AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He laughs. ‘Riding lessons? Next week? You’d do that for me?’ Understandably, he looks more than a little doubtful.
Lois walks over and wraps her arms around his neck, smiling up at him. ‘You bet I would. Because I happen to think you’re entirely worth it.’
He slips his hands around her slim waist, nodding approvingly. ‘I guess everything has a silver lining.’
She nods. ‘We’ll get there, even if it takes a little longer than you thought it would.’
Watching them together, it’s suddenly all too much– especially after losing Shaun as well...
I invent an excuse to leave the kitchen, keeping my smile firmly in place until I’m out of there. As I run upstairs, the tears start to flow. I’m going to miss Shaun so much. And now that Lois has done an about-turn on the subject of country living, it’s clear Rory now has exactly what he’s always wanted. Okay, his stables dream has stalled for now. But with Lois at his side, it will eventually work out...
They’re tears of anger as well– mostly anger at myself, for clinging to the hope, against all the odds, that one day, my love for Rory might finally get a chance to blossom. It’s such an impossible situation, anyway, with Lois my rival in love! If anything were to ever happen between Rory and me, the repercussions would split my family further apart than ever, and that’s the very last thing I’d want.
Lying on my bed, tears soaking into the pillow, I swear to let go of my foolish hopes forever...
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
On Monday morning, I drop Bertie at school then dash home to get ready for my morning shift at the café.
Rory has been on my mind even more than usual. I can’t believe he’s been gazumped. He put on a brave face, but I still feel so gutted for him. He was so close to realising his dream, owning his own stables, but now he’s back to square one. Although, as he pointed out, there is a silver lining, with Lois seemingly prepared to give up her dreams of living the high life in London. But will she really stick at riding lessons and embrace the next opportunity to move to the middle of nowhere? I’m still having a hard job imagining her in wellies, pink and purple or otherwise...
At the café, Ellie and Fen are talking about Jaz, who’s apparently just back from a glorious birthday celebration, and I can hear their conversation as I go through to the back to hang up my coat.
‘I can’t believe Harry managed to keep it a surprise, pretending he’d booked a night away on business,’ laughs Fen.
‘I know,’ says Ellie. ‘When all the time he was planning a fabulous birthday night surprise in a five-star spa hotel for you-know-who.’
My heart lifts and I smile to myself. I’m so happy for Jaz. She was really worried that Harry had forgotten her birthday, which– coming so soon after he cheated on her with his old university friend– would obviously have been a huge downer. But Harry, it seems, has come up trumps with his lovely birthday surprise!
‘I’m useless at hiding things from Zak,’ Ellie is saying. ‘I just know I’d have given the game away somehow.’ She smiles at me as I appear from the back. ‘How’s Bertie getting on, Clara? Can he juggle with three balls yet?’
I laugh. ‘Oh, he’s fine. And yes, he’s been practising hard.’ Ellie persuaded Bertie and me to do a baking demonstration at the café, and Bertie managed to wow the mostly female crowd by performing a juggling act with a couple of plastic cupcakes. ‘I’ve had to ban him from the kitchen, though, since he broke two mugs sending the balls flying in all directions.’
‘He’s just too cute,’ smiles Ellie. She glances out of the window. ‘Ah, here’s Jaz now. One double espresso coming up for the exhausted mum!’
I say a quick hello to Jaz, then I head back through to the kitchen to unload the dishwasher and mop the floor after Fen’s baking session first thing. I love being a part of the Little Duck Pond Café team although I haven’t quite given up on my dream of teaching dance.
My dreams are on hold for now. Just as they are for Rory.
I go out to clear tables, and I’m carrying a loaded tray back into the kitchen when Jaz– who’s been standing at the counter, chatting to Ellie during a lull in customers– asks me how Gran is.
Resting the tray on the counter, I tell her about the operation and how I know it’s for the best, but that I’m dreading it.
She nods in sympathy. ‘It’s so hard when it’s someone you’re really close to.’
‘How’s the riding? Is Summer here at the moment?’
‘No. Back at school. But she’s coming up to stay over the Christmas holidays, so we’ll no doubt make up for it then. Although with all the fuss going on at the stables, it’s a bit of an uncertain time.’ She frowns. ‘Did you hear that someone gazumped the man who wanted to buy the place?’
I nod. ‘Actually, it was my friend who put in the first offer. He was over the moon when it was accepted and so disappointed when he was gazumped.’
‘That’s awful. He must be gutted.’
‘He is.’
‘Everyone’s on edge, hoping the new owner will keep the stables running and won’t decide to knock the place down and build houses on the land instead.’ She grimaces. ‘I don’t think Jackie, the current owner, rates this latest bidder at all, though. Apparently, she arrived dressed to the nines to look around and seemed to know nothing at all about horses. Didn’t even seem to like them. So we’ll just have to see, I guess.’
‘A woman?’
