Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

S tanding in the middle of the path, Bea pointed towards the museum. 'Here we are.'

'The MAD Museum?' Scott chuckled. 'I thought you were joking when you told me you were taking me to a mad museum.'

'Haha, nope. The Mechanical Art and Design Museum is a very real place.' Grinning, she nodded towards the door. 'Shall we? I think you'll like it. I mean, you like fixing and making things anyway.'

'Oh, I'm sure I will. This looks right up my street.' He led the way through the double doors. 'How did you find this little gem?'

'I brought my nephew, Isaac, here in the summer and, although he's too young to understand the mechanics of it and that, he loved watching all the different things and interacting with it all.' As they neared the top of the stairs, Scott paused on the small landing, waiting for her, before they walked through to the museum.

Standing by the entrance, Scott was fixed to the spot, his eyes wide as he looked around at the various displays of kinetic and mechanical art. 'Wow, I've never seen anything quite like this before. It all looks as though it's been plucked straight from a Wallace and Gromit show.'

'Haha, yes, it does, doesn't it?' She grinned as she watched him dither on the spot, unsure in which direction and towards which of the displays to go to first. She'd had a feeling he'd like it.

Standing in front of a large display of numerous contraptions, each with at least one moving part, they took it in turns to tug a lever, press a button or flick a switch before eagerly watching the show that unravelled in front of them. Whether it was small marbles rolling through a carefully orchestrated pathway or little mechanical figures moving and dancing in front of them, Scott was enthralled. Running his hand over his face, he glanced at her. 'I can't believe I've never heard of this place before.'

'It was Gregory who recommended it, believe it or not.'

'Really?' Raising his eyebrows, Scott turned to her. 'I can't imagine Gregory being interested in something like this. From the little I know about him, I assumed his interests were as interesting as following the wholesale price of tomatoes.'

Bea laughed. 'He surprises me sometimes too.'

'I'll say.' As they moved through the museum, Scott stopped in front of a wall of magnetic wooden panels. 'Oh wow, a huge marble run!'

'Yes, now, this was afirm favouriteof both mine and Isaac's. Icouldn'tget him away from it!' Reaching out, Bea began shifting the magnetic pieces of marble run and dragging them to differentpointsto join them up. She smiled as Scott joined in.

'Fab, let's pop this piece here so the marble can fall to the next level, shall we?' Scott placed apieceslightly below the one Bea had moved.

'Good idea.' After at least fifteen minutes ofworkingtogethertoconstructthe perfect marble run along the magnetic wall, Bea stepped back. 'I think thisshouldwork.'

Picking up a large marble, Scott held it outtowardsBea. 'Would youliketo do the honours?'

'Okay, why not?' Holding her hand out, she felt Scott's skinagainsthers as he passed the large marble. Looking up at him, she met his gaze and hesmiled. 'Thanks.'

'Right, after three.' Holding three fingers up, Scott placed a finger down each time hecounted. 'One, two, three.'

Grinning, she let go of the marble and stepped back so she was standing next to him once more. As they watched the marble roll down the ramps they'd positioned, making the jumps to the level below smoothly, she felt his hand around her waist. Looking sidelong at him, she tried to figure out if he meant anything by it or if he'd just rested his arm around her out of... what? Habit?

Once the marble had finished its journey and dropped into the bucket below, Scott turned to her, his eyes on hers. 'I can't thank you enough for bringing me here. It's been great.'

'I'm glad you're enjoying it.' Bea tried to keep her voice steady as his eyes bore into hers. She could see they had tiny flecks of brown in, almost matching his hair colour perfectly. Their faces were inches apart now and she could smell the earthy aroma of his aftershave.

With one hand still resting on her hip, he looked down and ran his other across the back of his neck before looking at her again. 'What I mean to say is, I've really enjoyed spending this time here. With you.'

She swallowed. His arm around her hadn't been accidental then. He hadn't just not been thinking. He'd meant it.

Taking his arm away, he turned to face her. Reaching his hand up and gently tucking her hair behind her ear, his skin brushing her cheek as he did so, he smiled, the laughter lines around his eyes deepening. When he spoke, his voice was soft, his breath warm against her face. 'May I?'

Keeping her eyes fixed on his, Bea bit down on her bottom lip. Was this real? Was he really going to kiss her? Her? Bea Thompson?She nodded, feeling a fluttering in her stomach. Did she even remember how to kiss? The last person she'd kissed was Adam and that had been over two years ago. Closing her eyes, she waited for him to come closer, for their lips to touch, his soft against hers. She felt his hand cup her cheek as the butterflies in her stomach took hold once more. This was Scott. Scott Harrison. And he felt the same way about her as she did about him.

Opening her eyes, as she felt Scott inch backwards again, she smiled. ‘So, what does this mean?'

Looking down, Scott rubbed the back of his neck for the second time in as many minutes. ‘What would you like it to mean? I know what I'd like.'

She could feel a fierce blush flush across her cheeks. How was she supposed to answer? She thought he felt the same way as she did, but what if he didn't? ‘I... What's that?'

Turning, he took her hands in his and met her eyes. ‘I'd like it to be the start of something quite wonderful between us.'

Wonderful. He'd said wonderful. She glanced down at their hands, their fingers entwined, before looking back up at him. ‘Me too.'

‘Great. Great.' He nodded his head before leaning forward and kissing her again.

After enjoying his kiss, Bea stepped back and laughed. ‘I suppose we have dear Gregory to thank for this.'

Shaking his head, Scott chuckled. ‘I'm not too sure whether Gregory would find it appropriate two of his shopkeepers getting together. I'm surprised he's not included a hundred-page rule book on the proper conduct we should keep.'

‘Haha, there might well be one lurking somewhere in his conference room back at the town hall.' Bea curled her index fingers around the words ‘conference room'. Taking his hand in hers, she led him towards the next display, a large feather crow display which reminded her of one of those mechanical fortune tellers. As he began reading from the small information plaque next to it, Bea looked at him. He really wanted to give this a go. A relationship. Was she even ready for one?