‘The last thing on my mind, after Charles left, was meeting someone new, especially so soon afterwards, but Rob came into my life when we were both at a low ebb, and we had that common ground that we could bond over. In reality, it’s still relatively early days for us, there’s no pressure from either of us for it to be anything more than it is, but I’ve been very grateful for his friendship and support.’
As she said the words aloud, she wondered if she was being truthful to herself. She was used to trotting out the sentiment to her friends and family, to downplay the relationship to others, enjoying the bubble she’d created with Rob. Until, that was, their last meeting, when the reality of his previous life had reared its head and thrown everything into disarray as far as Tess was concerned. Perhaps it was a reminder that it was far too soon to be getting so emotionally involved with someone she couldn’t fully rely on or trust, not when he had so many other demands on his time and attention. The last thing she needed was a broken heart at her age.
‘Well, from what I know about these things, which admittedly is very little, I don’t think there’s an optimum time for setting out on a new relationship. Some people jump straight back in while others wait twenty years plus and still counting,’ he said with a self-deprecating smile. ‘It’s what’s right for you; that’s the important thing.’
Michael made a fair point, although she wasn’t certain she knew what was right for her at the moment. Still, she took a breath and closed her eyes to the sky, savouring the elements for a moment. She very much enjoyed her walk with her new neighbour this morning, pointing out features of interest on the way, imparting snippets of information and learning more about him. He seemed a great guy and she was sure he would be an asset to the village.
When they’d walked for over an hour, they headed back to the village, where they said their goodbyes.
‘Thanks, Tess. It’s been great getting to know you. Thanks for the guided tour. And I’ll pop round soon and get those dates confirmed for The Garden Retreat, if that’s okay with you?’
‘Any time you like,’ she said with a smile, feeling gratified that word of The Garden Retreat was spreading already, before she’d even got started on the marketing. If it continued at this rate, she’d have no trouble securing bookings; she just had to ensure the accommodation was in top-notch condition, which she knew, in her heart, it already was. There was no backing out of the new venture, even if she’d wanted to, which she most certainly didn’t. In fact, she couldn’t wait to share the delights of The Garden Retreat with a much wider audience.
10
‘Something smells good.’
‘I hope so,’ said Hannah, turning away from the stove with a wooden spoon in her hand. Her face had a rosy glow from the heat of the kitchen and her highlighted hair was pushed back off her face and tied in a messy bun on the top of her head. Thankfully, she was wearing Tess’s pinny over her pretty floral dress, which was now splattered with an array of fresh stains. Tess gave an indulgent smile. This new version of her daughter, domesticated and eager to please, was something of a revelation.
Tess peered into the frying pan at the creamy sauce, an accompaniment to the steak Hannah had already seasoned and covered in the fridge ready for cooking later for her guest.
‘Just be careful to not allow the sauce to boil dry,’ Tess offered, tempted to give further unsolicited advice, but not wanting to interfere more than necessary.
‘It’s fine, Mum,’ said Hannah, laughing, dashing back to the pan to give it another stir. ‘It’s all under control.’
‘Good, I’m glad to hear it. In that case, I’ll leave you to it.’
Tess picked up her bag and went to the hallway mirror to check her appearance. She was wearing a flattering, wrap-style dress in a muted pink print and ankle boots, her blonde hair worn loosely on her shoulders. Butterflies fluttered in her chest at the prospect of seeing Rob again, and she wasn’t sure why, only that it made her feel heady and slightly out of control.
‘Okay. Wait a minute.’ Hannah moved the pan to a closed ring on the hob, put down her spoon and wriggled out of her apron, before throwing her arms around Tess. ‘Thanks, Mum. You have a lovely evening too. I’m going to look forward to sharing notes tomorrow! Oh goodness!’ She glanced at her watch. ‘Billy should be here at any moment!’
Tess had a smile on her face as she drove the short distance along the country lanes to Rob’s place, thinking how unexpected it was to be bonding with her daughter over the trials and tribulations of their respective new relationships, something she could never have foreseen just a few months earlier. Now she had reason to be apprehensive on two counts as she contemplated if anything might have shifted between herself and Rob, knowing that he had been seeing his ex recently and wondering what that might mean for their relationship going forward. And secondly, how would Hannah’s evening with Billy unfold? He was undeniably handsome and his Celtic charm might be hard to resist, thought Tess. Was it just a friendship as Hannah insisted or was she opening herself up to heartbreak again? If, as Tess suspected, it was the latter, was Billy serious about rekindling their relationship or was it just an ego trip for him and might he do another flit as soon as their friendship grew more intense? She could have no way of knowing, but all Tess wanted was for Hannah to be happy.
