Page 25 of Promises & Petals in Nettleford-on-the-Wold (Escape to… Nettleford-on-the-Wold #1)

‘ N o, Alfie, please stop.’Leaningdown,Hannahswooshed thesmall dog out of the way and once again began winding the jockey wheel down into position and locking the tow bar in place.

As soon as she’d got back to the cottage, she’d packed up the caravan and, all being well, she’d be on the road within the next few minutes.

With thecaravanattached to thetow bar, she straightened her back and looked around the garden. Where had he gone now? Whether he realised something was up or he was just in a funny mood, she wasn’t sure, but he was definitely on a mission to make her life as difficult as possible right now.

‘Alfie, come.’ She calledweaklybefore she leaned her backagainstthe side of thecaravanandclosedher eyes.

Sophie hadn’t been thrilled as Gemma and Lucy had both assured her she would be.

Sophie had been shocked, and the way Hannah had just blurted out the news about her and Josh probably hadn’t exactly helped the matter either.

She should have listened to her gut. Sheshouldhavestayed away from Josh.She’d ruined everything, and now she just needed to get away,get back on the road before she ruined anything else.

With her eyes still closed, she sank to the ground and wrapped her arms around her knees.

Why had she come back? If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have hurt two of the people she most cared about in the world.

At the thought of him, Sophie let out another sob.

dating Josh, however fleetingly it had been, had been everything she’d ever dreamed of.

He’d been kind, thoughtful, romantic, and for those few days, she’d felt cared for, safe, cherished, and she hadn’t had that in so long.

‘Ooh,Hannah.’ Mrs Bertridge’s voice seeped into her thoughts.

Opening her eyes, Hannahtiltedher head,listening, hoping she’d been hearing things. Nope, there it was again, Mrs Bretridge’s distinguished piercing screech as she called her name. Leaning her head back against the caravan wall, she held her breath. Please go, just go.

‘Hannah? Are you here?’ The clink of the wrought-irongatesoundedas thecatchwaslifted,followedbutthe tell-tale creak of it being pushed open. Mrs Bertridge had never been one to wait for formalities such as being invited in.

Great. They’d be no escaping Mrs Bertridge now.

If Hannah didn’t show her face, she’d only come looking for her, and the last thing she wanted was for Mrs Bertridge to find her crying in a heap on the ground.

No, she’dneed togetawaywith a quick conversation then.

Hannah pulled herself to standing andscrubbedat her eyes with thebackof her hands before walking around the other side of the caravan.

‘Hi, Mrs Bertridge, is thereanythingIcan help you with?’

‘There you are, dear. Yes, there is. I just popped by with some cupsImade with mygranddaughteryesterday.’ Mrs Bertridge patted the small Tupperware tub she was carrying. ‘I thought you might appreciate a few.’

‘Wow, thank you.’Steppingforward, Hannah took the tub, prised open the lid and peeked inside. ‘Iced fairy cakes. Very nice.’

‘I thought they’d be nice with a hot cuppa, dear.’

‘Yes, that’s a good idea.’ Hannah nodded.

She knew exactly what Mrs Bertridge was angling for - an invitation into the cottage for a drink.

But not today. If Mrs Bertridge had caught her any other day, then she’d have probably relented and invited her in, but today she just needed to be left alone to get back out on the road.

Mrs Bertridge nodded towards the caravan. ‘Off again, are you? I was under the impression you were staying for a while longer?’

‘I... umm...’ Hannah hugged the Tupperware tub to her middle. She didn’t care if Mrs Bertridge knew she was leaving the village again, but what she didn’t want was for the gossip of her departure to be spread around the village before she’d got five miles down the road.

‘Are you okay? You look as though you’ve been crying. Has something upset you?’ Mrs Bertridge rummaged around in her handbag and pulled out a handkerchief. ‘Here, dry your eyes.’

