Chapter 23

23

Jackson sidled up to Laura, his eyebrows raised as he nodded towards Miss Cooke’s retreating back. ‘High praise indeed if the mayoress was talking to you. Unless she was asking you to leave town of course?’

‘Haha, no. She apologised for the way people have been ignoring me.’ Laura looked behind her before meeting Jackson’s eyes again. ‘I don’t really know what to make of all this. It’s great that people are now being nice to me, or seem to be being nice to me, but that doesn’t really excuse the way they behaved towards me, does it? I’m supposed to suddenly forgive and forget because Vivienne has put a good word in for me?’

‘People were misinformed…’

‘Yes, I know that, but they still shouldn’t have made me feel as unwelcome as they did. They didn’t know me then and they don’t suddenly know me today.’ She picked up her glass, bringing it to her lips before realising it was empty.

Holding out his hand, Jackson took the glass and poured in some more wine before placing it back in her hand.

‘Thank you.’ Taking a long sip, Laura shook her head. ‘I would never treat someone like that. And then to expect me to just pretend it never happened?’

Leaning his elbows on the bar, Jackson placed his chin in his hands. ‘It’s a tricky one, yes, but they thought you were working for Mr Yates and had evicted Vivienne for no reason other than to turn their beloved inn into a chain hotel or whatever. How they treated you was wrong, but perhaps they thought they were doing the right thing. Making a stand to support a local villager?’

Laura twisted the stem of her glass with her fingers. ‘Umm… I don’t know. Jill seemed nice, genuinely nice, and she actually tried to say hello to me the other evening.’

‘There you go then?’ Jackson nodded.

‘One person. Jill is just one person out of the whole village.’

‘Do you know what my advice would be?’

She reached out and took his hand. ‘What would you do? Would you forgive them all or, I don’t know, bar them from forever setting foot inside Pennycress Inn?’

Jackson chuckled. ‘One thing’s for certain, I definitely wouldn’t advise you to refuse their money.’

‘Yes, you’re right there. Okay, would you forgive, or would you jack up the price of tea and cake whenever they walked through the door?’

‘I think I’d probably forgive, take it at face value that their hearts were in the right place and see how things panned out.’

Laura rolled her eyes. ‘Of course you would. You’re the worst at holding grudges.’

‘You got me.’ Holding his hands up, Jackson grinned before taking her hand again. ‘Give people a chance. Meadowfield and the people who live here have a lot to offer.’

‘I…’ Laura stopped short as her mobile rang. Pulling it from her back pocket, she held it up. ‘Sorry, it’s Mum. I should take it.’

Nodding, Jackson waited while she answered.

‘Hi, Mum, is everything all right?’

‘Perfectly fine, thanks, sweetheart. How are things at your new inn?’

‘Good, thanks. All good.’

‘Super. Now, I know you’re busy with everything your end and that this is short notice, but are you able to pop round for a spot of early dinner to celebrate your dad’s birthday tomorrow?’

Laura slapped her forehead. It was Dad’s birthday tomorrow? Of course it was. She’d clean forgotten, what with everything which had been going on recently. ‘I’d love to.’

‘Fantastic. We’ll see you about one, say? That should give you plenty of time to travel back before it gets too dark.’

‘Yes, yes, one is good.’

‘See you tomorrow then. Love you.’

‘Love you too.’ Ending the call, Laura lowered her forehead against the bar.

‘Everything okay?’ Jackson’s voice was full of concern.

Pushing herself up, Laura sighed. ‘I forgot it was Dad’s birthday tomorrow and I’ve not got him anything and Mum has invited me over for dinner. What am I supposed to get at this time of night?’

‘Ah, how about picking something up in the morning, before you go?’

‘As much as I love Meadowfield, I don’t think there’ll be anything in the few shops for him and it’ll be Sunday so not everywhere will be open.’ She scrunched up her nose. There had to be something she could lay her hands on easily that her dad would love.

‘How about…’ Now it was Jackson’s mobile whose tune filled the bar area. Glancing at the screen, he frowned. ‘It’s your mum.’

‘Oh, that’s weird. I wonder what she wants?’ She nodded towards the mobile in his hand. ‘Answer it then.’

Jackson answered the call and held the phone against his ear.

Looking down at her own mobile, she texted the message group she had with Jenny and Richie:

Laura

Forgot it’s Dad’s birthday tomorrow! Help! What can I get him? xxx

Tapping the mobile against her palm, she waited until it pinged.

Richie

Haha, I almost forgot too but Jenny has bought something from all of us! X

Laura

Really? That’s amazing – THANK YOU! What is it? xxx

Jenny

Hey, no worries. Knew you’d be run off your feet at your new place and, Richie, I knew you’d forget! Got him and Mum tickets to a theatre in London xxx

Laura

Ooh sounds good. Thanks again. Let me know how much I owe you xxx

Richie

Me? Forget? Oh you have so little faith in me!!!! X

Jenny

Nah, just know you too well xxx

‘I think we may have a problem.’ Jackson’s voice drew Laura back to reality, and she put down her mobile. She’d answer them again later.

