Page 65 of Falling in Love at Pennycress Inn

‘Hey, Nic.’

Nicola felt Laura’s hand on her shoulder as she lowered herself to the step next to her.

‘I brought you a fresh coffee.’

Nicola nodded, her gaze on the road out front, unwavering.

‘Here, give me that one.’ Reaching over, Laura gently took the cold mug from Nicola’s grasp and replaced it with another mug, the warmth of the coffee inside quickly heating Nicola’s hands.

‘Thanks.’ She spoke quietly, her voice breaking.

‘Why don’t you come inside for a bit?’

Nicola heard the thud as Laura placed the cold coffee mug on the step above. She shook her head.

‘Or go and speak to him before it’s too late?’ Laura’s voice was uncertain, as though she wasn’t quite sure how Nicola would react.

‘I can’t.’

‘I think that you should. He’s been ringing the inn, you know.’ She held up her mobile. ‘And me, and Jackson too. He’s worried about you.’

‘I know, but he understands things wouldn’t work out.’

‘I don’t think he does.’ Laura spoke softly.

Twisting on the step, Nicola looked across at her. ‘But he must do. The other day, when he told me he was leaving, going back to the city for work, we worked out that at best we’d be seeing each other once or twice a month. How can he think that will work out?’

Laura cleared her throat. ‘I think because he loves you and I’m guessing you love him too?’

‘I do. I’ve never felt this way about anyone else before. Not even Nathan, and I agreed to get engaged to him.’ Nicola shook her head. ‘But I’m doing this for both of us. Not just me, for him too.’

‘Nic, if it’s because you work some weekends, then we can work around that. I can find someone else to come in instead. You can visit him then.’

Nicola smiled sadly. She’d had a feeling Laura might say that. ‘Thank you, but it doesn’t change anything, not really. He will still have to travel for work, and we wouldn’t know when, so he might well be travelling on those weekends, anyway.’

‘Okay, I just don’t want you to think we can’t be flexible, because we can. We can play things by ear, go with the flow. Do whatever is best so you can see him more.’

Nicola looked down at her coffee. It was strong, she could smell the bittersweet aroma from just where she was holding it. ‘Thanks, I appreciate it. I really do, but it doesn’t change anything. Charlie’s job will get in the way.’

Laura rubbed Nicola’s forearm.

‘I should have realised earlier when he said him and his ex had broken up because they never saw each other. I should have walked away then, but I couldn’t.’ She shook her head. If she had, she might have been able to get over him, to heal her heart, but she was in too deep now. She was too invested. This wasn’t a break-up she’d be getting over. Not any time soon. Maybe never. She felt too much for him for that.

‘Maybe they just weren’t in love as much as you two are.’

Nicola bit down on her bottom lip, the skin still tender from where she’d made it bleed the other day. ‘I thought about that, but it wouldn’t change anything. If he’s away working, then he’s away working. And then we’ve got the added complication that we live hours apart. They didn’t.’

‘But—’

‘No, ever since he told me I’ve been trying to wrack my brains to find a solution, to try to figure out a way that we might be able to make this work, but I can’t. And whenever I think I’ve found a way…’ She shook her head. ‘It’s not going to happen. It can’t.’

‘Oh, Nic, I’m so sorry. I really thought you and Charlie were made for each other.’ Laura inched closer and wrapped her arm around Nicola’s shoulders.

‘So did Jill, and she’s never been wrong at predicting the future of my relationships.’ She let out a hollow laugh. ‘I guess she was this time.’

‘If you’re not going to go and see him, or answer his calls, why don’t you go home? Take a bubble bath.’ Laura shook her head. ‘Sorry, not that I think a bubble bath will fix this, but you know what I mean.’

‘I do, but no, I’m okay, or I will be. I just need a few more minutes.’ She glanced at Laura. ‘If that’s okay?’

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