Taking the handkerchief, Hannah patted at her cheeks. ‘It’s this hay fever. It seems to have come back with a vengeance. There must be something flowering in the garden which doesn’t agree with me.’

Glancing around the garden as though the offending flower would be easy to spot, Mrs Bertridge shook her head in dismay when she couldn’t work out which plant was causing Hannah’s problems. ‘Oh, there might be. It’s this warm weather, isn’t it? It brings out all sorts.’

‘That’s right.’ Hannah nodded.

‘I do have something else for you.’ Mrs Bertridge held up her forefinger before she rooted through her bag again, pulling out a small dog biscuit in the shape of a bone. ‘I thought this might help your little dog to warm to me.’

‘Oh, I’m not sure where he’s got to...’ Spinning on the spot, Hannah looked around the garden. Where had he got to?

‘What’s his name again? I’ll give him a call.’ Mrs Bertridge chuckled. ‘At least I’ll know when he’s close because he’ll start to growl at me.’

‘It’s Alfie. He’s called Alfie.’ Hannah chewed on the bottom of her lip as she hurried across to the caravan to peek underneath it.

Now Mrs Bertridge had mentioned it, Alfie hadn’t growled at all since she’d let herself into the garden.

Not once. Where could he be? He was definitely not in the caravan as she’d shut it up before she’d coupled it to the car.

‘Hannah! Hannah!’ Mrs Bertridge’s voice rose to a high-pitched shout.

‘Yes?’ Walking back towards her, Hannah reapplied Mrs Bertridge was standing by the open garden gate and pointing. The open garden gate. Hannah’s heart sank. She knew exactly what Mrs Bertridge was going to say before the words had even escaped her mouth. Alfie had escaped.

‘Is that him? Down there? Is that your little Alfie?’ The older woman stabbed her finger in the air again.

Yes, it was, and he was heading out of the close and onto the main road out of the village.

Hannah began to run. He was normally so good when it came to being off-lead.

He’s often be completely off-lead the entire walk if they were heading out into the countryside.

Something must have spooked him or something.

He was never one to run. Heck, he didn’t normally ever run. He was a dog who ambled.

‘Catch him before he gets knocked down by a car.’

Hannah ignored Mrs Bertridge’s shouts as she hurtled down the close. She’d never forgive herself if anything happened to him. She was supposed to keep him safe. His forever home was supposed to be with her. He couldn’t get lost, or worse, he just couldn’t. ‘Alfie!’

She watched helplessly as he sped up and turned onto the road leading out of the village. In a few metres, the speed limit would change from thirty to sixty, and he’d not stand a chance if a car hit him.

She could feel her heart hammering in her chest as she followed him out of the village. Drawing breath after breath, she tried to fill her lungs as she ran blindly behind him.

Just as the road curved around the corner, Alfie halted.

Just like that, standing slap-bang in the middle of the tarmac road.

She could get to him. If he just stayed still, she’d be able to reach him and grab him.

She’d be able to take him home safely. With one last ounce of strength, she forced herself to pick up her pace, her eyes fixed on the small dog standing there.

As she reached him, she grabbed him into her arms just as she heard the rumble of tyres against the tarmac, the screech of brakes, the blare of a horn, the flash of red as a car approached.

Turning her back to the car, she closed her eyes.

This was it. They were going to be hit. Bracing herself, she held her breath and, a split second later, she heard the squeal of the wheels as the car swerved, avoiding them.

Opening her eyes, she stumbled to the grass verge just as another car drove around the corner.

Gripping Alfie tightly to her chest, she sank to the grass, her heart beating so fast she could hardly breathe.

She didn’t notice the other car stopping, its hard warning lights flashing.

She didn’t notice the driver running around, kneeling infant of her.

Not until she felt his hands gripping her arms. Looking up, she realised it was Josh, Josh who was kneeling on the floor in front of her.

Josh, who was looking her up and down, checking her, making sure she wasn’t hurt.

