Page 37 of Rescue

“Drive safely, darling,” she says.

The call disconnects, and the car’s interior settles into silence once more. The road stretches ahead of me, but my thoughts linger on the place I’ve just left. On Abby. On Layla. On the way she filled the empty spaces in my life without me even realising they were there.

Maybe Mum’s right. Maybe it’s not about how long you’ve known someone. Maybe it’s about how much they make you feel.

I’ve fallen for her. For Abby. For her little corner of sunshine in the Yorkshire Dales.

The only question now is, what am I going to do about it?

Before I can think any further, I tap the steering wheel, instructing my phone to call Sunshine Cottage. The line connects, and after a couple of rings, Abby’s voice comes through, bright and professional.

“Sunshine Cottage, this is Abigail speaking.”

I grin, picturing her perched at her little reception desk, probably with a pencil tucked behind her ear. “Good evening. I’m calling to inquire about room availability for this weekend,” I say, dropping my voice into a polite, guest-like tone.

There’s a pause, and I can almost hear her brain catching up to the sound of my voice. “Well,” she starts slowly, before her tone shifts into playfulness, “according to my records, Mr Peterson, you’ve only just left us. Did you forget something?”

“No,” I say, “but I’m already missing the place. And the people.”

Another brief pause, and then, in a tone that’s almost shy, she replies, “I see. That’s quite a compliment. Unfortunately, we’re fully booked this weekend... unless—” She hesitates, then continues with a teasing lilt, “you don’t mind sharing a room. In which case, I could potentially put you up in mine.”

I chuckle, the sound filling the car. “Tempting,” I admit. “Very tempting.”

Her laugh joins mine, soft and warm. But as the moment stretches, I feel a shift, the playful edge giving way to something more serious. “I actually wanted to tell you something,” I begin, sobering my tone.

“Alright,” she says cautiously, her laughter fading.

“Ihad a call with my mum just now,” I start, debating how much to share. “She was asking questions. About you. About Layla. About... everything, really.”

“Everything?” she echoes, her voice quieter now, the vulnerability in it tugging at me.

“Yeah. She thinks I should stop hiding from how I feel.” I pause, taking a breath. “And she’s right, Abby. These three weeks... they’ve been more than I expected. You’ve been more than I expected.”

“Jon,” she starts, but I cut in gently.

“Let me finish, please,” I say, soft but firmly. “I don’t know what the future looks like. I can’t promise anything long-term right now. But what I do know is that I don’t want this to end. Not yet. So, I was thinking... maybe I could start coming up north more often. Weekends, whenever I can get away. To see you. To see where this is going. What do you think?”

The silence stretches, and I hold my breath, waiting for her answer.

“I think...” she starts, “that you should know we’re not exactly an easy package, Jon. It’s me, it’s Layla, it’s the B&B, and everything that comes with it.”

“I know,” I say firmly. “I know what I’m signing up for.”

Her exhale is shaky, but there’s a smile in her voice when she finally replies. “In that case, Mr Peterson, I think weekends sound perfect.”

A weight I didn’t even realise I was carrying lifts from my chest, and I smile, letting her words settle in. “Good,” I smile, my voice quiet but full of meaning. “Good.”

“Drive safe. And call me when you get home, please,” she says softly, and I can picture her smile, the one that’smade me feel at home since the moment I walked into Sunshine Cottage.

“I will. Talk later, Abby.”

“Talk later,” she echoes, and the line goes dead.

This is a beginning, not an ending. And it’s all because of her. Because of Abby.

Chapter 14

The Investigation

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