Liam and Issy came to join them. ‘Soon as everyone can get their stuff together, I reckon.’ He glanced around the still-busykitchen. ‘Maybe we should spread the word about what we’re doing, see if we can persuade everyone to join us. It’d save Mum and Dad the hassle of anyone outstaying their welcome.’
‘Good call.’ Harry rose again. ‘I’ll do the rounds inside and you can hit the garden.’
Not wanting to sit there and do nothing, Kat stood. ‘I’ll go and find our coats, shall I?’
‘Thanks, Kitty.’ Harry touched her arm briefly then headed out of the room.
‘You two seem best of friends all of sudden,’ Issy observed as she followed Kat into the utility room by the back door.
There were coats, hats and scarves everywhere and Kat began to rifle through the piles as she replied, ‘We just got chatting earlier. Actually, there’s something I need to talk to you about. I know you said it’s okay, but I’m not moving back in with you. I meant what I said before about you and Liam needing your own space.’
Issy folded her arms across her chest and glowered at Kat. ‘And I told you that it’s not a problem! What kind of friend would I be turfing you out just because I’ve got a boyfriend? A bloody awful one, that’s what kind!’
Laughing, Kat reached out and gave her friend a quick hug. ‘Oh, behave yourself, you know you’re the best friend I could possibly wish for. I’m not moving back in because I’ve found another solution. Harry’s said I can have the spare room above the restaurant.’
‘You’re moving in with Harry?’ Issy’s eyebrows raised almost up to her hairline.
‘That sounds weird when you say it like that!’ Kat turned away from her friend’s surprised gaze and carried on hunting through the piles of clothing. Why had she – and everyone else, it seemed – decided that black was the perfect colour for a winter coat? ‘I happened to mention I was feeling a bit awkward aboutthe you and Liam situation and he said he’d been missing having someone around the place since Carmel got that new job and moved away.’
‘Hmm.’
Kat abandoned her search to cast a suspicious look towards Issy. ‘Hmm, what?’
‘Are you sure that’s the only reason he’s asked you?’ Issy’s smile grew wicked. ‘The pair of you seemed very cosy this evening.’
Yikes! If Issy’s noticed this silly crush, it’s time to nip things in the bud.‘You’ve clearly had too much champagne and you’re seeing things that aren’t there! Harry and I are pals, that’s all.’
‘If you say so.’ Issy shrugged. ‘You can’t blame me for wondering when it’s come so out of the blue.’
‘I know it seems that way, but we were dancing earlier?—’
‘You danced with him?’ That teasing gleam was back in Issy’s eye. ‘Now, that I didn’t see!’
‘Probably because you were too wrapped up in Liam to see anything.’ Kat huffed out a frustrated breath. ‘Don’t tease, Issy. I promise if there was anything to tell, you’d be the first one to know, but there isn’t. I was watching you and Liam together and I said I needed to find somewhere else to live. I wasn’t even really talking to Harry, more to myself. Anyway, that’s when he offered me his spare room. It’s ideal when you think about it – we’ll have a bit of company when we need it but won’t be in each other’s way because he’ll be working most evenings.’
The teasing expression on Issy’s face was replaced with one of concern. ‘I hate the idea that you’re feeling pushed out.’
Well, damn, she’d only meant to steer Issy away from any silly ideas about her and Harry being a thing and now she’d hurt her feelings. ‘How many times do I have to tell you that I’m not!’ Kat gave her friend another reassuring hug. ‘I can’t thank you enough for stepping in when I needed it, but we both know it wasonly ever going to be temporary. This really is the best solution for all of us. Plus I get the added bonus of having some quiet time to get back to my book.’
Mention of her book was enough to brighten the mood. ‘You’re going to try and write again?’
Kat nodded, relieved she’d distracted Issy from both her guilt and her mistaken speculation about the new living arrangements. ‘I did a bit over Christmas while you were away, just a few creative writing exercises to get going. It felt so good to get back to it.’ She didn’t harbour any grand illusions about writing taking her anywhere other than the places her imagination conjured up, but it was ambition enough to actually try and finish at least one of the abandoned drafts lurking on her laptop. Her problem wasn’t coming up with ideas – she had the full-of-scribbles notebooks to prove it – she’d just never been able to settle on one for long enough to see it through. Every time she hit a bump in the road in whatever story she was writing, a new shiny idea popped up that she simply had to write instead. Perhaps a settled routine and proper time to herself would mean she could finally find the focus she’d been so sadly lacking.
‘Oh, I can’t wait to read it!’ Issy said, all but letting out a squeal as she grabbed Kat and hugged her back.
‘Hey, hey, what’s all the excitement and why am I missing out on it?’ They turned to find Chloe standing there.
‘Kat’s going to start writing again!’ Issy exclaimed.
‘What? Oh my God, that’s amazing! Bagsy being the first to read it!’
‘Slow down, slow down!’ Kat said, holding her hands up with a laugh. ‘I’ve got half a dozen pages of absolute rubbish at the moment so it’s going to be a while before I’ve got anything for anyone to read.’
‘I’ll read the rubbish!’ Chloe replied. ‘Not that it’ll be rubbish,’ she added hastily when she realised what she’d said.‘You know I’ve always loved your stories. What’s it going to be about?’
‘I haven’t even decided what I want to work on yet.’
‘We can help you with that!’ Chloe turned to Issy. ‘We could have one of our Prosecco evenings at your place and put our heads together!’
