Chapter 21
21
SIX WEEKS LATER
Courtney had no idea babies grew so much in just six short weeks.
“You’re already too big for this gorgeous little duck onesie I got for you, Hope,” Courtney muttered, laughing as she tried, and failed, to fit her daughter’s wriggling legs into the tiny outfit as she lay on the changing mat. “I can’t believe you won’t be able to wear this anymore.”
She folded the little onesie, running her fingers over the pretty embroidered ducks that decorated the soft fabric. Although Hope had no shortage of clothes to wear thanks to her doting extended family, Courtney loved the whimsical duck onesie and was sorry it no longer fitted.
How could her tiny child already be too big for clothes that had swamped her only a few weeks ago? It was a mystery. In the past three days, Courtney had already set aside several of the outfits that were sized for newborns because they were now too small for her growing daughter. She’d known to expect this and had known her baby wouldn’t stay tiny forever. And yet it still came as a surprise when those cute little legs no longer fit inside those cute little onesies.
Courtney returned the duck onesie to the drawer, remembering the day she bought it from the baby shop on the high street. It had only been a couple of months ago, but it felt like another life. Already, she could hardly remember what it had been like not to have Hope to love and care for.
That day when she’d bought the duck onesie, she remembered she’d run into Travis Stone on her way back to Foxglove Street, when they’d bumped into one another as he exited the deli and knocked the shopping bag from her hands. She remembered how mortified and apologetic he’d been, and how he’d invited her to share dinner with him.
Courtney had enjoyed every minute of that lovely evening as they’d eaten dinner together… but that, too, felt like a memory from another life.
And Travis, too, was already slipping away into the past.
After his return to London, they’d exchanged occasional text messages, but in the last few weeks those had become less regular. They both led busy lives, and Courtney hadn’t really expected them to stay in touch once Travis left Hamblehurst and went back to his own life and his own flat. Travis had his busy writing career to get on with, and she had new motherhood to learn all about.
In the past week, she’d also begun working some agreed trial hours for Jacquie Edmund’s marketing company, fitting the tasks in around caring for Hope, and she had a good feeling that things would work out for her with the new job, and was thrilled that Jacquie understood and accommodated the demands of being a single parent to a new baby.
Courtney felt she had so much to look forward to—raising her new daughter, finding her way into a new job, and becoming a proper part of the Austin family, a family she adored. With so much going on, she shouldn’t really have had time to think about Travis Stone.
And yet, she did think about him. Worse, she missed him, too.
Part of her wondered what might have happened if things had been different, if their lives weren’t on such diverging paths, and if their brief moment of friendship might have had a chance to blossom into something more.
Whenever those daydreaming notions filled her head, Courtney pushed them down again. Thinking about what might have been was pointless. Travis never had the slightest interest in her beyond appreciating her help with his author marketing tasks. That she could imagine there might have been more to their brief time together simply told her that her post-pregnancy hormones weren’t quite back to normal yet.
And anyway, she thought as she chose another onesie from the chest of drawers, with a beautiful new baby keeping her busy twenty-four hours a day, she didn’t exactly have time for daydreaming about romantic interludes that never even happened.
After dressing Hope in the larger onesie and taking a moment to mourn the fact that her newborn clothes no longer fitted her and that her little baby was growing up with every passing day, Courtney picked her up and took her downstairs.
“We’ve got a busy day ahead of us, little one,” she told Hope once she laid her down on the floor mat where she could enjoy the overhead mobile that kept her mesmerised. “We’re moving house today. Can you believe it? Are you all packed yet, or do you expect me to deal with all that for you?”
When Hope waved her hands and made a gurgling sound, Courtney laughed, then got on with collecting the rest of their remaining things still scattered around Rosie’s living room.
Later that day, Courtney’s Uncle Colin and Aunt Lorraine would arrive to collect her belongings to take them over to their own house. After six weeks spent living at Rosie’s, Courtney had finally persuaded her cousin that it was better if she accepted the offer of her aunt and uncle’s guest room. Although Rosie insisted she didn’t want her to go, and that she’d miss both her and Hope terribly if they left, Courtney was smart enough to understand that Rosie needed her own house back, especially now that things were really taking off with her new boyfriend, Adrian. The two of them were getting on like a house on fire, and it was obvious that what had begun as casual, easy dating was quickly turning into much more.
Courtney knew Rosie needed and deserved privacy at home. It wasn’t easy to kindle a spot of late-night passion when there was a wailing infant in the next room and a frantic new mother pacing the floor.
