Page 59 of Falling in Love at Pennycress Inn

‘Yep, just need to take this.’ Forcing a smile, Nicola walked towards the door and pushed it open, grateful to fill her lungs with the fresh air outside. She walked quickly through the tables in the courtyard towards the street beyond and, once she’d stepped out of the vicinity of the pub, she slowed her pace.

Tapping the screen of her mobile absent-mindedly, she slipped it back into her pocket. There was no call. She’d just needed to get out, to save herself from listening to Charlie’s plans, to escape hearing the truth of the fact that, all being well, the farm would be sold in the near future. The very near future. And Charlie would be gone from Meadowfield.

Perching on a bench at the side of the street, she watched as people walked past, laughing and chatting amongst themselves as they drank smoothies or picked at candyfloss purchased from the street stalls, children skipped by holding huge balloons – dinosaurs, ballerinas, dogs – while the local litter-picking team had jumped straight from their own carnival float to clear the streets of Meadowfield of abandoned paper cups, lollipop sticks and runaway balloons, filling their purple bin liners.

‘Hey, Nic, there you are. You okay?’

Turning, Nicola watched as Laura hurried towards her. ‘Phone call.’

‘Uh-huh, why’s it in your pocket then?’ Laura gave her a quick smile. ‘I’m not daft. I know that trick.’

Nicola turned back to watch the litter pickers, her voice low. ‘Was it that obvious? Did anyone else notice?’

Laura shook her head. ‘Not at all and the men are deep in conversation, anyway.’

‘Hmm, yes. About how desperate Charlie is to escape the quaint streets of Meadowfield.’

Laura lowered herself to the bench next to her. ‘It must be difficult hearing him talk about leaving.’

Nicola nodded. ‘I know I’ve got absolutely zero right to be so upset. I knew he was leaving. Right from before we began dating, I’d always known he was only here on a temporary basis, but…’

‘You’ve still got every right to feel as you do.’

‘No, I don’t. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. I knew it would end up being a long-distance thing if we lasted this long.’ She shifted position on the wooden bench. ‘I don’t know. I guess I thought we’d have longer together. Longer to get to know one another. Longer enough to know if this was serious or not.’

‘And you’re not sure now?’

Nicola sighed. ‘Oh, I’m sure. I’ve fallen for the guy, hook, line and sinker, haven’t I?’

‘And him? Has he told you how he feels about you?’ Laura spoke quietly.

‘Kind of.’ Nicola thought back to that evening in her garden. ‘He’s told me he’s not felt like this about anyone else before and that he feels as though he’s falling for me, but what does that even mean?’

‘Just that.’ Laura smiled. ‘You must see the way he looks at you?’

‘Umm.’ Nicola shrugged. She had. She’d thought he felt the same way as she did, but then why was he so desperate to leave? ‘I…’ Biting down on her bottom lip, she paused. She couldn’t admit the truth. She couldn’t admit that she’d got her hopes up, started to dream about a future which Charlie had never promised her. She couldn’t admit any of it, not even to Laura.

‘Go on, you can tell me. I won’t repeat anything you say to me.’

‘Okay, but you’re going to think I’m being really stupid, selfish even.’ Nicola looked sidelong at her. She knew she could trust Laura not to say anything. She may not have known her long, but they spent so many hours together at work, she felt as though she knew her more than most people.

‘You, selfish? I don’t think you could be if you wanted to.’ Laura rubbed Nicola’s forearm. ‘Try me.’

‘Okay then.’ Taking a deep breath, Nicola began to talk, the words suddenly spilling out of her. She’d kept how she was feeling close to her heart for what felt like a while now and now she was about to give her thoughts a voice. Even if she wasn’t sure if she was doing the right thing. ‘I just thought that the more he got to know the village, the people in it, the community events we put on, such as the carnival, then he’d begin to see it in a different light. That it would make him change his mind and want to stay.’

‘Right, well, spending time here probably has given him a better insight into the village. He probably does like it more than he thought he would when he first came, but I suppose he’s already got a life back in London, a job that he can’t walk away from.’

Nicola wrung her hands in her lap and let slip what she was really thinking, what had been playing on her mind for the past few days. ‘I just thought he’d get to knowmebetter and want to stay forme.’

‘Oh, Nic…’ Sliding across the bench towards her, Laura wrapped her arm around her friend and drew her closer.

‘I know, I know.’ Nicola used the edge of her T-shirt to swipe at the tears falling from her eyes. ‘I told you it was selfish. I told youIwas selfish.’

‘Hey, you’re not selfish. Not one bit. That’s not a selfish thing to think at all. Everything’s just more complicated than that.’

Nicola took a shuddering breath. ‘It’s not, though, not really. He has a way of life here, a job, all set up for him. He just doesn’t feel as strongly as I do about him. That’s the reality, isn’t it?’

‘No, it’s not.’

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