Page 23 of Falling in Love at Pennycress Inn

Turning to face him, Nicola wiped cobwebs from her face as she tried to stop herself from shouting at him. ‘Yes, good idea. Go and ask her.’

‘Maybe I will.’ He waited until she’d escaped the spiderweb-filled stable and closed the door behind her.

‘Good.’ Anything to take him away from her for a while. Yes, this wasn’t a great situation, but it wasn’t the end of the world either. Pulling up the edge of her T-shirt sleeve, she wiped her face again and shuddered. She felt as though she had a million spiders crawling across her skin. If she’d been with anyone else, she’d have asked them if she had any on her, but not him.

‘Hold on.’ Stepping forward, Charlie closed the small gap between them.

She paused as he reached his hand out towards her, brushing his fingers against the skin of her forehead. As soon as he’d stepped back again, she scrubbed her forehead, raking her fingers through her hair. ‘What was it? Was it a spider? Have I walked into a nest or something?’

His lips twitched with a smile. ‘It was just a web.’

‘Are you sure?’ She looked at him wide-eyed. Mice she could cope with. She didn’t mind trapping and releasing a hundred mice from her cottage, but spiders? They were a whole different story. Eight spindly legs. She shuddered again.

‘I’m sure.’ Relenting, he broke into a grin, his eyes dancing with the same unreadable expression he’d had when he’d taken her home.

‘Are you laughing at me?’ She continued to brush her arms. He was, wasn’t he? He was laughing at her.

‘Sorry. I’m not.’ He ran his palm across his face. ‘Or at least I’m not anymore.’

‘Well… thanks.’ She rolled her eyes at him. What a gentleman.

Marching towards the final stable door, she ripped it open and flourished her arm to indicate he should go through.

‘Your turn.’

‘Fine.’ Peering inside, he shook his head before closing the door again.

Slumping her shoulders, she sighed. ‘Where are they?’

‘I don’t know, but one thing I do know for certain is that I’m quickly regretting my decision to bow to your demands.’ He began striding away.

‘Hey, hang on. What do you mean, my demands? I’m not the one running the carnival. In fact, I only had the one job, and that was to convince you to agree to letting the community hub,’ she emphasised these words to reiterate the fact she wasn’t closely involved with the big event, ‘borrow the use of your tractors and trailers. That was all.’

‘But here you are.’ Stopping short, he turned to face her, the expression on his face slipping back into the usual grumpy frown she was used to seeing.

‘Yes, here I am because I’m a decent human being who happens to want to help the local community.’ She drew a breath. ‘This is not in my job description.’

‘It’s not in mine either.’ He grumbled as he resumed walking.

‘I know, I know.’ She jogged to catch up with him. ‘I understand you’ve got better things to be doing than running around after AWOL teenagers. You must have a lot of settling in to do, working things out and all that.’

‘Not settling in. No. I’m selling the place, remember?’

‘Ah, yes, of course.’ Why had she said settling in? Of course, he was just getting the farm ready to sell. He’d already told her that. ‘When are you hoping to get it on the market?’

Stopping, he looked at her, his eyes meeting hers. ‘Why? Are you going to make me an offer?’

‘Er… no. I was just wondering.’ She frowned. She’d just been trying to make conversation, that was all. And, of course, trying dismally to appease him, hoping the girls would just show up of their own accord and they could all get out of his way. She’d forgotten he was going to sell.

‘That’s a shame.’ There was that sarcasm again. He began walking once more. ‘It’d be a lot sooner if I didn’t have to spend my time running around the farm looking for kids you were supposed to be in charge of.’

‘I wasn’t…’ Nicola let her voice trail off. What was the point in repeating herself?

Her attention was caught by Miss Cooke hurrying towards them, arms waving in the air.

‘Please tell us you’ve found them.’ Charlie growled as Miss Cooke reached them.

‘Yes, yes, disaster averted. Carrie and Harper have returned.’ Miss Cooke held her side as she filled her lungs.

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