Chapter 13
‘Here we go. A selection of picky bits from our menu.’ Jackson unloaded the tray he was holding and placed four plates brimming with sandwiches, mozzarella sticks, delicately decorated slices of a variety of cakes and small cookies in the middle of the table.
‘Ooh yum. Thanks.’ Nicola picked up the stack of plates at the end of the pub table and passed one each to Laura and Jill.
The pub was busy. Her mum’s book club occupied three tables at the back of the pub, whilst the other tables were seated by groups of people either enjoying their lunch or chatting over an early pint or two.
Nicola looked across at Laura, who was loading her plate with sandwiches and mozzarella sticks and Jill, who had bypassed the plate and was instead sinking her teeth into a chargrilled vegetable and hummus sandwich.
She laughed as a courgette slice slipped from between the bread towards the table, only to be rescued deftly by Jill.
‘Now you have quick reflexes.’
Jill grinned and popped the courgette slice in her mouth. ‘That’s thanks to years of trying to stop the kids from dropping spaghetti hoops on the mother-in-law’s cream sofa.’
Laughing, Laura shook her head. ‘I can just picture you doing that.’
‘I still have no idea why she insists on not only feeding them something messy, like spaghetti hoops, but also letting them sit on the sofa while they eat it.’ Jill shook her head in disbelief.
‘I often wonder if she’s itching for one of them to spill something so she can make a claim on the house insurance. ’
‘Oh, maybe.’ Laura took a sip of her orange juice.
‘Yes, it’s literally every single time we go round there.
I mean, it’s not always spaghetti hoops.
Last time, it was sticky chocolate cake; the time before, tomato soup.
’ Jill rolled her eyes. ‘And the crazy thing is, the kids are happy sitting at the table. It’s not as though she’s giving in to a tantrum or anything. ’
‘You’ll have to give them all bibs to wear.’ Laura laughed.
‘Good idea!’ Jill looked at Nicola, then nodded to the bar. ‘Isn’t that your farmer, Charlie?’
Twisting in her chair, Nicola looked across at the bar.
Jill was right. Charlie was sitting there tucking into a sandwich, a stack of what looked to be paperwork of some kind placed on the bar next to him.
She watched as he chatted to the bartender.
Charlie seemed quite friendly, and whatever he was saying was making the bartender laugh.
Huh, was it only her he reserved the grumpy demeanour for?
She turned back to Jill. ‘Yes, it’s Charlie, but he’s most definitely not “my” farmer and after the fiasco yesterday, I doubt very much he’ll ever speak to me again.’
‘Ah yes, Miss Cooke walked past the inn earlier and she stopped and chatted, as she does. She mentioned that a couple of the girls from the netball team took themselves on an adventure around the farm.’ Jill grimaced.
‘Yes, I thought he was going to pop a vein the way he was overreacting.’ Nicola picked up her sandwich again. ‘At least they got their trailer measurements for their float design, so hopefully we won’t have to bother him for a while now, not until closer to the carnival.’
‘Umm.’ Jill shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
‘What?’ Nicola groaned, unsure if she really wanted to hear the answer. ‘Please tell me Miss Cooke’s not planning on kidnapping me and forcing me to go along to the farm with the netball team again?’
‘No, no. They have their measurements, as you said.’
‘So…?’ There was something else; she could tell by the way Jill was averting her eyes. It was a habit she’d had since they’d been children. ‘Go on, hit me with it.’
‘I kind of need to pop along myself to take measurements from the other trailer he’s lending us.’ Jill glanced towards Charlie’s back. ‘But don’t worry, I won’t be kidnapping you or forcing you to come with me. In fact, I’ll ask him first. Give him some warning.’
‘Well, good luck. I don’t fancy your chances of him agreeing, if last night is anything to go by.’ Nicola sank her teeth into the sandwich. The sooner this carnival was over and done with, the better, as far as she was concerned.
‘Hey.’ Jackson arrived back at the table and passed around fresh drinks before sitting down next to Laura.
‘Hey, you.’ Laura grinned. ‘Are you free for a bit now?’
Glancing around the pub, Jackson nodded. ‘I should be, yes.’
Nicola watched as Laura took Jackson’s hand and squeezed it between their chairs. She lowered her sandwich to her plate. This was it. They were going to tell them they were closing Pennycress Inn.
