Page 73 of New Dreams for the Village Nurse
‘No,wewere cleaning. I was helping him. I figured he might need it. I was lucky my place was so clean when I moved in, but it’s not always like that and I know what Charles and Fliss are like when it comes to cleanliness. I thought there was a fair chance he’d need an extra pair of hands, and I was right.’
Heath folded his arms. ‘So have you been there all day?’
‘No.’
‘But long enough to want lunch?’
Ottilie narrowed her eyes and made to get past him with her bowls. ‘What is this? What does it matter? Why the sudden interrogation?’
‘I don’t know, but I’m here and you’re too tired to do anything and you can’t eat the meal I went to a lot of trouble to?—’
‘I did eat the meal!’ Ottilie dumped the dishes onto the kitchen table and turned to Heath, who had followed her in there.
‘You said you were struggling.’
‘Sometimes you’re hungrier than others. That’s normal.’
‘I’m only asking. Am I in the wrong for asking?’
‘For God’s sake, Heath. I’m not Mila!’
Heath’s expression went from one that was battling suspicion to hurt and anger. Ottilie saw immediately she’d said the wrong thing, but she wasn’t about to take it back. If he could speak his mind – and she’d been left in no doubt what was on it – then so could she. So what if he was offended. She was offended too. She’d been under the impression they were beginning to understand each other. Surely he’d worked out by now that she was nothing like his ex? Surely she deserved more of his trust than Mila?
‘Do you want to leave?’ she asked.
He stood for a moment, still and silent, as if trying to read her, but the expression of hurt never left his face.
‘Yes,’ he said finally. ‘Maybe that would be a good idea before one of us says something we’d regret.’
‘I have nothing hurtful to say, but if that’s the way you’re feeling then you’d better. When you’ve got your head on straight, I’ll be here. Come and talk to me then.’
Heath ground his teeth as he studied her silently again. But then he nodded shortly, got his coat, kissed her briefly on the cheek and left.
At first Ottilie didn’t quite know how to react. She stood alone in the kitchen, staring at the dishes Simon had returned, her mind racing. Should she go after Heath? Should she give him space and trust he’d come to his senses? Because whichever option was the best, she was certain of one thing: none of this was her fault. She wasn’t about to apologise when she bore no blame. Josh would never have expected her to, and if Heath wanted to be inher life, then that line in the sand was going to be drawn right here and right now for him too. She was upset, hurt at how he could distrust her, that he was still comparing her to Mila even though she’d given him no reason to.
She thought about going to bed early. She was tired and there was no reason to stay up now, but she was so wound up she’d struggle to sleep. Besides, it was still early. She wondered if Stacey was up. Stacey was fast becoming Ottilie’s go-to confidante in Thimblebury. If anyone could make her feel better it was Stacey. So Ottilie dialled her number and waited for her to pick up.
She didn’t, but as Ottilie made the decision to clear the kitchen and make a cake to take her mind off her bad mood, Stacey called back.
‘Hey, sorry I missed your call…Is something wrong? You usually text rather than phone.’
‘Oh, it’s nothing urgent. Just a bit of…I don’t suppose you have an hour free if I come over, do you? Don’t worry if not – it doesn’t really matter.’
‘Sounds like it. I actually have someone here, but I…’ She lowered her voice and Ottilie frowned slightly. ‘I’m assuming he’s not planning to stay for long but I don’t know. Would it be a problem for you? If you need me to get rid, I can?—’
‘God, no!’
If Stacey was entertaining a potential boyfriend then Ottilie certainly didn’t want to get in the way of that to grumble about Heath.
‘Is it someone I know?’ she asked, unable to contain her curiosity despite her own woes.
‘Um…’
‘You don’t need to tell me.’
‘Actually, I don’t know why it matters. He only popped in to see how Mackenzie was doing so it’s not like there’s any great mystery. Simon’s here.’
‘Simon?’ Ottilie’s frown returned. She wasn’t sure why she was surprised either, but somehow she was. But if he was making an effort to settle into life here and make new friends, then of course he’d be visiting people. It was what she’d done. Something about it seemed more unlikely in his case, though. Or perhaps he was genuinely concerned for Mackenzie’s well-being. That would make sense, given what she knew about him and the fact he’d been to the hospital with them that night. ‘I won’t disturb you then.’
