Page 22 of Winter Wishes at Pennycress Inn

Taking the hankie, Scarlett wiped it across her face before folding it into a square, smoothing the creases as she folded. Of course, Nicola had told her. That must have been the Community Hub meeting she’d gate-crashed then.

‘Nicola is about though. She might be upstairs. I can go and get her if you like?’

She shook her head. It didn’t matter. In fact, it was probably a good thing. The way she’d been feeling, she might have accidentally blurted out the whole truth. ‘No, thanks.’

‘My nan always told me I’m a good listener.’

Glancing at him, she watched as he smiled sheepishly. She shrugged. She supposed even sharing a small piece of what had happened might help, might give her an ounce of perspective. ‘Just a phone call with my ex whose guinea pig I stole.’

‘He wants Thelma back?’

‘He wants Thelma back.’ She shrugged as she repeated his words. ‘Do you know she hasn’t always been called Thelma? He called her Stinky, probably because they didn’t clean her cage out as often as she needed.’

Rowan frowned before shaking his head. ‘Aw, that’s harsh.’

‘They didn’t take care of her at all.’ Wringing her hands in her lap, she looked down at them.

‘They?’

Taking a sharp intake of breath, Scarlett froze. She’d said ‘they’. How could she have been so careless? If she wasn’t careful, her dirty little secret would be out and this friendship with Rowan would be over. ‘My ex, Tyler, I mean he hardly bothered with her, so why does he want her back?’ She looked across at him.

‘I don’t know, but I know one thing.’

‘Oh yes, what’s that?’ She frowned.

‘I bet she’s a lot happier being with you.’ He smiled a slow smile as he looked at her.

‘Thanks. I hope so.’ Twisting the handkerchief in her hands, she glanced back towards the door. ‘Was I really rude to Miss Cooke?’

Rowan shook his head as he followed her gaze. ‘Nope. I might not have known her for long, but one thing I’ve learned about her is that she seems to be more or less oblivious to what others might think of her. I think her heart’s in the right place. She loves this village and will do all she can to keep Meadowfield the special place we know and love, which is likely why she keeps getting voted in as mayoress, but a few social skill lessons wouldn’t go amiss.’

‘Ha, no, they wouldn’t.’ Scarlett gave a small laugh. ‘I take it she’s enticed you to join the Community Hub then? Or is she just holding you there at knifepoint, so she’s got a constant supply of your coffee?’

‘Something like that.’ Now it was his turn to look uneasy as he moved his gaze to the trainers he was wearing and avoided eye contact.

‘Right.’ Something like that. What was that supposed to mean and why had he suddenly started acting shifty? She waited a few minutes to give him the chance to expand on his comment before giving up. She was the same. She hadn’t been open with him, so why should she expect him to be with her? ‘I’d better let you get back to your meeting. Thank you for checking on me.’

This got his attention, and he chuckled as he stood up. ‘It was that obvious, hey?’

‘Yep, afraid so. You should get that refund from the spy academy.’ Letting her smile slip, she bit down on her lower lip. Each and every time he’d seen her, some drama or other had been unfolding and it was suddenly important to her that he didn’t think she was always such an emotional clumsy wreck. ‘Rowan.’

‘Yep?’ Pausing, he looked down at her.

‘I’m not… This isn’t me.’ She waved her hand in front of her face, encompassing her puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks. ‘Not the real me. I know it’ll be hard for you to believe after the encounters we’ve had, but I’m not usually one to cry in public or… anything.’

‘Well, there’s one thing you should know about me too…’

‘There you are! Come on, come back in, Rowan. I thought you’d disappeared on me then.’ Miss Cooke’s voice filled the cold air around them.

Scarlett watched as Rowan stood glancing from her to Miss Cooke and back again, clearly unsure whether he should leave her now she’d told him what she had. ‘I’m fine. You go.’

Giving her a small smile, he nodded before turning back towards the front door, which Miss Cooke was now holding open for him.

As the front door clicked shut behind her, Scarlett looked down the path towards the street. The trees were mere skeletons of what they had been when she’d last visited. A few birds were sitting in the bare branches, chirping and probably wondering if the dark clouds above were bringing rain. What had he meant? What had he been going to tell her before Miss Cooke interrupted them? And why was he in the community hub meeting? She obviously wasn’t the only one with secrets, was she?

15

Rolling over, Scarlett hit her mobile, ending the piercing noise before she looked across to the curtain and groaned. It wasn’t even light outside; there wasn’t even the weakest of sunshine seeping through the fabric of the curtain or around the edges.