And both Courtney and Rosie knew there just wasn’t enough space, either. Rosie’s house was sweet and snug, but the guest room was tiny now that it was stuffed with baby paraphernalia. The house where Courtney’s aunt and uncle lived was much bigger, and so too was the guest room there. Until she got back on her own two feet and could afford a new place of her own, or until the local council found a social housing solution for her, moving into her aunt and uncle’s house was the best idea all round.
Last night, Courtney had packed up most of her and Hope’s things. Once Colin and Lorraine came and collected her belongings, she planned to do a quick tidy up around the house so it would be nice and neat for Rosie when she returned from work later that evening and before Colin returned to pick up her and Hope and shuttle them over to their new home. In the meantime, she had many bits and pieces still to gather up and was determined nothing would be left behind.
She was packing up baby bottles in the kitchen when she heard a knock at the front door.
“I hope that isn’t your Uncle Colin already here for our stuff,” she said to Hope, picking her up from the floor mat and cradling her in her arms as she dashed through to answer it. “I’ve still got stuff to pack!”
But when she answered the door, it wasn’t her uncle who stood there.
“Olive!” Courtney exclaimed, thrilled to see the older lady. “Hello!”
“Hello, dear,” Olive beamed, her gaze turning to the baby. “And this must be Hope. Oh, she is a cutie, alright. I’ve been so excited to meet her. I hope I’m not disturbing you?”
Courtney opened the door wider and waved Olive inside. “Not at all. Come in. Although you’ll have to excuse the mess. I’m in the middle of packing. When did you get back from Canada?”
“Just a couple of days ago. I would’ve dropped by to see you yesterday, but the jet lag left me all out of sync until now.”
Once they were in the living room, Olive turned and looked at Hope and the smile on her face widened.
“She is a beautiful baby, Courtney. I’m so thrilled for you.”
A few days after being discharged from hospital, Courtney fulfilled the promise she’d made to Olive and sent her a message to let her know Hope had been born, along with a few photos of her new baby. While Olive was still in Canada, they’d kept in touch off and on, Olive checking in on their progress and Courtney asking after Olive’s grandson’s wedding celebrations once the big day arrived. Olive had promised to visit her and Hope once she returned to Hamblehurst, and Courtney was delighted to see her now.
“Would you like to hold her?” Courtney asked.
“I’d love to.”
Courtney passed the baby to her friend, who scooped her into her arms and settled down on the sofa for a cuddle.
“You are the most beautiful little baby,” Olive cooed while Hope peered up at her, eyes wide. “And look at those blue eyes of yours. Aren’t they something?”
Hope made a gurgling sound, which got Olive laughing.
“She’s a character already,” Courtney said. “And she keeps me on my toes.”
“Of course she does. How are you coping, dear?”
“I’m doing okay. It helps to have amazing support all around me.”
Olive nodded to the packed bags. “And it looks like you’re all set to move in with Colin and Lorraine.”
“It’s the best thing for everyone,” Courtney nodded. “They have more space there for all this baby stuff, and although Rosie denies it, I’m sure she’ll be glad to have her house to herself again.”
Hope made a fussing sound and began crying.
“I think someone wants her mother,” Olive laughed, standing up and handing the baby back to Courtney.
As soon as Courtney took her, Hope settled down and started making the little noises she recognised as meaning it was time for a nap. She settled the baby in her little bassinet and Hope’s eyes soon closed.
“Good for you,” Olive said. “You’ve already got her worked out.”
“Some of the time, at least,” Courtney laughed. “I’m still figuring a lot of this out.”
“You look like a natural to me.”
“Would you like tea or coffee, Olive?”
“No, I won’t put you to any trouble. I just wanted to stop off and say hello and meet the little one and give you this. It’s a little something I brought back for you from Canada.”
Olive reached into her handbag and pulled out a wrapped gift.
“You didn’t have to do that, Olive,” Courtney said, surprised by the gesture.
“Don’t be silly. You had your beautiful baby while I was gone. I wanted to give you something to wish you well.”
Courtney accepted the gift and peeled back the pastel pink wrapping paper. Inside, she found a gorgeous baby romper suit in a summery green colour and covered with a print pattern of cartoon moose.
“Oh, this is sooo lovely!” Courtney squeaked. “Look at these gorgeous moose!”
“I was quite taken with them, too,” Olive laughed. “Moose are a big deal over there in Canada, and it seemed like the perfect gift. I bought a larger size with the idea that it will fit Hope throughout the summer.”
