Chapter 43
‘Morning.’ Alice smiled at Kitty as she walked into the kitchen.
Luke had his arms wrapped around Alice, her back pressed against his chest.
‘Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.’ Kitty made to leave. She had walked into something whole, something simple and loving. It hurt to watch.
‘No,’ said Alice, ‘you’re not interrupting anything.’ She batted Luke away. ‘Luke has to get ready for work. Don’t you, Luke?’
‘Yeah,’ he said, regret in his voice. He winked at Kitty.
‘Coffee?’ asked Alice. ‘I’ve just made a fresh pot.’
‘I’d love one, thanks.’ Kitty sat at the small table perched against one wall.
She loved Alice’s kitchen. It had a homemade feel – fabric curtains concealed the lower shelves, and the upper units could best be described as vintage.
Kitty guessed not much had changed in this kitchen in the past fifty years, and she thought you’d struggle to find a more welcoming spot to have your morning coffee.
‘How did you sleep?’ asked Alice, handing Kitty a mug.
‘Really well.’ Kitty cradled the warm mug in her hands. ‘That sofa bed’s so comfortable.’
‘I’m pleased,’ said Alice. ‘You’re the first person to test it out.’
‘Wow, I’m honoured.’ Kitty peered at Alice over her coffee. ‘Are you sure it’s all right me being here? I don’t want to get in your way, especially with May having a lot going on at college at the minute.’
‘No, we love having you here.’ Alice poured herself a coffee and sat at the table next to Kitty. ‘And May and Luke understand you need somewhere to stay for a couple of days. They didn’t press me when I explained I couldn’t give more information without breaking your confidence.’
‘They’ve both been very kind. Do you see yourself being in Saffron Bay long term?’ asked Kitty. ‘I remember Luke mentioning something about how you might go to uni.’
Alice smiled. ‘I had thought I wanted to go, but recently I’ve been thinking again.
I already teach piano lessons to local kids, here in Saffron Bay and in nearby villages, and it’s going well.
I love my teaching and, to be honest, I don’t see what a degree would get me other than a load of debt and three years away from the students I’ve grown fond of. ’
And three years away from the love of your life. Kitty kept the thought to herself.
‘I believed I had to go to university for status, or to prove to myself I could do it. Now I realise my love is music, and it doesn’t matter how or where I’m doing it.’
‘You’re accompanying all the musical interludes in the Summer Extravaganza, aren’t you?’ asked Kitty.
‘Yes,’ said Alice, with another smile. ‘I get roped into all sorts of village events. It’s fine, though. I love it. Anyway, enough about me. What are your plans for today?’
‘I’m not sure,’ said Kitty. ‘I’ve got some lesson planning to do, and I need to pick up a few belongings from the cottage.’
‘Do you want me to come with you?’ asked Alice.
‘No, no, it’s fine.’ A sense of vulnerability threatened. Kitty tamped it down. ‘At some stage,’ she said, trying to convince herself, ‘I need to manage at my cottage alone. I can’t hide out in your living room forever.’ Kitty swallowed to dislodge the fear constricting her throat.
‘No,’ said Alice, ‘but you’re welcome to hide out here for as long as you need, at least until you work out what’s going on with your ex.’
Luke poked his head around the door. ‘I’m off,’ he said. ‘Don’t forget about dinner tonight. See you later.’
He blew Alice a kiss and was gone.
‘Oh, I forgot to mention last night,’ said Alice. ‘Luke’s arranged for Nick to come over for dinner tonight. I hope that’s OK.’
‘Yes,’ said Kitty. ‘Of course.’ How could it be anything other than all right when she was staying in somebody else’s home? Besides, she and Nick had called a truce. They were meant to be friends.
‘How are things going with Nick?’ asked Alice, as though reading Kitty’s mind.
Kitty scrutinised her friend’s face, searching for any signs Sam had revealed what had happened between her and Nick. Nothing. Alice’s open gaze was as innocent as the question had sounded.
‘Yeah, good,’ said Kitty. ‘We’re getting on pretty well.’
‘Brilliant. So you’ll be fine with him coming tonight, then?’
‘Yeah… looking forward to it,’ lied Kitty.
When the time came to collect some belongings from the cottage, Kitty left Alice’s with faux bravado, assuring her she would be fine.
But the closer she drew to her home, the faster her breaths came, the more her limbs trembled.
Fear mixed with anger. Why should she be made to feel scared in her own home?
Kitty channelled her rage, marching up the path and opening the door with such force it left a dent in the wall.
She closed the door behind her, double-locked it and leaned against it, taking slow, deep breaths.
She could do this. Forcing herself not to rush, she went to her bedroom and packed clothes into a suitcase.
In the bathroom, a tap gurgled, and Kitty yelped.
