Leah Martyn – Weekend With The Best Man (страница 8)

‘Dan, it’s OK.’ Lindsey bit back a half-laugh. ‘I didn’t expect you to have a Thermos of tea with you. There’s a service station a few clicks further on. We could stop there.’

‘Right. Good. We’ll do that. But we’ll need to do something about your car first. From what I saw, it’s not drivable.’

‘Oh—are you sure?’ Lindsey looked pained.

‘I’m no mechanic but looks like you had a pretty big whack. The back wheel seems out of alignment and I had trouble getting the boot open. I could have a word with the tow-truck guys for you?’

‘No, it’s fine.’ She waved the idea away. ‘I’ll get on to my insurance company.’ She flicked out her mobile and found the number on speed dial. ‘All sorted,’ she said after a few minutes of intense negotiation. ‘They’ll arrange for my car to be towed for repairs and if I need it I can pick up a replacement vehicle from the garage in Milldale.’

‘I’ll drive you home, then,’ Dan said.

‘I don’t want to take you out of your way.’

‘You won’t be. I’m going to Milldale myself. I’ll get your personal stuff from the car, shall I?’

‘I’ll help.’ Lindsey volunteered, making to get out of his vehicle.

‘Hang on a tick.’ He stayed her with the lightest touch on her wrist. ‘I’ll come round and give you a hand. Don’t want you falling.’

‘Dan, I’m fine,’ she remonstrated.

‘Humour me, all right?’

Lindsey gave a contained little sigh but waited until he’d come round to the passenger door. He opened it and offered a steadying hand. She took it gratefully. He’d been right. She did feel a kind of light-headedness.

‘When did you last eat?’ Dan asked, keeping his hand firmly on hers.

‘Sandwich at lunch.’

‘Then the sooner we get some hot food into you the better.’ He reopened the boot and retrieved her suitcase and a canvas backpack.

‘And would you mind getting that large plastic bin as well?’ Lindsey asked. ‘It has a lid so you won’t spill anything.’

Dan hefted the bin out by its handle, almost staggering at its solid weight. ‘What the blazes do you have in here—body parts?’

Her mouth crimped at the corners. ‘Clay.’

‘I...see.’ Although clearly he didn’t.

‘It’s potter’s clay,’ Lindsey explained, following him back to the Land Rover. ‘I have a wheel and kiln at home. I aim to make some pieces while I’m on my holiday.’

Dan tried to get a grip on his wayward thoughts, imagining Lindsey the potter with her dark hair wild and flowing, perhaps her feet bare, her body lithe and swaying as she threw her pots. A compelling new awareness, sharp and insistent, stirred within him. An awareness that hadn’t been stirred in a long time. An awareness that he’d stomped all over on that first day when Lindsey Stewart had smiled at him.

‘Do you think you should let your folks know what’s happened so they won’t be worrying?’ Dan asked as they settled back into the car. ‘I imagine it’ll be a bit late by the time we get you home.’

That sounded so thoughtful. Lindsey turned her head, slowly taking in his profile. It was almost sculpted. He’d make a perfect model. Her fingers began to tingle and she imagined carving out his features from a block of clay, pleating, smoothing, working her thumbs to form his cheekbones, a slow sweep to define his jaw, the touch of a finger defining the cleft in his chin. Definitely that. She pressed her thumb and forefinger together, almost feeling the slide of wet clay as she fashioned the curve of his mouth...

‘Lindsey?’

‘Uh—’ She came back with a jolt.

‘Do you need to ring home?’

‘Actually, my parents are in Scotland, visiting my brother and sister-in-law. They’ve just had their first baby. Mum and Dad are away for a few more weeks yet.’

Dan started the engine and they began moving. ‘So, who’s at home for you, then?’

‘I don’t need looking after.’

‘You’ve been through a trauma tonight, Lindsey. What if you need something—or someone?’

Heck! Was he offering? Lindsey pulled back from the flight of fancy. ‘I should explain,’ she said. ‘We have managers for the vineyard, Jeff and Fiona Collins. Their cottage is quite close to the main house. Knowing I’m coming, Fi will have aired the place, stocked the fridge and left the lights on. I’ll phone her when I arrive and she’s around if I need anything.’

‘I guess that’s all right, then,’ he said, as the bright lights of the roadhouse came into view.

* * *

‘That was lovely, thanks.’ Lindsey forked up the last of her omelette and then sat back, replete. ‘So, why are you heading to Milldale?’

‘Nathan Lyons’s wedding.’ Dan finished off his steak sandwich and casually swiped his mouth with the paper napkin.

‘Of course. I can’t believe I’d forgotten for the moment. It’ll be a big do. Sami will have all the trimmings.’

Dan raised a dark brow. ‘You know Sami?’

‘For ever. Our parents’ properties adjoin. We lost touch a bit when she relocated to Sydney but we’ve caught up again now she’s back.’

‘I’m Nathan’s best man,’ Dan said.

‘I knew from the hospital grapevine you were mates.’ Lindsey rested her chin in her upturned hand and looked at him. ‘Are you looking forward to the wedding?’

‘Yes, I am...’ he said slowly, and realised it was true. ‘They’re a great couple.’

Lindsey gave a soft laugh. ‘They’re in love. It shows.’

‘I suppose it does. Have you ever been in love, Lindsey?’ he asked abruptly.

Wow! That was out of left field. ‘In love. Out of love,’ she sidestepped lightly. ‘You?’

He gave a tight shrug. ‘Same.’

They picked up their mugs of tea, each silently assessing the weight of their answers, each guessing that they hadn’t exactly been lies but that they hadn’t been quite the truth either.

‘You’re not Sami’s bridesmaid, by any chance?’ Dan asked after a minute.

‘No. Her sister Caitlin’s filling that role. She’s just back from a modelling assignment overseas. Cait’s the face of Avivia.’

‘Which is...?’

Lindsey chuckled. ‘Avivia is an international cosmetic company.’

‘Ah.’ He nodded sagely. ‘But you’ll be at the wedding?’

‘Yes. I’ll save you a dance,’ she ventured daringly.

Dan’s eyes flicked wide. The thought of dancing with her, holding her, sent a new chain of awareness shooting up his spine.

‘I take it you can dance?’

‘Yes, I can dance.’ He gave a guarded kind of smile. ‘In fact, I used to love dancing.’

‘Used to?’

‘It’s been a while.’

‘Oh.’ Lindsey drew back in her chair. Out of nowhere, her body felt tingly with electricity. ‘We’ll have to catch you up, then.’

His chuckle was a bit rusty. ‘Don’t plan ahead too much. I think I’m supposed to dance with the bridesmaid a bit.’

‘Well, only the first dance, perhaps.’ Lindsey’s eyes gleamed. She was enjoying this. ‘Cait’s engaged. She’ll have her bloke with her.’

‘So...’ Dan considered. ‘After the first dance, I’m off the hook?’

‘Unless Nathan expects you to work the room.’

‘Unlikely.’ His mouth curved into a crooked moue that was almost a grin.

‘That’s good, then.’ Suddenly Lindsey’s breath felt fluttery. What was it about being with Dan that made her feel as though she was flying through space without a parachute?