeah.”

“So… the stopcock?”

“See, you’ve said it again, and I can’t decide if I’m hearing things or not.”

I bit the inside of my cheek to hold in my laughter. “It’s the tap that turns off your main water supply.”

“Why the fuck is it called a stopcock? It makes it sound like someone has taken their flaccid penis and inserted it into…” Rory’s voice trailed off for a beat before he started babbling. “Shit, I can’t believe I said that. Can you please forget about it?”

I finished lacing one boot up and switched to the other. “Got it—no thinking about flaccid penises around Rory.”

Again, I usually had the opposite problem around Rory.

There was a noise like he was knocking his head against a wall. I winced. Shit. I should’ve kept my trap shut. I’d learned long ago how uncomfortable I made the shy barista.

I hated it.

“Sorry, Rory.” I aimed for a more professional tone. “Lots of people don’t know that’s what it’s called. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. Do you know where it is?”

“I think so.” His voice was muffled, like he had this hand covering his face. “I think it’s under the kitchen sink.”

“That’s the most common place.” I grabbed my keys and opened the front door. “Have a look, and if you can see it, twist it to the opposite position from what it’s in now.”

“Okay.” Rory sighed. “I’ll try and find it. I guess I can cope without water until Boxing Day. I’ve got a few bottles in the fridge and a full Brita filter. Do you have time to fit me in then? Can’t say I’ll be smelling very good, but I’ll manage.”

My brows shot up. “Rory, I’m literally getting in my van now. I’ll be with you in fifteen minutes. Assuming you give me your address, that is. I know you’re up on the mountain, but not where.”

“Oh,” Rory squeaked before clearing his throat. “Um…it’s two Wren’s View.”

“Perfect.” I closed the van door, grateful to be out of the biting wind. “I’ll be there in a few.”

All my annoyance at having to head out into the cold winter’s night had evaporated at the sound of Rory’s voice. Finally, after all this time, I was going to have a chance to chat with him outside of work.

Well, outside of his work. I was very much on the clock…metaphorically, anyway. Even if I couldn’t get an entire sentence out of Rory, there was no way I’d be charging him for this call-out.

I could still remember the first time I saw him. Some guys I’d been on a job with had insisted we stop by the local coffee chain one morning before work. Not being a coffee drinker, I hadn’t been bothered. I wasn’t even sure what had possessed me to go inside.

But, fuck, was I glad I had.

The scent of coffee and sugar rushed over me as I stepped into the busy cafe. With few other options in the rural town, it looked likeeveryone and their mums had decided this was where they were getting their caffeine fix today.

Just then, the door behind the counter opened, and everything around me seemed to fade away. The man who emerged was beautiful. Far too beautiful to exist in a place as mundane as this. His dark hair lay in curls against his neck, a dimple flashing in his cheek. He was laughing at something his colleague had said, replying in a teasing tone as he donned his apron. Did his eyes always sparkle like that? Or only when he laughed?

Suddenly I was desperate to find out.

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