Chapter 7
It wasn’t book club night, so why on earth were Norma and Josie entering the B&B with Samantha, Allison, and Milly?
Iris glanced at the monitor at the front desk to double-check the day. Nope, definitely not book club night, yet there they were, the book club, and Norma had a box of chocolate chip muffins, the aroma wafting in with the draught.
‘Unofficial book club,’ announced Josie, hustling everyone to the dining room.
Curious to the max, Iris followed them, as unofficial book club was a new thing.
‘Who organised this?’ Why was she even asking?
Both Allison and Milly held the same amused look in their matching blue eyes.
This wasn’t a book club. This was the gossip train running at full steam, and Rocco had to be the main topic.
She raised an eyebrow at the thirty-seven-year-old Huxley twins helping Norma lay out the muffins while Josie went off to fetch a bottle of wine.
‘You were out jogging with the new kid,’ said Allison, flicking back her blonde locks as though in a shampoo advert. ‘Growing close quickly, Iris.’ There was a definite question in her tone.
‘I’m helping him settle in.’
The twins nudged each other as Norma grinned.
‘I am.’ There was no point in Iris putting her foot down, as they’d clearly made up their minds that an affair to remember was taking shape. Iris slumped down on a chair and snagged a muffin.
Samantha groaned as she sat, rubbing the base of her spine. ‘Won’t catch me jogging anytime soon. I swear something creaked in my back when I lifted the laundry basket the other day.’
‘Perhaps you shouldn’t lift heavy things when you’re perimenopausal, Sam.’ Milly bobbed her head.
Samantha frowned. ‘I think that rule is for when you’re pregnant.’
Milly shrugged. ‘Still, might be a good excuse to get your lad to do the hard work.’
Samantha scoffed. ‘I’ve got more chance of winning the lottery than my Frankie shifting his backside away from his computer games.’
‘I used to work at my dad’s garage when I was his age,’ said Allison, looking rather proud about that fact.
Milly shook her head. ‘Don’t make it sound like you were a mechanic back then, Allie. You washed some cars on the forecourt.’
‘More than what you were doing at fourteen.’
Milly grinned at her pink fingernails, showing off the glitter to all looking. ‘Let it be said, there will never be car grease beneath these tips. Owning a book shop is way cleaner.’
Iris watched Allison inspect her own fingernails before picking out the chocolate chips from a muffin. ‘I have some plain scones in the kitchen if you’d prefer that.’
‘Thanks, but I just prefer plain muffin flavour.’
Josie came back with a tray of glasses and chilled white wine. ‘Right, what did I miss?’
‘Menopause and lazy kids,’ replied Allison, carefully adding another chocolate chip to the white paper napkin beside the muffin.
Josie frowned as she poured the wine. ‘I thought we were going to talk about Rocco’s granny.’
All eyes were on Iris, who simply stared at her friends in turn. ‘Why are we talking about that?’
Samantha sipped her wine as soon as it was poured. ‘Cookie’s been asking all over if anyone knew her.’
‘Well, if you lot are here expecting me to know anything, then obviously, you don’t know much either.’
Milly bit into her muffin. ‘But you went jogging with him.’ She wiped away the crumbs attached to her full lips.
‘He doesn’t know anything about his grandmother’s time here either. That’s why Cookie is asking. Anyway, I hardly think that calls for this book club.’ Iris surveyed the table, noting no books were even placed there.
Norma’s laugh was faint. ‘It’s more about Rocco in general.’
‘What about him?’ As if Iris had to ask. They had eyes. And he had a hot body and a sexy grin that brought his gorgeous features to life.
‘He can handcuff me anytime,’ said Allison, tapping her wrists together while grinning.
Samantha spat her wine. ‘Allie, you made me choke.’
‘Iris, you keen or what?’ asked Allison. ‘You know I’d never step on another woman’s toes.’
Iris felt hot and cold all at once at the thought of claiming Rocco as her own.
The damage caused by her last so-called boyfriend still had the ability to humiliate her.
How could she tell her friends she liked someone again?
They’d witnessed her soppiness before, then threw in a whole batch of pity when the boyfriend/user had buggered off.
‘Let her do things in her own time,’ said Josie, offering a sympathetic pat on the hand.
‘I’m not doing anything but be friendly.
’ Iris was hanging out with him way more than necessary, but that could be brushed over.
She chewed her lip for a moment as the memory of her ex talking weddings pounced.
