Andrea fixed her eyes down as she walked through the playground, and tried not to breathe in the acrid smell of burnt wood still permeating the air.
Shoes, she’d thought, when she’d gone online, only to wonder whether to buy trainers or boots, and this was before considering Ryan and Sophie’s critical ‘cool’ footwear factor. There were toiletries to think about, potties and panties, duvets, toys and blankets, not to mention actual clothes. Andrea was truly grateful for her neighbours’ efforts but, ‘totally wicked’ though Sophie had thought some of the donated clothes were, she doubted she’d be so thrilled at the prospect of second-hand knickers.
Where would she find the money to pay for it all until the insurers paid out? As for Jonathan and where they would be in the future … Andrea sighed heavily. In truth, she had no inclination to think about it. Jonathan’s explanations about his whereabouts after the fire had sounded plausible, but vague somehow, and Andrea just didn’t have the energy to go there. What she would quite like to do was crawl into bed and sleep, preferably to wake up and find the whole awful mess was no more than a nightmare. In the absence of a bed to call her own, however, she’d come to the school instead. Selfish though it might seem, she needed some space. Something to do, other than sort through castoffs, or curl into a ball and cry, which she’d come very close to doing.
Physical therapy might be better though, and far less destabilising to her children than a blubbering mother, she decided, discarding her coat and bending to clutch at a weed fighting for space amongst many on the patch of land Andrea wanted to transform into a garden. Determined, she concentrated her efforts on tugging the gangly plant from the ground, then puffed up her fringe and tugged harder; and then wiped her hands free of rubbery green leaves, the only things she’d succeeded in removing thus far.
Damn. ‘It’s you or me, Little Weed,’ she growled, squatting to grab hold of it with both hands. ‘And be warned I’m in no mood to give in.’ She yanked at it, ‘Oooh, come on!’, and heaved, and … ‘Eeek!’ … keeled inelegantly backwards, plopping heavily – and painfully – to her hindquarters.
‘Right! Now, it’s war!’ she muttered, narrowing her eyes and attempting to scramble to her feet, only to find herself being hauled up from behind by a pair of firm hands.
‘Ouch, I bet that hurt,’ the owner of the hands imparted.
‘Not half as much as my pride,’ Andrea grumbled, turning to face David, who obviously found her predicament hilarious, judging by the merriment in his eyes. Nice eyes, she thought, her own eyes reluctant to look away, not ice cool at all. Quite warm and friendly, in fact, now he’d let his guard down.
‘I was passing,’ he said, holding her gaze, which Andrea found peculiarly disconcerting. ‘Saw this mad woman muttering to herself and trying to steal the plants, so I thought I’d better investigate.’
‘I’m not trying to steal them.’ Andrea looked away first, feeling more disorientated by the close proximity of his body than her spectacularly embarrassing tumble. ‘They’re weeds,’ she explained, rubbing her assaulted rump. ‘I’m trying to kill them.’
David laughed. ‘What, with threats?’
Andrea folded her arms, which allowed her a little more breathing space between them, and cocked her head to one side, her expression she hoped conveying not amused, rather than inexplicably confused.
David did likewise, his expression highly amused. ‘Not working really, is it?’ he ventured.
Andrea’s mouth twitched into a smile. She couldn’t help it. Despite her bruised pride, bruised bottom, and her whole world falling apart, there was something about this man that made her feel … at ease with herself, somehow.
Or at least he had.
She doubted she’d have been dancing dottily around singing a duet with her mum in front of Jonathan, who would have thought her just that, dotty. David hadn’t batted an eye. He’d even joined in and managed a whole actual laugh. He really was quite attractive. Andrea found herself appraising him again, taking in his soulful blue eyes, framed by unfairly dark eyelashes, his strong jawline, a hint of dark stubble thereon, which was undeniably sexy in a rugged-man sort of way, his mouth which far better suited a smile.
His torso was firm, long-limbed and well-toned, she couldn’t help but notice as they’d passed on the landing. His hands elegant and strong, with clean fingernails; those of a doctor a patient might immediately trust. Yes, outwardly, all the qualities a woman would find extremely attractive. And inwardly? David Adams had learned the hardest possible way the immeasurable pain cheating and lying can cause a woman. He was a caring person. Andrea had seen that. A man who’d hurt someone he loved and was hurting because of it. Should he ever feel guilt-free enough to embark on another relationship, she was sure he would be sensitive to a woman’s feelings. Her needs. Andrea’s eyes strayed to his lips, soft and full enough to be sensuous on a man.
