Chapter 16
Shaking her head, Scarlett laughed. ‘I’m sure. I’ll be fine. Besides, Nicola will be here too and I’m sure she could run the place with her eyes closed and her hands tied behind her back.’
‘I know, I know. I just…’ Laura scrunched up her nose as she looked behind Scarlett towards Pennycress. ‘I just feel bad. You’ve come all this way to visit us and now we’re not only going away but we’re leaving you to run Pennycress.’
Placing her hands on Laura’s shoulders, Scarlett caught her eye. ‘Laura, I’ll be fine, Pennycress will be fine, we’ll all be fine.’
‘But…’
‘Come on, I used to hold the fort down for Devon all the time when I worked at the wine bar. I promise I’m not going to burn her down or anything.
’ Oops, that had been the wrong thing to say judging by Laura’s expression.
‘I said, I’m not. Most definitely not. I won’t even light a single match, won’t go near one. I’ll let Nicola light the fire.’
Laura turned as Jackson walked up the path from his car parked on the street.
‘I’ll take that for you.’ Holding out his hand, Jackson looked from Laura to Scarlett and back again. ‘Everything okay?’
‘Laura doesn’t trust me with fire.’ Stifling a laugh, Scarlett raised an eyebrow.
‘Fire?’ Jackson frowned.
‘I do, I do. I’m perfectly happy with you lighting a fire, candles even.’ Laura’s voice hitched an octave.
‘Okay, I’ll leave you both to say your goodbyes.’ Jackson took a few steps back before turning and heading back to the car.
Sighing, Scarlett placed her hands on Laura’s shoulders, turning her gently to face Jackson and the car. ‘I’m happy looking after Pennycress for you both and everything is under control. Now go and enjoy your holiday before you miss your flight.’
Nodding, Laura began walking down the path before pausing, turning and retracing her steps again until she was once again standing in front of Scarlett. ‘I do trust you, you know. I wouldn’t entrust anyone but you and Nicola with Pennycress.’
‘What can I say? I’m just so capable and reliable.’ Grinning, Scarlett flicked her hair over her shoulders.
‘I mean it, I really do. I’m just freaking out a bit at leaving her, leaving everything. This will be the first time I’ve been away from Meadowfield for more than a day since I moved here.’ Laura frowned.
‘And we’ll all still be here when you get back.
’ Scarlett pointed towards Jackson, who, having placed her bag in the boot, was now standing by the passenger side of the car holding the door open for Laura.
‘But now you’re about to miss your chance to go on honeymoon with your husband and have the best time ever. ’
Looking over her shoulder towards Jackson, Laura’s expression softened. ‘You’re right, why am I worrying about something I don’t need to?’
‘Exactly.’ Stepping forward, Scarlett hugged her cousin before pulling away and waving her hand towards Jackson. ‘Now go and have a wonderful time.’
‘Yes, yes, I will. We will.’ Laura smiled at her. ‘Thank you, Scarlett.’
‘You’re very welcome.’ Crossing her arms, Scarlett watched as Laura and Jackson got into the car before waving them off.
With them now on their way, Scarlett looked up and down the empty street.
Apart from a few birds flittering from branch to branch in the trees lining the road as they sung their morning chorus, there wasn’t another soul around.
Pulling her mobile from her skirt pocket, she checked the time.
Five fifteen. Any other day she’d have been running straight to hide under the duvet, but today being left in charge of Pennycress, she was buzzing.
Scrolling through her contacts, she clicked on Devon’s name. He’d be awake. In fact, he’d probably already be in work taking in deliveries or checking the books or something.
‘Hello, stranger.’ Devon’s gruff voice filtered down the phone line. ‘What on earth are you ringing me at this time in the morning for?’
‘I’ve not woken you, have I?’ Scarlett grimaced. Trust her to wake him on the only day of the year he had a lie-in past five.
‘Of course not, you know I like to start my day early. You, on the other hand, well, I’ve never known you to wake before eight at the earliest.’ Devon chuckled.
‘Ha, well, I’m awake today, and you’ll never guess what?’
‘Go on, enlighten me.’
Scarlett spun on her heels to face the inn before brandishing her free arm towards Pennycress as though he could see her. ‘I’m only in charge of my cousin’s inn!’
‘Inn? What do you mean?’
Scarlett smiled. She could almost picture him massaging his temples as was his habit when he was trying to figure something out. ‘Just that, my cousin Laura and her new hubby have gone off on their honeymoon and they’ve asked me to look after their inn, Pennycress Inn.’
‘Well, I never. Whatever you do, don’t burn the place down, will you?’ Devon chuckled again.
‘Huh, why does everyone think I’ve suddenly taken up pyrotechnics?’ Scarlett shook her head. Perhaps she should stay away from matches after all.
‘I don’t. Of course I don’t. I’m sure you’ll make a grand job of it.’ Devon’s tone turned serious. ‘Dare I ask if that scoundrel is leaving you alone?’
‘Unfortunately not.’ Scarlett slumped her shoulders; back to reality then. ‘He rang me, demanding Thelma back.’
‘Noooo. Don’t you go giving her back to him, will you?’
‘Of course I won’t! Not in a million years would I allow him to take her back and subject her to her old life.’ Scarlett shook her head vehemently, the anger she’d felt after speaking to Tyler igniting once again in the pit of her stomach. ‘And before you ask, I won’t be going back to him either.’
‘I wasn’t going to ask you that. You know I’d never let you. If you tried I’d be dragging you kicking and screaming in the opposite direction.’ Devon’s voice took on a tone of mischief. ‘Or else I’d be dragging him away and condemning him to a life of serving the likes of the Jarvis twins.’
Scarlett laughed as she pictured Tyler dressed in a tiny apron and following the whims of those arrogant men. ‘Now that would teach him.’
‘It certainly would.’ The phone line silenced for a few moments before he spoke again. ‘In all seriousness, you stay away from the likes of him and find yourself a nice young man.’
‘You mean one who dates one person at a time?’ Scarlett grimaced.
‘Ha, yes, that’s exactly what I mean.’
Scarlett turned back towards the empty street as Rowan’s image popped into her mind’s eye before she shook her head, dismissing the thought. ‘No, I’m happy on my own for a while.’
‘Okay, well, when you do make sure he’s a good’un.’
‘I will.’ Scarlett shrugged.
‘Right, as much as I’d love to stay and chat, the books aren’t going to do themselves. Take care, love, and enjoy your inn.’
‘Thanks. I will. You take care too.’ Ending the call, Scarlett hugged her mobile to her chest and sighed. She hated the fact Tyler lived in Manchester. If he didn’t, she’d have been back to visit Devon already.
Slipping her mobile back into her pocket, she rolled her shoulders back and faced Pennycress. This would be her first day as stand-in innkeeper of Pennycress Inn and she was going to enjoy it.