I get a good look at his face. Under the mass of brown hair stormy, blue grey eyes hide. His features are clearly defined, his skin tanned from the current heat wave rolling through the country. Even the dirt streaked across his face doesn't mar his obvious good looks. He raises a hand up to me in greeting and smiles. Even from my window, his dimples do not escape my notice.
Oh, dimples.
Why is it always those that get me?
I smile tightly and step away from the window, replacing the curtain.
I'm not here to make friends.
ALEC
The sun beats down on me when I get the feeling I'm being watched. I look around but I'm alone in Vi's garden. I go back to digging but the feeling doesn't leave, It's crawling over me and demanding my attention.
Impulsively, I look up. A face is peeking out from behind the curtains upstairs.
The first thing I notice is her cappuccino-coloured brown eyes.
I'm drawn to them like a fish is to water. The soft, milk chocolatey colour holds my attention completely and I barely take in the rest of her, only just acknowledging the dark brown, wavy hair and plump pink lips that scream kiss me. I raise a hand to her in greeting and her eyes narrow slightly but she waves back. The curtain snaps closed and she disappears behind it.
She must be Vi's granddaughter down for the summer. What was her name? I tap my fingers against the trowel. Ally.. Alexa.. No, Alexis.
It suits her. There's a fire in her eyes and even though I shouldn't, I want to know more about her.
She's on my mind for the rest of the afternoon and I nearly cut myself with the trowel more times than I care to count. It's a relief when I hear Vi yell my name.
I'm covered in mud, my jeans are ripped and I'm about to meet her family.. Including the beautiful Alexis.
"Who's Alec?" I hear her ask.
"I am," I say, appearing at the glass door. Her head whips round and she studies me. Those brown eyes trawl over me and I bite my tongue to keep from making a flirtatious comment in front of her parents.
I take a minute to look her over. She's even hotter up close with her lips pursed. Even though she's sat down I can see the lines of her body, perky br**sts, a smooth waist and hips that would fit perfectly in my hands while I...
"I'm just going to get cleaned up, Vi," I say, turning my attention from the girl who can turn me on with just a look. "Don't worry about waiting for me."
"Okay, dear." Grammy replies and pats my arm with a wrinkled hand. I stroll from the room, calmer than I feel right now.
It's gonna be a long f**kin' summer.
~
ALEXIS
After unpacking my monstrous suitcase, I shower and change into a simple strap top and shorts. My wet hair is piled atop of my head in a messy twist and I have on the bare minimum of make-up.
I trudge my way down the stairs towards the smell of pasta. Tomato, basil and cheese fills the air and my stomach rumbles. Oh, how I've missed my Grammy's cooking.
"Something smells good," I compliment, resting my chin on her shoulder and gazing into the pan. I make to steal the spoon and she slaps my hand away.
"Alexis, leave it alone. You're just like your mother when she was your age."
"Mum was practically married at my age," I point out and run the tap to let the cold water through before shoving a glass under it and filling it. "I, however, am nowhere near such a thing."
"Not even a boyfriend?"
"Like I have time for a boyfriend."
"You must have a few admirers?" Grammy turns and her eyes are sparkling. Of course, she wants a girlie chat. Because that's what sixty-eight year old women do with their seventeen year old granddaughters.
"A few." I shrug non-committally and place my empty glass on the side. "I have an education to worry about, Grammy."
"Of course, you're off to university in the summer. How did you do in your a-levels?"
I wrinkle my face. "Okay, I think. We don't get the results for a few weeks, but mine are forwarded to come here."
"Well," she shuffles about getting plates from the cupboards. "I'm sure you'll be fine. You have your father's brains. Be a dear and set the table for me." She hands me the plates and I move into the adjoining dining room.
Despite how old the cottage is, Grammy has sliding French doors installed in the dining room that lead straight into the back garden. The doors are open, leaving a refreshing breeze flowing through.
I finish setting the table as the antique grandfather clock in the living room chimes five o'clock.
"Good to see you helping out, Lexy." Mum comments as she breezes in in a maxi dress. Designer, of course. Not for the first time, I wonder how growing up in a small, country beach town made my mum into London's favourite socialite.
"I always help Grammy out," I reply curtly and sit down.
"I know, I just thought you would have grown out of that by now." She smiles and I grunt.
So what if a part of me is happy to be here? I'm still destined to spend two months in a place where I know no one.
"Here we go," Grammy says, walking in with the sauce in a bowl. Dad follows behind with a large bowl of pasta. They both take a seat after setting them in the middle of the table and I notice there's an extra place set.
"Grammy?" I ask across the table. "Why are there five places set?"
"For Alec," she responds, leaning back. "Alec! Dinner's ready, dear."
"Who's Alec?" I look at both of my parents then back to her.
"I am,'' a voice says from the doorway. I turn to see the boy who was working in the garden earlier. I look him over and he's even better looking than I thought. That top really clings to him in a way that the government should make illegal, and there's a slight heat to his eyes when I meet them.
"I'll just go and get cleaned up, Vi," he says to Grammy. "Don't worry about waiting for me."
"Okay, dear." Grammy replies and pats his arm with a wrinkled hand. He strolls from the room and I tilt my head questioningly.
"Who is he?"
"My help," Grammy smiles.
"Your help?" I ask, incredulously.
"Well yes. I'm almost seventy and I can't do the things I used to. He keeps the garden sorted in the summer whenever I need him, so I expect you'll be seeing a lot of him this year." Her eyes twinkle with something akin to excitement.
"Nice try, Grammy." I laugh and grab the pasta spoon. I know exactly what the old bat is up to, and I'm not having any of it.
She smiles as the object of our discussion enters the room.
"I feed the boy if he's been working all day."