‘Nasty.’
‘Yeah.’
An awkward silence stretched between them, and Kitty began replacing the earbuds she’d removed.
‘Carla’s visiting,’ blurted Nick. ‘That’s why I’ve come for a run, to give her and Emily some space. I don’t want you thinking I’ve left Emily in the house by herself.’
Kitty smiled. ‘It hadn’t crossed my mind. How’s it going with Carla?’
‘It’s a bit awkward.’
‘It’s bound to be.’ She fiddled with the earbuds in her hand. ‘I’m meeting Alice and Sam for a drink this afternoon. Why don’t you ask Carla if she’d like to come along?’
Nick hesitated. Was this a friendship he wanted to encourage? ‘OK, though I doubt she’ll want to. She’d probably rather stay with Emily.’
‘Maybe, but this situation will be weird for her, too. She might need a breather. And it’s just one drink. I’ve got a meeting this evening, which is why we’re getting together in the afternoon. She won’t need to be out long.’
‘Your meeting wouldn’t have anything to do with Margot, would it?’
Kitty frowned. ‘How did you know?’
‘Because she’s roped me in too.’
‘She’s asked you to get involved in the play? Why?’
Nick bristled. Was Kitty implying he had nothing to offer? ‘I used to be into drama. Even went to drama school for a while.’ His cheeks grew hot, and he guessed he’d revealed too much by the way her eyes widened.
‘You went to drama school?’
‘For a bit, yes. In another life.’ He stared at the ground, and when he looked up, her full lips were curled in a half-smile.
‘You are a dark horse.’
The way Kitty’s turquoise eyes fixed their gaze on him made Nick’s pulse race more than any running had. In her running gear, he could see every curve of Kitty’s body, and although they were both fully clothed, that, along with their proximity, suddenly felt somehow too intimate.
A new silence opened between them. Unlike the last, this one was heavy with unspoken words and possibilities. Nicktook a tentative step closer as Kitty’s pupils darkened. Her breath caught, and he stepped forward again. They were almost touching. Nick wished he’d worn looser running shorts.
The buzz of a phone broke the spell, and Nick stepped away. A nettle brushed against his leg, and he tried not to wince, squinting instead at his phone. ‘Sorry, that’s Carla. She says Emily wants to go to the beach. I’d better get back.’
‘Sure.’
Nick turned, realising they would be running the same way, and feeling a sudden need to be alone.
Kitty must have felt the same way because she smiled at him and said, ‘You go ahead. I could do with a quick breather.’
‘OK, see you later.’
‘And don’t forget to tell Carla about that drink. We’re meeting outside The Ship at three.’
‘I’ll tell her,’ he said, waving as he sprinted off towards the village. As his feet pounded the path and music blared in his ears, Nick wondered if he was running to Emily, or from Kitty. He was sure he hadn’t imagined the moment between them. But developing a schoolboy crush on his daughter’s teacher was not a good idea, even for him. Life was complicated enough already without throwing that particular spanner into the works.
Chapter 27
‘Is it OK I invited Carla?’ asked Kitty when they finally paused for breath.
She accepted the wine from Alice who slipped into the seat next to Sam. At this time of day, The Ship was blissfully quiet, and they had their pick of tables overlooking the beach below.
‘Of course,’ said Sam, ‘we’re intrigued to meet the mother of Nick’s child.’