“It’s perfect. She’s already outgrown her newborn outfits, so this is just what she needs. Thank you, Olive.”
“And there’s a little something else in there, too.”
Courtney looked back at the wrapping paper and realised there was an envelope tucked beneath the romper suit. Opening it, she found a lovely new baby card, inside which was a gift token for the baby shop on the high street.
“Olive, this is too much,” Courtney protested.
“Don’t be silly. There’s no end to the things babies need when they’re small. I’m sure it’ll come in handy.”
Touched by Olive’s generosity, Courtney swept the older lady into a hug. “Thank you, Olive.”
“You’re quite welcome, dear. And don’t be a stranger once you move to your aunt and uncle’s house. I want regular updates about Hope and you should feel free to drop by and visit anytime, so I can enjoy a cuddle with her.”
“I promise I’ll come and see you.” Courtney released Olive from her embrace and smiled. “Thanks for being such a lovely friend, Olive.”
Olive patted her on the arm and smiled. “It’s really my pleasure, dear.”
“Now, tell me all about your Canada adventures.”
For the next ten minutes, Courtney listened as Olive recounted her exciting trip to Canada and showed her photos from her grandson’s wedding. The older lady’s face lit up as she talked about the beautiful wedding day and her joy at being there in person to share the special occasion with her family. Courtney smiled at the photos depicting Olive grinning amongst her family and standing side-by-side with the bride and groom.
“You look fantastic in your wedding outfit, Olive.”
“Thank you. I admit to worrying about whether the dress and jacket would be crushed beyond repair in my luggage, but thankfully, they survived. And I spent a wonderful day with my daughter, Gillian, shopping in Toronto for a hat to complete the outfit, because I wasn’t about to try to fit something like that into my suitcase or carry-on luggage. Once we’d found the perfect hat to match for my outfit, she treated me to a champagne lunch at her favourite waterfront restaurant in Toronto. We had a fabulous time and that, along with my grandson’s wedding day, will stay with me forever.”
“Are you sorry to be back here instead of still over there with your family?” Courtney asked, hearing the wistful tone in Olive’s voice.
“Naturally, I miss them all and am sorry our time together rushed by so quickly,” Olive replied. “But I made my peace a long time ago with my daughter’s decision to emigrate. And my home is here, in Hamblehurst. So, no, I’m not sorry to be back here. I’m just glad I got to attend my grandson’s wedding. A little over a year ago, I thought I wouldn’t be able to go at all because the thought of the long flight just about scared me to death. I was almost resigned to missing one of the most wonderful days in my family’s life because I had let myself believe I was too old to endure a long-haul flight. Once I realised I was wrong about that, and that I could do anything I put my mind to, well, everything changed.”
Olive’s smile widened and she let out a soft chuckle. “So, how’s that for a nice little motivational pep-talk, should you need it.”
“I think that’s a lovely story, Olive. You should be proud of yourself.”
“I’m not so much proud of myself as pleased that I set aside my doubts and worries and refused to let them rule my life.”
“That’s a nice way to put it.”
Olive gave her a thoughtful look. “I hope you won’t think it’s odd for me to say this, but I am proud of you , dear. You’ve gone through an awful lot over these past few months and I can only imagine how hard it’s been for you. But seeing you now, a new mother who quite obviously adores her baby, makes me feel proud of you. And I just hope everything works out for you in the future.”
Touched by these words, Courtney smiled. “Thank you, Olive. That’s incredibly kind of you.”
“And there’s something else I’ve been looking forward to asking you about. How did things all work out in the end with the job you did for that nice young Travis Stone?”
Olive’s smile was warm and yet Courtney felt a cold ache at the mention of his name and had to fight to keep her own smile in place.
“It all worked out just fine,” she said. “I got the hang of the social media tasks and I think he was happy enough with what I did while his assistant was recovering. And Travis put me in touch with someone who runs a marketing company for authors and publishers and I’m now doing some work there on a trial basis to see if we’re a good fit.”
“That’s wonderful to hear. When Travis spoke to our book club at the library, he said he was close to completing a new book. Did he manage to finish it while he was staying here?”
Courtney nodded. “He did, yes. He finished just a couple of days before he returned to London.”
“Ah, well, good for him. And have you two kept in touch since he left?”
Courtney could see the genuine curiosity in the older woman’s eyes. “We’ve sent a few messages back and forth, but now that I have Hope keeping me busy…”
She trailed off, and Olive must have got the gist of what she was trying to say, because she tilted her head and gave her a kind look.
