Page 100 of A Change of Heart

“Well, have a look at it. Can you see any screws or anything?”

“There’s a screw.” She pointed to the base of the tap.

“Good. I need to turn the water off, then we can try unscrewing it and see what happens.” He picked up the washers. “We’re looking for something that looks like this,” he told Ellie. “Hopefully it will be worn out and broken, so we’ll just need to put a new one in and everything should be fixed.”

Beth smiled at him. “If she starts to bother you at any point, feel free to shoo her away.”

“She’s fine.” In fact, as much as he’d begrudged being forced to leave the comfort of his flat and the self-pity he’d been wallowing in, he’d managed to go a full ten minutes without thinking about Seren. It felt like a win.

The tap turned out to be an easy fix, which both Beth and Ellie seemed slightly disappointed by. He lingered for a while, since they seemed to be enjoying the company, then he braced against the elements to return the tools to the garage and dash up to his mum’s house.

“They’re nice,” he said, shrugging his coat off in the kitchen.

“The little girl’s adorable. I feel so sorry for them getting such terrible weather. It looks as though it’s going to stay like this for the week.”

“So long as it doesn’t go on for longer than that. I don’t mind taking a week off, but I don’t like the loss of business to go on for too long.”

“It won’t.” His mum set a plate of toasted sandwiches on the table and two bowls of soup. “What else is going on with you?”

“Not much.” He dunked his sandwich in the soup before taking a bite.

“Have you seen Seren since you saved her life?”

He rolled his eyes. “I don’t think I saved her life.”

“I think you were very heroic.”

“Thanks.”

Silence fell and he took a few spoonfuls of soup before realising his mum was glaring at him.

“Kitto Treneary!” she growled.

He flinched slightly at the use of his full name. It usually preceded a lecture where his mum was concerned. “What?”

“Tell me what’s going on, please.”

“How do you mean?”

“Don’t act innocent with me! I had Seren here last night in floods of tears.”

Kit kept his attention on the food in front of him, but the thought of Seren being upset affected him more than he’d like.

“She’s fallen out with Noah and she said you’re not speaking to her.”

“Why has she fallen out with Noah?”

“Long story involving Felix.”

“I might have guessed. The guy seems to enjoy causing trouble.”

“So, what about you and Seren?” his mum asked impatiently.

“What about us?”

“You love her, don’t you?”

He held her gaze for a moment, then continued with his soup. “This is why you wanted me to come over for lunch then?”