Slowly her vision focused, and her heartbeat steadied, the drumming in her ears subsiding.

‘Hannah, Hannah, are you hurt? Did that car hit you? Talk to me.’ His voice cracked as he ran the palms of his hands up and down her arms.

She shook her head.

‘Josh, is she okay?’ Another voice. One she recognised to be Sophie’s. ‘Hannah, are you hurt?’

Shaking her head, Hannah tried her best to reply. ‘I’m fine.’

‘Are you sure?’ Reaching out, Josh gently tucked her hair behind her ears, the pads of his forefingers brushing against her skin.

‘I thought I’d lost him.’ She leaned into him, feeling his arms wrapping around her as a fresh wave of tears fell. ‘He escaped, and I thought I’d lost him.’

‘Come on, let’s get you in the car.’ Leaning back, he kissed her forehead before helping her up and into the car.

Once she was seated and the door closed, Hannah leaned her head back against the headrest and took a deep breath in.

She hugged Alfie a little tighter on her lap and glanced behind her where Sophie was sitting.

Josh and Sophie were int he car together.

What had they been doing? Where had they been?

Was Sophie still talking to Josh? Nothing made sense.

As they rounded the corner into the close, the car slowed to a stop outside the cottage, and Josh turned to her, his face full of confusion. ‘The caravan? You’ve hooked it up to the car. Were you leaving?’

Nodding, she chewed on her bottom lip. She hadn’t wanted him to find out like this. She’d wanted to be long gone before he realised. She hadn’t wanted to make this any harder for either of them than it had to be.

‘Why?’ His voice cracked as he dragged his palm down his face. ‘You were just going to go and not tell me? You were leaving me?’

‘No, I...’ Hannah fixed her gaze on Alfie’s tag on his collar. ‘I didn’t want to make this any harder for either of us. I never meant to hurt you.’

‘But why?’ Josh twisted in the driver’s seat to face her; his face ashen.

Forcing herself to reply, she twisted in her chair to face Sophie. ‘I’m sorry, Sophie. I should never have let myself fall for Josh. And I should never have allowed myself to act on my feelings. I shouldn’t...’

‘Hannah...’ Sophie frowned.

‘I know I’ve been a terrible friend. Especially with everything you’ve got going on at the moment, but I didn’t plan for this to happen, neither of us did.

And it was all my fault. If I hadn’t...’ Hannah shook her head.

‘Just please forgive Josh and move on. Don’t let this get between the two of you.

I’ll be leaving and...’ She bit back a sob as she turned to Josh.

‘I’m so sorry, Josh. I really thought this might work.

I should never have allowed myself to feel for you what I do. ’

‘But, Hannah, I’m happy that you and Josh have got together.’ Leaning forward, Hannah placed her hand on Hannah’s shoulder.

‘What?’ Hannah frowned. What had Sophie just said?

‘I think it’s a great idea you two getting together. I love you both, and I trust you both. I know you’ll look after each other. You just took me by surprise back in the hall. I’m sorry if I looked as though I angry at you both. I wasn’t.’

Blinking, Hannah met Josh’s gaze. Hannah had looked so upset when she’d blurted out that she and Josh were together.

Josh wiped a tear from Hannah’s cheek. ‘Soph has given us her blessing. We’ve just been to drop Florrie off with Richard and then we were on our way to tell you.’

‘You were?’ She looked between Josh and Sophie.

‘Yes, we were.’ Sophie laughed. ‘Just think, if you two marry, you really will be my sister.’

‘Sister-in-law. Sister sounds weird.’ Josh chuckled at his sister before turning back to Hannah. ‘She’s right though. I’m falling for you, Cupcake.’

‘I’m falling for you too.’ Relief flooded through her body as Josh leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her, Alfie cocooned in the middle of them. Closing her eyes, she kissed him, all her worries and fears of the future melting away. In that moment she knew she’d found her home, Josh.