Bridie said as soon as he got off the phone, ‘Did you just call Jack,mate?’
‘Oh, yes.’
Oliver leaned forward and put his phone down on the coffee table. ‘Life is complicated sometimes.’
Bridie’s gaze shifted to the shop window, and Reggie’s shop, where her parents were settling down for their first night together since, she imagined, she was conceived. ‘Tell me about it!’ Her gaze shifted back to Oliver. And then his phone. ‘When you said life is complicated, were you talking about the three of us?’ Bridie knew Oliver understood she was talking about Jack.
‘Yes, but you know I think life has a funny way of leading us back to where we’re meant to be and who we are meant to be there with.
Bridie couldn’t agree more. She was still looking at Oliver’s phone, feeling a little anxious. ‘Are you going to let me in on what Jack asked you to tell me?’
‘You need to sit down first.’
‘Do I?’
‘I think so.’
Bridie took a seat on the sofa next to Oliver. She turned to him. ‘He’s not leaving Jade after all, is he?’ Bridie didn’t want that. She didn’t want their relationship to be over just because of her.
‘Not at all. They lost sight of each other, and now they’ve found each other again.’
Bridie smiled. ‘Thank goodness.’ She paused. ‘So, what was so important that he phoned you at this hour?’
‘He wanted me to give you the news.’
‘And what news is that?’
‘The cottage next door to the theatre. He’s going to renovate it from top to bottom.’
‘Oh, I see. That’s kind of him to let me know.’
‘Yes, he said that he will carry out the works outside of the performance times to cause as little disruption as possible for your new business.’
Bridie nodded. ‘Great.’ She breathed a huge sigh of relief. ‘Is that all? He didn’t have to let us know tonight, though. It could have waited.’
‘No, actually it couldn’t. You see he wants you there first thing in the morning so he can draw up plans for the works.’
‘Oh, I don’t have to be there.’
‘Ah, but you do. He was rather hoping I’d be there too.’
Now Bridie was really confused. ‘I’m not sure why he needs us there.’
‘Ah, he told me why. You see, he needs us to sign some paperwork.’
‘I’m not signing any more paperwork with Jack,’ Bridie said, her eyes wide.
Oliver leaned over and took her hand. ‘Believe me, you’ll want to sign this.’
‘Why?’
‘Because Jack is gifting you the cottage.’
‘What?’ Bridie shot out of her seat. ‘He can’t do that!’
‘They already did. But they have some legal paperwork for you to sign.’
Bridie narrowed her eyes. ‘Who’s they?’
