Page 96 of A Change of Heart

“I agree.” She held his gaze, hiding her emotions. Somehow, she managed to keep her chin up as she sauntered out of the pub. Outside, she put a hand to her mouth to stifle a sob.

Setting off into town, she checked her phone. Her emotions heightened even further at the lack of contact from Kit. Instinctively, she walked straight through the narrow streets of Hugh Town and then kept going, picking up her pace as she approached Old Town Bay.

Rushing into Mirren’s kitchen, she burst into tears.

“What’s going on?” Mirren asked, appearing from the living room.

“I messed everything up,” she sobbed in Mirren’s embrace. “Kit won’t speak to me and I’ve fallen out with Noah too.”

“Calm down.” Mirren rubbed her back. “It’s probably not as bad as you think.”

“It is.” She wiped at her eyes as Mirren led her into the living room. “I was so scared of getting together with Kit in case things didn’t work out, but I managed to ruin things without even being in a relationship with him. He won’t speak to me.”

“What happened?” Mirren asked, her eyes shining with affection.

“Felix kissed me on Friday night. That’s how I ended up having an allergic reaction – not because of anything I ate.” Seren sank back on the couch. “It was just a stupid thing –hekissedme,I didn’t kiss him back. But Kit found out and he’s furious that I didn’t tell him, and he’s convinced there’s something going on with me and Felix, even though there isn’t.”

“Kit will come around.”

“He won’t even speak to me.”

“That won’t last long. He probably just needs some time to get his thoughts in order. It’ll have hurt his pride finding out you kissed Felix.”

“Hekissedme,” she said again.

“Give Kit time to calm down and you’ll figure things out.”

“I’m not so sure.”

Mirren tilted her head. “He’s been in love with you for years. There’s no way he’s going to let a stupid kiss get in the way.”

“Years?” Seren frowned. “I don’t think so.”

Mirren slouched back beside Seren. “Iknowso. Yesterday, I was talking to Keira about the two of you. Apparently Kit told her he’s been in love with you since Terry died. I don’t think I’m supposed to know that.”

“Oh god.” Seren covered her face with her hands. “I had no idea.”

“I have absolutely no doubt that you’ll sort things out.”

“I can’t stand the thought of him being upset with me.”

“You just need to be patient. Now, tell me what happened with Noah.”

Hesitantly, Seren explained the conversation she’d had with Felix, then told Mirren about the confrontation with Noah.

“I’m sure you think I’m deluded and that Felix is lying,” she said when she’d filled Mirren in. “But I honestly think he was telling the truth.”

Mirren rolled her eyes. “I might be a bit soft when it comes to my sons, but I’m under no illusion that any of them are saints. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Noah had interfered with your relationship with Felix. He hated having competition for your time. No one could mention Felix’s name without Noah making some derogatory comment.”

“If I wasn’t so upset about the situation with Kit I probably wouldn’t have been so hard on Noah, but I’m also really angry with him.”

“You’re allowed to be,” Mirren said. “But you’re also going to have to sort things out with him.”

“We’ve never properly fallen out before.”

Mirren choked on a laugh. “When you were kids you fell out just about every other week.”

“Only about stupid stuff.”