Page 18 of Sunny Sundays at Primrose Hall

‘Me neither,’ said Tom, with a smile. ‘This has been great. I’ve really enjoyed myself,’ he said, as though it was something of a revelation to him.

Sophie glanced at her watch as she became aware of the tiredness slowly seeping around her body. It had been a long day and this had been the perfect way to finish it, but she needed to make a move to go home. She still had some chores to do to get ready for work tomorrow so she would get back to the cottage, sort out her clothes for the next day, read a chapter of her book and then head to bed. Although if she would be able to easily fall asleep, she didn’t know. She suspected she might be far too overstimulated to drop off, knowing her mind would be replaying every single moment and interaction of the day. Now, she stretched her arms high above her head and made her excuses to Tom as she popped to the loo, stopping, on the way, to have a chat with Rhi, who was working behind the bar. She’d only recently got to know Rhi. Pia had introduced her one day up at the stables, and ever since Rhi had always made a point of talking to Sophie whenever they bumped into each other. It wasanother reason why Sophie felt so comfortable coming to the Three Feathers, everyone really was that friendly.

On her way back to the table, with a smile on her face, Sophie stopped, hearing her name called. She didn’t give it a moment’s thought, suspecting it would be Malc or one of the locals asking after her. She turned round, still smiling, her heart dropping when she realised it wasn’t a friendly regular after all, but the last person she wanted to run into.

‘Ah, so this is where you’ve been hiding?’

‘Kyle!’ Somehow she managed to plaster on a tight smile in an attempt to conceal her devastation at seeing him in what had been, up to that moment, a safe haven. Now her old reality and all the bad feelings associated with it came rushing in around her. ‘Do you live around here then?’ he asked.

A shiver ran up her spine. She was under no obligation to tell Kyle where she was living now, so why did she feel so guilty about keeping it from him? It was easy to fall back into old patterns of behaviour, but she shook herself down and told herself that she wouldn’t allow Kyle to spoil what had been a lovely day so far.

‘Not really, no,’ she lied. ‘I was just meeting a friend. I ought to get back.’

She turned her back on him, not believing her bad luck. She hadn’t run into him for months, and had barely given him a second thought, and now in the space of a few weeks she’d bumped into him twice. She walked with determination back to the table and to the safety of Tom’s company, knowing she would feel reassured just by seeing his friendly face, but she noticed that he was distracted, poring over his phone, which was probably just as well. She was in no mood for making awkward introductions.

‘I suppose we ought to make a move,’ she said brightly to Tom.

She just hoped that… But any hope that Kyle might not have followed her was dashed just as she returned to the table and she felt Kyle’s presence hovering over her shoulder. At that moment, Tom looked up, his gaze momentarily sweeping from Sophie to Kyle, before quickly returning to his phone. What was suddenly so important to him that he couldn’t pick up on the situation currently unfolding in front of him?

‘Ah, I get it now,’ said Kyle, whose attention was fixed firmly on Sophie. ‘This is why you’ve been blocking my calls. You have a new boyfriend. Well, aren’t you going to introduce me?’

Sophie knew Kyle well enough to realise that the expansive grin on his face was entirely unnatural. Her stomach churned and a heat rose in her cheeks. She was mortified, noticing how their interaction was creating a few curious stares from some of the other customers.

‘Kyle, don’t do this. This is a friend of mine, not my boyfriend. Not that it’s any business of yours.’ She dropped her voice. ‘And you’re embarrassing me.’

Tom looked up, snapping closed his phone and stood up.

‘I have to go. I’ll leave you with… your friend, if that’s okay.’ Sophie looked at Tom, aghast. Was he annoyed or embarrassed that Kyle had turned up? Certainly, he looked uncomfortable and distracted. As though he couldn’t wait to get away.

‘Well, we were just leaving anyway, weren’t we?’

‘Sorry, Sophie. I need to go. I’ll give you a call.’

With that, Tom was halfway out of the door, leaving Sophie deflated and confused, and worst of all, having to face Kyle, who had an unbecoming smirk on his face.

‘Clearly not your boyfriend then. Still, not a very gentlemanly way to treat you, if you want my honest opinion. Mind you, his loss is my gain. What you having to drink, Sophs?’

It was the casual use of the name that he had always used for her, so intimate and personal, which had once made her beam with pleasure, but now only caused her skin to grow cold.

‘Just leave it, Kyle. Besides, I’m going home.’

‘One drink. It won’t hurt.’ He held up his pint glass. ‘I’m on the lime and soda, I promise you. Come on, Sophs, we need to talk. Don’t you think?’

‘No, I really don’t!’

She scooped up her handbag and turned to leave, bumping straight into Tom, who had just come rushing in back through the front door.

‘Sorry! I forgot something.’ He placed his hands on her arms, looking into her eyes. ‘Are you all right?’ he asked, his tone full of concern as his gaze drifted across to Kyle.

‘Yes, I’m fine,’ she said, hoping he hadn’t heard the quiver in her voice. ‘I was just leaving.’

‘I know, you’re coming with me.’ He took her by the hand and led her outside to his car, away, hopefully, from Kyle’s prying eyes.

‘Look, I am so sorry about that,’ Tom said, when they were outside. ‘I didn’t realise. That was your ex, right? It only occurred to me as I climbed into the car. I had a text from Pia and my mind was somewhere else entirely. Apparently Jackson’s been involved in an accident and she’s rushed down to the hospital to be with him. I need to get down there too.’

Sophie gasped, her concerns about Kyle immediately forgotten.

‘Is he okay?’

---