A New Life in Eversley Village (Eversley Village Romance #4)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

N ina sat in the quiet of her shop Something Special, a premier bridal boutique which attracted customers from across south west England. She was seeking solace in her shop, for it was election night and the council seat she’d held for ten years was being contested. She breathed in and out slowly as she listened to the rain bouncing off the pavement outside. The droplets were coloured with the light emitting from the yellow streetlamps. She wished Ethan was there; he always made her feel calm. She was used to not seeing him for weeks at a time. He worked away frequently but she’d never felt so vulnerable and, in that moment, a hug from him was what she longed for.

Nina jumped as she heard a rapping at the shop door. It was her friend Holly dressed in a purple raincoat, her image distorted by the water covered glass. Nina realised it was impossible to have any amount of time to herself on election night, other than a few snatched moments, and stood up to open the door.

“Everyone’s looking for you,” Holly said as she walked into the shop and removed her hood, droplets falling onto the doormat. “We were worried.” In contrast to Nina’s dark hair and eyes, Holly was willowy with blonde long wavy hair. “Are you okay? You look upset. I’ve never seen you like this before.” She bit her lip.

“I could lose everything,” Nina said, feeling her stomach lurch.

“Why are you worried this time?” Holly’s blue eyes widened.

“Because this time I think I will lose.” Nina reached for her handbag. She would have to return to the town hall, considering her team were on the hunt for her. At least she’d managed to grab a few moments to herself. “Dad will be mortified.”

Holly gave a reassuring smile. “Of course you’ll win! You’ve been a Wells councillor for ten years. Now come back and eat something Councillor Smith otherwise you’ll faint on stage when they make the announcement.”

Nina grabbed her raincoat, a stylish cream one by her favourite designer, with a belt that accentuated her curves. She knew what suited her and was always well turned out. She followed Holly out of the shop. As she closed the door behind her, she wondered whether she’d still be a councillor when she returned. She put her umbrella up and stepped out onto the wet pavement.

The town hall in Wells was situated not far from the Cathedral in the historic Somerset city. It had been a busy few weeks campaigning and a long election day as a stream of local residents turned up to place their votes. As they walked across the square, Nina felt the weather splashing up her calves. Once inside the main entrance, they removed their coats and shook the rain from them. Then made their way to the meeting room which had been designated for Nina and her team to use. As she entered, her stomach turned over at the smell of the food her mother had prepared. Nerves had got the better of her. She usually loved the snacks Sumitra made but she wasn’t in the mood for them, not with worry tying her insides into knots.

“There you are,” her father said, running a hand over his closely shaven head of white hair as they entered. “We were worried.”

“I needed five minutes to breathe, Dad.” She looked into his blue eyes, feeling a burn in her stomach. He was so proud of her, his daughter the councillor. And he’d always been her greatest cheerleader.

He gave her a fatherly hug. “I understand. I take them myself. It’s good to clear the mind. And now you’re refreshed, you can go out and thank the team.”

“I…” Nina was feeling too distracted by her nerves to make polite conversation. She felt a lump form in her throat. Whilst she had confided in Holly, she could not bear to admit to her father that she dreaded defeat.

“Tony, Nina needs to eat something,” Holly said, coming to her rescue. “All she’s consumed today is half a cheese sandwich.”

“In that case, stay and eat and I’ll report that you’ve been found. They’re still searching.” He pulled his mobile phone from the inside pocket of his smart suit. “I’ll send a text in the group chat.”

Nina sighed as her father left the room. She picked up a small crispy onion bhaji. Half of the food had already been eaten and it was clear that the rest of the team had already snacked. Hopefully that would mean she could eat in peace. She slowly put the food up to her mouth and took a nibble before returning it to her plate. “I’ve been overeating so much these past few weeks with all the stress and now I’ve no appetite at all.”

“It’s not surprising with the nightly canvassing. I don’t know how you do it. You really are a superwoman. Always have been.” Holly picked up a paper plate and began loading it with snacks.

“At least Ma’s not here. She would be fussing over me if she saw me like this.”

“I was surprised when she left early,” Holly said then bit into a small, well-done naan slathered with a garlic ghee. “She doesn’t normally miss it.”

