Page 50 of Happier Days (Family Life in Somerley #1)

CHAPTER FIFTY

If Harry had been surprised to see Eliza knocking on his door, it was nothing compared to when he did the same to Jack a few hours later.

‘Is everything okay?’ Jack asked with a frown, unsure why he would be calling to see him.

‘I…’ Harry ran a hand through his hair. ‘Could I have a quick word, if you have time? I’m not interrupting anything?’

‘No, you’ve only just caught me in. Ava and I have been to London.’

‘Things going well?’

‘They are, thanks. Come on through.’

Jack ushered him in, noticing Harry’s gaze settling on the view through the picture window.

‘This is some place,’ Harry said, a tone of envy evident. ‘I remember us talking about this when we were kids. A house by the side of the lake, with our own mooring. It must feel amazing to live here.’

‘It does. The place was a wreck when I bought it with Katrina, which is why we managed to buy it at the time. But we’ve renovated a lot of it, and I’ve done more work on it since I’ve been on my own. Coffee?’

‘Please.’

‘What can I do for you?’ Jack queried. He took out mugs and placed them on the kitchen island that stood between them.

‘I found out this morning that Willow is my daughter, and you were the first person my feet took me to.’

‘Ah. I haven’t had time to get used to it myself yet.’

‘It was a bit of a shock.’ Harry grimaced. ‘The understatement of my life.’

Jack poured water into the mugs and urged Harry to take a seat.

He slid onto a high stool. ‘To be honest, I’ve screwed up my life big style. A huge part of me is glad that I wasn’t around for Willow as I would have made a mess of that as well as the two marriages that have ended in divorce.’

‘But then, you might have joined the Broadhurst mob as my brother-in-law.’

Harry pulled a face. ‘I’m not sure I would ever be that good a person.’

Jack chuckled. ‘You sure do have a low opinion of yourself.’

‘It’s true.’

‘Is it, though? If I’m honest, I thought you’d turn out to be a pisshead like your dad.’

‘Believe me, I make a fool of myself without alcohol these days.’

‘I also thought you’d be back from wherever it was that you went within a couple of months, having drunk away the money that you stole.’

Harry took the opportunity to retrieve an envelope from his coat pocket. He handed it to Jack.

‘I’m sorry about taking your money. I’ve had it ready to give back to you, but I hadn’t found the right moment.

I’ve brought it out with me several times, but it felt that apologising wouldn’t be enough, so I bottled it altogether.

But when Eliza told me she’d been trying to find the right time to tell me about Willow, well, I realised there might never be a right time. There just needed to be a time.’

Jack didn’t take the envelope. ‘Thanks for the gesture, but it’s not necessary. We were seventeen, young and foolish. I’ve done things I’m ashamed of when I was younger.’

‘Like what?’

Jack thought for a moment. ‘I screwed over Owen to get my job at the Hedworth News by stealing some of his leads.’

Harry threw back his head and laughed. ‘That’s not the same thing.’

‘Of course it isn’t.’ Jack smiled. ‘Plus then I became an author. It’s why he doesn’t think much of me.’

The envelope was still in between them. Jack covered Harry’s hand with his own and pushed it down.

‘Keep the money. Bank it for a rainy day or get yourself something nice with it. Perhaps it could run to a new settee and furnishing for the cottage, because I’m taking bets that everything I remembered from our teens will still be in that house.’

Harry nodded. ‘It’s like a museum. But I won’t be hanging around once it’s sold.’

‘Don’t you want to get to know Willow?’

‘Eliza said she lives in Manchester. I could get work on a site perhaps and see her regularly. That is, if she wants to see me.’

‘She will.’ Jack drained the rest of his drink. ‘I think you should stay in Somerley for a while.’

‘I don’t have any reason to.’

‘Maybe you should find one. But don’t rush off, not after so many years away. It’s good to see you looking so well, considering.’

They sat in silence for a moment, each deep in thought.

‘What did you do on the building sites?’ Jack asked.

‘Anything that needed doing. I can plaster, lay bricks, and I have plumbing and gas certificates.’

‘I have some work at the hotel if you’re interested?’

‘I could do with something to tide me over. What do you have in mind?’

‘Can you meet me there tomorrow and I’ll show you? We could discuss it over lunch.’

‘I’d like that.’

‘There’s also a cottage I’ve bought for Eliza that needs a fair bit of work.

I’ve had a couple of quotes in and I’m waiting on another.

Maybe we could come to a deal if you’d like to put in a bid?

I’m happy to chip in some labour myself, and there are a couple of lads who work on the gardens who can help out, too. ’

Harry shook his head.

‘You don’t want to do that?’

‘No, I don’t mean… I’m shaking my head because I can’t believe you’d give me the opportunity.’

‘You’re like family, even more so now, I guess. Maybe it’s time to bury the hatchet.’

‘As a crime writer, that’s funny coming from you.’

Jack grinned and offered his hand to Harry. ‘ Maybe I just need a friend.’

Harry seemed choked as he shook hands with Jack. ‘ Maybe I do, too.’

Ava arrived half an hour after Harry had left. Jack filled her in about the conversation.

‘Did you know?’ Jack questioned afterwards.

Ava nodded. ‘Yes, but I was sworn to secrecy. I’m sorry.’

‘I admire your loyalty.’

‘I’m a secret keeper.’

They smiled at each other.

‘It all seems a bit surreal,’ Jack continued. ‘First I lose a brother and then I find out Harry could have been my brother-in-law.’

‘Perhaps he’d have stayed around if he knew about the baby.’

‘I doubt that. He was always a wild child.’

‘But that was back then. I’m not sure how much he’s changed, but he’s older now, wiser. We all are. Do you think they’ll get together as a couple now?’

Jack pouted, deep in thought. ‘I think it would probably be too weird,’ he replied. ‘Having said that, nothing is set in stone. They might get to know each other and fall in love again. They idolised each other as kids.’

‘You’re going to tell me that was down to the Somerley magic, aren’t you?’

Jack sniggered. ‘More likely teenage angst. I remember that well.’

Ava did, too. And this trip was like being given a second chance. She hoped some of that Somerley magic might rub off on her and Jack, too.