‘Sorry. I’ve got too much work on tonight.’
‘We’ll come,’ said Solly. ‘Won’t we, Jack? Sylvie?’
Sylvie shrugged. ‘I’d better be getting back. I’ve got baking to do for the summer fair at the school next week.’ She kissed Solly on the cheek. ‘Make it a boys’ night, why don’t you? No need to rush.’
Nick led the two brothers out of the community centre and towards the pub. Part of him had hoped Kitty would join them, part of him was relieved she hadn’t. The atmosphere between them was polite at best and could be described as frosty if you weren’t being so generous. Mixing that atmosphere with alcohol wasn’t wise.
Jack offered to get the first round in and slipped inside the doors of The Ship, while Nick found a table and checked his watch. Paige had offered to put Emily to bed, and just this once, he was happy to pass on the responsibility to someone else. If he could delay his return until his parents were asleep, all the better.
Chapter 41
Kitty slowed her pace at the end of her run, looking forward to throwing herself under a hot shower. And slowed more as the cottage came into sight. A man was standing at the door. She froze, inching her way forward.
She didn’t recognise the man, and a baseball cap hid his face. Kitty took another few tentative steps, her shoulders relaxing as she took in his height and weight.
It wasn’t James. Where James was lanky and slim, the man at her door was short and squat. As she drew closer still, she noticed the logo on his T-shirt. And the enormous bunch of flowers in his arms.
‘Excuse me,’ she said, walking up to him. ‘Can I help you? This is my house.’
The man turned and smiled at her. ‘So you’re the lucky lady, are you?’
‘What? Sorry?’
‘These are for you.’ He handed over a giant bunch of red roses.
‘Oh… thanks. Do… do you know who sent them?’
‘Nah.’ He shrugged. ‘There’s a card with them.’
‘Right. OK.’
Kitty tried to squeeze past the man, but the roses were so huge there wasn’t room for both of them. The man laughed as they awkwardly danced around each other before he headed further down the path.
‘Have a great day,’ he called.
‘Thanks.’ Awkwardly clutching the massive bouquet, Kitty managed to put her key in the lock and let herself in.
She carried the roses through to the kitchen, their scent filling the air. After placing them on the worktop, Kitty picked out the small white envelope lodged between the petals. She removed a card from the envelope and turned it around in her fingers.
‘Darling, congratulations on your performance. I can’t wait to see it.’
Kitty dropped the card as if it had stung her. She spun around so quickly she knocked a glass off the counter. She jumped as it smashed on the tiled floor. Without stopping to think, she snatched up the card, grabbed her jacket and ran out of the house. The door slammed behind her as she headed to the village at a sprint.
Kitty arrived at Seashell Cottage so out of breath her lungs burned. She knocked on the door, leaning against it, trying to regulate her breathing. When Alice opened the door, she could have cried in relief.
‘Kitty? What are you doing here? Is everything OK?’
‘S… sorry to disturb your weekend,’ said Kitty, ‘but you said if I ever needed to, we could talk.’
‘Actually,’ said Alice with a frown, ‘I was going to come and find you this morning. Come on, come through to the living room. You look like you could do with a drink. Do you want water, or would you rather have tea?’
‘Both?’ asked Kitty, limping her way through to the sitting room with the most magnificent views over Saffron Bay.
‘It’s a lovely day,’ called Alice. ‘We can sit on the balcony if you want.’
‘Great,’ said Kitty.
Out on the balcony, Kitty curled up in a deep chair, pulling a tissue from her pocket to wipe the sweat from her brow. Her heart was still hammering, slowing now she was safe. The breeze that tickled her face was welcome.
