Ashton blinked, then squinted. Itwasher; he wasn’t imagining it. ‘I didn’t think you were coming back,’ he said.
‘I wasn’t sure, either. Yet here I am.’
‘How did the meeting go?’ He wanted to scoop her into his arms and kiss her until she begged him to stop, but he couldn’t move.
‘Can I come in? If it’s not too late?’
It would never be too late for Carla.
‘Of course.’ He stood aside for her to enter, then closed the door behind her.
She said, ‘I was going to leave it until tomorrow to see you, but I couldn’t wait.’ She hesitated and he got the impression that she didn’t intend to stay long.
The thought of her leaving when she’d only just got here, made his chest hurt.
‘I’ve had a formal apology from HR,’ she continued. ‘And Yale has been suspended.’
‘That’s brilliant news. I told you, didn’t I?’
‘You did.’
‘When do you start back?’
‘I don’t.’
Anger reared its head at the injustice of it. ‘They can’t do that!’
‘Theydidn’t.Idid. I resigned.’
‘You did what?’ He was flabbergasted. Ashton sank into the armchair he hadn’t long vacated. He didn’t think he could take any more surprises today.
‘That’s not all,’ she said. ‘I’m moving to Picklewick.’
‘For good?’ Dear lord, he needed a stiff drink.
‘Only until I find somewhere to rent in Thornbury.’
‘But, what— I don’t—’ He inhaled deeply. His heart was racing, and he felt a little lightheaded.
‘I’ve fallen in love with the place,’ she said. ‘Just like Dulcie. And just like Dulcie, I’ve fallen in love with a local chap. He’s a bit boring, talks about image sensors and apertures quite a lot, and he’s obsessed with taking photos—’
Ashton leapt to his feet and swept her into his arms, stopping her words with his mouth. Her lips parted, and she sank into his embrace with a whimper that sent him delirious with desire.
But before he whisked her off to bed and made love to her for the rest of the night, there was something he had to say.
‘I love you,’ he murmured gently.
Carla was more forthright. ‘I bloody hope so! Now shut up and kiss me.’
And because Ashton was a thoroughly nice guy and he didn’t like to disappoint a lady, he did just that!
Carla had never before reached the ‘meet the parents’ stage in a relationship, mainly because she’d never felt invested enough.
She was invested now alright, and she couldn’t wait to meet Ashton’s. They were away, but his grandmother lived in Picklewick’s care home and that’s where they were headed right now.
Her name was Nancy and Carla hoped they would get along.
An old lady with pink hair was seated in a wingback chair next to a large picture window with a view of the mountain above Muddypuddle Lane. Her lined face creased into a beautiful smile when she saw Ashton, and he bent to kiss her on the cheek.
