Page 6 of Happier Days (Family Life in Somerley #1)

CHAPTER SIX

Jack frowned and, as recognition dawned on him, he found his voice. ‘Ava! You’re here.’

‘I am!’ She smiled. ‘Thought I might check out some of my old haunts before breakfast.’

Graham, who had gone sniffing around in the hedgerow up above, came racing back again. This time, he stopped at Ava’s feet and gave a friendly bark.

‘Graham, come.’ Jack clicked his fingers, and the dog sat to heel.

‘Your dog’s name is Graham?’

Jack sniggered. ‘I’ve had him since he was a pup. He’s three now.’

He wondered if she’d be intrigued to hear there was no “we”.

He wondered why his heart was hammering out of his chest.

‘How are you?’ he asked once he’d found his voice again. ‘I often thought about why you never came back to visit.’

‘My dad died suddenly, heart attack. Mum didn’t want to come again.’ She wasn’t lying, just being economical with the truth.

‘Ah, sorry to hear that. I liked… Graham.’ He removed his hat and ran a hand through his hair.

‘I can’t believe I have a dog with the same name as your dad.

’ Surely it couldn’t have been his subconscious playing tricks on him that this had happened?

He’d never forgotten that summer when he’d waited for Ava to arrive as usual and she hadn’t shown up, but it was all but a distant memory these days.

‘What can I say? You have good taste.’ Ava smiled again. ‘How are your family?’

‘Dad’s health is a bit dodgy. He’s fine at the moment but has to take it easy – which he doesn’t like. Mum is still bustling around everyone, looking as beautiful as ever.’

‘I met Sara last night. She told me Eliza is away but back soon. I can’t wait to catch up with her.’

Jack nodded. ‘She’s the operational manager at the hotel. Cara’s in London, works in publishing.’

‘What about your brothers, Noah, and Dan? How are they?’

At the mention of Dan, Jack took a step backwards, feeling himself falter. He hated having to relive it every time he met someone who didn’t know what had happened.

‘Noah has moved to Scotland, Fort William.’ He hoped she wouldn’t ask about Dan.

He knew she would regardless.

‘And Dan?’ Ava said after a hesitant pause.

‘He died, just over two years ago. He slipped in the ice, falling forwards into a ditch and hitting his head on the dry-stone wall. Just one wrong step.’

Ava’s hand went to her mouth. ‘Oh, no. I’m so sorry to hear that. It must be awful to bear.’

Tears filled Jack’s eyes as he remembered the day the hospital told his family that there was no sign of life. He blinked them away furiously.

Ava welled up, too. ‘I genuinely had no idea.’

‘Yeah, well, seeing as you haven’t visited for a fair few years, I expect it’s not the only thing we’ll catch up on.’

Ava frowned. ‘I…’ She stared at him for a moment as if trying to think what to say. Then she gave a weak smile. ‘Right, I’ll see you, then.’

‘Come on, Graham.’

Jack trudged off, knowing he was being childish but unable to stop himself. It was weird to see Ava after so long, and with the mention of his brother, and her standing so close to him, he’d acted like an idiot. He sighed. There had been no need to be rude.

‘Wait, Ava,’ he cried. But she was too far down the road to hear him, stomping as if to put as much distance between them as she could. He didn’t blame her, even if he couldn’t take his eyes off her disappearing form. Hopefully, he’d be more civil when they next met.

Although if she was still like the Ava he remembered when they were teenagers, he knew she’d probably make him pay for forgiveness. She’d been hotheaded back then, when she’d broken his heart in two without even realising it.