“She’s covering for me tomorrow at the shop. A customer’s arriving at the boutique at nine for an emergency fitting.”

“You seem so nervous but why? Everyone knows how much work you’ve done for the area. You’re a well-known, respected businesswoman, and you were the youngest to ever have been voted onto the council. You’re on three committees always in The Gazette being praised for the environmental initiatives you’ve set up. You work hard and are more present than any of the other candidates.” She gestured at her with her naan. “You’re a local hero for goodness’ sake, they want you to be the next mayor.”

“I won’t be mayor if I’m not re-elected.” Nina sat down. Her father had been so excited about her becoming mayor – especially with Ethan often away, as she had said he could be her stand-by plus one to the events.

“What’s got into you?” Holly bit her lip.

“Everyone loves Hedgehog Sam,” Nina said in a small voice. She hated mentioning the name of the man she was worried would steal her seat.

Holly finished her mouthful of bread. “Not him again? I hadn’t even heard of him until today. The constituents are savvy, no-one’s going to vote a man onto the council just because he saved a hedgehog.” She laughed then spooned some raita onto her naan.

Nina sighed. “The main parties get their candidate voted in. They always will as people vote for the party rather than the person. I’m usually the only independent to win a seat, now I’ve Sam as my competition. Populism is on the rise and that video of him went viral – more people know him than they know me. Literally millions across the globe. Did you see the kids outside queuing up for his autograph?”

Holly chewed her food then spoke. “Children don’t vote. For local council elections the only people who show up are those that really care about who’s being elected and are aware of the local issues. And quite frankly, you’re the only one out of the candidates who has anything relevant and sensible to say and who really cares. Sam has no hope. He’s a fifteen-minute celebrity.”

Nina took a deep breath. “It would be great if you’re right. Although, I’m not so sure.” Dread seeped into her gut. It seemed that whilst Holly was ignorant of who Sam Brent really was, half the world had seen the video of him stopping the traffic on the B3134 so he could rescue the helpless baby hedgehog laying next to its deceased mother. Sam then appeared in daily videos as he nursed the spiky mammal back to full health, feeding it with a syringe of milk. He finally went live on social media, releasing ‘Hoggy’ into his natural habitat, miles from any roads as people commented on the post that his story had brought them to tears.

“I guess I’ve so much to lose,” Nina said after a short silence. “I’ve been a councillor for a large portion of my working life.” She was voted in when she was twenty-seven. “Being Councillor Smith is part of my identity and I can’t imagine going back to being ‘Miss Smith’.”

“I wish Jaz was here, she’d talk some sense into you!” Holly said.

Nina and Holly had been at sixth form together studying art and textiles, and Jaz was Holly’s best friend who she met when socialising in Eversley village. She’d not liked Nina when they were in their teens, but in recent years she too had become close to her.

Nina pulled her phone from her pocket. “That reminds me, she texted me earlier.” She opened up the message from Jaz and smiled. Jaz had moved that day into her new home in one of Eversley village’s cul-de-sacs having relocated approximately three hundred yards from her previous home with her husband and his son. They had been living above The Eversley Arms pub. Her younger siblings also stayed with them for most of the week so they were really a family of five. Nina showed the picture to Holly of Jaz’s husband, Julian, lifting her over the threshold.

Holly grinned. “It’s a great cottage, I was there first thing. Mitch has been there all day helping. They’re having a housewarming a week Saturday. Are you and Ethan coming?”

“Of course.” Nina hoped her fiancé Ethan would be at home that weekend. She needed to sync their diaries, all she knew was that he was due back from Germany on Monday evening.

“And you’ll be all smiles by then, having been re-elected as Councillor Smith. Now come along, eat up,” Holly said, offering her a plate of samosas. “We can’t hide in this room for much longer, your supporters are out there and want to see their woman!”

Nina took a deep breath and began eating, although found it difficult to shift the feeling of nausea. She checked her phone. She had a message from Ethan:

Good luck babe. Wish I was there to celebrate with you. Can’t believe I’m missing it. Love you to the moon and back xx

“Ethan’s messaged me. He wishes he was here.”

“Where is he again?” Holly asked.