It was no use pretending. She swiped the contents of a shelf into her wash bag, threw it into her suitcase and ran out onto the street.
Only when the school came into view, did she slow to a walk.
Work had always been her sanctuary, and a quiet afternoon on her own planning fun activities for her class was just what she needed.
By the time Kitty had spent a day planning and preparing a week’s worth of lessons, she had forgotten the dinner invitation and was surprised to hear male voices guffawing when she let herself into Seashell Cottage.
She found Nick and Luke in the tiny dining room, playing a game of table tennis on the table.
The surface was so small, the ball kept pinging off around the room, causing peals of laughter from the grown men who had reverted to boyhood.
‘Hi!’ called Kitty.
Nick looked up, missing the shot Luke fired at him. ‘Hi,’ he said, standing woodenly and raising his hand in something between a wave and a salute. His cheeks coloured, and he shoved his hand in his pocket. ‘Are you here for dinner too?’
‘Um,’ said Kitty, glancing toward the suitcase at her feet, ‘I’m actually staying with Alice for a few days.’
‘Oh.’ Nick’s puzzlement was clear.
Kitty’s frantic search for a reasonable explanation was cut short by Alice stepping in.
‘We fancied a girly few days,’ said Alice, grinning.
‘May’s been stressed about her exams, and she’s got her last one tomorrow, so me and Kitty are preparing a few little treats for her.
We’re going to have a spa evening with face masks and all sorts of other girly accoutrements.
Oh, and we’re doing some gin tasting with Sylvie. ’
Kitty’s eyes opened wide. This was all news to her, and she couldn’t tell if Alice had been secretly planning a distraction for her and a celebration for May, or whether she was pulling all the various activities off the top of her head. Whatever, her acting skills were brilliant.
‘Right,’ said Nick, a frown still creasing his face. ‘But couldn’t you still have done all those things with Kitty living in her own cottage? She’s only down the road, after all.’
‘The boiler’s broken,’ lied May, walking into the living room. ‘That’s right, isn’t it, Kitty?’ May gave her a surreptitious wink.
‘The boiler’s broken?’ said Nick. ‘Surely you don’t need heating at this time of—’
‘No.’ May rolled her eyes. ‘She needs hot water, dummy, doesn’t she?’
‘I suppose so,’ said Nick. The way he continued frowning suggested to Kitty he wasn’t buying any of it.
Perhaps she should admit the truth to him.
Perhaps she should tell him all about James.
Except, she’d already told more people than she should have, and what would it achieve?
Another person worrying about her, or worse, thinking she was a fool for having got involved with him in the first place.
No. She’d allowed a tight circle into her life, and it didn’t need expanding, especially when her relationship with Nick was complicated enough.
‘Can I do anything to help?’ Kitty asked Alice.
‘No, it’s all under control. Luke and May are helping me.’
‘I’ll get the drinks,’ said Luke, setting down his table-tennis bat.
‘And I’ll lay the table,’ said May.
When everyone had dispersed, Kitty turned to Nick. ‘Where’s Emily?’
‘Playing in the garden at home with my parents,’ said Nick.
‘Really?’ Kitty’s eyes opened wide in surprise.
‘Yeah. There’s been a bit of a turnaround,’ said Nick. ‘Seems they’re rather enamoured with their new granddaughter.’
‘Goodness. Well, that’s… that’s wonderful,’ said Kitty.
‘It’s surprising,’ said Nick. ‘Taking me a while to get used to it.’ He took a gulp of his beer.
‘I’ve never seen this side of my parents.
They were always distant and a little cold with me and my brother.
With Emily, it’s a completely different story.
’ He paused. ‘Now they’ve decided to accept her as being their granddaughter. ’
‘That’s often the case with grandparents and grandchildren,’ said Kitty.
‘I see it all the time. We have the loveliest grandparents coming to drop their grandkids off at school, and then Mum and Dad come along to parents’ evening and moan on and on about how awful their relatives are.
I guess there’s a separation in the relationship that makes it easier. ’
‘Yeah, maybe you’re right,’ said Nick.
Alice came into the room. ‘OK, grab a plate,’ she said. ‘It’s a bit of a mishmash of salads, pizza and quiche. So come through to the kitchen and help yourselves.’
‘Sounds good,’ said Kitty.
‘After you,’ said Nick, gesturing for her to walk in front of him.
It was a squeeze in the kitchen with all of them there, and Kitty was closer to Nick than she would have liked.
Their arms brushed against each other, and Nick flinched.
She peered up at him. He caught her eye, and his expression was one she couldn’t quite decipher. Then he smiled warmly, and she relaxed.
They could do this. They could do this friendship thing. Yes, she found him attractive, but that would fade in time. Enjoy the moment, Kitty told herself, as she settled down with her plate of food, in a place she felt safe, surrounded by new friends.