She didn’t have long to ponder over those anxieties because as soon as Tess pulled up outside Rob’s cottage, she noticed the front door ease open and there he was waiting for her, standing on the threshold, a big smile on his face.
‘Hey,’ she said, climbing out of car, disconcerted by the way seeing him again made her feel, the way her body reacted involuntarily to his presence. She could have done with a moment to get herself together, to check her appearance in the pull-down mirror, to get her breathing under control. She felt her skin flush and tingle, and her heart quicken, simply from the way he was looking at her. Why was she acting like a lovesick teenager? It was ridiculous, she thought, scolding herself.
‘Welcome, it’s so good to see you. Come here.’ He beckoned her into his arms, kissing her on the lips, before hugging her tight. Some of her anxieties and apprehensions evaporated in that moment, reassured by the solidity of his embrace.
‘I’ve missed you,’ he told her, leaning back to look at her, before gesturing for her to go indoors.
‘Have you?’ she asked, entering the cottage, noticing that Rob had given the place a thorough spruce-up since her last visit when he had only recently moved in. Then it had felt musty and uncared for, with scuff marks on the paintwork and an unlived-in air hanging from the beams. Now, even though it was still sparsely furnished with just a two-seater sofa and a coffee table, it felt fresh and airy, with the hearth of the fireplace scrubbed clean, and a basket of logs and a vase of flowers offering a focal point to the room.
‘Yes, I have,’ he said, taking her hand, and spinning her round to face him. ‘I was hoping you might have missed me too.’ His gaze scanned her face, a smile hovering at the corner of his lips, as though in expectation of her response, before he simply grinned, and kissed her again.
‘Maybe a bit,’ she said, feigning nonchalance. ‘It looks lovely in here.’ She took a step backwards and made a show of admiring the space. ‘Oh, by the way, I brought you these.’ She handed over a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates.
‘You didn’t need to bring anything, but thank you anyway. I’m sure we can put these to good use. Let me fix you a drink. A glass of wine or an Aperol spritz? What do you fancy?’
‘An Aperol spritz sounds great, thanks.’
Once Rob started pottering in the kitchen, peering at things in the oven, pouring drinks and chatting away freely, regaling Tess with stories from work, then she began to relax. It was Rob’s easy manner and his good-natured humour that had attracted her in the first place and in his company, she could be her natural self so that she didn’t need to try too hard. Looking back, she realised that a lot of the time in her marriage, she had been on tenterhooks with Charles, anticipating what kind of mood he might be in at the end of a day, trying to soothe his anger, dampening down her own needs and wants for the sake of keeping the peace at home. Spending time with Rob over recent months had made her realise that a relationship didn’t have to be like that; it could be easy, respectful and nourishing. Something that made her feel good about herself. Although now, as she observed Rob as he pulled out a vegetarian lasagne from the oven, she wondered if she was guilty of viewing the situation with a false sense of hope. Any marriage that spanned decades was bound to face some difficulties, periods where the other person drove you to distraction and where you had to make allowances for the other person’s foibles. Something Tess had learned over the years was that the very qualities that attracted you to someone in the first place were the very same ones that could irritate you immensely after dealing with them daily over a prolonged period of time. At least with Charles, she had known most of his questionable personality traits, although discovering that he was a philandering cheat was something she had never bargained for. In hindsight, Melody was welcome to him.
In contrast, Rob was charming, funny and undeniably attractive, and at the moment, very attentive. He handed her a drink.
‘Give that a try. If you need some more Prosecco in there, let me know. Are you warm enough? I could always light the fire if you’re feeling cold.’
‘That’s perfect and I’m absolutely fine, thank you,’ she said, flattered that he was making such an effort, but did she really know him as well as she thought she did? Was she only seeing his best self, the person he wanted her to see? What could she learn from Jennifer, his ex, about the real Rob?
