Page 9 of Promises & Petals in Nettleford-on-the-Wold (Escape to… Nettleford-on-the-Wold #1)

T wisting around in the tiny shower cubicle, Hannah finished drying herself and wrapped a towel around herself.

She was more than grateful her little caravan had a shower.

However small it was, it served its purpose.

Although after spending the day cleaning she had hoped to grab a shower in the cottage bathroom, and she could have, if she’d been willing to wait, but the dirt, sweat and cleaning products coating her skin had been making her itch and so when Josh and his work mate had shown up, she’d only had the one option to make do with the tiny shower in here.

Still, she was clean now and with any luck by the time she’d dressed, both Josh and Freddie would be gone.

She opened the narrow door just as she heard a tapping on the door.

Drat, so much for hoping they’d just leave when they were ready.

Glancing around the caravan, she spotted the heap of clothes she’d placed on the sofa before getting in the shower. ‘Hold on.’

Hurrying towards the sofa, Hannah screamed as she tripped right over Alfie, who, after hearing the commotion, had jumped from the sofa just at the same time she was hurrying towards it.

Throwing her arms out, she braced herself as she fell in a crumpled heap on the floor, gripping the towel closer.

She felt the sheer heat of embarrassment ignite her cheeks as she heard the unmistakable creak of the caravan door opening.

‘Are you...?’ Josh’s voice fell quiet as his shadow enveloped Hannah still lying in a heap on the floor, desperately clutching her towel to her body. ‘Oh...’

‘Sorry, I... umm... I fell over Alfie.’ Ignoring the hand he was offering, she gripped hold of the edge of the sofa and pulled herself to standing. She checked that she was still modestly covered, and then she saw him turning his back on her.

‘I... I’ll wait outside. Give you a moment to get some clothes on.’ Josh’s voice was quiet as he rushed outside.

‘Sure.’ She replied to the closed door before looking at Alfie. ‘Thanks for that, Alf. Talk about great timing. Much appreciated.’

Alfie ambled towards the door before slumping on the floor, his nose sniffing at the edge of the caravan door, seemingly eager to get out and spend time with his new friend from yesterday.

Shaking her head, Hannah sighed before pulling on her clothes.

If she was certain about one thing, it was that she most definitely would not be telling Gemma, Lucy or Sophie about this.

Neither Gemma nor Lucy wouldn’t let her live it down, and she’d only be supplying them with gold-grade teasing fodder.

She shuddered as she pulled on a clean t-shirt. No, thank you.

Now fully dressed, Hannah smoothed down her hair before forcing herself to open the door to Josh.

As Alfie raced straight out, Hannah breathed a sigh of relief.

He must have gone. He wasn’t waiting outside the caravan like she’d expected.

Good, now she could get on with her evening and get some dinner.

She was ravenous and, although she still hadn’t taken the time to go food shopping, she’d promised herself she’d make a nice omelette from the eggs Josh had left her.

She tucked her hair behind her ear as she walked across the front garden towards the cottage. She’d completely forgotten to thank him for cleaning the fridge and leaving it stocked up. She’d just have to thank him next time she saw him, if he didn’t end up trying to avoid her, that was.

‘Hey, do you want your dinner?’ Hannah slipped through the open door of the cottage as she called after Alfie.

‘If you’re offering, I will. I’m starving.’

Twisting on the spot, Hannah caught Josh’s eye as he emerged from the kitchen. ‘Jeez, I didn’t realise you were still here.’

‘Sorry, did I scare you?’ He lifted up two mugs. ‘I thought I should hang around to check you hadn’t broken any bones after tripping over this one.’ Josh nodded towards Alfie, who was glued to his ankles.

‘Oh, umm. Thanks.’ Stepping forward, she took one of the mugs. Keeping her eyes fixed on the hot coffee, she felt the familiar rush of heat across her cheeks. ‘No broken bones.’

‘Glad to hear it.’ Josh nodded as he leaned against the work surface and took a sip of his coffee.

‘Thank you for cleaning the fridge out and for the bits.’ She nodded towards the fridge before risking a glance in his direction. He looked relaxed and not in the slightest bit embarrassed that he’d almost seen of her than he should have. How come she couldn’t be as blasé about it as he was?

‘You’re welcome. I know how tricky it is coming back home and just wanted to make one tiny part of it that bit easier.’

‘Well, thank you. Anything to prolong my visit to the village grocer and having to endure a million people asking me how I am and where I’ve been and why I’ve been gone for so long, and.

