Page 24 of The Forever Cottage

‘No, thank you. I can’t stay as I have another appointment, but maybe some other time,’ he said, with a tilt of his head.

‘Yes, I’ll keep in touch. Let you know how I get on. Thanks again, for everything that you’ve done.’

‘It’s my pleasure. Good luck,’ said Nico, standing up, appraising her with his dark brown eyes. ‘You’ve got this.’

Tess smiled, remembering that Dilly had told her the same thing recently too. She was glad her friends had faith in her.

She led the way through the kitchen and into the hallway to the front door. There, they stood awkwardly for the briefest moment before Nico held his arms out, offering a hug. Without hesitation, she stepped into his embrace, exhaling a sigh as she revelled in the sensation of being wrapped in his arms. It felt reassuring, comforting, and entirely natural, and if she hadn’t checked herself in time, she could quite happily have remained wrapped in Nico’s arms, chasing those delicious scents much longer than was entirely appropriate. Thankfully, Nico eased himself out of their embrace and took a step backwards, a smile resting on his lips.

‘I must get off,’ he said and Tess wondered if he was feeling the tension radiating between them too, the suggestion of something altogether more intimate hanging in the air.

‘Yes, of course. Thanks again for popping round and for the advice.’ She felt her cheeks redden, really hoping she hadn’t embarrassed herself, that she hadn’t given away the feelings she was struggling with inside.

‘Take care. Let’s keep in touch,’ he threw over his shoulder as he went on his way.

18

Gina’s plush barn conversion was at the other end of the village, in the grounds of an old farmyard. The run-down, stone buildings had been renovated into four dwellings, similar in design, but each with their own individual style and charm, situated around a gravel courtyard. At the back of Gina’s property there was a small, enclosed garden with a low picket fence giving wide-reaching views over the surrounding countryside. The patio running the length of the building housed a profusion of stone pots blooming with pink, white and mauve flowers and a small, wrought-iron table with matching chairs. It was the perfect spot to sit and watch the world go by, especially on a beautiful summer’s evening, with a glass of Prosecco in hand when the warmth of the day still lingered in the air.

‘This is so wonderful,’ Tess uttered, lifting her face to the sky to catch the last of the sun’s rays. She had enjoyed the walk through the village on a summer’s evening, picking up Suzy on the way and stopping to chat to some villagers who she hadn’t seen since Charles had moved out. There was a part of her that felt embarrassed and ashamed about her situation, but she had no reason to be. Everyone she spoke to had been dismayed by her husband’s behaviour and offered only encouragement and support when realising she was on her own now, insisting that she must get in touch with them if she needed any help. Breathing in the mellow evening air as they arrived at Gina’s place, she felt grateful for living in such a picturesque and supportive village as Lower Leaping.

Gina had moved into The Dairy five years previously after Adam had left the family home in a neighbouring village to join the army. It was as different from Tess’s country cottage as it was possible to be, with its clean lines and modern styling, but it had Gina’s distinctive and sophisticated flair written all over it.

‘It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I still have to pinch myself sometimes to believe that it’s all mine. I’ve got it exactly as I want it now, and I like that it’s pretty rural, but I can still walk into the village, and pick up some milk, or go to the pub. Best of all though, I love knowing that you two are just a stone’s throw away. I know we don’t see each other as much as when the children were small, but simply knowing that you’re nearby means the world to me.’

‘Definitely,’ said Suzy. ‘That’s what friends are for, right? We might go days or weeks without seeing each other, but knowing that you’re both there for me gives me a real sense of belonging and security.’

Tess understood the sentiment entirely, having leaned on her friends heavily in recent weeks.

‘Exactly,’ said Gina. ‘And it’s been too long since we’ve got together like this. We need to do this much more often, now that we’re able to. Let me fetch some wine.’

Gina dashed off to grab the bottle from the fridge and topped up everyone’s glasses, before bringing out dishes of pistachio nuts and cheese straws.

‘So, how have you been?’ Tess asked when Gina sat down at the table. ‘Did you manage to smooth things over with Ryan?’

‘No, we’ve split up,’ said Gina, feigning a nonchalance Tess knew couldn’t be genuine. ‘His decision. He said if I wasn’t as committed to the relationship as he was then there was no point in carrying on. He wanted us to marry and move in together, but I’ve done that and certainly don’t want to do it again. Sometimes, I think familiarity can breed contempt.’

‘Oh, Gina, that’s tough.’ Tess leaned forward in her chair and wrapped her arms around her friend, before clasping her face in her hands. ‘The pair of you were so good together.’

‘I know. And shouldn’t that have been enough? We were having a great time, seeing each other a couple of times a week, having fun, but also having time to ourselves as well. That time spent apart made it all the more special when we did get together. My life is busy with the business, seeing Adam when he’s home on leave, the tennis club and everything else I try to cram into my week. I haven’t got the time for a husband! Ryan lives in a small, rented flat above a shop so it would mean him moving in with me, taking over this lovely space. Can you imagine? All his gear and grubby smalls making a mess everywhere.’ Gina gestured indoors towards the beautiful, minimalist living space, her expression giving away exactly what she thought to that idea. ‘It’s not what I want. I’ve worked hard to get to this position in life and I don’t want to give up my freedom and independence. If that makes me selfish then so be it.’

‘Not at all,’ said Suzy. ‘You’ve got to be true to yourself. And if it’s not what you want then you shouldn’t be made to feel bad about that.’

‘Yeah.’ Gina puffed out a sigh. ‘I miss him, though. I suppose I might have been guilty of taking him for granted but I assumed the relationship suited us both the way it was. Obviously not. It’s sad but hey, I’ll get over it,’ she said with a wistful smile.

‘And there’s no chance of you getting back together?’ said Tess, immediately regretting the question remembering how she’d reacted when Nico had asked her the very same thing about Charles.

Gina shrugged, seemingly unperturbed.

‘I don’t think so. Ryan talks about putting down roots with someone. He might be twelve years younger than me, but I think he’s searching for a quieter, more settled way of life. And maybe someone to look after him too. I’m not that person,’ said Gina resignedly.

‘Right, well you do realise that this is the first time in all the years that we’ve known each other that we’re all single at the same time,’ Suzy said. ‘I’m not sure if that’s our good luck or bad luck,’ she added, laughing.

‘Only our good luck, something we should drink to,’ said Gina, raising her glass towards her friends, who returned the gesture.

‘I hadn’t thought of that, but I’m pleased that I’m keeping such good company,’ said Tess, reminded of Dilly’s words about being a member of an exclusive club now.

‘And of course, we’re at a wonderful point in our lives where we can please ourselves. We don’t need men for anything any more; we’ve had our babies, and our mortgages, so if we do decide we want to have a new relationship or just some male companionship, then we can do that on our terms. At our age, we don’t have to accept bad behaviour or dubious habits. Or unreasonable demands.’ Gina was warming to her subject. ‘We need to start putting ourselves first, after a lifetime of looking after other people and, on that very note, and the real reason why I’ve got you here tonight…’ Gina gave an evil laugh. ‘How do we fancy a weekend away together at the end of the month?’

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