me ASAP. I can’t tell you how relieved I am about that. Independent she may be, but living alone isn’t good for her. It’s a long time since I’ve seen her as animated as she was this weekend. Although, I think that was down to your presence. She really likes you.’ She smiled at him. ‘I know it’s early, but I fancy a nice cold wine. Will you join me?’
‘Thank you. I’ll fetch it. Sit down, you look exhausted,’ and Scott disappeared indoors.
Fern did as she was told and sat down. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was exhausted. These days, when she drove, even though she used the quiet country roads, she could feel the tension building in her shoulders, across her back, try as she might to relax.
‘Here you go,’ Scott said.
Fern opened her eyes and took the glass he was holding out to her. ‘Thank you. Cheers,’ and they clinked glasses.
‘Cheers.’ Scott hesitated before continuing, ‘I have to ask this. Are you happy for me to stay here now that your guests and Anouk have left? I wouldn’t want you to feel uncomfortable being in the house on your own with me. I’ll find somewhere else tomorrow if you want me to.’ His gaze caught and held Fern’s. ‘Although I hope you don’t.’
‘Anouk thinks you’re a nice man, as well as a kind one,’ Fern said slowly, unable to look away. ‘I agree with her. I’m not worried about being in the house alone with you. Please stay.’
‘Thank you.’ Scott smiled at her as Fern blinked and took a sip of her drink.
‘How long do you think you’ll be staying? I know Anouk is hoping you’ll still be here when she moves in.’
He smiled. ‘I can’t possibly disappoint Anouk – I’ll be here.’
‘About supper tonight,’ Fern said. ‘There’s so much food left over from the weekend – lamb, cheese, salad, even some Kouign-amann cake that needs finishing. Would you mind if we had what I call a fridge bits-and-pieces supper?’ She looked at him anxiously. He was technically a paying guest, although she had no intention of charging him for the evening meals they shared.
‘Sounds good to me, I adore cold lamb,’ Scott said. ‘And it means you can stay there and relax while I put everything on the table. Okay?’
‘Oh, but I can’t let you do that,’ Fern protested.
‘Yes you can because I’m not taking no for an answer. Now, drink your wine and let me take care of… dinner.’
Fern watched him go and sat back, closing her eyes again. Had he been about to say ‘take care of you’ not dinner? She’d forgotten how good it was to have someone who cared about you and took the trouble to show and help. Scott was a lovely man and she knew Anouk was right when she’d said he seriously liked her. But liking someone ‘seriously’ when in a few weeks there would be an ocean between them would only lead to heartbreak, and Fern had suffered enough of that. What was the point of getting close to a man who would soon disappear out of her life?
25
The week after the Easter holiday was quiet in the hotel, with everyone back to work and the children at school, Belinda used her time to make sure everything was up to date. She rang Nigel and told him she wanted to talk to him about the campsite renovations. To her disappointment, he said she’d have to wait until the following week.
‘Molly has a temperature, she thinks I’m fussing but I want to keep her quiet. If you come over, I know she’ll want to see you, so can we leave it please?’
‘Of course,’ Belinda agreed. ‘Do you want me to take over Torquay’s books again while you’re looking after Molly?’
‘No thanks. I keep on top of them while Molly sleeps.’
‘Okay. Give my love to Molly and tell her I’ll see her soon.’ Belinda ended the call, wondering what she was going to do to fill her days before she could talk to Nigel. With one hotel sold and Nigel looking after another, she was beginning to feel more than a little redundant. And unsettled, if she were honest. Was this what her job was going to be like in the future?
When Chloe rang to invite her to dinner, she accepted immediately. ‘I’d love to come over. Can I bring anything?’
‘No, just yourself. Do you want to come early and bathe the twins?’
‘I’ll be there at