‘Nice hair accessory,’ David said, after an awkward second.
‘Sorry?’ Andrea continued to stare at him, her gaze seeming to be drawn to his.
‘The, er, green foliage. Matches your eyes,’ he joked, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in his expression.
She watched, transfixed, as he hesitated, and then reached for what could have been a hornet’s nest in her hair, so little did she care. And when his fingers brushed her cheek, David Adams as good as electrocuted her on the spot.
Closing her eyes and panting out a surprised breath, Andrea stifled a ridiculous desire to turn her face to his touch, to feel his fingers tracing the curve of her cheek, her lips … His mouth following in their wake, covering hers, his tongue gently probing and— she was fantasising about the man – right in front of him!
Andrea snapped her eyes open, to see David now studying her intently.
‘It’s er …’ He shook his head, as if bemused, then moved his hand through her hair to retrieve whatever was there, instantaneously sending another shockwave of pleasure right through her. ‘A leaf,’ he said, holding up the evidence. ‘I thought you might panic when you pulled your sweater … Ahem. Would you like a hand?’
Andrea blinked at him, now definitely disorientated.
‘You have to dig them out,’ David said softly.
‘Sorry?’
‘The weeds.’
Andrea didn’t answer. Instead, she continued to study him. Searching his face. On hers, open confusion.
David mentally reprimanded himself. What on earth had possessed him to let his hand linger like that? Tempted him to lean forward and steal a kiss from those velvet soft lips, so breathtakingly beautiful when she smiled, so agonisingly sensual when parted like that, in surprise.
To wonder what Andrea would feel like in his arms, kissing him back? In his bed? He’d wanted to taste her, touch her. Explore every inch of her. He swallowed hard. He wanted to make love to her. This was more than needing the solace of a woman’s touch. Needing to lose himself in the embrace of a woman. What he was feeling, David realised, with a jolt, was nothing to do with sex or lust.
He was in love with this woman.
But this woman was with another man. In love with another man – and completely out of bounds. There was simply nothing he could do about it. As much as David knew his chances of feeling this way ever again were probably nil, absolutely no way would he even test the waters. Break up another family? Traumatise Jake more than he already had? Cause chaos in Sophie and Ryan’s lives? And what about little Chloe? Eden wasn’t up to much in David’s estimation, but to his daughter he would be everything.
Then there was Andrea. He was assuming an awful lot, such as the fact she might be remotely interested. Could she be? Had he seen … something … in her eyes, or was that just his own wishful thinking? And, if she was, wouldn’t he break her bloody heart, too? That was one thing he was guaranteed to be good at.
‘I know.’ Andrea pulled his attention away from where it shouldn’t be.
David squinted at her, sure she’d been reading every wrong
thought in his head.
‘By the roots,’ Andrea went on, looking perturbed now. As if she would very much have preferred he keep his hands to himself.
David nodded, forcing a smile and telling himself he was a bloody fool. Her only interest in him was that she cared, because that’s the kind of person she was.
‘Are you okay?’ he asked, thinking he’d rather apologise. But then, if Andrea had no inkling of why his hand had been reluctant to pull away, wouldn’t she wonder what he was apologising for? ‘You look a bit pale,’ he said, groping for anything to say instead.
‘Just cold,’ Andrea assured him, wrapping her arms about herself.
How David wanted to wrap his arms around her. Pull her close and keep her safe. Do it right this time. But, of course, he couldn’t.
Andrea’s gaze faltered. ‘Shall we have a bash, then?’ She smiled uncertainly and nodded towards the patch of weeds. ‘I think physical activity might be the only thing that will warm me up, to be honest.’
‘Let’s get some tools.’ David nodded firmly, whilst working very hard not to imagine the kind of physical activity that might keep them both warm.
Chapter Sixteen
‘I said, Andrea’s made a start,’ Eva repeated through the gap in Sally’s door.
‘On what?’ Sally squinted out, her mind on other things, namely her preparations for her meeting with David this evening.
