Page 19 of Promises & Petals in Nettleford-on-the-Wold (Escape to… Nettleford-on-the-Wold #1)

P ressing the doorbell, Hannah stepped back and waited as Sophie’s front door was pulled open and Sophie’s mum, Meg, stood in the doorway.

‘Hannah, how lovely to see you. Sophie mentioned you were back, and Josh said he was working on your roof. I’m so sorry I’ve not popped over to welcome you home. I have a casserole in the freezer waiting for you.’

‘Oh, hi. Thank you.’ Hannah smiled. Sophie’s parents had always been so kind to her, but for some reason she felt a little awkward talking to Meg knowing that she was seeing her son.

She could feel her lips tingling as though the very memory of Josh kissing her only minutes before would be apparent for all to see.

‘Come on in, love.’ Meg held the door open wide and stepped aside.

‘Oh, I don’t want to interrupt. I’ll come back later.’ Holding her hand up, palm forward, Hannah shook her head. She’d come to see if Sophie was okay, and now, she knew her parents were there she knew she’d be well taken care of.

‘Don’t go. Come on in.’ Meg lowered her voice and nodded towards the closed living room door at her side. ‘Sophie could use all the support she can get right about now.’

Hannah bit down on her bottom lip. She could hardly leave now, could she? ‘Okay.’

‘Good, good. Hello, little one. I’m guessing this is Alfie? Sophie told me you’d re-homed a dog whilst on your travels.’ Meg fussed over him before ushering Hannah inside and closing the front door. ‘He’s adorable.’

‘Thanks. He knows it too.’ Hannah smiled as she waited for Meg to indicate she should go into the living room.

Opening the door, Hannah stepped inside.

Pat, Sophie’s dad, was sitting on the sofa next to his daughter, whilst Lucy was sitting cross-legged on the rug, her hands wrapped around a mug.

She held her hand up in a small wave. ‘Hi, everyone.’

Sophie stood up and walked across to her before drawing her into a hug. ‘Thank you for everything yesterday. I’m so glad you turned up when you did, I’d have never forgiven myself if Florrie had walked in on me in floods of tears like that. Thank you.’

Hannah hugged her back ‘How are you holding up?’

Pulling away, Sophie sighed. ‘I’m okay. I weirdly feel better than I have in a long long time. It’s strange, but now we’ve officially broken up, I feel as though I can breathe again.’

Meg held her hands out towards the sofa. ‘Do you want to take a seat, Hannah, love?’

Hannah shook her head before lowering herself to the floor. ‘I’m okay, thanks.’

Nodding, Meg sat down on the sofa, Sophie sitting between both her parents.

‘Oh, look at my manners! I’ll go and put the kettle on.’ Pat looked across to Lucy. ‘Do you need a top-up?’

‘That would be wonderful, Pat. Thank you.’ Lucy grinned as she passed across her mug.

‘Where’s Florrie?’ Hannah glanced around the living room.

‘She’s still at school. Gemma said she’ll let her do a few jobs around the classroom after school finishes before bringing her home.’ Sophie smiled.

‘How’s she enjoying her first week in reception?’ Hannah unclipped Alfie’s lead.

‘She’s taken to it like a duck to water, hasn’t she, Soph?’ Meg rubbed Sophie’s knee.

‘Yes, every day this week she’d been skipping out of class with a high grin stuck to her face.’ Sophie nodded in agreement.

‘That’s great news.’ Hannah nodded before looking across at Lucy. ‘Day off today?’

Lucy shrugged. ‘I’m supposed to be working from home today but...’

‘About the same as me then.’ This was what real friendship looked like.

Coming together when one of them needed the others.

Why had she ever stayed away so long? She looked across at Sophie again.

She had so many questions for her, but she’d probably answered the same things over and over again today, and Hannah didn’t want to make her relive the events of her break-up once again.

‘Here we go. Coffee all round? I’ve popped a couple of sugars in there for you, Hannah. I know you like yours sweet.’ Pat lowered a tray full of mugs onto the coffee table before handing them out.

‘Thank you.’ Taking hers, Hannah took a sip before lowering her mug to the rug and wrapping her hands around it.

‘Has she told you?’ Lowering himself back onto the sofa, Pat nodded towards his daughter. ‘That scoundrel Richard, had his bags packed already. Before she’d even spoken to him about breaking off the relationship? He was planning on leaving.’

Hannah shook her head slightly, attempting to look surprised.

‘It made things easier for me, at least.’ Sophie closed her eyes before opening them again and bringing her mug to her lips.

‘Yes, that’s a good thing.’ Meg patted her daughter on the knee. ‘Now, onwards and upwards, Soph.’

‘Yep.’ Setting her jaw, Sophie nodded.

