Page 67 of Falling in Love at Pennycress Inn

Closing the back door firmly behind her, she placed the glasses down and squashed the pizza box into the bin just as the doorbell sang its tune.

Freezing, she could hear her heart pounding in her ears. Was it Charlie? Did she want it to be Charlie?

Hurrying through to the living room, Nicola peered through the window and her breathing steadied.

It wasn’t Charlie. Of course it wasn’t. How could it have been? He wouldn’t have driven all the way to London just to visit her for an hour before travelling back.

It was Laura.

Opening the door into the hallway, Nicola jumped as Trixie zoomed past her, straight to the sofa, where she sat crouched down, her tail flicking side to side.

‘The baby bird isn’t there, Trixie. It’s outside and I’ve locked your cat flap. Let it muster enough energy to fly away before you go prowling again.’ Leaving her to it, Nicola pulled open the front door. ‘Hi, Laura.’

‘Hey, you okay?’ Laura shifted from foot to foot.

Nicola nodded and forced a smile. She didn’t want Laura to worry about her. She should be at home with Jackson, not checking in on her employees. ‘Apart from having to rescue Trixie’s latest catch, I am. I’m sorry about today. I know I hardly got anything done at all. But I’ll be back to my usual self tomorrow.’

‘Oh, that’s not why I’m here. I mean, yes, I’m here to see if you’re okay, but not because I’m worried about how much work you’re doing at the inn. I’m worried because you’re my friend and I care about you.’

Nicola pulled the door open further. ‘Well, thanks. Do you want to come in for a cuppa? It’s a bit of a mess and there are a few fledgling sparrow feathers here and there, but?—’

Holding her hand up, Laura grinned. ‘Another time. I’m here to go to the village meeting with you.’

‘The village meeting?’ Of course, how could she have forgotten? She usually loved the meetings. The whole of the community huddled together in the village hall to have a natter about the goings-on in Meadowfield, but it was the last thing she wanted to do this evening. She couldn’t think of anything worse than to spend the next couple of hours in the presence of so many happy couples, families… ‘I’m sorry, I’m not going today.’

Laura’s face fell. ‘Oh, you must. I mean, it’ll be good for you to get out.’

Nicola shook her head. ‘No, really. I can’t. Not this evening.’

‘Please, Nic. Please come.’

‘No.’ She raked her fingers through her hair. ‘I’m a mess, on the inside and on the outside. I can’t face sitting in a hall and listening to Miss Cooke ranting on for two or three hours. You go with Jackson.’

‘Uh, that’s the thing, Jackson, umm… He’s not coming, and I really, really don’t want to go on my own.’ Laura wrung her hands in front of her. ‘Please, Nic.’

Frowning, Nicola watched as Laura glanced over her shoulder as Nicola’s neighbours began leaving the street to head towards the village hall. ‘I thought Jackson usually went?’

‘He does, yes.’ Laura focused her attention back to Nicola. ‘But… umm… tonight he’s busy.’

‘You’ll be fine on your own. Jill will be there, and Rachel.’ Nicola gripped hold of the door frame. She couldn’t face the village residents, not tonight. Not with her and Charlie’s break-up so raw. As much as she adored village life, the downside was that everybody knew each other’s business. Everyone would be gossiping about it, talking behind their hands, stealing glances towards her when they didn’t think she was looking.

‘Come with me, Nic? Please?’ Laura held her hands together and pleaded again.

Nicola looked at her and swallowed. It didn’t feel as though she had much of a choice. Laura had always been so supportive of her and if, for whatever reason, she was worried about going to the village meeting by herself, then Nicola would just have to go.

35

Sitting on one of the hard chairs, Nicola glanced around the hall and, sure enough, people were whispering behind their hands, their eyes on her. Turning back to face the front, she slouched low in her seat, trying to shake the feeling of the eyes boring into her back. Looking across at Laura, she hissed, ‘Everyone knows that me and Charlie have broken up, then.’

Looking around quickly, Laura shrugged. ‘I doubt it. News travels fast, but not that fast. It’s only been a couple of days.’

‘Oh, news does travel that fast. It only takes two hours on a slow day to reach the outskirts of Meadowfield.’

Laura shook her head. ‘So what if they do know?’

Nicola sighed. Laura had a point. People were bound to find out sooner or later. Maybe it was best just to get the stares and the murmurs over and done with in one hit. At least if everyone got the gossip out of their system tonight, then she’d be able to walk through the village without everyone looking at her and asking if she was okay. Nicola straightened her back. ‘I guess you’re right. They’ll have talked about me whether I had come tonight or not.’

‘That’s the spirit.’ Laura grinned at her.

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