Chapter 12
‘Do you fancy another coffee, Polly?’ Nicola called from across the kitchen.
‘Yes, please.’ Polly barely glanced up from the sheet of paper she was scribbling on.
After spending the afternoon in the office with just Zac, Polly had been glad when five o’clock had hit and she’d been able to fight her way out of the strained atmosphere.
Art, Dennis and Vicki had spent the majority of the afternoon in a meeting with Declan and the reserve ranger, Harold, leaving Polly alone with Zac.
And despite her spending the whole afternoon desperately trying to think of fundraising ideas, she’d drawn a blank.
All she’d been able to think about was Zac’s close proximity and the fact he was there to take her promotion.
Plus, it hadn’t helped that he’d spent the entire time tapping away productively on his laptop, leaving Polly feeling as though she didn’t stand a chance.
Now, though, she needed to make up the time and with Nicola working on a new social media campaign for the inn on the table next to her and supplying her with endless mugs of coffee, the ideas were finally flowing.
‘Here you go.’ Standing next to Polly’s table, Nicola paused.
‘Thanks. Let me just…’ Polly placed the sheet of paper in front of her onto the stack to her right.
She had seven sheets now, that was a total of seven fundraising ideas.
Now all she had to do was to delve a little more into them and work out if any were viable or not.
She smiled as Nicola placed the mug down onto the now clear spot of table. ‘How’s the campaign planning going?’
‘Good, thanks. I’ve just finished, so I’ll have a celebratory mug of coffee before heading home. I’ve been creating social media posts to put on the village community page about our upcoming Bonfire Night celebrations.’
‘Oh, are you hosting the bonfire here?’ Polly automatically glanced through the window into the garden. It looked big enough.
‘No, but we’re going to be handing out sparklers and selling mulled cider and toffee apples for the villagers walking past this way.
’ Nicola grinned. ‘The plan is to have a collection of leaflets and information about what the inn has to offer on hand. You know, such things as the fact we host birthday parties and family gatherings.’
‘That sounds a good idea.’ Polly smiled. ‘Anything with mulled cider is bound to be a success.’
‘Hopefully! I’m glad I’ve got everything prepared as Bonfire Night is speeding towards us now autumn’s here.’
‘That’s great. You’ll have the evening to relax then.’
Nicola laughed as she slipped onto the chair opposite her. ‘I doubt that. I moved in with my partner, Charlie, a few months ago and he lives on a farm, so there’s always work to be done, but I like it. Plus, my little diva of a cat, Trixie, keeps me on my toes.’
‘Oh wow, a farm. That must be fun?’ Polly brought the mug to her lips, the aroma of the sweet coffee hitting her nostrils.
‘Farm life is certainly different from what I’m used to, but I love it. Charlie only inherited it from his uncle last year, so it’s been a huge learning curve for both of us, but he’s really taken to it.’
‘Super early days then?’ After hearing tales of her grandma growing up on a farm, riding horses and driving tractors, Polly had always romanticised the idea.
‘Yes, definitely.’ Nicola grinned as she waved her hand across the table, taking in the papers, pens and highlighters scattered across the surface. ‘How’s this all going?’
‘Good, I think.’ Polly frowned. ‘I mean, my brain is finally coming up with ideas on how to raise money for the reserve. Whether any of them will actually work, though, is a completely different thing, isn’t it?’
‘Our gardener, Jill, is very good at fundraising. She’s on the community hub for the village and gets involved in all sorts.
I’m sure she’d be more than happy to help if you’ve any questions.
’ Nicola tilted her head as she tapped on her mobile and scrolled through to the calendar.
‘In fact, it’s Meadowfield’s village meeting tomorrow evening.
Why don’t you come along? You’ll get a sense of the community and will probably get some ideas.
Besides, you’re practically a resident now, being as you’re staying here for so long. ’
‘Umm, maybe.’ Polly nodded thoughtfully. ‘Yes, okay. I’ll come if you don’t think it’ll be weird as I haven’t actually moved here permanently yet.’
