Chapter 19
After taking a sip of coffee, Nicola swiped at her phone screen again, rewatching the video she’d filmed of Charlie yesterday.
Once they’d finished the filming, she’d sent it to herself so she could edit it at her leisure on her own phone.
She needed to cut some bits out, mostly parts where she’d reshot after he’d muddled his words, or she’d told him he looked too grumpy.
‘So, are you going to tell me or what?’
Startled from her thoughts, Nicola looked up and watched as Laura set another mug on the table before taking a seat. ‘Tell you what?’
Laura raised her eyebrow, a smile covering her face. ‘You know exactly what. Why you’ve been grinning to yourself all day today. Who is it? What’s his name? And how did you meet?’
‘I…’ Nicola lowered the phone to the tabletop, a warm heat rushing across her cheeks.
‘And don’t try to deny it.’ Laura took a sip of her coffee and peered over the rim of her mug, her eyes dancing with curiosity.
‘No, it’s…’ Nicola sighed. There was no reason to keep it from Laura. She knew she could trust her. ‘Is it that obvious?’
‘Uh, yes. It’s the first time I’ve seen you look like this since I met you.’ Laura grinned and rubbed Nicola’s forearm. ‘It’s a good thing. It’s nice to see you so happy. I know things didn’t end well with you and Nathan.’
‘No, they didn’t.’ Nicola frowned. They hadn’t ended at all well and she’d wondered for a while if she’d ever truly get over him hurting her the way he had, let alone be able to trust someone again, but from what she’d learned about Charlie, he was an honest person.
He hadn’t even put on a polite front when she’d first gone to see him, so she had a feeling he might just be trustworthy.
Laura pointed to Nicola’s phone, the video still playing between them, and widened her eyes. ‘It’s not the grumpy farmer, is it?’
Nicola twisted the phone to face her again and smiled as Charlie’s face filled the screen. ‘He’s not actually that grumpy when you get to know him.’
Placing her mug on the table with a thud, Laura grinned. ‘It is, isn’t it?’
Meeting Laura’s eyes, Nicola smiled back, unable to resist the urge to talk to someone about it any longer. ‘Yes, it is.’
Placing her hands over her cheeks, Laura raised her eyebrows. ‘You and Charlie? You’re together?’
‘No, no.’ Nicola shook her head quickly. ‘We just shared a kiss or two, that’s all.’
‘A kiss or two? I want to hear all the details! Where did it happen? When are you seeing him next?’ Laura fired off the questions.
Leaning back in her chair, Nicola laughed. ‘It happened on his farm yesterday evening, after shooting this video. And he’s asked me to go to the pub with him tonight.’
‘Ooh, tonight. I’ll be there with the darts team tonight!’
‘Of course. You’ve got a match or tournament, or whatever it’s called, haven’t you?’
‘A match, yes. But don’t try to change the subject. Tell me all!’
‘Okay, I will.’ Nicola picked up her mug again, wrapping her hands around it. It was good to talk to Laura, someone who would understand and be able to pick apart what had happened.
* * *
Looking down at the list Laura had given her, Nicola mentally ticked off what she’d already bought.
All that was left was to pop into the hardware store and pick up a small pot of paint to redo the patch on the skirting board Laura had accidentally scratched whilst moving furniture around in one of the guest bedrooms.
Hearing a small beep signalling a new message, she pulled her mobile from her pocket and grinned when she saw Charlie’s name.
Hey, just wondering if you want to grab dinner before the pub tonight? I’ve heard about this lovely restaurant over in Nettleford, if you do? C x
She pursed her lips together and swallowed a whoop of delight. He’d put a kiss!
Taking a breath, she looked around the village green.
Groups of people were lying on picnic rugs enjoying lunch or sitting with their backs up against a tree reading whilst children played Frisbee and football around them.
She loved Meadowfield, even more now that she was no longer working for Nathan and could enjoy a wander into the centre on her lunch break or, like now, running errands for Pennycress Inn.
Looking back down at her phone, Nicola tapped out a reply, trying hard not to focus on the meaning of the kiss at the end of his message.
That would be lovely. N x
She watched as the three dots appeared on the screen to indicate Charlie was typing back.
Great! I’ll pick you up at seven. Looking forward to it x
Grinning, she reminded herself that whatever was going on between them was so ridiculously new that she really needed to protect herself and not get ahead of anything.
As she began typing another reply, a tapping noise sounded from in front of her.
Looking up, she scoured the street, trying to work out where the tapping had come from. Just as it started up again, her eyes rested on the bakery window. It was Nathan. There he was, standing by the big glass window of the bakery, trying to get her attention. She frowned.
Nathan waved his hand and held up a mug, signalling her to join him.
She shook her head and began walking again. There was no way she wanted to go in and have a coffee and cake with him in the bakery. However nice it was inside; she’d still be sitting facing her ex – and why on earth would he want her to join him?
And why was he in Meadowfield, anyway? He should be at work.
‘Nic! Nic, hold up!’ His voice rose above the general hubbub in the street.
Dipping her head down, she focused on the pavement ahead. She’d just pretend she hadn’t seen him. Or heard him. He would give up soon enough.
‘Nic!’ Catching her up, Nathan fell into step beside her. ‘Didn’t you hear me calling you?’