‘The school garden project,’ Eva imparted importantly. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement, Sally noted. Over a patch of weeds? She found that hard to believe. ‘Andrea’s at the school getting stuck in and I thought it would be a jolly good idea if one or two more of us lent a hand. Show a bit of solidarity and what not. What do you think?’
Sally sighed and pulled the door wide. ‘You want me to dig, Eva?’ she asked, holding up fingers adorned with nail extensions. ‘With these?’
Eva considered. ‘Well, a shovel might be better,’ she decided, ‘but I’m sure they’ll do splendidly.’
‘Not at five pounds a nail they won’t,’ Sally assured her. ‘Sorry, Eva, but I’m feeling a stay-at-home-with-a-good-book mood coming on.’ She was happy to help out. Given Andrea’s awful predicament, of course she was. Going to school to dig a hole in the ground, though, wasn’t on Sally’s agenda today.
‘Oh.’ Eva looked crestfallen. ‘Ah, well, never mind.’ She shrugged stoically and turned to go. ‘I’m sure Doctor Adams won’t mind stepping into the breach and staying a bit longer. He’s there now, I noticed, when I passed. Turning into a bit of a white knight, isn’t he, our—’
‘Give me one minute,’ Sally said behind her, flipping off her slippers and stuffing her feet into Wellington boots.
‘My, don’t you two look cosy,’ Sally shouted across the playground.
‘Looks like we have company.’ David glanced warily in Sally’s direction as she slipped through the gate.
‘It certainly does.’ Andrea followed his gaze, pleased – and a touch relieved at the distraction. The air between David and her seemed so charged. Far from feeling cold when his arm had brushed hers earlier, her skin had practically sizzled. David was doing absolutely nothing to help, giving her such long, curious glances, Andrea was sure she’d sprouted a whole tree in her hair.
He was now giving Sally a rather worried look, she couldn’t help but notice. ‘Problem?’ she asked.
‘No,’ David said quickly. ‘Not really.’
But still, he looked like a worried man. Oh, dear. Perhaps she shouldn’t have mentioned she thought Sally might be on a manhunt. David was now looking as if he wanted to dig a very large hole and get in it.
‘Well, well, aren’t we the chivalrous one?’ Sally beamed David a smile as she walked towards them.
‘Sally.’ David smiled guardedly back. ‘And Eva, what on earth are you doing? I thought I told you to keep those legs up.’
‘Ooh, I bet he says that to all the ladies. I bet one or two of them would oblige, too, hey girls?’ Eva chuckled and reached to give his already flushed cheek an over-robust pinch.
‘Dressed for the occasion, I see, Eva.’ Andrea noted the gardening belt around Eva’s waist and leather knee pads adorning her dungarees.
‘If I’m going to do a job, my dear, I like to do it well. Tools to hand and whatnot.’
‘I’m not sure you should be doing jobs, well or not, Eva,’ David said seriously. ‘Not until I’ve checked you over.’
‘Nonsense.’ Eva flapped a dismissive hand. ‘I’m perfectly fine, Doctor Adams, as we’ve already established. A little light-headedness never killed anyone.’
‘Light-headedness?’ Andrea turned to David, alarmed.
‘Eva had a bit of a fall, but she’s going to the surgery on Monday, aren’t you, Eva?’
‘Oh, I don’t need to waste the doctor’s valuable time. I’m perfectly—’
‘Eva, I’m in the surgery on Monday. Either I see you there, or I pay you another house call, which will waste more of the doctor’s valuable time, won’t it?’
‘Such a fuss,’ Eva tsked, ‘but if you insist. Now then, to the job at hand.’ She moved swiftly on. ‘We thought we’d help get you organised, didn’t we, Sally?’
Andrea glanced from David to Eva, feeling quite overcome. ‘I don’t know what to say, Eva. Are you sure you’re all right? I mean, all this can wait. I was really only … Well, trying to distract myself, I suppose.’
‘As I said, I’m absolutely fine, my dear. I’m sure Doctor Adams means well, but he really is fussing about nothing. Now, come along, more hands make light work and all that.’
‘Thank you,’ Andrea said, in danger of blubbering all over again. She doubted she would have got through all this without Eva chivvying her on. ‘I honestly don’t know how I’ll ever repay you for all your kindness, Eva.’
‘I wouldn’t say no to a chocolate cupcake and caramel latte,’ Eva suggested, looking quietly pleased.
