Chapter One
Leaning back against the sofa cushions, Gemma Murray shot her hand out to catch her laptop as it tipped precariously from the cushion sitting on her lap. Yikes! That was close. A second later and she’d have been grovelling to headteacher, Mrs Norton, and both pleading for forgiveness and as well as a replacement laptop.
With it now steady and out of danger, she glanced at the time before turning back to the weekly phonics lessons she was planning. She’d been teaching at Nettleford-on-the-Wold’s primary school, Woodland Primary, ever since she’d graduated sixteen years ago, but this was her first year working in the Reception class. After spending seven solid years teaching Year Two, Mrs Norton had taken over the headship nine years ago and immediately implemented a rota system which ensured teachers only stayed in one year group for a maximum of three years. And this year was Gemma’s turn to teach Reception.
Hunching her shoulders, she began typing again. She’d surprised herself with how much she was enjoying teaching the four- and five-year-olds in her class, and right now, if Mrs Norton announced the end of the rota system, she’d be more than happy to stay teaching the younger ones for the foreseeablefuture. Just as she came to the adult-led activities for Thursday’s lesson, the sound of someone knocking at the front door broke her concentration. That would be Hannah with little Alfie!
Closing the laptop, she set it down on the coffee table, which was positioned on the fluffy rug in front of the sofa and headed towards the door.
As soon as she pulled the door open, Hannah’s little Lhasa Apso, Alfie, began to bark, and Gemma was reminded that he might resemble a fluffy teddy, but he’d win a barking competition with the nosiest of the large breeds. At least in enthusiasm, if not in volume.
‘Hi, Hannah.’ After giving one of her closest friends a hug, Gemma knelt down and held her hand out towards Alfie, waiting until he’d stopped barking and sniffed her hand before reaching out and fussing him. ‘Hello, Alfie-bear. Are you ready for your holiday at mine?’
‘Oh, he’s ready. He’s been whining ever since I began packing, and then when Josh came round and put my bags in his car, he knew something was up.’ Bending down, Hannah picked Alfie up and hugged him to her chest, sinking her chin into his fur. ‘I feel so guilty for going and leaving him.’
‘Hey, you deserve a holiday. You’ve been working on your house non-stop these past few months, anyone else would have dropped from exhaustion by now.’ It was true. With the help of Josh, Hannah had been spending every minute of any spare time she had renovating the house her grandad had left her in his will. Gemma, who was known to be the organised one of the group of four close-knit friends, didn’t even know how Hannah was managing to keep up with everything that had been thrown at her during the renovations as well as keep up with her day job and commit to her new relationship with Josh, Sophie’s brother.
‘I know, but I feel we should be taking the campervan. It’s literally just sitting on the driveway. If we did, then we couldtake this little one with us.’ Hannah kissed Alfie’s fluffy head as he stared ahead through the open doorway, looking as though he was trying to figure out what was going on. Of course, Hannah had brought him round before, but that had always been with Hannah staying, and he must be wondering why they were standing on the doorstep rather than going on through. ‘He’s not been away from me since I adopted him. Not for one single night.’
Gemma could see her friend tearing up, and she knew she was going to have to be the bad guy in this situation or poor Josh would be waiting in his car on the other side of her garden gate for the next three weeks rather than exploring the exciting climes of Italy. Holding her hands out, she took Alfie from Hannah and let him settle in her arms. ‘See, we’ll be just fine. Off you go and enjoy yourselves.’
Jumping from foot to foot, Hannah glanced back towards Josh before looking back at Gemma. ‘I don’t know. Maybe I should call the whole thing off. I mean, he’s gone through so much change recently, what from living in the camper as he and I travelled around the country to getting used to living in a house and staying put. And Josh coming on the scene too…’
‘Hannah, I’m going to look after him. I promise. He’s already met the dog walker I’m going to use, you know that. Everything will be fine.’ Shifting Alfie slightly in her arms, Gemma reached out and rubbed her friend on the forearm. She knew Hannah was just worried, but she had this.
‘Thanks.’ Bending down, she kissed Alfie on the head again before running her forefingers beneath her eyes, brushing away the tears which were beginning to fall. ‘And you’ll be super careful when it comes to other dogs and people? You know he can go from cute and cuddly to snappy and vicious within a second?’
‘I know. Come on, I look after thirty kids every day, and a bunch of them can go from butter wouldn’t melt to having a meltdown in the blink of an eye. I know how this works.’
‘Okay…’
‘And I have his vet’s number pinned on my noticeboard too before you ask.’
Hannah gave a sheepish smile. ‘Right. Sorry, I know I’m being daft, and I do trust you. I really do, I just…’
‘You’ll miss him. I get it. But honestly, he’ll be fine. I’ll make sure of that.’ Gemma looked down at Alfie, who had snuggled into the crook of her arm. ‘Enjoy your holiday.’
‘Yep. I will. Okay, well, I’m just going to go now.’
Gemma nodded as her friend turned on her heels and slowly walked back down the garden gate before pausing, holding her finger up to signal to Josh, who was still patiently waiting in the car, that she’d only be one minute, and turned again, walking quickly back towards Gemma. ‘You’ve got Josh’s number too, haven’t you? In case you can’t get through to me? And the number for the groomer in case…’
‘In case what? His fur suddenly decides to grow at record speed?’ Gemma laughed. ‘I’ll send you photos each day and, yes, I do have Josh’s number. Plus the number for the hotel, the restaurants local to where you are staying and the tour companies you’re taking tours with too. Every single phone number and instruction I could possibly need is on the long list you gave me when you dropped his food and treats off yesterday.’
‘Yes, right.’ Hannah nodded. ‘Sorry, Idotrust you. You know that, don’t you?’
‘I know.’ Gemma frowned as a large white lorry with the words,‘Stratton Removals–no job too big, no job too small’emblazoned across the side in red italics, pulled up behind Josh’s car.
‘What? What is it?’ Hannah turned to watch two men wearing blue boiler suits jump down from the cab and retreat to the back of the lorry. ‘Ooh, it looks as though you have a new neighbour.’
‘Umm…’ Gemma nodded. It would have been nice of the Tucker twins, who owned and rented out both her cottage and the adjoining one, to let her know someone was moving in. The place had been sitting empty for at least five months now, and she’d begun to wonder if they’d planned to sell it. Still, it would be good to have a neighbour. She’d have to bake some of her signature ginger biscuits to take round and welcome them into the neighbourhood. Shaking the thoughts from her head, she focused on Hannah again. ‘Now you really will have to go, or you’re going to end up getting yourself blocked in.’
Hannah turned just as another lorry, smaller this time, slowed to a stop behind Josh’s car, hemming him in just as Gemma had predicted. ‘Okay, I’ll go. Thank you again for this, Gem. I really do appreciate it.’
‘Bye. Have a great holiday.’ Gemma closed the door before her friend could extend the goodbye any longer. Alfie had begun to squirm in her arms, and Hannah and Josh would be late for their flight if they didn’t leave now.
Placing the small dog down on the floor, Gemma put her hands on her hips and eyed him. ‘It’s just you and me now, buddy. Movie and ice cream, once I’ve finished this planning. What do you say?’
With his dark eyes fixed on her, Alfie sauntered across to the curtains which hung by the door, cocked his leg and peed.
