Page 28 of A Scottish Christmas Hideaway
He smiled warmly at her. ‘Just as well it’s just you and not someone else. Otherwise, I would feel the need to change. This is myloungewear.’
Jessica appreciated the way he seemed to relax in front of her, as it meant she felt less on edge too. Even though she couldn’t help but think how good he looked fresh from a nap. She pushed the thought away. ‘You look fine. Though next time I’ll expect you to have your suit on with waistcoat and tie.’
He smirked. ‘As if.’ He gestured around the room. ‘Well, this is it, Jessie. Welcome to the new and improved Primrose Cottage.’
‘Wow, look what you’ve done in here,’ she said, not even flinching when he called her by his nickname for her. There was genuine admiration in her eyes as she looked around. ‘I love it. And I can actually see the furniture now.’ She laughed. ‘It’s so stylish but really cosy too. Like a room you could properly relax in. The sofa looks super comfortable.’
He smiled as he rubbed his hand across his jaw. ‘I hope Murray and family are as enthusiastic as you.’
‘They will love it, Reuben. And look at your tree,’ she said, walking over to it. ‘You’ve done a fine job of decorating it. I didn’t get a chance to appreciate it the last time I was here.’
Reuben bent down to flick on the lights and they stood for a moment as the fairly lights glowed then flickered on and off. ‘You can also do disco mode if you want,’ he said, pressing another switch, and the lights started to flash erratically.
‘Hmm, nah, I prefer the way you had it before.’ She chuckled. ‘That’s a bit full on. Feels like we’re in a dodgy nightclub.’
‘I agree.’ He flicked it back to the more subdued effect. ‘Do you want to see the rest of the cottage?’
‘I’d love to,’ she said, slipping off her boots and leaving them by the door. ‘Lead the way.’
Reuben led her through to the dining kitchen and she gasped. What an improvement on yesterday when the place had been full of his decorating gear. He really had done a remarkable job with the space. It was so different to how she remembered it with his parents’ old wooden kitchen units and orange walls. It had always seemed a dark space when they were younger and now it was filled with light. He’d created such a welcoming room and she walked across to the doors which opened out onto the garden. ‘This is incredible, Reuben. I wish you could persuade my folks to do this with their kitchen.’ For a split second she thought she could see him blushing. ‘Honestly, you’ve done such an amazing job in here. You are so talented.’
He dismissed her comments with a wave but she could tell he was pleased. ‘Thanks. I wanted to make the most of the space and create a special home . . .’
As his voice trailed off, Jessica wondered if his comment had been slightly loaded. Had he originally been planning to live here with his ex-wife? And why did she care so much?
‘Come on, I’ll show you the rooms upstairs,’ he said, interrupting her thoughts.
He led her up the staircase to a large and bright hallway. ‘This is the bathroom,’ he said, opening up the door to a room that was far bigger than their small bathroom at Thistle Cottage. ‘I knocked through to the box room,’ he said, as way of explanation.
It was bright and white and modern with chrome fittings and plush grey towels. ‘I love it,’ she said.
‘And the bedrooms,’ he said, turning round and walking across the hall. ‘The main one is in here.’ He opened the door and put the light on.
The walls were painted a pale and chalky shade of grey, the wooden floors had been painted white and there was a fluffy dark rug along with a grey Roman blind and a woollen throw across the bed. He had even managed to fit a neat chaise longue into the window. She had a sudden vision of herself curled up next to him on the bed and could feel her cheeks colour. ‘Did you say you were an architect, Reuben, or an interior designer?’
He laughed. ‘Maybe I’m both.’
‘I love the picture,’ she said, pointing at the print on the wall. It was Conic Hill in Balmaha and one of Jessica’s favourite walks. ‘Did you take that?’
He nodded.
‘It’s amazing. What a brilliant shot. Reminds me how much I love that walk and how long it’s been since I’ve walked there.’
‘We should go sometime while you’re home,’ he said casually. ‘I’ve not been there for ages either. There was that bad storm earlier in the year and loads of trees came down and for a while it was blocked off.’
Jessica looked at him, feeling that unfamiliar glimmer of hope again. Then she reminded herself not to get drawn in any more than she already was. Being neighbourly was fine, but going out for walks with him was something entirely different. ‘Yes, it will be good to do with Murray when he’s home. He loves that walk too.’ Saying that felt like a safer option.
His eyes lingered on hers for a moment, then he turned away. ‘Come on and I’ll show you the room for Lexi.’
She watched as he strode to the room next door and pushed the door open. Jessica gasped. The walls were painted in a gentle lemon colour. There was a child’s bed in the corner, with a bright yellow rug on the floor and a small table in the corner with little chairs at it. Each one had an animal painted on it. ‘Oh,’ she said, the words coming out in a gasp. He was looking nervously at her.
‘Do you think it’s okay? Will she like it?’
‘Reuben,’ she said, feeling her eyes misting up. ‘She will absolutely love it.’
‘I did check with Murray that she’d be okay in the wee bed and he said she would be. I managed to pick that and the furniture up for next to nothing. I just wanted to make it perfect for her.’
For a moment, he looked completely unsure of himself and she couldn’t stop herself from reaching over to give him a hug. ‘Honestly. This is wonderful,’ she said, then stepped back blushing. She hadn’t quite meant to initiate physical contact with him but he looked like he needed a hug. And she was very aware that he had hugged her tightly back. ‘They are going to be so pleased,’ she said, every nerve in her body now tingling. ‘It’s, erm, it’s so sweet that you’ve gone to all of this effort for them.’