“Well, I hope you’ll both keep in touch once you find more time for such things,” Olive said. “Travis Stone struck me as a nice young man and someone worth staying friends with.”
Courtney felt a blush colour her cheeks and dropped her gaze. Olive let out a soft laugh and rose from the sofa.
“Well, I ought to be on my way. Now that my jet lag has been dispatched, I’m looking forward to catching up with everyone after spending so many weeks on the other side of the ocean. I’m dropping by to see my friend Walter for a catch-up and then I’m meeting some of my lady friends for a late lunch. I’ll see you soon, I hope?”
“Of course you will.”
“Good luck with your move across Hamblehurst to your aunt and uncle’s house,” Olive said at the door. “And don’t be a stranger!”
After a final hug goodbye, Courtney waved Olive off. After checking on Hope in her bassinet and watching her daughter sleep for a few moments, she returned to her final packing tasks.
As she worked, her mind returned to what Olive had said. She mulled over Olive’s words about how she’d convinced herself she wouldn’t be able to attend her grandson’s wedding in Canada because of worries about the effects of the long-haul travel… and then had realised those worries were nothing more than a mental obstacle and one she could overcome if she put her mind to it.
It was a heartwarming story. Courtney knew for herself how much grit and determination it took to do something that scared you. The last year of her life had led her to face countless daunting challenges she never imagined having to endure, and although there were many, many times when she thought she didn’t have what it took to keep going, she somehow found the will to do just that, despite the odds, despite the fear, despite the heartbreak.
So, considering all she’d survived this year, why was it that she was terrified of the idea of sending Travis Stone a simple text message to say, Hello, how are you?
The answer, she knew, was simple. She’d felt far more for Travis than just friendship. She still did. But there would never be anything more than friendship between them, and that just wasn’t enough.
And so there was no point in sending off a casual text message to him, asking how he was. Their brief time together was over and their lives were leading them in wildly different directions.
Better to accept that and let go of what she’d felt for him and concentrate instead on what truly mattered—her daughter and giving Hope the best future she possibly could.
It was better that way.
She was bagging up some of Hope’s plush toys that she’d overlooked when the doorbell rang again. With Hope still fast asleep, Courtney went to answer the door, figuring it was her uncle Colin and aunt Lorraine and feeling glad she’d almost completed her packing before they arrived.
But yet again, it wasn’t her uncle on the doorstep.
This time, it was Travis Stone.
The unexpected sight of him made Courtney’s breath catch in her throat. His smile was uncertain, his eyes scanning hers as she stood there, stunned. He wore a grey shirt and dark blue jeans, and looked achingly handsome with his hair cropped shorter since the last time she’d seen him.
“Hi, Courtney,” he said. “Sorry to just drop by like this out of the blue.”
“It’s fine. It’s great to see you.” Her heart was hammering against her chest, but she did her best to offer a smile, determined not to let him see just how shocked she was to have him turn up without warning. “How have you been?”
“I’ve been good, thanks. What about you? How is Hope?”
“She’s wonderful. Growing bigger every day. Would you like to come in and see her?”
Travis’s smile widened. “I’d love to.”
“Excuse the mess,” she said for the second time that day when Travis followed her into the living room. “I’m moving in with my aunt and uncle today, so everything is packed and ready to go and all my stuff and Hope’s stuff is piled up everywhere.”
She led him to where Hope was still asleep in the bassinet. His face lit up when he saw her.
“She’s got so big! And she looks so cute lying there all cosy.”
“I’d offer to let you hold her, but I don’t want to risk waking her up when we’ve got a busy day ahead of us with the big move.”
“Of course. No, don’t wake her up.”
For a long beat, Travis continued looking at Hope, smiling as he watched her sleep. It was impossible for Courtney to miss the tenderness in his expression as he looked at her tiny daughter, and seeing the soft look in his eyes made her heart do traitorous things to her.
“So,” Courtney said to fill the quiet moment. “What brings you to Hamblehurst?”
Travis turned from the baby and gave her an easy shrug. “I was visiting my sister and I thought…” He trailed off all of a sudden and his shoulders sagged. “I had to see you, Courtney. Visiting my sister was just an excuse. I’ve missed you.”
She hadn’t expected this turn in the conversation, and although she searched frantically for a response, none came.
