‘Do you want a coffee?’
He pushed back from the table, scraping the chair across the tiles before taking off his glasses and wiping his eyes. ‘Yeah, go on then. These figures aren’t making any more sense the longer I stare at them. I think I might sit in the garden for a few minutes.’
He appeared to notice me then, blinking in surprise. ‘Rough morning?’
‘You could say that.’
‘You look as though you’ve been wrestling an alligator.’
My hand sprang up and found the mess where my ponytail used to be. Glancing down, I saw a smear of perspiration on my pale green T-shirt. I could only imagine what my overheated face looked like.
‘Yeah, but this one is made of wood and comes with a lot of screws and weird bolty things that don’t seem to quite fit their holes.’
I handed Elliot his drink and started filling up the second cup.
‘I don’t suppose you’d have time to help me?’ I asked. ‘I could take a look at those numbers for you in return.’
Yes, Jessie. Because engineering even more time with Elliot on top of breakfast today and the match tomorrow is a great idea.
He looked doubtful. ‘If it’s following instructions then you’d be better off waiting for Isaac or Arthur. If you can’t figure it out, then I’ve got no chance.’
I shook my head. ‘I can understand them fine. What I can’t do is hold two large pieces of wood steady at perfect right angles, while simultaneously screwing in a screw that is half a millimetre too big for the hole it needs to go into.’
‘Ah, okay.’
‘I want you for your brawn, not your brains.’
Elliot jerked his head back.
‘I mean… not that I’m saying there’s anything wrong with your brain…’ I grimaced. ‘Crap. I’m sorry. I can’t think of a single way to make that comment not completely offensive.’
He grinned, making it my turn to be surprised. ‘We both know there’s a whole lot wrong with my brain and nothing to gain by pretending otherwise. I wasn’t offended. I just can’t remember a woman wanting me for my brawn before. Not that that means it hasn’t happened, of course. Given my terrible memory, thanks to the brain problem.’
‘Are you kidding?’ I fumbled about with the coffee machine in a futile attempt to hide my fluster at Elliot’s suggestion that I wanted him. While I’d been the one to say it first, it just sounded different –verydifferent – coming from him. ‘I thought your long-term memory was mostly okay. Half the school were after your runner’s brawn once upon a time.’
He furrowed his brow, getting up and indicating that we go outside, where at least the fresh air might dampen the flames of mortification burning across my skin.
‘I think you’ve confused me with your brother.’
‘Macy MacDonald? Gaby Stephens?’ Feeling utterly ruffled, I threw the names out without even thinking about it.
Elliot shook his head, adopting a baffled grin. ‘If you say so.’
He sat down in one of the chairs, which was now fairly clean thanks to Isaac’s efforts. ‘Anyway, moving on from that disconcerting detour, I’d be happy to provide an extra pair of hands to the furniture building, as long as you can give me clear instructions.’
I sat down on the chair next-door-but-one to his, took an agitated gulp of coffee and flailed about for a change of subject.
‘I didn’t know you wore glasses.’
Elliot blinked a couple of times while adjusting to the new topic. ‘Ever since the accident. They help if I’m focussing on a screen for any length of time.’
‘So, most of the time then?’ I teased.
‘If you’re referring to the hours I choose to spend relaxing with a computer game, it’s been a lot less in the past few weeks, actually.’
I raised a cynical eyebrow.
‘As evidenced by you not having seen me wearing glasses until now,’ he added with a hint of triumph. ‘Too busy helping phony cookery teachers figure out how to prep chicken and getting roped into gate-crashing my housemate’s romantic dinners.’