‘Not at all.’ Nicola nodded before looking across at the kitchen door. ‘Evening, Zac. Can I get you anything?’
Twisting in her chair, Polly watched as Nicola stood up and walked across to Zac. Great, this was all she needed, him to come and sit down just as her creativity was finally flowing.
‘Just a coffee. I’m happy getting it myself.’ Zac smiled one of his signature grins reserved for anyone but Polly as he placed his briefcase carefully on the closest table.
‘Don’t be daft. Go take a seat and I’ll get you one.’ Nicola smiled as she reached for a clean mug.
‘Thanks.’ Zac looked pointedly at Polly as though weighing up his options before picking up his briefcase again and waiting as Nicola poured him a coffee.
Turning back, Polly looked out of the window into the garden. She could just see Zac’s faint reflection in the glass as he chatted with Nicola. She shook her head. Stacey didn’t know what she was talking about. If Polly brought up the kiss, it’d only make things even more awkward between them.
Returning to the table with a mug for herself, Nicola slid back into the chair she’d previously vacated. ‘Am I disturbing you?’
‘No, not at all. I need a bit of a break.’ Polly grinned. If she were honest, after spending the entire afternoon holed up in the office with the King of Cold Shoulders, she was glad of the company and the chance to talk normally with another human being.
Taking a small sip of her coffee, Nicola then lowered her mug and nodded towards the door. ‘What’s going on with you two? He couldn’t get out of here quick enough and the room temperature dropped at least fifty degrees when he walked in.’
Polly shifted in her chair as she wrapped her hands around her mug. ‘It’s that obvious?’
‘Just a little.’ Nicola grimaced. ‘Don’t share if you don’t want to, though. I’m being nosey.’
Polly took a gulp of coffee. It might be good to talk, to get a different perspective on the situation besides Stacey’s. Stacey was loyal to the bone, so maybe a neutral opinion on it all might be beneficial. ‘I don’t mind. It’ll probably be good to get someone else’s take on it, anyway.’
Nicola nodded.
Moving her coffee mug to the side, Polly placed her hands palm down on the surface of the table in front of her. ‘Right, so, I… umm used to teach part-time, while volunteering at the Cotswold Wildlife and Wilderness Trust headquarters where Zac worked.’
‘And you never got on?’ Nicola frowned.
‘No, we did. We used to get on really well and then my friend, Stacey, threw me a leaving party when I finally quit my teaching job and invited people from the trust too.’
‘Oh.’ Nicola raised her eyebrows.
‘Exactly. Zac and I both had a bit too much to drink, and we ended up kissing. I’d always had a bit of a crush on him so thought great, but he obviously felt the complete opposite because from then, things have never been the same and he now hates me.
’ She turned her hands upwards. ‘And I don’t know why.
I mean, mistakes happen at parties, don’t they?
Especially where drink is involved. He didn’t feel the same way about me as I did about him, and that’s fine.
Whatever. But it didn’t mean he had to be frosty with me. ’
‘And this is how things have been between you since then?’
Polly nodded. ‘Yep. For over four months now. It’s ridiculous. You’d have thought he’d have forgotten about it by now, wouldn’t you?’
‘Maybe you should talk to him and clear the air? If things were fine between you before, then hopefully by addressing it, things should go back to how they were.’
Polly scrunched up her nose as she slid her mug back in front of her. ‘There’s an added complication now, though. We’re both pitted against each other for a promotion. One that it turns out that we’d both been promised by our old boss.’
Nicola whistled through her teeth. ‘Ah, now I can understand how that might be awkward.’
‘Exactly.’ Polly nodded as she picked up her mug again. Taking a sip, she let the sugary coffee pool in her mouth. The word awkward didn’t even describe how she felt. Heck, she didn’t think she had the vocabulary to describe how she felt.
‘Still, talking about things, the kiss and the promotion, might help matters?’