What kind of person lied to that extent just to have sex with a woman?
It still shocked her, and even though she was pretty sure lightning wouldn’t strike twice, the whole ordeal hung around like a bad smell.
Norma filled the moment of silence. ‘I think he likes our Iris, so no getting in the way, Allison.’
Allison shrugged. ‘I’ll just swoon over him from afar.’
Samantha laughed. ‘You and every other woman in the village. I swear, since he turned up, that’s all anyone talks about in my pub.’
Perhaps it was for the best if Iris backed off.
She was nervous enough about falling for someone again, and Rocco was causing all sorts of winged creatures to appear in her tummy each time he smiled, and damn did he look good while jogging.
What was up with that? She was sure her sweaty brow did little to improve her appearance.
‘I wonder why he’s single,’ questioned Milly, her mouth resting against the rim of her glass.
‘I think he just wants a peaceful life.’ Iris frowned at her own words. ‘Not that I’m saying you can’t have peace with a partner.’
Samantha sighed quietly. ‘I had peace with Alfie, even on his deathbed, we held hands and I sang our wedding song. Our relationship was like that. Hand holding and love songs.’
Milly leaned into her and pulled her close for a cuddle. ‘Alfie was lovely, and taken far too soon.’
Samantha held Iris’s gaze. ‘Which is why you shouldn’t dither in life.
It’s short. We need to find the good times, and go for it.
’ Her smile was small. ‘It’s not all rain and storms. Sometimes, you find yourself beneath that one ray of sunshine poking out from the clouds, shining just on you, and my goodness does it hit the right spot. ’
As lovely as that sounded, Iris couldn’t help think of the electric shock she had received from the lightning bolt that had struck her straight in the heart.
Well, that was how it had felt at the time, thanks to her horrible ex.
If only people came with weather warnings.
Dry patch. Sunshine and sparkles. Violent storm. Gale force bloody wind.
‘Have some more wine,’ offered Josie, and Iris downed the drink in one.
‘I invited Rocco to come to the food fayre with me on Sunday.’ Iris told them.
‘A date?’ asked Norma, eyes wide.
Iris shook her head, not even convincing herself. ‘Friends.’
Milly lightly clapped. ‘Ooh, mate date. That should help.’
Iris had no idea what that was supposed to mean. ‘Help what?’
‘You getting back on the horse, so to speak.’ Milly raised her glass as she continued, the wine sploshing from side to side.
‘You can figure him out without all the pressure of dating. You know, no expectations and that. No thinking if you should kiss at the end? Should you wear your Sunday best? All that palaver.’
The whole mate date thing did sound a lot easier and way more relaxed. Yep, it seemed doable now. She would just have a nice day out with Rocco and get to know him some more. And let that be the end of that discussion.
The front door was wide open at the B&B, and Rocco wasn’t sure if that was normal for guests to come and go. As far as he knew, there were no guests at the moment, but one could have checked in while he was out and about with Clint, being shown the ropes, as Clint liked to say.
There hadn’t been much to observe except the worn Christmas wreaths being removed from the Victorian street lamps along Rose Petal Lane, and white fairy lights unravelled from the ornate posts. It was official, Christmas was over.
Clint had wished for the lights to remain all winter, but Rocco preferred the street without decorations, thinking the snow shovelled to the edge of the pavement was enough to mark the season.
He glanced once more at the driveway outside the B&B before heading inside to see who was about. Who was he kidding? He was there to spend time with Iris, as he couldn’t seem to stop thinking about her.
Muffled voices were coming from the dining room, and as he edged closer he heard Iris mention his name. She was talking to other women about the upcoming food event at the park, and it was quite clear it wasn’t a date.
He decided to head home, not wanting to interrupt, not wanting to do much at all.
As soon as he was home, he fired up the wood burner, made a cup of tea, and slumped into the cushioned chair by the door.
There was no point feeling sorry for himself, as he never planned to fall for anyone anyway.
The whole change of life thing was for peace and quiet, not waking his heart and thinking he could have a happy relationship like his brother and father seemed to have.
Nope. Get a grip. He picked up a book instead to distract himself from the stupid little ache in his heart over someone he hardly knew.
There was so much to focus on, and with Clint teaching him everyone’s business, and Jaxson on tour guide duties, he’d soon know Butterbrook like the back of his hand for when he started work.
Iris would simply be one of his new friends. Did you hear that, heart?