Lord, it was like talking to a parrot. “Yes, too fancy. Like wearing a ball gown when hiking. You’re just asking for trouble.”
The man sniffed in a breath, and a muscle in his cheek ticked as he eyed Thea’s car. “Well, at least you can see the original colour ofmypaintwork. I can’t say the same for your, er, vehicle.”
Thea’s jaw dropped, and she uncrossed her arms, placing one hand on each of her hips. A chill wind whipped around her truck, jarring her still-open door. There was a rustling sound behind her asthe crisp packets and lolly wrappers littering the interior stirred. “My car is lived in. It’s fit for purpose.” Thank goodness she’d de-fluffed the passenger seat after picking up a rescue rabbit over the weekend. Despite the rubbish currently filling her footwell, the car was much cleaner than it had been.
The man opened his mouth to speak, but keen to shut him down and get on with her day, Thea interjected. “Look, I’m sorry, okay?” She crossed her fingers behind her back. It may have been a childish gesture, but hell, it felt good. She had things to do. Unblock a drain and prepare for a visit later from one of the sanctuary’s donors. She didn’t have time to argue with a deranged man about who had the better car.
Disarmed, the man threw his arms up in defeat. “I suppose that will have to do. But look at my jacket,” he said. “It’s ruined.”
Thea ran her eyes up and down the man’s tall, broad frame. His suit was lovely, even if a little worse for wear. Despite being covered in muddy stains, it fit him to perfection. Only an expensive tailor could cut the fabric so precisely. So cleanly that the jacket hugged his shoulders like a second skin.
Thea shook her head, trying to clear away all thoughts of solid shoulders. She pulled her lips into a tight smile. “I think you could get those stains out with a good soaking and some elbow grease.”
The scowl returned to the man’s face. “Yes, butwhoseelbow grease?” he asked, brushing the expensive fabric of his trousers.
Thea sighed. They were going around in circles. She had a meeting to attend. “Leave your card under my wiper. I’ll contact you to settle the dry cleaning bill. But in the meantime, use this to mop yourself down.” Thea ducked into her car and extracted a roll of paper towels. Stuffing it into the man’s hands, sheclosed her door, wincing at the clang of the old metal. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m in a hurry.”
The man balanced the roll on his car bonnet with a scowl, and Thea tiptoed to the edge of the puddle, turning towards the school. There was no way she would stay for round two of the argument. He’d probably criticise the absorbency of the brand of towels she used.
“As am I,” he barked, following close behind her.
The man tailed Thea, seemingly in hot pursuit, until they stood side by side at the school entrance. Her gaze darted to his face, and their eyes met, his tightening. Without a word, he stepped back. At least he had some manners.
With a self-satisfied smirk, Thea planted her hands on the door andpushed. Pushed with all her might. But the glossy wood refused to budge.
A glint flickered in the man’s eyes, and he chuckled. With a shake of his head, he grasped the handle, pulling the door open for Thea. A hot burn crept up her chest at his triumphant look. Avoiding his eyes, she took the door’s weight. As she stepped forward, he touched one of his eyebrows, and the tiny, mocking gesture was like waving a red rag at a bull. There was no way she’d say thank you now.
Thea clenched her teeth and passed through the heavy door, letting it swing shut behind her. A resounding clunk and muffled swear words confirmed that she’d closed the door in his face. Not literally, of course, but she’d made a point. Thea checked her watch. Time to hit the gas pedal. She was running behind schedule.
Thea drew her brows together at the thought of this morning’s meeting. She happily got involved with most school activities. Gladly sent cupcakes in for the bake sales and helped with the costumes for the nativity last Christmas. But today loomed in her mind on par with the apocalypse or Henry Cavillannouncing he’d given up acting and would live out his days as a hermit.
Today was the Parents Association meeting to organise the school’s annual dinner-dance. Ammy had guilted her into attending. But a dinner with total strangers? Thea could think of nothing worse. Being trapped in a room for three hours, eating beige buffet food and making small talk with people she wasn’t remotely interested in.
In a nutshell—hell on earth.
Thea was friendly enough. She’d never get donations for the sanctuary if she couldn’t be alittlecharming. But if she was honest, she’d rather spend the evening on the couch curled up with her favourite tabby cats. They didn’t require her to talk when all she wanted to do was crash out after a busy day.
Knowing her luck, she’d end up sitting next to someone like the car park man. He and his trophy wife. Men who looked as expensive as him always had a trophy wife in tow. Thea huffed out a laugh. She would more likely end up stuffed in a dark corner with all the other single mums.
As she strode down the long corridor towards the school gym, she cocked an ear. She couldn’t hear the man following her. Perhaps he had a meeting with the principal.
How had her morning descended into such chaos? Her light mood into irritation? She could almost picture the wrinkles forming on her forehead already. The altercation in the car park may have been her fault, but there was no way she’d allow some jumped-up, tailored-suit-wearing, fancy-car-driving, rather attractive man to ruin her day.
She breathed in the smell of floor polish, and as a ripple of muffled laughter erupted inside a classroom, a stiff tapping of shoes rang out behind her. Thea’s pulse jumped, and she sped up, but the sound grew louder. She was almost at a trot now, but still, the volume increased, and she dared not look back. It had to behim.
Just for a second, the softest trace of spicy cologne mingled in her nostrils, and Thea angled her head just enoughto see the man from the car park hovering at her side. He’d caught up with her and wore a face of thunder.
Had she injured him at the door? Her stomach lurched. She couldn’t afford doctor’s bills or a lawsuit. The sanctuary was finally operating in the green, and Thea had even begun paying off her extensive loans. No, he looked intact. Angry but undamaged, unlike his suit. The muddy water had dried into the fabric, and remnants of the thick brown splash still splattered his cheek.
“Are you following me?” she asked, struggling to keep her pace in work boots.
The man scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself. I think we must be heading to the same destination.”
Thea refrained from pointing out she’d never knowingly head to the same destination as him, but as they reached the large double doors of the gym, they stopped and glared at each other. As they stared, a fog lifted in her brain. She recognised him. Earlier, she’d been far too cross, but now, as they stood glowering, she remembered.
The playground had buzzed about this man last term. She’d seen him at pick up time once or twice and had overheard at least three excited conversations about him.
He’d just moved to the area, having bought the Bistro Paradis in Clavenham. He’d renamed it the Rusty Plough or something equally stupid, but it had attracted rave reviews. In addition, he recently appeared on TV as a guest judge on one of those cooking shows dominating every channel. Thea smirked. If he was such a hot shot, what was he doing on a Wednesday morning in Clavenham Primary School?
