Chapter 13
‘Sorry to just drop in,’ Nick said. ‘I was passing with a delivery and I suddenly remembered I needed to ask you something, if you’ve got a sec?’
‘No worries,’ Thea said, slightly too warmly for it to sound casual.
She’d been caught off guard at the sight of Nick’s handsome face, and she tried to regain her equilibrium.
‘How can I help?’ Blushing at the ridiculousness of the question, remembering she was, in fact, in her own home and not behind the counter at the farm shop, she added hastily, ‘I mean, it’s good to see you.
What brings you by on a Saturday afternoon? ’
Nick had moved into the living room now, and closer to Thea’s side, as Tristan had, with an inquisitive glance at Thea, settled onto the sofa to help Cora with her continued attempts to get the Air Pods working with her phone.
Thea glanced at Tristan, and then at Lorelai and Charlotte.
She hadn’t yet told any of them that she was working at Saints’ Farm Shop.
She didn’t want to alert them to her worries about money and was hoping to keep it a secret while the second job lasted, at least until after Christmas.
Her family would only try to ‘help’, and while their intentions were good, Thea had been used to solving her own problems for too long to accept their good intentions, or their loans.
Her pride had a lot to do with it, too. After the humiliation she’d felt when Ed had left, she wanted to be able to stand on her own two feet.
‘Come into the kitchen,’ she said hurriedly, moving in that direction before he had the chance to say more. ‘And we’ll have a chat.’
‘I honestly didn’t mean to intrude,’ Nick said as she led him into the kitchen and closed the door behind them. ‘I can come back when you’re less busy.’
‘It’s fine.’ Thea gave him a quick smile. ‘It’s just that, er, my family don’t know I’ve picked up some extra work. If it’s all the same to you, I’d rather they didn’t find out just now.’
‘Of course.’ Nick’s expression registered confusion, but he didn’t ask why she might be keeping things quiet. ‘Your secret’s safe with me.’
‘Thanks.’ Thea relaxed fractionally. She looked at him directly for the first time since he’d arrived.
The dark blue Saints Farm polo shirt really did suit him, setting off the beech-leaves-in-autumn coloured hair to perfection.
And the way he’d shoved his hands in his pockets, possibly out of nerves, was endearing.
‘So, er, what was it you wanted to ask me?’
‘Well, this is a bit last minute,’ he said, ‘and I suppose I could have just sent you a WhatsApp, but I was wondering if you’d be free next Tuesday evening?’
Thea’s heart, only just calming down from Nick’s unexpected arrival, started to hammer again. She remembered how she’d kicked herself for turning him down when he’d asked her out for a drink last night.
‘Um, yes, I think so. What did you have in mind?’
Nick pulled a hand out of his pocket and ran it through his hair. ‘I meant to ask you this a lot earlier,’ he continued, ‘but we’ve been so busy that I just didn’t get the chance. If you can’t make it, that’s fine, but I thought, while I was passing I’d just pop in and ask?—’
Thea couldn’t help smiling. ‘Nick,’ she said gently. ‘Why don’t you just spit it out?’
‘Oh, yeah, sure,’ he replied. ‘I, um, guess, you’ve got a party to get back to, as well.’ His face coloured slightly. ‘I really am sorry to just barge in.’ He looked her in the eye, and Thea held her breath.
‘The thing is, the Christmas late night shopping evening is coming up next Tuesday,’ he said in a rush. ‘And there are stallholders coming for the night, who set up in the car park. I was wondering if you’d be able to do an extra shift in the shop, since we’re bound to be busy with more trade.’
Thea breathed out again, and she’d be lying if she said she didn’t feel a deflating sense of disappointment.
Then, frustrated with herself for jumping to conclusions, she gave Nick a brighter-than-bright smile.
‘How long does the evening go on for? I remember popping in early doors with the kids a couple of years back, but we didn’t stay too long. ’
‘Should be all done and dusted by nine o’clock,’ Nick replied, thankfully seemingly oblivious to Thea’s disappointment.
‘I mean, even if you could cover the till for an hour or two, you’d really be doing us a favour.
The film crew are going to be mainly focussed on the stalls outside, so there shouldn’t be any extra pressure. ’
‘Of course,’ Thea said. ‘Look, let me work a couple of things out – I’m at school all day, so I won’t be able to get to you until early evening, but I’ll let you know.’
‘Thanks, Thea.’ Nick’s smile of relief and gratitude made Thea’s heart speed up again.
Stop it, she told herself firmly. He’d always had a lovely smile, and what was lovelier was that he seemed completely oblivious to the effect it had on her.
‘I’m sorry, as I said, to just drop this on you, but I forgot to check the staffing for the extended hours.
Annabelle’s the one who handles most of the admin, and I’m not used to being in charge of that, too! ’
‘It’s fine.’ Thea smiled. They stood together in a slightly loaded silence until she added, ‘Would you, er, like to stay for a cuppa and a piece of birthday cake? Gran’s baked one big enough for all of Lower Brambleton to have a slice!’
Nick kept smiling but shook his head. ‘Thanks, but I’ve left Roseanna, who works Saturdays, in charge while I get the deliveries done.
Mum’s sitting in the back office in case of an emergency, but she’ll need to get back to Dad, who’s still laid up with his back, as soon as she can, so I really ought to head back to the shop. ’
‘No worries.’ Thea opened the kitchen door again and walked him past the living room to the front of the house. ‘I’ll hopefully see you on Tuesday evening, if not before.’
‘See you then.’ Nick looked back at her as she stood in the doorway. ‘And thank you, Thea. It means a lot to know I can depend on you.’
‘You’re welcome.’ This time, Thea could feel her own face growing pink.
She tried to put it down to the contrast between the warmth of the house and the sudden chill from outside, but something inside her was suggesting otherwise.
It might have been the fact that they’d been working together, but she felt a definite stirring of attraction for Nick, as she watched him head briskly towards the Saint Farm van.
Careful , she thought. He’s been a good friend, over the years; do you really want to jeopardise that?
She shook her head. Loneliness had a lot to answer for, and she didn’t want to push something with Nick just because it felt convenient.
All the same, something did feel different.
He’d known about Cora’s party, and he could have just WhatsApped her to ask her about the Christmas market.
He didn’t need to come and ask her face to face.
Pondering that as she closed the front door and headed back into the party, she allowed herself a moment or two to think about him.
It couldn’t do any harm to imagine, could it?