Polly swallowed. ‘Maybe.’
Nicola tapped the screen of her phone. ‘Yikes, I’d better get going. I didn’t realise that was the time. Have a think about it and I’ll see you in the morning.’
‘Will do, and thank you for listening.’ Polly leaned back in her chair as Nicola headed out into the hallway.
That was two people who had advised her to talk to Zac and clear the air.
And that was just today. Yes, Stacey couldn’t be trusted – if she had her way she’d have Polly declaring her undying love to Zac just to see her best friend in a relationship, but Nicola…
Nicola was impartial. She was a stranger looking in.
Yes, maybe she would speak to Zac, clear the air.
Maybe she should even offer up a truce about this promotion.
Just because they were going after the same job, it didn’t mean they had to be hostile towards each other.
It wasn’t as though either of them had known what was going to happen.
They couldn’t have predicted finding themselves in this situation.
Yes, clear the air, get the awkwardness of the kiss gone and also agree to be friendly towards each other.
It would be worth her humiliation in bringing up the party incident just to achieve a frost-free work environment.
Taking another sip of her coffee, Polly smiled to herself.
The next three months might just be bearable.
Placing her mug towards the edge of the table, Polly riffled through the pile of papers before deciding on one idea to expand – rejuvenating the visitor centre’s hallway.
The first step into making any of their visitors care more for the reserve would be to show it in its best light.
And an exhibition displaying the improvements previous funds allowed might just encourage people to dig into their own pockets.
With the pen poised to write, Polly glanced at her mobile as a notification flashed across the screen.
It needed charging. Picking up her bag from the floor, she delved through the collection of notebooks, pens and half-used tissues searching for the charger.
Drat. Where had she left it? She’d definitely brought it down with her this morning and she could have sworn she’d popped it in her bag to take to work.
Ah no, it was in the sitting room. She’d charged her phone there for a few minutes before breakfast whilst she’d enjoyed her first coffee of the morning, thanks to Laura.
Right, she’d fetch her charger and then get back to the mind mapping.
Standing up, she hurried through the kitchen door and crossed the hallway.
The sooner she could get back to her work, the better.
She’d spent all her time dithering at the office, trying to think of ideas so now they were flowing she didn’t want anything to get in the way.
Zac’s voice rose from inside the sitting room, and she halted in her tracks.
Did she go in? Run in, retrieve her charger before racing back out?
It would hardly disturb him, would it? Besides, if he was on a particularly private call, he would have taken it in his room.
She’d be quick. Placing her hand on the door handle, Polly readied herself to dart in and out, but before she had the chance to push the door open further, Zac’s tone changed as his voice dipped.
‘Yes, Dad, that’s what I’m asking. And, personally, I don’t think it’s much to ask, considering.’
He was talking to his father. He wasn’t asking him to sponsor the reserve, was he?
Polly pursed her lips as she felt a rush of anger shudder through her.
Why hadn’t she seen this coming? She’d known his parents had been huge benefactors in the past, but that had been just over a year ago now.
She should have known Zac would turn to his wealthy family to basically buy him the promotion.
And that’s what he was doing – by getting them to pledge money to the reserve, he was still technically fundraising, doing his job, just in the most unjust way.
‘That’s right.’
Polly jumped back as his voice grew louder and she realised he was walking towards the door.
Turning on her heels, she ran back through to the kitchen at such a speed she almost skidded on the newly polished oak floorboards.
Once in the sanctuary of the kitchen, she quietly closed the door before heading back to her table by the window.
He was cheating! That’s what this was – cheating! Plain and simple. She’d assumed he’d planned to ask some business contacts from his old job in marketing to sponsor the reserve, and that would have been close to cheating, but this! He was raising the money by asking for handouts from his parents!
Sinking into her chair, she rubbed at her eyes. Despite the coffee, she suddenly felt exhausted and the ideas she’d been feeling so excited about only moments earlier felt ridiculous. Childish even. She couldn’t win.