Hannah watched as Sophie blinked back tears. She couldn’t imagine what she was going through. Her whole life was about to be turned upside down, and all Sophie could do was to hold on for dear life and hope everything turned out okay.

‘He went and stayed over at our friends, Mark and Gina’s, last night.

Apparently, they’ve told him he’s welcome to stay as long as he needs to.

’ Looking down, Sophie pinched the bridge of her nose.

‘It’s just... I thought they were both our friends, and yet neither of them has bothered to call me to see if I’m okay. Or to see how Florrie is.’

‘As I’ve already told you, Soph, you need to remember that they were his friends before you got together. I know it sounds harsh, but it’s true.’ Meg picked up her mug from the coffee table.

‘Your mum’s right. It would be like, I don’t know, Hannah dating someone and then things finishing between them, would you still talk to them?’ Pat shrugged.

‘No, definitely not.’ Soph looked across at Hannah, her forehead creased with emotion. ‘If anyone hurt Hannah, Lucy or Gem, I wouldn’t ever speak to them again. Saying that, me and Richard weren’t just dating, as you put it, we have a child together; we’ve been living together...’

‘I know, Soph, but you know what I mean. It’s the same principle.’ Pat took. sip of his coffee.

‘Yes, I guess you’re right.’ Sophie slumped back against the sofa cushions.

‘It’s not like any of your friends have reached out to him.’ Meg waved her hand around the room, encompassing Hannah and Lucy.

‘Most definitely not. Friendship rules.’ Lucy held up her coffee mug, toasting the phrase they’d used time and time again over the years they’d known each other. ‘Right, Hannah?’

‘Right.’ Hannah held her mug up in agreement, her stomach churning.

The four of them were as close as anyone could be, friends or family, and she’d gone and jeopardised it all.

By not telling Sophie about her and Josh, she was as good as lying to her.

She hadn’t even spoken to Gemma or Lucy about it either.

And she knew why she’d avoided telling them, encase she knew she was in the wrong.

She knew she shouldn’t be seeing him, kissing him, feeling close to him.

She stared into her coffee. She was a rubbish friend.

She didn’t deserve Josh or Sophie either.

‘... isn’t that right, Hannah?’

Jerking her head up at the mention of her name, Hannah looked around the room. What had she missed? She’d been so consumed by her own guilt she’d almost forgotten she was here to support Sophie. ‘Sorry, I was miles away.’

‘You can say that again. I don’t know about miles, but you looked as though you’d travelled across the other side of the world.’ Lucy grinned at her joke.

Hannah grimaced.

‘I was just saying that however difficult things seem now, things turn around in the end. Just look at Josh, he came back home after his relationship with that girl...’ Pat clicked his fingers trying to think of a name before giving up and carrying on.

‘Ended and look at him now. He’s got his own thriving business, and he’s happy. ’

‘He is happy, Soph.’ Meg nodded in agreement. ‘Especially recently. These past few days he’s been almost glowing with happiness.’

Biting down on her bottom lip, Hannah felt a warm flush wash over her skin.

She glanced across at Lucy, who was staring at her.

Swallowing, she tore her eyes away from her and picked up her mug and took a gulp of coffee, savouring the sugary drink int he hopes she could block out the conversation going on around her.

‘That’s right. And I’m sure there’s a girl involved.’ Pat grinned.

Hannah coughed as coffee went down the wrong way.

‘Are you okay, love?’ Meg frowned.

‘Don’t choke on us now, Hannah.’ Crawling across the rug, Lucy slapped her on the back.

Clearing her throat, Hannah held her hand over her mouth. ‘Sorry, I swallowed my coffee down the wrong way.’

‘That damn coffee. It’s dangerous.’ Lucy raised an eyebrow before settling back down.

‘Anyway, as I was saying, I know even thinking about falling in love again feels such a long way off, but look at your brother and follow his example.’ Pat picked up his coffee mug.

‘I don’t even want to think about that now.’ Sophie sighed. ‘I just need to get through these next few days. Both me and Richard think it’s best to wait until after Florrie’s party on Saturday before we tell her. We’ll say Richard is staying away with work or something until then.’

‘That’s a good idea, love.’ Meg nodded.

Standing up, Hannah placed her mug on the coffee table. ‘I’d better head back now. Ring me if you need anything, Soph. Any time of the day or night.’

‘Thanks, Hannah. I will.’ pushing herself off the sofa, Sophie drew Hannah in for a quick hug before sitting back down again.

‘Okay, take care. I’ll let myself out.’ Keeping her head down, Hannah walked towards the door, Alfie trotting beds her.

She felt bad leaving now, but she needed to get out of there, and she couldn’t risk the topic of Josh and his supposed new love interest cropping up again.

Shed almost given herself away as it was.

Sophie didn’t need to be dealing with that on top of everything else she was going through.