Page 47

“Did I mention that I’m trying to manage an extremely professional establishment here?” she teased on Thursday afternoon.

Kent had finished his shift and was going to head home, and while they’d already arranged to meet up when she finished work, those three hours felt like a lifetime away.

“I’d blame the owner if I were you,” he said, breaking away to kiss her again. “He clearly needs to employ better staff.”

“Absolutely,” Gemma said.

She was about to lean in and kiss him again when she heard the kitchen door swing open and she jumped back.

“There’s a bit of a queue forming here, Gem,” Sophie called out. “Any chance you can look for those napkins later? I’m sure we’ve got plenty out here for now.”

As much as she didn’t want to, Gemma’s eyes caught Kent’s. It took all her willpower to suppress her smirk.

“Of course, I’m sure they must be in the cupboard somewhere,” she said.

A moment later, she was following Sophie back onto the café floor while Kent blew her a kiss.

“See you later,” he mouthed.

CHAPTER 66

So far, she and Kent had only met out and about, and while he had dropped her at her house a couple of times, she had never invited him in, and he had never asked to come inside. They had somehow found an unspoken rule that neither of them would push things. But when they finished their drinks at the Queen’s Head, something told her it was the night she was going to ask him if he wanted to stay.

Of course, it wasn’t like they’d been dating that long—not in the grand scheme of things. It had only been a week, but it had been a week in which they’d spent every spare moment together. Dates she’d been on before had lasted a couple of hours at most and if she was really into the guy, she might see him twice in one week, though that had only happened once since the breakup with Robert.

With Kent, they had been staying together until the bars and pubs kicked them out, and that night wasn’t any different. Seven days with a minimum of five hours a day together was essentially the same as seeing a guy for two months. And that was what it felt like to her. Like they had been together for months.

Once again, Gemma was wearing his jacket, and as they walked down towards her house, she considered how she wouldask him in. She would have to ask him. She knew that. There was no way he would ask. Yet when they reached her front door, Kent’s phone started ringing. When he pulled it out of his pocket, a deep shadow clouded his expression.

“I’m sorry,” he said to Gemma. “I’m going to have to get this. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”

“Oh, okay, yes, sure,” Gemma said.

She reached up to kiss him goodbye, but he had already turned his head and was walking the other way with his phone pressed against his ear. It was a strange reaction for sure, Gemma thought, as he walked away without a backward glance. The disappointment was like a pain in her gut. For a split second she considered calling out to him, just so she got the goodbye kiss she had grown used to, but then that felt childish. It wasn’t like he had known she was planning on inviting him inside, after all. And it wasn’t as if they had to rush things. They had plenty of time to get to know each other.

As Gemma walked into her kitchen, she switched on the kettle and let out a long sigh. The more time they spent together, the harder she was finding it to deny the way she felt. Despite all the boundaries she had put up with Robert, she was falling in love. And it felt easy. It felt right because she was sure he felt the same. This was the real thing. Tonight with the phone call was just a little blip, wasn’t it?

CHAPTER 67

When Gemma came into work the next morning, she still hadn’t fully erased the niggling sensation that came from the way Kent had said goodbye the night before. He had sent her a message apologising for the abrupt departure, but when she’d sent a follow-up asking if he wanted to chat on the phone, he’d said he needed to get a proper night’s sleep. She’d tried not to take the comment to heart—after all, they’d spent a crazy amount of time together over the last week, especially considering they hadn’t officially put a label on what they were doing. In her mind, they were a couple, but perhaps he saw things differently. Perhaps he was the type of guy who dated more than one woman before taking the American approach of ‘going steady’. No, she thought, dismissing the idea as soon as it formed. She knew how he felt about relationships—he’d told her that night in the yacht club. He was committed to her. She was sure. But perhaps she needed to hear him say it to stop feeling so insecure.

Knowing that the uncertainty would pester her until she spoke to him, Gemma left for work fifteen minutes earlier than usual, wanting to give herself time to have a proper conversationwith Kent before the café opened. But when she arrived, she was surprised to find a customer already sitting outside the door.

“Margaret?”

“I’m sorry, Gemma,” Margaret said. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her hands trembling. “I know you’re not open yet. It’s just... I didn’t know where else to go. The family has all these questions, and there are forms and certificates, and I don’t want to deal with it. I don’t want to deal with any of it.”

“Oh Margaret, I’m so sorry,” Gemma said, knowing without doubt the reason her customer was there so early. Still, with tears in her eyes, Margaret confirmed what Gemma already knew.

“She’s gone, Gemma. My mother—she passed away last night.”

Hugs weren’t something they did with customers, excluding Graham, of course, and even so, Gemma got the feeling that wasn’t what Margaret wanted. She wanted a chance to block out the rest of the world. A chance to feel normal. And so, grabbing her keys from her bag, Gemma hurriedly opened the door before beckoning Margaret inside.

“Take a seat,” she said. “I’ll get you a cup of coffee.”

“I don’t want to put you to any trouble. You haven’t even opened up yet. I just thought maybe I could talk to you about her. You know, for old time’s sake. But it’s silly. I’m sorry. I’m putting you out.”

“You are absolutely not putting me out,” Gemma lied as she tried to figure out how to get everything done and still have time to talk to Margaret.