“Not now. Obviously. But someday. Kathmandu would probably freak her out, all the noise and crowds, but once you get into the mountains she’d be alright. The pace slows right down. The air clears. She might like that.”
Will gives me a look that lands somewhere between amusement and disbelief. “You’re imagining her in the Himalayas.”
“Well, yes. She said she almost wished she could see it. I could take her… maybe.”
He opens his mouth to respond, but his phone starts ringing in his pocket. He glances at the screen, then sighs.
“Jon,” he mutters, then taps the green icon and puts it on speaker. “To what do we owe the pleasure? And more importantly, what exactly is in the water in St Claire? First you fell in love there, now it’s Aaron’s turn. Should we be bottling the stuff?”
I shoot him a glare. “Oh for—I haven’t fallen in love.”
There’s a pause on the line, followed by Jon’s familiar low chuckle. “Morning, Aaron.”
“Don’t encourage him.”
“I don’t need to,” Jon says. “He’s right, though. There’s something about the place. Quiet air, strong pints, emotionally repressed men making progress. It’s practically medicinal.”
Will grins at me across the desk. I resist the urge to throw his phone out the window.
“Anyway,” Will says, leaning back, “what’s up, mate?”
He tilts the phone a little so we’re both leaning in.
“Actually, I was calling to ask something. Bit of a favour.”
Will narrows his eyes, amused. “Go on.”
“So,” Jon begins, “Layla has apparently decided that her life won’t be complete unless she meets the actual Elsa in person, and she’s somehow convinced Luke—Nancy’s boyfriend, partner… future husband, whatever he’s being called this week—to take the whole lot of us to Disneyland Paris over half term. That’s in two weeks.”
“Brave man,” Will mutters. “And very trusting.”
“Yes, well, the big sad eyes of my sunshine may have weakened his defences.”
I smile. “Sounds like a tactical ambush.”
“Entirely. Anyway, the only snag is we’ve got one regular booked in at the cottage that week. Just the one. Lovely chap, Mr Pamir. He's self-sufficient, breakfast’s booked at the greasy spoon down the road, and the cleaner will still be coming in, so there’s nothing to do on that front. It’s really just someone being around. Making sure the pipes don’t burst and the place doesn’t mysteriously catch fire.”
Will raises an eyebrow. “And you were hoping Katie and I might fancy a scenic week in Yorkshire over half term?”
“Well,” Jon says lightly, “Phoebe loves it here. You get pies, walking routes, Abby’s leftovers in the freezer. It practically sells itself.”
Will glances at me. I can already see the cogs turning.
Then he shakes his head. “Sorry, mate. I would, honestly, but Katie’s already booked a few days in Turkey for half term. Beach, sun, a hotel with a suspicious number of swim-up bars. We leave in ten days.”
Jon sighs. “Lucky sod.”
There’s a pause.
And then the idea starts to form. Quiet, but insistent.Maybe I could go.It’s only a week, and I can run the company remotely from there. And maybe... maybe I could convince Eve to join me. She can do her work from anywhere, and she did say she’d love to see the little hill behind the cottage.
It’s not a plan, exactly, but it’s something close. A week in St Claire, a chance to spend a bit more time with Eve. As friends, obviously.
Before I can talk myself out of it, before common sense kicks in, I hear myself say, “I could do it.”
Will turns to me. “What?”
“I mean, why not? I’ve got nothing locked in for that week. I can work from there. The guest sounds low-maintenance, and someone should be around.”
