Page 97 of The Village Inn of Secret Dream

Belle and Pete exchanged a smile to themselves.

‘Well, it looks like you’re settled for today,’ said Pete. ‘I’ll start to clear your path in the morning and get some salt down.’

Ned looked up at him. ‘Maybe you’re more like your dad than I gave you credit for,’ he said, with a nod of thanks to them both.

‘If that’s a compliment, then I’ll take it,’ said Pete, with a smile. ‘Do you need anything else?’

‘The only thing I’m missing is my pint of beer,’ said Ned.

‘Done,’ said Pete. ‘I’ll bring it over later. Don’t suppose we’ll be too busy in the inn tonight.’

‘Bring one for yourself, if you’ve time,’ said Ned, turning back to look at the fire.

‘I’ll make time,’ Pete told him before they left.

On the way back to the inn, Belle looked across at Pete who was deep in thought.

‘That was a good thing you did today,’ she told him.

He gave a shrug of his shoulders in response, almost embarrassed, she felt, by the praise.

‘Maybe you’re not the bad guy you think you are,’ she said, reaching out to give his hand a squeeze with hers.

‘Maybe not,’ he murmured.

With neither of them reluctant to let go, they stayed holding hands all the way back to the inn.

52

Pete parked his car next to the inn and clambered out of the driving seat. He then stood back to look at the second-hand Range Rover he had just bought. It had cost him almost the last of his savings but not having any kind of transport was getting problematic.

Life was so much busier than he could ever remember it being before. As well as preparing the restaurant for the reopening, Brad was still making additional meals and Pete was delivering them around the village. He had even enjoyed his pint with Ned in his cottage.

The snow was still deep on the ground, but there was a thaw on the way, thank goodness. The recent snow had reminded him that whatever vehicle he bought, it needed to be used in all weathers and conditions so a Range Rover had seemed the best option.

He allowed himself a wry smile. He was wearing wellington boots and he drove a Range Rover. He was certainly living in the country now.

But as he waited for the ping of disappointment or even disproval from his inner critic, it didn’t come. All he felt was a kind of peace that had been missing for a long time.

‘Nice wheels,’ said a voice from the other side of the river.

Pete looked up to find Josh at the end of the bridge so he walked over to join him.

‘How’s things?’ asked Pete.

‘Busy but all good,’ said Josh. ‘I know it’s been a pain for most people, but I do love the snow. Do you remember that winter when Dad tried to convert his old motorbike into a snowmobile?’

Pete smiled in memory. ‘He nearly ended up in the river on his test run,’ he said.

Josh laughed. ‘Yeah. He was pretty hopeless but always optimistic, you know?’

Pete’s smile faded as the secret that had weighed him down for so long remained deep inside.

‘What is it?’ asked Josh, gently. ‘I know you’re keeping something from me. Talk to me. You can trust me.’

Pete hesitated, not wanting to hurt his brother nor the memories of their dad.

‘Let’s go and sit down,’ said Josh, heading up the steps of the shop.