..’ She let her voice trail off. He didn’t need to know that the real reason she hadn’t yet braved the village grocery shop was because she didn’t want to run into Harold, who ran the place and had been her grandad’s best friend and neighbour.

She assumed he still lived in the close and she’d been expecting him to call around some time, but she didn’t fancy having a tough conversation in front of his customers.

Yes, she couldn’t avoid him - or any of the other locals - forever, but she had planned to get the cottage up on the market before anyone tried to talk her out of it.

Not that she’d be able to keep to that plan now.

She’d have to give in and face the music sometime soon.

‘I get that.’ He nodded again.

‘Umm, I bet you didn’t have people trying to meddle in your business when you moved back though?’ She shook her head. It wasn’t the same.

‘You’d be surprised. At one point I didn’t think the rumours of why I’d returned, or ran away as some people put it, from the city would ever fade, but people move on. Something else happens and catches someone’s eye, and soon enough people stop asking.’ He shrugged.

‘Right.’ She lifted her mug, looked over the rim at him. What was he hinting at? And why would anyone suggest he’d run away from London?

‘Anyway, what are you cooking?’ He grinned.

She swallowed, the sweet coffee sticking to the back of her throat. ‘Oh, I...’

‘You were talking to Alfie, weren’t you?’ He chuckled. ‘Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.’

‘Right.’ She bit down on her bottom lip.

The least she could do was to at least offer him an omelette.

After all, he’d bought the eggs. Besides, it wasn’t as though he would accept anyway.

He likely had places to be, people to see.

‘I was going to make an omelette. You’re obviously welcome to stay. ..’

‘Great. I love a good omelette. And if you don’t mind my bragging, I can make a decent one too.’ Placing his mug down on the work surface, he rolled up his sleeves before taking the eggs from the fridge.

‘Right. Okay.’ She hadn’t been expecting him to say yes!

What was she supposed to do now? Just hang around and watch him make them both omelettes.

Walking across to the other side of the small kitchen, she sat down on one of the pine stools at the breakfast bar her grandad had made so she could have breakfast whilst he made her school lunches.

As he breezed about the kitchen, whisking egg and milk together before pouring into a frying pan and sprinkling cheese on top, Hannah placed her hands on her knees, willing them to stop shaking.

It was fine. It was just Josh, Sophie’s brother, making her omelette for dinner.

That was all. Just the man she’d been holding a crush on for forever. No big deal.

‘Extra cheese?’ Josh held up a handful of grated cheese and looked at her.

Nodding, she smiled. She had to admit, however awkward this was, it was nice for someone to cook for her. She hadn’t had that in a very long time. She jumped off the barstool and walked across to him. ‘Can I help?’

‘How about getting us both a glass of water?’ Josh nodded to the crockery still sitting on the draining board from where Gemma had emptied the cupboards and washed it all up earlier.

‘Sure.’ By the time she’d filled up the two glasses and returned to the breakfast bar, Josh had finished the omelettes.

‘Dinner is served.’ After placing their plates down, Josh chuckled as he bowed dramatically.

‘Yum, this looks and smells delicious. Thank you.’ Hannah licked her lips. It really did smell delicious, and she had to admit that if she’d cooked it she’d have ended up with burnt scrambled eggs.

Slipping onto the bar stool next to her, Josh stabbed his fork into the omelette before looking across at her. ‘How are you settling back in? I noticed you’ve done a lot of cleaning.’

‘Gemma came to help me this morning. I’m not going to be moving back in though. I’ll stay in my caravan.’ Hannah took. bite to eat.

‘You’re not? I assumed you would be, even if it was just until you’d sold the place. Sophie mentioned you were putting it on the market.’ He offered as a way of explanation.

‘I am. But no, I’ll use the bathroom and the kitchen. It’ll be good to cook somewhere with a proper oven for a while. But when it’s sold, I’ll move on again.’

‘Uh-huh.’ Josh shifted on his stool before laying his fork down. ‘Can I ask why you’re not staying? I know that’s a personal question, so don’t answer if you’d rather not.’

Tapping her fork against the soft omelette, Hannah bit down on her lip. It was a personal question. It was also a huge question, one she wasn’t quite sure she could articulate a proper answer to. ‘I guess it just doesn’t feel like home without my grandad.’

Josh nodded slowly.

And there it was, the sting of tears threatening to spill. She didn’t think she’d ever stop wanting to cry when she thought about her grandad and how much she missed him. Blinking, she picked up her coffee and downed the rest of it.