“Ever since I returned to London, I’ve wished I was back here,” he continued. “I tried to stay focused on my manuscript editing and any number of other things to keep me busy. But none of it made any difference because I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”
Courtney knew her mouth was gaping, but was helpless to do anything about it.
“And I know I’m probably miles out of line here. I know I am,” Travis said. “But I had to come here and tell you this because I need to know…” He blew out a breath. “I need to know if you might feel the same way about me as I feel about you.”
She wanted desperately to say something, but still, no words came. What Travis had said left her utterly stunned.
Travis searched her face, seeking a response, before he spoke again. “I keep thinking about that picnic we had at the park. I almost kissed you that day and it was only much later when I thought about it that I wondered if maybe… if maybe you’d almost kissed me, too.”
Courtney felt her cheeks flame with heat, a mixture of embarrassment and longing. She tried to think about how to answer, but it wasn’t her brain that steered her—it was her heart.
“Yes, I almost kissed you,” she said, her voice tiny. “I thought I sent you running for the hills.”
He shook his head and laughed softly. “I thought I sent you running for the hills.”
“How on earth could you have wanted to kiss me?” she wondered, genuinely baffled. “I was a mess. A heavily pregnant, penniless, stupid mess.”
He shook his head again. “I fell for you the first time I saw you. I never stopped falling. And when Hope was born and I held her for the first time, I fell all over again.”
Courtney thought she’d melt into a puddle on the floor if he said anything else. Eyes wide, skin burning with fever because of his words, she tried to say something, but he’d once again left her utterly speechless.
Travis’s gaze searched her face for a long beat before he closed the distance between them and slipped his hand into hers. Lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed it, his eyes locked on hers. The moment was filled with such tender romance that Courtney’s knees turned to jelly.
When he stepped closer still and gently tilted her chin up, she thought she’d lose herself in the depths of his hazel eyes.
And when his lips touched hers, every nerve-ending in her body thrummed with joy.
Courtney didn’t know how long they kissed for, only that it wasn’t long enough.
Travis brushed a hand along her cheek and through her hair. Courtney inhaled the scent of him, the clean citrus smell on his neck making her rest her head against his chest with a soft sigh.
“Can I take you to dinner sometime?” Travis asked. “You and Hope?”
“We’d love that. I should warn you, though, she’s likes to dribble and drool.”
“I’ll be in good company in that case.”
She laughed, amazed that this could feel so easy, so simple, so right .
Reality rushed back like an icy wave and she stepped back, looking up into Travis’s eyes with regret.
“But maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all, Travis. You live in London, I live here, and…”
“Actually, I live here now, too.”
Courtney blinked. “What?”
Travis dug into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a key ring. “I’m moving back into the house down the road, for a while at least. The owners decided they loved their motorhome travels around Europe so much, they’ve decided to set off on another big adventure. They’ll be gone for at least six months and asked if I was interested in renting the house while they’re gone. I wanted to jump at the chance, not just because I wrote the best book I’ve ever written while I was staying there, but because being here would bring me closer to you.”
He waved a hand and gave her a serious look. “But before I moved in, I wanted to come here and find out if there was a chance for something between us. Now that I know there is, I can’t wait to come back.”
He glanced at the packed bags sitting around the room. “You said you’re moving in with your aunt and uncle. They live in Hamblehurst, right?”
Courtney nodded.
“And you don’t mind me moving back here, do you?”
“How could I?”
“I don’t want to scare you off by rushing into things.”
“You’re not.”
The idea of him returning to Hamblehurst filled her with joy. The idea that he was coming back here to find out if there might be a future for them both together made her heart almost burst with happiness.
“We’ll have a perfect summer here together, Courtney,” he said. “And I’ll start writing another book. My editor loves the one I already wrote here and wants more, and I’m excited about the new direction the series is going in. I think being here, in this town and living here on this street, is a big part of why the books are now going in this new direction.”
Courtney saw the excitement on his face, saw how much it meant to him to feel satisfied with the work he did and the books he wrote.
“But what I want most of all is to spend time with you,” he said. “With you and with Hope.”
“We’ve got a lot to find out about each other.”
Travis raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I already know everything I need to know.”
The swooning smile almost cracked her face in two. “Have you ever thought about switching genres from mystery to romance, Travis? Because if you can come up with stuff like that, then I think you’d be pretty great at writing love stories.”
“Why would I want to write a love story when I can live one instead?”
“Now you’re just showing off.”
With a bubble of laughter, she let him pull her closer into his arms and kiss her until her head was spinning, and her entire world, too.