‘Oh, how come?’

‘Because your mum has invited me to your dad’s birthday meal, too.’ Jackson took a deep breath.

‘Ooooh,’ Laura groaned and hid her face with her hands. ‘How’s that going to work? We’ll have to turn up at different times. Just like they do in films when two people are trying to pretend they’re not together when they really are.’

Jackson chuckled. ‘Not possible, I’m afraid. Your mum suggested I travel down with you.’

‘How did they…? Ah, they don’t know we’re together, do they? They just know we live next to each other.’

‘Exactly.’ Jackson leaned across the bar towards her before tucking his finger beneath her chin and kissing her. ‘I’d be more than happy to tell them about us. It’s just Richie who I’d worry about knowing.’

‘Me too.’ Laura nodded. There was every chance that Richie would be happy for them, but if he wasn’t, it could ruin everything. ‘Okay, well, tomorrow’s going to be fun then.’

‘Yep.’ Jackson nodded.

‘But we can pull it off.’ Laura drank the rest of her wine before grinning. ‘Maybe we can pretend to be mad at each other, so they’d never even twig we were together?’

‘Haha, maybe. Although they might wonder why we drove up together.’

‘True. Okay, we’ll just be friends in front of them.’ Laura shrugged. ‘It can’t be too hard. We’ve been friends long enough.’

‘Exactly. It’ll be fine.’ Jackson nodded behind her. ‘Evening, Vivienne. What can I get you?’

‘I’m on my way out, thank you. I’ve just come to speak to Laura here.’ Vivienne indicated the stool. ‘May I?’

‘Hi. Yes, of course.’ Laura smiled. ‘I think I owe you a thank you. I would have come over myself and said so, but I didn’t like to intrude.’

‘You wouldn’t have been intruding, dear. And you also do not owe me anything such as a thank you. I merely told your side of the story to the mayoress and the rest was taken care of.’ Vivienne patted Laura’s hand. ‘You’re a good person, I can see that and so does everyone else now.’

‘Still, thank you for putting in a good word for me.’

‘You’re very welcome.’ Vivienne stood up again. ‘Now, I really must go. My bed is calling me, and my lovely daughter is outside ready to give me a lift. I’ll pop by one day next week if the offer to come and take a look at the old place is still open?’

‘Yes, of course. That would be lovely.’ Laura nodded.

‘Thank you.’ Vivienne held her hand up to Jackson, who was busy serving. ‘Thank you, Jackson. And thank you for the lovely dinner. Superb, as always.’

‘’Night, Vivienne.’ Jackson waved back before disappearing into the kitchen.

Laura turned her attention to her mobile. By the looks of the text conversation, Richie was still defending himself against Jenny’s claim that she knew he’d have forgotten their dad’s birthday. She smiled. It would be good to spend the day at home tomorrow.

‘And voilà! A selection off the new menu.’ Returning to the bar, Jackson began offloading plates from the tray he was carrying.

Laura took a deep breath in, the aroma of freshly cooked food reminding her that she hadn’t yet eaten. ‘Yum, they smell delicious.’

‘Help yourself. Just let me know what you think.’ Jackson held up a plate. ‘Goats’ cheese and onion chutney bites.’

‘Ooh well, you know what I’m going to be saying about those!’ Taking one, Laura let the tasty combination of flavours fill her mouth. ‘They are absolutely the most delicious thing I have ever, ever eaten.’

Jackson grinned. ‘I thought you’d like them. Goats’ cheese and onion chutney toasties were always your favourite growing up.’

‘You remember?’ She took another bite.

‘Of course I do. I was usually the one making them.’

Laura laughed. Of course he had been. Throughout the months before her exams, she’d hardly left her spot at the dining table, surrounding herself with textbooks, notebooks and revision cards. ‘Do you know something? I probably wouldn’t have eaten anything if you hadn’t made me those.’

‘I know and I couldn’t very well let Richie’s little sis starve, could I? All those hours of revision would have been wasted.’

‘Haha, they would have.’

‘Why don’t you go and join them at the darts board? Show them how it’s done?’ Jackson indicated the group of people playing darts at the far end of the pub.

‘Oh, I don’t think so. I can’t just go and barge in on their game.’ Laura shook her head before taking a mozzarella stick covered in breadcrumbs.

‘Sure, you can. They’re a good group. Catherine, the captain, and her partner, Dan, started the club from scratch last year. They’re decent people and really helped me feel at home here.’

‘I don’t know.’ Laura shook her head. She loved playing darts, but she hadn’t played in years. She’d probably forgotten how. ‘I’m really rusty.’

‘Catherine’s coming over to the bar now. Here’s your chance to talk to her.’ Jackson smiled as a woman joined them.

‘Hi, Jackson. Can we grab another round of drinks, please?’ Catherine glanced at Laura. ‘Hi, you must be Laura? From Pennycress Inn?’

‘Hi, yes, that’s right.’ Maybe Jackson was right, a game of darts would be a nice way to get to know more people.