‘We’ve got something to tell you both, and I wanted to come here for our staff meeting so Jackson could jump in too.’ Laura shifted in her chair again.
Nicola held her breath. If Laura did tell them they were closing, she would shortly be out of a job. She didn’t think she’d be able to keep it together. She’d likely break down in tears right here in the middle of the pub.
‘Jackson’s sold his house and…’ She looked at her fiancé before turning her attention back to Nicola and Jill. ‘He’s moving into Pennycress.’
Letting out a long breath, Nicola sighed with relief. ‘He’s moving in?’
‘Yes. The house will hopefully exchange in the next week or so and Jackson will move into the inn.’
‘Oh, I’m so happy for you both!’ Jill squealed and pushed her chair back, hurrying around to the other side of the table and giving both Laura and Jackson a huge hug.
‘Thank you.’ Laura grinned.
Nicola cleared her throat. ‘Yes, that’s great news! Sorry, I was convinced you were about to tell us you’d decided to sell up or something equally awful.’
‘Sell Pennycress? No chance.’ Laura reached across the table and squeezed Nicola’s hand. ‘I love it too much, and I love our team too.’
‘So do I.’ Standing up, Nicola hugged Jackson and Laura in turn. ‘You really had me worried, though!’
‘Aw no, nothing to worry about.’ Sitting back down, Laura grinned. ‘I’m hoping Pennycress will keep going from strength to strength.’
‘I’m sure it will.’ Nicola smiled as she watched her mum walk across the pub towards them. She knew she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from finding out what the staff meeting was about, especially as she’d known how worried Nicola had been.
‘Hello, you four. Are you enjoying your lunch?’ Vivienne placed her hands on Nicola’s shoulders.
‘Hi, Vivienne. All good thanks.’ Laura stood up to hug her. ‘In fact, Jackson and I have got some good news.’
‘You have?’ Vivienne smiled. ‘You’ve set a date for the wedding?’
‘Ah, no. Not yet.’ Laura laughed. ‘But Jackson is moving in with me, into Pennycress.’
‘Oh, that’s wonderful news.’ Vivienne walked around to hug Jackson. ‘Congratulations, you two.’
‘Thank you, Vivienne. Are you joining us? I can get you another plate.’ Standing up, Jackson turned, ready to go to the bar.
‘No, no, I’m fine. Thank you, dear. I have my book club over there.’ Vivienne pointed to the table she’d come from. ‘In fact, I’d better get back and finish discussing the importance of the setting in the novel.’
‘Okay, well, lovely to see you.’ Laura grinned.
‘You too, dear. And congratulations again.’ Vivienne squeezed her daughter’s shoulder before retreating back to her book club.
‘Right, I’d better get back to work, too.’ Jackson watched as a new group of customers filtered through the door before leaning across and kissing Laura. ‘Catch you later.’
‘See you.’ Laura turned to Nicola and Jill. ‘I’ve been dying to tell you our news all week, but I really wanted Jackson to be here when I did.’
‘It’s really lovely news.’ Jill smiled. ‘And an important step in a relationship. Just make sure you set down the rules for him putting his dirty washing in the basket right away or you’ll end up like me, following Gerald around picking up shirt, trousers, socks and all sorts as he makes his way to the shower. ’
‘Haha, I think we all know that Jackson is the tidy one out of the two of us,’ Laura laughed. ‘The most organised too, so I’m hoping some of that will rub off on me.’
‘Yes, well. He might just surprise you when he’s got comfortable.’ Jill grinned and picked up another sandwich. ‘Although, I must admit, I am rather jealous of the fact you’ll have a live-in chef. I might have to bring Gerald to work for a few weeks so Jackson can teach him!’
Nicola took another bite of her sandwich and reminded herself of the positives of living alone in an attempt to push away the feelings of loneliness gnawing at her – no unexpected washing appearing on the floors, she could cook and eat what she wanted when she wanted and, not to forget, she had full control of the TV remote.
Yes, it had been a difficult transition to make after Nathan had left, but he had never been the easiest person to live with, and she needed to remember that.
She needed to make the effort not to look back at their time together with rose-tinted glasses. She was better off now.