again, then glanced around the room. She couldn’t wait to get started. In fact, she’d head to the DIY centre right now and pick up what she needed. Her stomach shifted at the thought of seeing Will. Might as well sort that out, too. If Alice’s advice had any merit, it was time to make the next move.
After a quick shower, Emma grabbed her keys and drove the short distance to Home & Hearth. As she manoeuvred into a tight parking space, her heart picked up pace. Will might not even be here today, she told herself, taking deep breaths to calm down. Still, she checked her hair in the mirror, making sure no rogue curls stuck up like a clown wig gone wrong.
Grabbing her sketch, Emma forced herself to walk slowly into the centre. She wandered through the aisles, picking up objects and setting them down again as she drifted in the direction of the paint department.
‘Hello there.’ Will’s eyebrows rose in surprise as Emma nearly ran into him with her trolley. She’d been so absorbed in trying to appear casual, she hadn’t even noticed him tidying the tins of paint.
‘Oh, hi.’ Emma fussed with a roller on the shelf as her cheeks flooded with colour. ‘Just picking up some more things for my flat.’
‘Is everything okay with the paint?’ Will asked. ‘You’re still happy with it?’
Emma nodded. ‘Oh, yes. And I can’t say thanks enough for your help. You were right—painting all four walls has made a big difference. It looks great.’
Will shrugged, but Emma thought she caught a fleeting look of pleasure on his face. ‘No worries.’ He pointed to the drawing in her hand. ‘What’s that?’
Shit! Too late, Emma realised she was still clutching the sketch of her lounge. Apart from her family, she’d never shown her drawings to anyone. Sure, they weren’t nude portraits—her cheeks went redder at the thought of Will naked—but in a way, it was like showing someone a glimpse of her soul.
She tried to shove the paper behind her, but Will was already leaning forward, peering over her shoulder with interest.
‘Wow!’ His eyes widened, and he tugged the picture from her grasp. ‘That’s fantastic. Who drew it?’
‘Er, I did,’ Emma mumbled. ‘It’s kind of, um, an abstract overview of how I want the room to look.’ He was going to think she was on acid after seeing that. She attempted to ease the sketch from his fingers, but he held firm.
‘You did?’
Emma shrugged.
‘It’s bloody brilliant!’ Will exclaimed. ‘I love how you’ve worked the whole room around the blue on the walls, and the contrasting colours … amazing.’
Emma tilted her head. Was he having her on? No, he actually did appear impressed. ‘Thank you. It’s the first drawing I’ve done in ages. When I was growing up, I sketched loads, but then … ’ She waved her hand in the air as if showing how she’d dismissed he r art work.
‘Look, I’m supposed to stay in the paint department this morning ,’ Will said, ‘but seeing as how it’s Monday and the place is still dead after the weekend rush, what do you say we hit the aisles together and try to recreate your vision?’ His eyes twinkled, and Emma couldn’t help smiling as relief flooded into her. Looked like Alice was right. Will had been in his pulling-away phase, and clearly he was back again.
Not that I should care so much, she thought, trying to downplay her excitement. After all, she and Will had only just met. Still, Emma couldn’t deny the jolt of nerves and attraction whenever she saw him. He was so handsome with his dark hair and liquid-brown eyes, and she liked the look of his hands, strong with solid fingers she could just imagine touching her skin—
Stop! Emma dragged her mind back to where Will was standing in front of her, awaiting an answer. ‘That would be fantastic.’
Two hours later, they’d managed to locate almost everything she’d need, from the leafy tree she’d position in the corner, to the fabric blind on which she’d
After a quick shower, Emma grabbed her keys and drove the short distance to Home & Hearth. As she manoeuvred into a tight parking space, her heart picked up pace. Will might not even be here today, she told herself, taking deep breaths to calm down. Still, she checked her hair in the mirror, making sure no rogue curls stuck up like a clown wig gone wrong.
Grabbing her sketch, Emma forced herself to walk slowly into the centre. She wandered through the aisles, picking up objects and setting them down again as she drifted in the direction of the paint department.
‘Hello there.’ Will’s eyebrows rose in surprise as Emma nearly ran into him with her trolley. She’d been so absorbed in trying to appear casual, she hadn’t even noticed him tidying the tins of paint.
‘Oh, hi.’ Emma fussed with a roller on the shelf as her cheeks flooded with colour. ‘Just picking up some more things for my flat.’
‘Is everything okay with the paint?’ Will asked. ‘You’re still happy with it?’
Emma nodded. ‘Oh, yes. And I can’t say thanks enough for your help. You were right—painting all four walls has made a big difference. It looks great.’
Will shrugged, but Emma thought she caught a fleeting look of pleasure on his face. ‘No worries.’ He pointed to the drawing in her hand. ‘What’s that?’
Shit! Too late, Emma realised she was still clutching the sketch of her lounge. Apart from her family, she’d never shown her drawings to anyone. Sure, they weren’t nude portraits—her cheeks went redder at the thought of Will naked—but in a way, it was like showing someone a glimpse of her soul.
She tried to shove the paper behind her, but Will was already leaning forward, peering over her shoulder with interest.
‘Wow!’ His eyes widened, and he tugged the picture from her grasp. ‘That’s fantastic. Who drew it?’
‘Er, I did,’ Emma mumbled. ‘It’s kind of, um, an abstract overview of how I want the room to look.’ He was going to think she was on acid after seeing that. She attempted to ease the sketch from his fingers, but he held firm.
‘You did?’
Emma shrugged.
‘It’s bloody brilliant!’ Will exclaimed. ‘I love how you’ve worked the whole room around the blue on the walls, and the contrasting colours … amazing.’
Emma tilted her head. Was he having her on? No, he actually did appear impressed. ‘Thank you. It’s the first drawing I’ve done in ages. When I was growing up, I sketched loads, but then … ’ She waved her hand in the air as if showing how she’d dismissed he r art work.
‘Look, I’m supposed to stay in the paint department this morning ,’ Will said, ‘but seeing as how it’s Monday and the place is still dead after the weekend rush, what do you say we hit the aisles together and try to recreate your vision?’ His eyes twinkled, and Emma couldn’t help smiling as relief flooded into her. Looked like Alice was right. Will had been in his pulling-away phase, and clearly he was back again.
Not that I should care so much, she thought, trying to downplay her excitement. After all, she and Will had only just met. Still, Emma couldn’t deny the jolt of nerves and attraction whenever she saw him. He was so handsome with his dark hair and liquid-brown eyes, and she liked the look of his hands, strong with solid fingers she could just imagine touching her skin—
Stop! Emma dragged her mind back to where Will was standing in front of her, awaiting an answer. ‘That would be fantastic.’
Two hours later, they’d managed to locate almost everything she’d need, from the leafy tree she’d position in the corner, to the fabric blind on which she’d
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