Page 37 of Falling in Love at Pennycress Inn

Looking back down at her phone, Nicola tapped out a reply, trying hard not to focus on the meaning of the kiss at the end of his message.

That would be lovely. N x

She watched as the three dots appeared on the screen to indicate Charlie was typing back.

Great! I’ll pick you up at seven. Looking forward to it x

Grinning, she reminded herself that whatever was going on between them was so ridiculously new that she really needed to protect herself and not get ahead of anything.

As she began typing another reply, a tapping noise sounded from in front of her.

Looking up, she scoured the street, trying to work out where the tapping had come from. Just as it started up again, her eyes rested on the bakery window. It was Nathan. There he was, standing by the big glass window of the bakery, trying to get her attention. She frowned.

Nathan waved his hand and held up a mug, signalling her to join him.

She shook her head and began walking again. There was no way she wanted to go in and have a coffee and cake with him in the bakery. However nice it was inside; she’d still be sitting facing her ex – and why on earth would he want her to join him?

And why was he in Meadowfield, anyway? He should be at work.

‘Nic! Nic, hold up!’ His voice rose above the general hubbub in the street.

Dipping her head down, she focused on the pavement ahead. She’d just pretend she hadn’t seen him. Or heard him. He would give up soon enough.

‘Nic!’ Catching her up, Nathan fell into step beside her. ‘Didn’t you hear me calling you?’

Slumping her shoulders, she sighed. ‘Sorry, Nathan. I’ve got things to do.’

‘Come and grab a coffee with me. We need to talk.’ He pointed behind them back towards the bakery.

‘I can’t. I’m working.’ She pointed to the canvas bag she had flung on her shoulder.Please, just take the hint, Nathan.

‘We need to talk. You can spare me five minutes.’ He cupped her elbow.

Spinning on her heels to face him, she shook him off. ‘And why do you think I can or should spare five minutes of my time for you? Especially after the stunt you pulled the other day.’

‘Because we used to live together, because an eight-year relationship should count for something,’ he retorted, his voice strong.

‘Yes, it should count for something, shouldn’t it? It’s just a shame it didn’t in your eyes, not when you were cheating on me. Not when you were wining and dining your mistress in our kitchen and no doubt getting up to other things I don’t even want to think about.’ She glared at him. ‘So, quite frankly, you’ve only yourself to blame that my views on what counts or doesn’t count have changed. I owe you nothing, Nathan. And I most definitely don’t owe you the one thing you couldn’t give me and that’s time.’

‘Nic…’

‘Andstopcalling me that. That’s a nickname my friends call me and you most definitely are not my friend.’ Gripping the bag handle with her shaking hands, Nicola walked off.

‘I’ve got nowhere to go, Nic— Sorry, Nicola. I’ve got no one.’

Turning around, she watched as he held his arms out and looked at her with something akin to a puppy dog stare. Before the affair, before he’d broken her heart, that look would have worked, and she’d have given him what he wanted. But not now. Now she’d seen through him, now she’d seen him at his worst. He’d all but broken her and there was no chance she’d let that happen again, that she’d let him lie to her. ‘I can’t trust anything you say. Now, please, let me get on.’

Pausing, he looked at her, his eyes narrowing and his lips curling up into a scowl. ‘You’ve moved on, haven’t you? That guy I saw you with at the end of our road. You’re with him?’

‘At the end ofmyroad. You don’t live there anymore, and you chose that, remember? You made the decision to cheat on me with Kerry, and you would have known the consequences. The cottage, my life, it’s mine and I don’t have to answer to you. To anyone.’

Setting her jaw, Nicola turned again, this time determined to walk away from him. Determined not to be pulled into one of his conversations, or, worse still, one of his question-and-answer firing squads. No, he didn’t get to be privy to what was going on in her life. Not anymore. And he’d just have to get used to it.

She ignored his pleas to her to turn around, relieved that he at least was no longer trying to walk with her.

Stepping into the hardware store, she forced a smile. ‘Hi, Neil. How are you today?’

Neil Parsons looked up from the papers he was scribbling on, his pen poised in the air. ‘I can’t complain, Nic. I can’t complain. How are you on this fine day?’

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