‘I went to see my grandpa.’
‘Oh that’s right. He lives near here doesn’t he?’
She nodded. ‘Cranberry Close.’
‘Everything’s okay with him, I hope.’
‘He’s fine, thanks. I’m heading to the station and thought I’d walk as it’s a nice clear night.’
‘I love it like this.’ He looked up to the sky. ‘There’s the smell of winter in the air, the promise of snow, but it hasn’t come yet. It’s the best time.’
‘I’d better go, or I’ll miss my train.’
He checked his watch. ‘I happen to know that there are trains running to New York Penn station for at least a few more hours.’
‘I didn’t buy the flexible ticket,’ she said quickly enough for him to suspect she probably had but didn’t want him to know.
‘Cleo, I mean it when I say it’s great to see you.’
She looked at the ground, probably wishing there was a frost or some snow to scrape her feet through as a distraction. ‘How’s it going with Prue?’ She looked up at him through long lashes he’d felt flutter against his skin when they’d kissed that night.
He couldn’t hide his disappointment that she’d broached the subject of his ex-wife. ‘She’s fine.’
‘And how are Ruby and Jacob?’ When he hesitated for no other reason than to think of what he wanted to tell her about them, she said, ‘I’m sorry if I came across as a kid-hater the other day.’
He laughed loudly, the tension disappearing. ‘I don’t think you’re a kid hater. I saw you with Ruby and Jacob so I know it’s more than that.’ When she looked quickly up at him he knew he’d hit the spot. ‘I’m a good listener, you know.’
‘I’m sure you are.’ She hooked a thumb in the direction of the station. ‘But I have to go. I’ve got a lot to do tomorrow.’
‘Have you found more premises?’ He clenched his jaw. The cold was getting to him now he’d stopped running but he wanted to keep talking to her. He wanted to reach out and pull that bobble hat off her head and run his fingers through the waves of her hair, smell the meadowy shampoo that had intoxicated him the night they’d kissed up against the tree only a few streets away from here.
‘I think it’s going to be too expensive to rent in the city,’ she explained. ‘But I’m not looking into it any more until after New Year’s.’
‘Has the new owner been in touch to ask if you’d all like to extend your leases beyond the additional year?’
She shook her head. ‘I think that’s an idea we can safely say won’t happen. None of us have heard a word from the new owner.’
That didn’t sound right to him. They were supposed to get in touch with all the tenants and his gut told him something had gone awry. But he didn’t need to push his worry onto Cleo. He’d investigate it some more when he got home. ‘I think you’re right. They’d have asked you by now if they intended to keep it as a row of stores.’ He blew into his hands to warm them. ‘So what options do you have?’
She looked up at him, her cheeks pink with cold. ‘Like I said, I’m not thinking about it any more till after New Year’s.’
‘Please tell me you have at least a high-level plan.’ He smiled. ‘It’ll make me feel less of an ass for selling the property on.’
‘I do have one option. I’ve been offered a knitting store somewhere else. I can either keep the same name or change it to the Little Knitting Box, it’ll be my choice.’
‘That’s fantastic!’
She didn’t look so sure and when she spoke he realised why. ‘It’s in England.’
He kept his voice steady and suddenly he didn’t feel the cold, all he felt was his heart pull at how much he wanted this woman. ‘That’s great news for you. There’s no place like home, eh?’ Oh my God, was she really leaving?
‘No place like home,’ she repeated.
‘Let me at least walk you to the station.’ He didn’t know what he was going to say to her, but walking alongside her might give him an idea.
‘Dylan, it’s there.’ She pointed across the street. ‘I think I’ll be fine. Go on, you’re freezing, get back to your run. And it was nice seeing you too. Say hello to Ruby and Jacob.’
Her clipped tone left him with nothing else to do but say goodbye and run on. And even though he knew he shouldn’t, he was already trying to think of a way he could see her again before she left.
