Chapter 37
‘Hello, Tally,’ Nick said. ‘I, er, didn’t know you were back in the county.’
‘Oh, just staying with a couple of friends for the weekend, you know how it is.’ Tally’s twinkling blue eyes were fixed on Nick and Thea, but, rather than looking jealous, she actually looked quite thrilled.
Confused, Thea tried to fix her smile to her face and not show how rattled she was that Tally had rocked up, looking fabulous, to this gig.
‘So you two are an item, after all!’ Tally continued, spotting Nick’s arm around Thea’s waist immediately.
‘You know, I had my suspicions while we were filming.’ She suddenly looked a little contrite.
‘In which case, I owe you both an apology.’ She turned to Thea.
‘I’m sorry for grabbing your gorgeous fella under the mistletoe that night at the market.
It was out of order, and I should have known better. Forgive me?’
‘Shouldn’t it be me you’re apologising to?’ Nick interjected. ‘It was me you grabbed, after all.’
‘Oh, shush you.’ Tally glanced at him. ‘If you stand under the kissing shrub looking delectable, what’s a girl to do?’
‘I don’t think that explanation would wash if the roles were reversed, Tally,’ Thea said firmly.
‘Nick’s easy-going to a fault, but he’s right.
You do owe him an apology.’ She wasn’t about to correct Tally’s misapprehension about her and Nick’s relationship; it gave her a certain satisfaction that Tally knew for sure Nick was off limits for her now, especially given their previous hookup.
Tally’s expression registered discomfort, but then she smiled in resignation. ‘You’re right,’ she said quietly. ‘Just because we had a brief history, it didn’t give me the right to impose on either of you.’ She looked back at Nick. ‘I’m sorry, Nick.’
‘No harm done,’ Nick said, and then smiled at them both. ‘I, er, hope that doesn’t mean we’re off the filming list for any future episodes of Britain’s Loveliest Farm Shops. ’
‘Not a chance!’ Tally laughed. ‘Channel 5’s pre-viewing panel saw the rushes yesterday and they love it, so I expect we’ll be in touch next year to do a follow up. Still sure I can’t convince you to take up a presenting gig?’
‘Nope.’ Nick was grinning now. ‘I don’t mind the odd spot in front of the camera, but I’ve got enough to do with running the place.’
‘Never say never, though, right?’ Thea teased. ‘I mean, the camera does love you.’
Tally turned to Thea. ‘You’re so right! Perhaps you can persuade our boy to my way of thinking?’
Thea looked straight at her before she replied, ‘Oh, Nick’s very much his own person, Tally, as I’m sure you know.’
Tally got the message. ‘Well,’ she said brightly, ‘it’s been lovely to see you. Enjoy the rest of the evening.’
As she headed off to rejoin her own party of friends, Nick turned concerned eyes on Thea. ‘I had no idea Tally was going to be here, I swear. She never let on that she was coming back to the village.’
‘It’s all right.’ Thea smiled. ‘I believe you. Now, get me onto the dance floor and show me what you’re made of!’
Nick didn’t need telling twice. As they walked hand in hand to the floor, Thea slid into his arms just as an old favourite from twenty years ago echoed around the room.
‘This takes me back,’ Thea murmured. ‘I’m never sure if I imagined it, but do you remember that night at Gina Hodge’s house party, twenty and a couple of Christmases ago?’
Thea felt the smile on Nick’s face against her own as they moved slowly to the music. ‘I have a vague recollection,’ he murmured into her hair. ‘What exactly do you remember about it?’
‘Well,’ Thea breathed. ‘I remember the cherry vodka, rather too much of it, in fact, and being at the top of the stairs with some guy.’ She paused, then added teasingly, ‘He wasn’t a bad kisser, actually.’
‘Funny,’ Nick replied, ‘I remember the same thing, although the girl needed a bit more practise! To be fair, she was rather pissed, though.’
‘Oh, so you took advantage of a drunken lass.’ Thea affected mock outrage. ‘Whatever would your mum and dad say?’
Nick pulled slightly away from her. ‘As I recall, that drunken lass wanted to take more advantage of me, but gentleman that I was, I took her to the spare room, put a mixing bowl next to the bed and kept an eye on her until she woke up.’
‘Really?’ It took a lot to surprise Thea, but her memories of that night, especially after over twenty years, were even hazier. ‘I don’t remember seeing you when I eventually came around.’
‘I snuck out when you got up to go to the loo.’ Nick looked sheepish. ‘I didn’t know how much you remembered about our kiss at the top of the stairs, and I didn’t want you to feel embarrassed about it if you regretted it.’
Thea felt oddly moved by his complete consideration for her. ‘That was very sweet of you.’
‘I didn’t want to risk losing you as a friend,’ Nick continued. ‘But there’s a part of me now, all these years later, that really wishes I’d taken that risk. I wish I’d told you how I really felt about you back then.’
Thea’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Honestly? I don’t know if I was ready.
We might have broken each other’s hearts if we’d both admitted to each other how good that kiss was.
’ She shook her head as they continued to move gently to the music.
‘All these years I’ve convinced myself I’d imagined it… why haven’t we ever talked about it?’
Nick smiled sadly. ‘What good would it have done? You were with someone else, and I… well, as I said, where would it have got us?’
Thea stepped closer to Nick. She felt safe in his arms, and she couldn’t help noticing that they seemed to fit perfectly together when they danced. The heels helped, of course, but everything just felt so right, and as if they were the only couple hearing the music.
‘Can I kiss you again?’ she asked softly.
Nick nodded. ‘I would love you to.’
As Thea’s lips met Nick’s, she suddenly felt as though the years had rolled back and they were at the top of those stairs once more, in the semi-darkness, protected from the rest of the world in their little bubble together.
He tasted so good, even without the aid of cherry flavoured vodka, and she wanted that slow, leisurely kiss to go on forever.
‘You’re still a brilliant kisser,’ she murmured as they parted slightly for breath.
‘And you’re a lot better at it when you’re not plastered!’ Nick quipped gently.
He might have been teasing her, but she could tell by the way his body was responding to her that the kiss was turning him on as much as it was her.
A warm heat pooled in her belly as they continued the kiss for a few more seconds, before they broke apart again, remembering that they were still on a crowded dance floor.
‘Well, ladies and gentlemen,’ the compère announced as the song faded away, ‘if there are any rogues and chancers among you, or if you feel lucky tonight, you might want to chance your arm at the roulette table in the bar. Or if blackjack is your thing, perhaps the cards will win you a fortune, or at least the next round of drinks. What do you say, ladies and gents? Will tonight be the night Lady Luck comes to visit?’
Nick laughed. ‘What do you say, Thea? Shall we blow it all on black?’
But Thea was still, and her hands, so relaxed when they’d been dancing, had tensed where they rested on Nick’s shoulders. She pulled back from him, and her heart was racing so quickly she thought she was going to black out.
‘Can you give me a minute?’ she heard herself stammering. She’d not had a lot to drink, but she suddenly felt lightheaded and so short of breath she started to take in huge gulps of air.
‘Thea? What’s wrong? Did I do something to upset you?’
Thea gave him a quick smile. ‘No, I’m fine, really.’ She felt her heart starting to speed up. ‘Look, can we find somewhere quiet for a couple of minutes? I really need to get out of here for a bit.’
‘Sure,’ Nick said gently. He put an arm around her, and they walked out of the dining room. The staircase to the upper floors looked quiet, and they both headed upwards, in search of a convenient place to sit for a while.