Page 21 of Falling in Love at Pennycress Inn

‘It’s not happening.’ Charlie turned around, retreating towards the barn.

Breathing a sigh of relief as he turned, Nicola straightened her back. That had been a close call. Now they could just turn and leave before he even realised she was here.

‘Nicola!’ Holding her hand above her eyes to shield herself from the evening sunlight, Miss Cooke searched the gaggle of people behind her.

Stopping abruptly, Charlie turned back around slowly, his eyes searching the group.

Great. Just what she was afraid of happening. Miss Cooke was singling her out. Well, Nicola wasn’t about to just let her pin the blame on her. She’d made it perfectly clear that they would be unwelcome and unwanted guests at Little Mead.

Sighing, she weaved her way towards the front until she was standing next to Miss Cooke.

‘Tell him. Go on, tell him that we need to measure up.’ Miss Cooke brandished her finger towards Charlie.

Okay, this was it. She took a deep breath, balling her hands into fists at her side. ‘I did try to say that Farmer Williams here had set certain rules with regard to our agreement.’

Widening his stance, Charlie nodded at her.

‘Yes, yes, and we’ll uphold that agreement, as I’ve already said. But now we need to take measurements. Anyone and everyone who has ever been involved with the Meadowfield carnival knows how these things work.’ Miss Cooke’s harsh voice broke through the soft clucking of the hens fussing around their feet.

Charlie ran his hand across his face, the stubble catching against the callouses on his palm, before holding his hand out. ‘Fine. Go on then. There’s a trailer behind the barn. Go straight there, measure and head home again.’

‘Thank you, Farmer Williams.’ Nodding curtly, Miss Cooke began to usher the girls towards the barn.

‘Don’t touch anything except the trailer and don’t wander off anywhere else. This is a working farm,’ Charlie called after them before kicking at a stone beneath his feet.

Standing still as the group walked past her, Nicola looked over at Charlie. She could tell he was angry, cross at the unannounced interruption to his evening. ‘I tried to tell her.’

Glancing across at her briefly, Charlie barely nodded. ‘Uh-huh.’

Nicola walked towards him. ‘I’m telling the truth. I knew nothing about this until she basically shoved me into the minibus. When she told me where we were going, I told her we wouldn’t be welcome.’

Charlie sighed, a loud audible escaping from his lips. ‘I knew this would happen. This is why I didn’t want to sign up for anything.’

‘Well, I didn’t. I didn’t know Miss Cooke would ignore your wishes.’

Shrugging as though divesting himself of the problem, Charlie turned his attention back to Nicola.

‘What? I didn’t.’ She held her arms open, trying to show him she was being honest. Searching for something to say to change the subject, she spoke quickly. ‘Thank you for the bike, by the way. For checking it over and fixing the brakes and wheel.’

‘It’s fine.’ He turned as he barked the words out before pointing in the direction of his unwanted guests. Without giving her a backwards glance, he said, ‘Keep an eye on them. Make sure nobody wanders off.’

‘I will.’

Nicola slumped her shoulders. That was it then, the kind Charlie who had surprised her by reconditioning her bike had disappeared, once again being replaced with the grumpy man she watched disappear in the opposite direction.

11

‘There, that wasn’t so bad, was it?’ As she ushered the netball team back onto the minibus, Miss Cooke nodded at Nicola, who was standing next to her.

Not so bad? She doubted whether Charlie would ever speak to her again, let alone be so inclined to do anything charitable for the villagers in the near future. She looked towards where he was standing beside the farmyard gate, watching silently as they crammed into the vehicle. Not that it mattered what he thought of her, and besides, he was selling the farm, anyway. Hopefully, someone who appreciated and nurtured connections with the local community would fill his position.

‘At least you have your measurements,’ Nicola acknowledged.

‘Yes, yes. We can make a start on implementing our designs now.’ Miss Cooke smiled brightly, seemingly completely unaware of the glare Charlie was sending her way.

When the last teen had climbed into the minibus, Nicola noticed Charlie turn on his heels and walk away.

‘Right, is that everyone? Let’s have a quick headcount.’ Miss Cooke pulled herself up onto the steps of the minibus and peered inside, her index finger pointing as she counted.

---