Page 68 of The Village Inn of Secret Dream

Belle frowned at her. ‘Just because we’re getting along that doesn’t mean I have to transform into one of the usual glamour girls that he goes for.’

‘But you are getting along better,’ said Molly, with a beaming smile.

‘Yes, but he hasn’t had a personality transplant, has he?’ She picked up her drink but before taking a sip, added, ‘I mean, Pete Kennedy is just as arrogant as he has always been. He doesn’t listen to anyone else’s opinion. He’s cocky, did I mention arrogant…?’

Hoping for at least some kind of agreement from her friends, she suddenly realised that everyone was looking over her shoulder.

Belle sighed. ‘How long has he been standing behind me?’ she asked.

‘Long enough,’ she heard Pete say.

Everyone else around the table tried not to smile as Belle squirmed on her chair in embarrassment. In the end, not knowing what else to say, she turned around to where Pete was standing and said, ‘Excellent timing. We want to order another round of drinks.’

She managed to look him in the face but didn’t quite meet his eyes.

‘Of course,’ he said smoothly. ‘I’m sure you can help me carry them back to the table.’

She sighed as he walked away. ‘I’m so going to pay for this, aren’t I?’

Her friends nodded.

‘Possibly,’ murmured Molly. ‘But what a way to go.’

Belle got up and marched over to the bar but stayed determinedly on the customer side. If anything, the barrier helped her feel safer.

‘I was saying to Lucy that we need to factor in some dog-friendly tables in the restaurant,’ she said, as he poured out their drinks. Her nervousness made her prattle on further to counter the awkward atmosphere. ‘I mean, think about it. That could attract quite a few people walking their dogs who decide to pop in on the off chance for a drink and see the new restaurant. It’s really coming along, isn’t it? The girls were just saying so.’

All four drinks were placed on the bar in front of her and Belle finally managed to lift her head to where Pete was looking at her, bemused.

‘I think it’s a good idea about the dog-friendly tables,’ he told her before leaning across the bar further to add, ‘Never let it be said that I don’t listen to anyone else’s opinion.’

‘Good. Great,’ she muttered, picking up the glasses from the counter. ‘Glad to hear it.’

She rolled her eyes to herself as she headed back across the bar. But as she placed the drinks onto the table she realised that she had said the word ‘we’ again when referring to the work on the inn. Maybe the girls were right. Maybe she was getting used to being a team with Pete.

To her surprise, she found the idea wasn’t so bad after all.

They were all still grinning inanely at her as she sat back down.

‘What?’ she said, rolling her eyes at the soppy grins on their faces. ‘We’re just friends, that’s all.’

‘I’ve seen the way he looks at you and it’s not as a friend,’ said Amber softly.

‘Rubbish,’ said Belle before swiftly changing the subject.

But as they talked about the latest village gossip, she wondered whether Amber was right.

She was just about to smile to herself but caught it just in time before her friends noticed and jumped to any more conclusions.

Later that evening, Belle locked the front door at 11 p.m.

‘That was even quieter than normal,’ said Pete, who was kneeling down in front of the fireplace, ensuring that the flames were dying down.

‘Everyone’s coming to the restaurant tomorrow night,’ Belle told him. ‘So I guess they’re all enjoying a night at home tonight.’

‘Doesn’t do much for the profit margins though,’ he said, straightening up.

Belle rolled her eyes. ‘You and your profit margins,’ she murmured, switching off the main lights.