Slumping her shoulders, she sighed. ‘Sorry, Nathan. I’ve got things to do.’
‘Come and grab a coffee with me. We need to talk.’ He pointed behind them back towards the bakery.
‘I can’t. I’m working.’ She pointed to the canvas bag she had flung on her shoulder. Please, just take the hint, Nathan.
‘We need to talk. You can spare me five minutes.’ He cupped her elbow.
Spinning on her heels to face him, she shook him off. ‘And why do you think I can or should spare five minutes of my time for you? Especially after the stunt you pulled the other day.’
‘Because we used to live together, because an eight-year relationship should count for something,’ he retorted, his voice strong.
‘Yes, it should count for something, shouldn’t it?
It’s just a shame it didn’t in your eyes, not when you were cheating on me.
Not when you were wining and dining your mistress in our kitchen and no doubt getting up to other things I don’t even want to think about.
’ She glared at him. ‘So, quite frankly, you’ve only yourself to blame that my views on what counts or doesn’t count have changed.
I owe you nothing, Nathan. And I most definitely don’t owe you the one thing you couldn’t give me and that’s time. ’
‘Nic…’
‘And stop calling me that. That’s a nickname my friends call me and you most definitely are not my friend.’ Gripping the bag handle with her shaking hands, Nicola walked off.
‘I’ve got nowhere to go, Nic— Sorry, Nicola. I’ve got no one.’
Turning around, she watched as he held his arms out and looked at her with something akin to a puppy dog stare.
Before the affair, before he’d broken her heart, that look would have worked, and she’d have given him what he wanted.
But not now. Now she’d seen through him, now she’d seen him at his worst. He’d all but broken her and there was no chance she’d let that happen again, that she’d let him lie to her.
‘I can’t trust anything you say. Now, please, let me get on. ’
Pausing, he looked at her, his eyes narrowing and his lips curling up into a scowl. ‘You’ve moved on, haven’t you? That guy I saw you with at the end of our road. You’re with him?’
‘At the end of my road. You don’t live there anymore, and you chose that, remember? You made the decision to cheat on me with Kerry, and you would have known the consequences. The cottage, my life, it’s mine and I don’t have to answer to you. To anyone.’
Setting her jaw, Nicola turned again, this time determined to walk away from him.
Determined not to be pulled into one of his conversations, or, worse still, one of his question-and-answer firing squads.
No, he didn’t get to be privy to what was going on in her life.
Not anymore. And he’d just have to get used to it.
She ignored his pleas to her to turn around, relieved that he at least was no longer trying to walk with her.
Stepping into the hardware store, she forced a smile. ‘Hi, Neil. How are you today?’
Neil Parsons looked up from the papers he was scribbling on, his pen poised in the air. ‘I can’t complain, Nic. I can’t complain. How are you on this fine day?’
‘I’m okay, thanks.’ Pulling the list of jobs to do from her pocket, she looked up. ‘I’m looking for some of this paint, please? If you’ve not got any, can I order it in, please?’
‘Of course. Let’s take a look.’ Slipping his reading glasses onto his nose, he took the list from Nicola and stared intently at it before looking back up at her. ‘Yep, not got that shade. I have a cream and an off-white but not pure white. Would either of those do?’
‘No, sorry. It’s to patch up a mark on the skirting board.’ Stepping forward, Nicola placed the heavy canvas bag on the edge of the counter before taking her list back.
‘No problem. Leave it with me and I’ll order it in for you. It’ll be ready to collect in three days. How does that sound?’
‘Perfect, thanks.’ She pulled the bag back onto her shoulder.
‘I’ve got to say, you’re looking a lot happier these days. Working at the inn again must be agreeing with you.’ He took his reading glasses off and folded them before placing them on the counter.
‘Oh, thanks.’ Nicola smiled, a genuine smile this time. ‘I guess it’s spending time back where I grew up, and working with Laura instead of my cheating ex.’
‘Ah yes. Never much liked him, I didn’t. Of course, I couldn’t tell you at the time, but there were a few of us who thought the same.’ He picked up a cloth and began buffing his glasses.
‘You didn’t like him?’ Nicola frowned. ‘And there were others in the village who didn’t either? Why didn’t you say anything?’
‘Us oldies can’t go poking our beaks into other people’s business now, can we? Besides, what if we’d been wrong?’
‘Oh, you weren’t wrong, I can assure you.’ She glanced outside, hoping Nathan wouldn’t still be lurking around when she headed back to the inn.
‘No, we weren’t.’ Popping his glasses back on, Neil started up his computer, presumably to input the order. ‘You need to find yourself a nice young man who will treat you right. You do.’
‘I’m with you there.’ Nicola grimaced. It wasn’t as though she could really just magic one up, was it? Make a wish, blow out a candle and magic up a man who was kind, thoughtful and above all honest. Although maybe she had found one already. In Charlie.
She shook her head. She and Charlie hadn’t even had their first date yet.
‘Well, good luck, love, and I’ll let you know when your paint’s in.’ Neil briefly held his hand up before looking back at the computer screen.
‘Thanks, bye.’ Pulling the door open, Nicola gingerly stepped outside, half-expecting Nathan to be waiting for her. She breathed a sigh of relief when she realised the coast was clear.