Page 10 of Letting Go of Yesterday
‘That’s really good to know, thank you and thanks again for getting so involved with volunteering. At my last school, the average parent would never have mucked in to help, let alone the uncles.’
‘I’m not your average uncle.’ He smiled again and it had been on the tip of her tongue to say he wasn’t the average anything, but somehow she stopped herself from saying it out loud.
‘It was good to see you again, Nathan. Hopefully I’ll see a lot more of you.’ Colour flooded her cheeks as he laughed. ‘I meant around the school, helping out.’
‘It’s okay, I knew what you meant.’ He was grinning in the way she’d always found irresistible, which made it worse. ‘But a guy can dream, can’t he?’
She didn’t acknowledge his comment. ‘I’ll let you get back to work and don’t forget to stay hydrated.’
‘Yes, Mrs Bellamy.’ He grinned again and doffed an imaginary cap, before picking up the spade he’d set down earlier. Walking away, she resisted the urge to turn back and see whether he was watching her, because, as ridiculous as it was, she knew how disappointed she’d be if he wasn’t.
* * *
Rowan had spent far more time thinking about Nathan than she should have done. Driving over to her father’s place, her mind should have been on work. There was a lot to think about and a lot to prepare before the start of term, which was racing towards her at a scary pace. Work had stopped her thinking about James as much as she might have done otherwise, and how the fallout from their marriage ending might affect them all long term. She’d have to find a permanent home for herself and the children eventually. And she’d been so busy since arriving in Port Agnes, and so intent on getting the children settled, that the sadness was nowhere near as all-consuming as it had been back at Membory Grange.
At this precise moment she was thinking about Nathan Lark instead of work, which was absolutely ridiculous. Getting involved with anyone else was the last thing on her mind. She couldn’t imagine ever wanting to do that after what James had put her through. Even if she wanted to start dating, Nathan couldn’t have been more unsuitable. She hated the fact that others judged him so harshly, but Juliet had been right about one thing: the parents of her pupils would definitely have something to say if their headteacher was in a relationship with an ex-convict. She shook her head again as an unwanted image of herself and Nathan kissing popped into her mind. It was just her memory playing tricks on her, finding an outlet to ease the stress she’d have been feeling otherwise. Or maybe it was unfinished business from all those years ago. Either way she wished it wasn’t happening and she just had to wait for it to pass. Once school started, she definitely wouldn’t have time to worry about Nathan Lark and all of a sudden the start of term couldn’t come soon enough.
‘Hello, sweetheart. How are you doing?’ Rowan’s father folded her into his arms the moment he opened the door. Although he and her stepmother still lived in Rowan’s former family home, it hadn’t felt like a place she could just stroll into since she’d followed her mother to London. She still had a key and always had done, but it was her father and Marion’s home, not hers, despite them reassuring her many times that wasn’t the case. Whenever she’d stayed there in the holidays, she’d had to force herself not to knock on the front door before coming in. It had upset Marion when she’d done that, and her stepmother had told her it made her feel as though she’d pushed Rowan out, and that was the last thing she’d wanted to do. Marion had cried and Rowan had promised she wouldn’t knock any more, but the rules no longer applied once she’d left home and she couldn’t possibly have walked into the house without knocking now.
‘I’m good, Dad. How are you?’
‘No complaints from me, sweetheart, but are you sure you’re okay? It’s hard to believe you can be, after… everything. And you look thin, too thin.’ Her father’s concern was touching. He knew that James’s actions had put an end to their marriage, but he had no idea about Euan and, for now at least, Rowan was determined to keep it that way. Her father was far more likely than her mother to let the truth slip out in front of the children before she was sure they were ready to hear it. After all, he didn’t have Katrina’s track record for keeping secrets.
‘I’m fine Dad, honestly. I feel much better since I got home.’ It was the first time Rowan had used the word and really meant it, but after today Port Agnes suddenly felt much more like home than it had done before. She was excited about starting at the school and reconnecting with Bex had made her miss Pippa and Odette a bit less too. She was starting to imagine a life here, and now that her parents were genuinely friendly it should make spending time with them far easier. This was a fresh start for them all it seemed.
‘I’m so glad to hear that, sweetheart. Now come in before the neighbours start talking about the dodgy-looking woman hanging around on my doorstep.’ Her father grinned.
‘Is that our girl I can hear, Tony?’ Marion called out from the lounge as Rowan followed her father down the hallway.
‘It is and she’s far too skinny. Have we got any cake?’
‘We’ve always got cake.’ Marion smiled as they walked into the lounge. ‘We’d never have stayed married for this long if I didn’t always have cake, and biscuits. I know the way to your heart.’
Rowan’s father dropped a kiss on his wife’s head. ‘I knew I married you for a reason. You two have a catch up and I’ll get the cake.’
‘I’ve already had the biggest slice of carrot cake you’ve ever seen in your life.’ Rowan knew that her protests were going to fall on deaf ears.
‘Ah but this is pistachio. Your favourite.’ Marion raised her eyebrows. ‘And it’s Charlie’s too, but seeing as I can’t bake anything for him for at least another six months, you need to eat his share too.’
‘Oh God, moving home is going to do scary things to my insulin levels, isn’t it?’ Rowan grinned and turned towards her father. ‘Have you heard much from Charlie lately? I’ve been getting most of my news from his stories on Instagram, although he does occasionally remember to send me an email.’
‘You and me both, although getting an Instagram account so that I could follow him has been an eye-opener. I waste far too many hours watching other people’s videos these days and Marion keeps looking at photos of Hugh Jackman.’ Her father laughed. ‘I’ll get the cake and be right back.’
‘Okay, Dad.’ Rowan sat on the sofa, opposite where Marion was sitting with her leg resting on a footstool. ‘How’s the foot? Mum said you hurt it at your line dancing class?’
She’d done her best to keep the note of surprise out of her voice, but she hadn’t succeeded and Marion raised her eyebrows again. ‘Do you find it hard to believe that me and your mum go dancing together? Because I do.’
‘Let’s just say that you all continue to surprise me. The last couple of years have been a bit of a turnaround.’ It was a hell of a lot more than that, but she wanted her stepmother to know how pleased she was that the situation had changed. ‘I’m delighted, though, and it’s obvious it’s made Mum happy to have her old friend back.’
‘Me too. I missed her a lot more than I ever missed my ex-husband, and I think your dad felt the same about Dean. Your mum and I were friends before everything happened, and so were your dad and Dean. It took us far too long to go back to that, but we’re there now.’ Marion had more or less echoed the same sentiments as her mother, which proved just how in tune they were.
‘I’m so glad.’ Rowan reached into her bag and took out the jar, handing it to her stepmother before kissing her briefly on the cheek. ‘Mum sent this. She bought it for your foot.’
‘She’s so thoughtful.’ Marion beamed.
‘I think she has an ulterior motive.’
‘Oh really?’ For a moment her stepmother looked troubled, but then Rowan shook her head.
