Page 14 of The Village Inn of Secret Dream

At least the first two shops had now been transformed. Both shopfronts were so pretty, with their window boxes and decorations. Of course, the corner shop won the beauty prize, but the community hub/local newspaper office next door was no slouch now either. And both places were busy, with people heading in and out most of the day.

The corner shop had been transformed over the past year and was now a prime target for local people looking for food or anything else from local producers. Next door, the community hub was a thriving meeting place for villagers looking for advice or just company. There were also a number of small clubs held there such as the Mother and Toddler group and a new art club, which had just started up on a Tuesday afternoon.

However, the other two vacant shops were as equally run-down as The Black Swan. Even the watermill had never been in use, from what she could recall. There had once been a hairdresser’s and some kind of ironmongers there when she had first arrived many years ago. But slowly people had moved out of the village and into the bigger towns and cities to find jobs.

However, life was beginning to return to Cranbridge and a small community spirit had begun to emerge once more in the past year. It was part of the reason that she didn’t want to leave. That feeling of being in it together. As well as having her best friends live right on her doorstep.

Having never had any proper, close friends growing up, apart from Josh and Pete, it was still a shock to her to be a part of such a close-knit group of women.

Molly had always lived in the village, but it had taken many years for her sweet nature to overcome Belle’s natural distrust of anyone and for them to become close. Their friendship had grown deeper when Amber had arrived in Cranbridge only a year ago. All of a similar age, give or take a couple of years, they had immediately bonded as Amber had helped Josh transform the shop.

Then Lucy had arrived at the beginning of the summer and their group had become a quartet. Lucy’s natural knack of getting the best out of people’s talents had resulted in the creation of the community hub. In addition, she had managed to encourage Molly to break out of her dull receptionist role and become the social media manager for both the hub and the newspaper which had given Molly some much needed self-belief.

Belle looked across the river once more. It felt as if everything was coming together for Amber, Lucy and Molly and yet, for Belle, her own life was on hold. Even going backwards as the inn continued to fail financially.

She frowned to herself. She was happy being in Cranbridge. What more dreams did she need to have?

Spotting Amber heading out onto the veranda of the shop, Belle wandered over the narrow pedestrian bridge across the river towards The Cranbridge Stores.

Amber was weaving some fake autumn leaves over the veranda in anticipation of the coming season.

‘Good morning,’ said Amber, straightening up with a smile when she saw Belle.

‘Is it autumn already?’ said Lucy, coming out of the hub next door with her dog, Keith, alongside her.

The grey shaggy dog immediately went up to Belle wagging his tail.

As Belle bent down to give him a stroke on the head, Molly headed around the corner with her hands full of decorated cupcakes.

‘Morning,’ said Molly, holding the cupcakes high out of the way of Keith’s longing face. ‘Sorry, Keith. They’re for the community hub, not for you.’

‘Spoilsport,’ said Lucy, before turning to look at Belle. ‘I was talking to Uncle Frank this morning. Is it true that the inn’s going up for sale?’

Amber and Molly both turned to look at Belle with horrified faces.

‘No!’ exclaimed Molly.

‘It can’t be,’ moaned Amber in dismay.

Belle gave them all a small shrug. ‘It’s no surprise, is it? But it doesn’t mean to say that it’s actually going to be sold,’ she said, trying to suppress the sick feeling in her stomach. ‘Who’s going to buy it in that state?’

‘This is awful,’ said Molly, looking tearful.

‘These things can take years,’ said Belle. ‘So don’t let’s dwell on it for now.’

If they talked about the inn closing, then it would make it all the more real. Besides, despite trusting her friends, she still had trouble opening up to them about her innermost fears.

The silence stretched out until Molly finally spoke. ‘Okay. Well, let’s change the subject onto happier things. So when are you going to get married?’ she asked Amber.

Molly was the youngest of their group and was the polar opposite of Belle with her views on romance, despite having broken up with the most ghastly boyfriend over the summer. At that moment, her blue eyes were shiny with romantic excitement over the upcoming wedding.

‘Steady on,’ said Amber, laughing. ‘He only proposed a couple of days ago.’

‘I know, but I love weddings,’ said Molly with a happy sigh. ‘And Tom will definitely propose to Lucy at some point and then it’s just me and Belle left on the singles front.’

‘Don’t say that to Tom!’ laughed Lucy, shaking her long dark hair frantically. ‘He’ll run a mile!’

‘Of course he won’t,’ said Amber, smiling. ‘He’s crazy about you.’