‘I think you’d make a wonderful mother.’
‘But I need to meet a lovely man to settle down with first.’
‘It’ll happen when you’re least expecting it. It did for me,’ Irene replied with a chuckle.
Elle smiled at Irene. ‘Mint choc chip ice-cream has a lot to answer for.’
She grinned. ‘It certainly does! I put on half a stone that summer visiting the ice-cream van that Neville worked in.’
Elle linked her arm through Irene’s as they began to walk again.
‘But it was worth it. Neville was helping his dad that summer. I can still picture his cheeky smile from the van window when he asked what ice-cream I wanted. Every time I saw him, I had swarms of butterflies, but tried to play it cool. I didn’t think he’d even look in my direction.’
Elle smiled. ‘Playing it cool is overrated.’
‘The van was always parked over there.’ Irene pointed to a clearing behind a well-tended garden. ‘That garden hasn’t always been there. It was once a purpose-built paddling pool, and that’s where my friends and I spent most of our summers. We used to set up camp under that tree so we could watch Nev in the van.’
‘Do you miss him?’
‘Every day. It feels like there’s a massive void in my life. People say it gets easier in time – and time’s a great healer – but it still seems very raw to me.’
‘I can’t imagine.’
‘Sometimes my dreams about him are so vivid that when I wake up, it takes me a minute to realise it was only a dream.’
Elle squeezed her arm.
‘We had a wonderful life together, and I treasure that time. My heart will never soar for anyone else like it did for Neville.’
For a moment, they ambled along in silence, lost in their own thoughts, and then Elle spotted a familiar figure up ahead. Theo was giggling as a woman pushed him back and forth on the swing, his small hands gripping the rope for dear life.
‘Do you know them?’ asked Irene, following Elle’s gaze.
The woman gave Theo one more huge push on the swing before perching on a bench next to a man Elle didn’t recognise.
‘That’s Theo, Aiden’s son, and I’m assuming that must be Theo’s mum, Louisa.’
‘Who’s the man?’
‘I have no idea but they seem close.’ Elle watched as he placed his arm around Louisa’s shoulder then nuzzled her neck. He whispered something in her ear, causing Louisa to throw her head back and laugh. They seemed very at ease in each other’s company and only a few seconds later, he pulled Louisa towards him, cupped his hands around her face and kissed her deeply.
‘Oh my,’ Elle muttered, thinking about Aiden, who’d been so convinced she’d react badly if he started dating again. From where she was standing, it looked like Louisa had well and truly moved on.
‘They don’t look like just friends,’ Irene commented wryly.
‘I have to agree with you there,’ Elle replied, just as Theo suddenly caught her eye. A huge grin spread across his face and he pointed at her.
Louisa stood up and glanced in their direction.
‘I think we’d better introduce ourselves,’ Irene said. ‘Otherwise, she’ll be wondering how Theo recognises you.’
Elle waved towards Theo.
‘Hi,’ she said, making eye contact with Louisa. ‘I’m Elle – I work with Aiden at the library and had the chance to meet Theo and your parents when they visited. This is my mum, Irene.’
‘Lovely to meet you both,’ replied Louisa. The man sitting next to her didn’t utter a word, giving just a half-hearted and somewhat awkward smile.
‘Hello, little man,’ Elle said, moving over to Theo and giving the swing a little push.
