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‘You’re more important to me than money.’
‘I’m fine and I’d feel too guilty keeping you here. What sort of position is it?’
‘The CEO says he wants me to work underneath him.’
‘I bet he does – you be careful.’
‘He’s married – you know I’d never go there with a married man. Not after what Stacey went through with her men.’
Jaz never referred to her mother as ‘Mum’ always as Stacey. Stacey had been in many failed relationships. One guy had had countless affairs and Jaz blamed that for her mother’s alcoholism. Holly watched as Jaz checked her reflection in the rear-view mirror, reapplying her lipstick and smoothing down her hair, thinking how different she was to the purple-haired teenager her parents had given a job to in the nursery café. Jaz had been brilliant at up-selling Val’s homemade cakes. Later, she had moved in with Holly and her parents and become more of a sister than a friend.
Jaz glanced sideways at Holly’s outfit. ‘We need to go shopping for clothes.’ She frowned. ‘Whose clothes, are they?’
‘Mine, the Booths bought them to tide me over. They’re supermarket, not your taste, I know.’
‘Definitely not my brand hun but they suit you – being tight. Seriously we need to update your look.’
‘A new wardrobe is the furthest thing from my mind,’ Holly sighed.
‘Insurance covers clothes you know.’ Jaz put the car into gear and revved the engine. ‘That’s decided then, we’re off to the designer outlet.’
Holly smiled at the way Jaz seemed to turn a disaster into an opportunity. She was going to be great at her new job. Jaz was going places. Hitting the big time. Holly felt a pang of sadness. She stared in the wing mirror at her burnt ruins disappearing from view, as the car rounded the bend, she hoped that she would make something of her own dreams.
Travelling along the lane they passed the boundary gate between Booth Farm and Lovelands. Mitch and a large man were lifting the old barrier off its hinges.
‘Wow,’ Jaz said. ‘I’ve never seen that open before. He’s definitely into you.’
‘Don’t be silly. He needs to open it to get the caravan through. And he’s married remember?’
‘So you say.’
Holly had an odd feeling – like butterflies in her stomach. The sooner she met Vanessa Booth, the better. Then she could view Mitch as her married neighbour rather than her hot neighbour.Very hot neighbour,she repeated in her head.
Holly saton the cream leather sofa in Jaz’s apartment in Wells, surrounded by bags of new clothes. She wasn’t entirely sure about them but Jaz had been set on being her personal shopper for the day. Focusing on simple things had freed her mind from the enormous issues that were otherwise buzzing around her head. Jaz had popped out to get a bottle of wine so Holly was alone, observing her friend’s trendy apartment, considering how different it was from the house Jaz grew up in, situated on the Eversley Burrows Estate, just outside the village. Jaz had definitely come a long way from nothing. Unlike me,Holly thought.I had everything and now I’ve lost it.
Holly focussed on the laptop which Jaz had set up on the coffee table so that she could check the nursery email account. Realising it was another thing she had lost. All of her computer equipment, her printer, the list was endless. Shutting her eyes she breathed in deeply. Her chest felt as if it was easing and the black sneezes had stopped. Leaning forward she logged into her website. Joe had texted earlier to say he would put a ‘closed for refurbishment’ sign at the nursery gates and Holly wanted to update her website with the same. Her inbox had plenty of emails from customers but she left them unopened. She could not face them. She needed to relax even if it was only for one day.
She updated the nursery website with a banner advising of the temporary closure, and wondered whether it was indeed temporary, or whether she would have to close permanently. She rested her head on the back of the sofa. Her body felt heavy and she dozed off.
Holly woketwo hours later to find Jaz standing before her wearing a tight red dress.
‘You’re dolled up – where are we off to? A movie premier?’
‘No. Just the pub on the market square.’
‘I thought the place was more like a café full of tourists and families.’
‘You obviously haven’t been there for ages, hun. There’s a new licensee. It’s gone wine-bar-boutique.’
‘Sounds interesting but I’m not sure I should go out, not with the smoke inhalation.’ Holly puffed out a sigh.
‘Hun, it’ll do you good to get out, even if it’s just for an hour. We won’t stay long.’
‘I’m a wreck.’ Holly rubbed her forehead.
‘Nonsense, you’re always beautiful. I’ll run the shower.’
An hour later, Holly wore a pretty floral number and gazed at her reflection in Jaz’s full-length bedroom mirror. It was not something she was used to wearing, but she had to admit, it did suit her figure. The heels were a bit tricky to walk in but Jazz was right, they did make the outfit. She looked confident even if it was a different story on the inside.