‘Make mine a Sauvie B. I’m exhausted, and this was just pouring myself into my leggings this morning,’ Sally put in, causing all eyes to turn to her legs, David’s included.
‘Right, move over, Andrea, you look frazzled. Let me have a go.’ Sally stepped determinedly towards the patch they’d made little headway on.
‘Sally, are you sure?’ Andrea asked, worriedly perusing the rest of Sally’s attire, a fur trimmed shell jacket, ivory in colour. ‘It’s very muddy.’
‘Oh, you know me, Andrea, always the outdoorsy sort. Now, make way.’
‘As long as it’s bikini and martini weather,’ Eva mumbled, behind her.
‘Eva, shhhh!’ Andrea hissed as Sally rolled up her metaphorical sleeves, placed the spade purposefully in the ground, pressed a foot on top of it, and made no impression whatsoever.
‘Make that a large Sauvie B,’ Sally said, gritting her teeth to try again.
‘You’ll need the hand hoe and a fork,’ Eva informed her knowledgeably. ‘And you’ll need to get down to their level.’
She extended a hand, and David dutifully provided his own, allowing Eva leverage to lower herself to her knees.
‘Hmm, looks as if we’ve quite a battle on our hands,’ Eva observed, examining the foe at close quarters. ‘Groundsel,’ she said, picking up Andrea’s plucked weed.
‘Oh, I thought it was a dandelion.’ Andrea furrowed her brow as she knelt alongside Eva. ‘Mind you, I wouldn’t know a cabbage from a rose.’
‘Which is why I’m here, my dear,’ Eva patted her thigh reassuringly, ‘to identify our Senecio vulgaris or groundsel from our Taraxacum officinale or dandelion in order to eradicate them efficiently.’
David shook his head, bemused. ‘I feel enlightened already.’
‘Glad to be of help, Doctor Adams.’ Eva smiled up at him, delighted.
Eva pointed her hoe at one or the other and David crouched down to join Andrea, who was paying proper attention, as Eva warbled on about annuals and perennials, and fluffy seeds being blown on the wind. ‘Which is why we have
to take every little bit of the root out,’ she finished with a determined little nod.
‘Absolutely.’ Andrea nodded, equally determined.
‘Wilco.’ David saluted, he and Andrea then exchanging amused glances.
‘We’ll have a cuppa before we get stuck in,’ Andrea suggested. ‘I’ll go and put the kettle on in the staffroom. Fancy one, Eva?’
‘Ooh, lovely,’ Eva said, already at work on what still looked like a weed as far as Andrea could see.
Disgruntled, Sally watched as David stood up and extended his hand to help Andrea up.
‘So kind,’ Andrea said, with a theatrical bat of her eyelashes, while Sally seethed quietly inside. They’d be finishing each other’s sentences in a minute. What was the matter with Andrea, smiling and playing up to him?
‘David?’ Andrea asked. ‘Are you up for a cup?’
‘Great.’ David smiled. ‘Coffee please, if you have some. Black with—’
‘No sugar,’ Andrea finished. ‘Got it. Sally, want one?’
God! ‘No,’ Sally said shortly, then pulled herself up and forced a smile. ‘Thanks, Andrea, but I’ve not long had one. I’ll give you a hand though,’ she offered.
‘No problem.’ Andrea smiled, her oh, so, natural make-up-less smile, which had Sally’s heart sinking into her Wellington boots. ‘Stay and chat to David, why don’t you?’ Andrea suggested, heading off. ‘Get better acquainted.’
‘I’d love to,’ Sally said cheerily. If only I could drag his attention away from you. Fuming silently, she looked at David, who was watching Andrea walk to the staffroom, her copper curls bouncing naturally behind her and still looking casual, yet sophisticated, with absolutely no flipping effort. She was wearing a man’s shirt, for goodness’ sake, and track bottoms. Couldn’t the woman ever look the tiniest bit like a wardrobe disaster? Or at least put her coat back on and stop flaunting herself.
David wasn’t just looking now, Sally noted, growing evermore peeved as she turned her attention back to him. He was perusing. And Sally did not like it one little bit. This was just too much. Damn him. What was he playing at? Determined not to let him get a glimpse of her green-eyed monster, which was now practically spitting fire, Sally wet her lips with her tongue instead, and walked over to him.
Learning to Love Page 17