“In Berlin for discussions about a design he’s submitted.”

Ethan was a successful architect and had attended sixth form with herself and Holly. Although he’d transformed since his college days. Unlike his teenage self, the adult Ethan had ticked all of Nina’s boxes. She’d waited years to meet the perfect man and now she had him as her fiancé. If only they could sync their diaries and set a date for the wedding. There always seemed to be something on the horizon which they needed to wait to pass. They’d been together for six years and engaged for three. Nina couldn’t complain – his business was going from strength to strength, and he was being carried along by the momentum. She was immensely proud of him and had not protested when he said he could not make election night. She didn’t want to pull him away from this potential contract – he’d been clear, if he succeeded in sealing the deal, it would be a massive step up.

“What’s the big job he’s bidding for?” Holly asked.

“I feel guilty... I’ve been so tied up with canvassing, I’m not entirely sure, other than he thinks this will open a huge door.”

“He showed me a design over at the arts hub a few weeks ago. It was a huge skyscraper. I guess it’s that.”

“They’re getting larger,” Nina said, placing the remaining corner of her samosa back on the plate. “He’s building a name for himself now. I know he’s particularly excited about this client.” She decided that as soon as the election was over and Ethan was home she would take more of an interest in his work. “Over the past few months our respective businesses have tired us out. We haven’t been on a proper date since Valentine’s. All we seem to do is veg out on front of the TV when our paths do cross. We’ve both been too shattered for anything else.”

“And you need to set a date for the wedding.”

“I think we’ll be looking at next year.”

“Even if it’s over a year away, at least it’ll be in the diary.”

Nina nodded. “I’m looking forward to it. I’ve changed my mind on the dress so many times.”

“Your wedding is going to be perfect, with all your contacts and experience.”

“I hope so. I’ve a favourite venue that’s perfect, next to a lake. Ethan loves it too.” It seemed weird to Nina that out of everyone she was the one yet to walk down the aisle, considering she was the one with the bridal boutique.

The door opened and her father appeared with a grin on his face. “Nina, the count is in!”

“Already? That’s early!”

“Yes, come along.” He held out his hand eagerly, gazing at her. “I’m so proud of you, angel.”

As Nina stood on the stage with the other nine candidates competing for the six seats in the St Cuthbert’s ward of Wells, her legs trembled. Sam Brent was there wearing a t-shirt with a photograph printed on it of the famous ‘Hoggy’. In the crowd were his noisy fans, with his mascot – a full-sized hedgehog wearing a green rosette with Hoggy printed on it. Nina knew why Sam had put himself forward as a councillor – it was because of his father. Barry Brent had one hand on the hedgehog’s shoulder with the other holding an unlit cigar. He was a local businessman often running a dubious scheme with his finger in many pies. He’d also been a thorn in Nina’s side, always vocal and objecting to the council’s plans. Especially the ones she put forward. She was in the final stages of pushing through stricter regulations on waste management for businesses, introducing higher penalties for those that did not comply with new recycling standards. Barry Brent had argued that this would cause his off-licence business to have an increase in costs and lead to shop closures across Wells and beyond.

Barry Brent shouted across the room. “You’re gonna walk it my son.”

Nina cringed and shook her head. In contrast her father stood proudly at the side, quiet and dressed in a crisp suit. Everything with Tony Smith and his tailoring business was always above board. She smiled at him as he gave her the thumbs up. She had always strived for him to be proud of her and she couldn’t bear to see his face if she lost. Looking back at Barry Brent she realised he was a very different type of man to her father. Although Barry attended all of the local charity events as a compère, he rarely put his hand into his own pocket. No one really liked him. He’d never have a chance getting voted onto the council himself, so it looked as if he was getting his son up there, hoping to influence the decisions. Nina felt even more nauseous. She took a deep breath but couldn’t chase the sickness away as her stomach churned.

“Excuse me,” Nina said before taking the short steps from the temporary stage that had been put up.

“Are you okay?” Holly asked as she met her at the foot of the steps.

“I need to visit the ladies.”

Nina reached the toilet just in time.

Holly had followed her and rapped on the cubicle door. “Are you okay in there?”

