Page 11 of Happier Days (Family Life in Somerley #1)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Ava moved towards the table, sitting across from Stella and Max. Jack took the chair next to her. Seriously, he was going to be her boss for the next four weeks?

A movement caught her eye, and she glanced to see Jack smirking. She ignored him and opened the file she’d brought along to the discussion.

‘Was your room okay, Ava?’ Stella asked. ‘I hope it’s to your satisfaction.’

‘It’s beautiful,’ Ava gushed. ‘I feel like a princess.’

‘Well, thank you for agreeing to stay during the weeks. I hope it isn’t too inconvenient for you.’

‘It’s fine.’ Ava smiled. ‘I have a daughter who is old enough to fend for herself, so she’s getting a bit of peace. Mind, I’m not. When do you get to the stage that you stop worrying about your children?’

‘Never,’ Stella replied.

‘Tell me about it,’ Jack muttered good-heartedly.

For the next hour, they chatted among themselves. Despite her nerves, Ava found herself proposing a few ideas. As an outsider, she was sure to see things from a different perspective, and it was good to put her skills to use. Then it was over.

Stella and Max got to their feet. Ava was about to do the same when Stella put a hand out.

‘Please, stay. I’ll send in lunch for the two of you. I’m sure you have lots to catch up on.’

‘Mum, I?—’

‘It’s been a pleasure to see you again, Ava,’ she interrupted. ‘Hasn’t it, Max?’

‘It certainly has.’

Ava waited for them to leave the room before turning on Jack. ‘You could have told me I’d be working with you,’ she hissed.

‘I had no idea!’ Jack protested. ‘It was a surprise to me, too. Besides, you hardly gave me the chance anyway. I was going to come over to you in the café, but you marched off in a strop again when Charlie arrived and?—’

‘I did not march off in a strop!’

‘Oh, you did.’

Ava pouted, but it morphed into a smile. All of a sudden, she relaxed. She might as well enjoy herself if she had to spend time with him.

‘So,’ Jack went on. ‘We get to hang around together for a month. It’s going to be like old times, isn’t it?’

‘Not unless you push me out of the apple tree and chase me across the shales threatening to throw me into the water.’

Jack guffawed. ‘Now, there’s a thought.’

‘You might as well tell me now what else I need to know before I stick my foot in it again.’

‘Ah, sorry about earlier.’ Jack’s face fell. ‘Even though Dan died a while ago, it’s still raw. But I shouldn’t have snapped at you.’

She paused and then sighed. ‘It’s fine. I understand. I still can’t believe I won’t get to see him here, too. Did he have any family?’

‘An ex-wife, Alison, and two kids. Stayed together for fifteen years. Tom’s fourteen and the image of his father. It’s like seeing myself as a teenager, probably how I was when you last saw me.’

A memory flashed through Ava’s mind of her and Jack, up against a tree as his lips found hers for the first time. Heat rose to her cheeks.

If Jack noticed, he didn’t say. Which she was grateful for.

‘And then there’s Millie who’s twelve. Luckily, Alison keeps in touch, so they stay with me often on a weekend, especially for the lakeside events. I love having them around.’

‘And you?’ She stared at him pointedly, although wondering what the lakeside events would consist of. ‘What about your family?’

‘I have an ex-wife who’s hideous.’

It was said so sharp that Ava could almost feel the animosity from the divorce.

‘But we made a gorgeous fifteen-year-old, Brooke,’ he said quickly. ‘How about you?’

‘Divorced, too,’ she said, with almost the same hostility. ‘My daughter, Georgia, is eighteen. She’s still at home, at uni. I barely see her as she’s always out and about.’

Jack said nothing. He seemed to be finding the right words, but in the end he stayed quiet. For some reason it didn’t make her feel uncomfortable.

‘Perhaps we’d better talk about work?’ she offered, eventually.

He nodded. ‘How about we start over, back to being friends?’

‘I think that would be wise.’

He held out his hand to seal the deal.

The bolt of electricity that shot through Ava at his touch had her glancing away, momentarily embarrassed.

Since her split with Giles, she’d dated a few men, but none of them had warranted more than a handful of meetups at the most before she’d had enough. Either she hadn’t seen a future with them, or she had seen through them and realised she didn’t want to be with them long term.

She wondered if it was because she was so hurt by Giles, as at thirty-eight, she might be ready to settle down again.

The circle of people she mixed with was small.

She didn’t want to try any dating apps so she was stuck, unless she was invited to social events through work where she might meet someone.

Like this one.

But she had a job to do, and she had to remain professional at all times. If she blew this, she might not get a second chance to do anything so good.