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She watched as he disappeared back around the veranda and inside before leaning her elbows against the railings and looking back out across the clearing.
‘Hi, Heather. So, this is where you’re hiding?’
Turning, Heather smiled. ‘Hi, Heidi. We came out here to watch a deer in the clearing, so I thought I’d just enjoy the view for a few minutes longer.’
‘I don’t blame you. It’s a favourite spot of mine.’ Heidi grinned. ‘Things are going well with you and Gus then?’
‘Yes.’ Heather nodded and pulled his jacket closer around her.
‘He’s a great guy, isn’t he? He’s really slotted in here at the reserve too. It’s as though he’s always been here.’
‘We were just saying the same thing about feeling as though we’d known each other for longer than we have.’
‘It’ll be a shame when he leaves next month.’ Heidi sighed. ‘That’s the trouble, people move around so much due to funding, or depending on what charity they work for. We get to the point of working really well as a team and then time for them to move on to the next project.’
‘He’s leaving next month?’ Even to her own ears, her voice was quiet, barely audible even in the silence of the woods surrounding them.
‘Yes, he’s here on a project to do with the Great Crested Newt we have living here, and the project comes to an end next month.’ Heidi turned to face her. ‘I’m sure he said they were off to the Philippines next. Didn’t he tell you?’
‘No, no, he didn’t.’ Pinching the bridge of her nose, Heather looked at the floor, focusing on a knoll in the wood. Why hadn’t he told her? Why had he told her he was falling for her if he was about to leave?
‘Oh, sorry. I just assumed you knew.’ Heidi bit down on her bottom lip. ‘I shouldn’t have said anything.’
‘No, don’t worry. I was bound to find out soon enough.’ Swallowing, Heather looked up, forcing a smile. It wasn’t Heidi’sfault that Gus hadn’t told her. Of course she’d assumed he had. Heshouldhave.
‘Heidi, are you coming in?’ Liam was out again, calling from the doorway.
Looking over at him, Heidi looked back at Heather. ‘Are you coming inside?’
‘I will do. I just want to look at this view a few minutes longer.’
‘Are you okay?’ Placing her hand on Heather’s arm, Heidi paused.
‘Yes, I’m fine. I just want to enjoy it out here for a bit.’ Smiling, Heather nodded.
‘Okay, if you’re sure.’
‘I am.’ Heather watched Heidi disappear around the veranda again before turning her attention to the clearing again. He was leaving. Gus was going to the Philippines. How long for? Would he be coming back to England again after? Or was that it? Would he just be travelling onto the next country? From country to country?
Chapter Seventeen
‘You’re very quiet today. Tired from the wedding reception last night?’ Brooke pushed the till drawer shut before pulling out an empty tray from beneath the counter.
‘Yes. Just tired.’ Heather nodded as she turned to the next customer. ‘Morning, what can I get for you today?’
‘Could I have three doughnuts please?’ The man in front of her began laying coins on the counter.
‘Three doughnuts coming up.’ She began putting the doughnuts in a bag.
‘Are you sure you’re just tired?’ Holding the tray in her arms, Brooke paused. ‘It’s just even when you’d hardly had any sleep after the dishwasher flooded the kitchen, you weren’t as quiet as this. Is something wrong?’
Heather looked from Brooke to her customer and back again. ‘I’m okay, thanks. There’s just a couple of things I need to think about.’
‘Okay. Well, you know where I am if you want to talk.’ Brooke nodded.
‘Thank you.’ Heather smiled before passing the bag of doughnuts over the counter.
‘Cheers. The money’s on the counter. Sorry.’ Holding his mobile up, the man took the paper bag and left.