“Must be the samosa,” Nina groaned. “I should have avoided fried food.”

“I’m fine and I’ve had three,” Holly said. “I guess it’s the stress. I’ll just pop out and get you some water.”

“Can you fetch my bag?” Nina called out.

Nina came out of the cubicle and checked her reflection in the mirror. The woman who looked back at her was tired. Her forehead felt clammy and she smoothed away her hair which was stuck to her face. She shut her eyes. I’m a mess , she thought . It had been a while since she’d been to the beautician, although had stopped using the most extreme beauty treatments. Having forgone treatments during the pandemic, everyone had commented that she looked much nicer without them. At least she’d managed to fit in an appointment at the hairdresser who had given her hair a trim. Not that it looked it’s best in that moment. She also noticed she’d put a little weight on, probably from all the comfort food she’d been eating with all the worry.

Holly entered the room with a glass of chilled water in one hand and Nina’s bag in the other. “They’re waiting until you get back on stage to call the results.” She handed her the glass and placed the bag on the sink.

After drinking the water, Nina retrieved her make-up and brush from her bag.

“In five minutes you’ll be able to relax,” Holly reassured her.

Nina brushed her hair and retouched her make-up. She straightened her suit and popped a mint into her mouth.

Back in the main hall, there was a small round of applause from her supporters as she headed for the stage.

“Good luck, dear,” an elderly lady said to her.

“Go on Sam,” Barry Brent shouted, followed by a huge round of applause and chants of “Hedgehog Sam is our man.”

“His supporters are loud, but it doesn’t mean the locals voted for him,” Tony said into her ear as she passed him on her way to the stage.

Nina took a deep breath. Dad’s sensible and always right , she told herself, as she climbed the steps to the stage for the final results.

Standing on the platform with the four other candidates she waited to hear the numbers. As usual they called the results for the main political parties first. She had never competed with them; her competition was always the other independents. After the main parties had been called, she took a deep breath: there were five candidates left and only one seat remained.

“Christine Allan, independent, four hundred and five votes.” There followed a small applause. “Greg Beaumont, independent, three hundred and four votes.” Another applause followed. “John Ludlow, independent, three hundred and fifty votes.” Moderate applause followed. “Samuel Barry Brent, one thousand and twenty-five votes.”

That’s huge, Nina thought, as shouts from his supporters filled the room. She nervously caught her father’s eye. He ran a hand over his head and lowered his eyes. That was more votes than she’d received the term before. Maybe turnout was higher this year? she thought in a last attempt to think positive, but deep down she knew she’d lost.

“Nina Smith, independent, seven hundred and fifty-two votes.”

Nina felt dizzy as Sam's supporters went wild, lifting the life-sized hedgehog into the air. She was rooted to the spot with a fake grin frozen upon her face. She turned to Sam who appeared shocked and apologetic. She shook his hand and then stepped back while he moved forward to take his turn with the other elected candidates to give thanks. Nina’s cheeks quivered and knew she would not be able to take the microphone afterwards without descending into floods of tears. Her emotions were off kilter; they had been for weeks. She had to get off the stage. As she reached the steps, Holly was there to help her down, her face a mixture of shock and concern.

Her father also approached the stage and when she had descended took her arm. His eyebrows were raised, creating creases across his brow, “It’s nothing you’ve done wrong, angel. Let’s get you home and work on your comeback plan.”

“No. I’m going back to Shepton Mallet. I want to be alone.” She also wanted to call Ethan, suddenly wishing he was there as she needed a hug – a big one.

“I understand. I’d want space too – to regroup.”

“Are you sure, Nina?” Holly asked. “Shall I come with you?”

“She’ll be fine,” Tony said. “My daughter is made of strong stuff and that young man will fail miserably.” He shook his head as Sam’s supporters lifted him in the air. “There’ll be a by-election for sure and Nina will be waiting in the wings to come back stronger.” He gave her an encouraging smile but his eyes were now glassy, as if mirroring her own pain.

Nina passed her team and supporters and they offered their condolences and she smiled back, nodding, unable to speak as her throat was so constricted. As she left the main doors of the Wells town hall, Nina felt as if a part of her had died.