Chapter 29

29

Ignoring the dainty tune of the doorbell, Laura folded over the sandpaper in her hand and scrubbed at the floorboards, trying to rid them of the sticky residue of wallpaper. She’d lost count of the number of times Jackson had come to the door today and how many times she’d ignored the doorbell, the knocking and him pleading through the letter box to open up. How many more times would it take until he got the hint that she didn’t want to talk to him? Hadn’t the car journey home told him all he needed to know?

She scrubbed a little harder against the floorboards. That had been the longest two hours of her life. After a few minutes of having the music up eardrum-piercingly loud, he’d stopped trying to defend his actions and had let her drive in peace, so why couldn’t he let her live in peace too?

Laura wiped the back of her hand across her cheeks as more tears sprung. She should have known it was all too good to be true. She should have realised that if they had been meant to be together, then they would have got together years ago. She’d been stupid, so stupid, to tell him she’d loved him. What had she been thinking?

She hadn’t. It had been the wine that had been doing the talking. Well, never again. She sniffed. Not that she’d be going into the pub again anyway, so at least the chance of her getting tipsy any time soon was limited. She slapped her forehead. The darts team. What was she supposed to do about that? She’d just have to drop out, that’s what.

The doorbell rang again, and she took a deep breath, ready to tell Jackson to leave her alone.

‘Laura, are you there, dear? It’s Vivienne and my daughter, Nicola.’

It was Vivienne! She’d been ignoring Vivienne. Hurrying to the front door, she pulled it open. ‘Hi, Vivienne. I’m so sorry. I thought you were someone else.’ Why had she said that?

‘Ah, don’t worry, dear. I’ve been having a few people call round to try to get me to let them redo my driveway.’ She reached out and laid her hand on Laura’s forearm. ‘I don’t even have a driveway. I don’t blame you for ignoring the doorbell.’

Laura smiled. ‘You would have thought that would be the first thing they’d notice.’

‘You would think so, wouldn’t you? Seemingly not.’ Vivienne indicated the woman standing next to her. ‘This is my daughter, Nicola. Nicola, this is the lovely Laura I was telling you about, the new owner of the wonderful Pennycress.’

‘Hi, nice to meet you.’ Nicola pushed her glasses further up her nose before holding her hand up in greeting. Her warm smile was the spitting image of her mum’s and her eyes the same deep hazel, which complimented her dark hair beautifully.

‘Great to meet you too.’ Laura smiled.

‘I’m sorry. I hope you don’t mind us popping round now? If you’re busy, we can come back another day. You just mentioned about me visiting and…’

‘Of course. Come on in. Thank you for coming round.’ Standing back, Laura held the door open. Maybe the distraction of Vivienne and her daughter visiting would help keep her mind off Jackson and the hurt he’d caused her.

Stepping inside, Vivienne paused and looked around. ‘You’re busy. We can come back another time.’

‘No, it’s fine. Please excuse the mess. This DIY malarky is all new to me.’ She grimaced as she indicated the banister still lying in pieces on the floor against the wall, embarrassed that she hadn’t tidied it better. ‘And I have someone coming in a couple of days to take a look at the banister.’

‘It looks as though you’re doing a fine job. Better than I ever could.’ Vivienne ran the palm of her hand over the wall. ‘I told Mr Yates that this wall needed replastering years ago. I’m sorry he didn’t repair it before you bought the place.’

‘It’s not your fault. I should have noticed that things needed fixing.’ Laura placed the cloth on the reception desk and stood next to Vivienne and Nicola as they surveyed the wall. ‘I wasn’t really sure what I was supposed to be looking out for and, well, I fell in love with the inn regardless.’

Vivienne chuckled and looked across at her daughter. ‘What did I tell you, Nicola? I told you the old girl was in good hands.’

Laura grinned. ‘Thanks. Sorry, I’ve forgotten my manners. Would you both like a drink?’

‘I’d love a tea if you have one, please?’ Vivienne smiled as she made her way through to the kitchen.

‘Would you like one too, Nicola?’ Laura stood aside, letting them both go through before her.

‘Have you got any coffee, please? I’ve been up all night packing.’

‘Oh, I have coffee.’ Laura grinned. ‘Are you moving?’

‘Not quite. I’ve been packing up my ex-partner’s clothes and belongings.’ Nicola sat down on the bench at the kitchen table.

‘Sorry to hear that.’ Laura filled the kettle up.

‘Don’t be. She’s better off without him.’ Vivienne sank onto the bench opposite her daughter. ‘Sorry, love, but you are. He was never any good for you.’

Nicola sighed and picked up the salt shaker Laura had left in the middle of the table, turning it over in her hand.

‘It’s always difficult though, isn’t it? When a relationship breaks down. Whether you know it was the right thing to happen or not.’ Laura spooned coffee into two mugs before reaching for the teabags.

‘That’s the problem. I thought we were good together. It was only when I discovered he’d been cheating that I saw him for who he really was.’ Nicola stifled a yawn.

‘Ah, that’s rubbish. I’m sorry.’ Laura carried Vivienne and Nicola’s mugs to the table before going back for hers. ‘My husband and I split up two years ago now, so I can understand a little of what you’re going through.’

‘I still can’t believe it’s happening.’ Nicola wrapped her hands around her mug. ‘You never think it’s going to happen to you, do you? We’re all sold the fairy-tale happy ever after as young girls, then it’s a shock when life doesn’t turn out like that.’

‘You can say that again.’ Laura took a long sip of coffee and bit her lip. Nicola didn’t need to know that life wasn’t full of roses after a break-up either, that even when you thought you’d found The One the second time around, they still let you down. She shook her head. Vivienne and Nicola had come round to see their beloved inn and to tell her more about it, and the least she could do was to focus and stop brooding over Jackson.

‘How did you cope? With your marriage breakdown? I honestly don’t know if I’m coming or going one day to the next and there’s a tiny part of me which wonders whether I’ve done the right thing in kicking him out rather than forgiving him and trying to make it work.’ Nicola replaced the salt shaker on the table and shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, I’ve only just met you, I shouldn’t be asking you questions like this.’

‘Oh, I don’t mind. It’s refreshing to be able to talk to someone who understands. Umm, that’s a tricky question though.’ Laura shifted on the bench. ‘I had to move in with my parents whilst our house was sold and then I bought this place.’

Nicola nodded.

‘So I guess you could say that it was either the best thing that happened to me or else it pushed me to have a midlife crisis.’ Laura laughed.

‘Ah, this place is definitely the best thing and not a midlife crisis.’ Vivienne tilted her head and smiled. ‘Although, who knows? Maybe it was both, but it’s definitely the best thing too.’

‘I think so.’ Laura turned back to Nicola. ‘How long has it been? Since your relationship ended?’

‘It’s been three months, two weeks and four days since I found out about the affair.’ She looked down into her mug. ‘But only two weeks since I told him to leave.’

‘So it’s all still new to you, then. I’m sorry to hear you’re going through all this.’

‘Thank you, but as Mum here says, I’ll survive.’ Nicola smiled sadly.

‘You will, love. You will.’ Reaching across, Vivienne stroked her daughter’s cheek.

‘Yes, that’s if I can find a job before I’m kicked out of my house for not paying the rent.’

‘I’ve told you I can give you the money.’

Nicola frowned at her mum.

‘Lend it you, then. You shouldn’t be too proud to take help when it’s offered.’

‘Have you lost your job too?’ Laura stirred another spoonful of sugar into her coffee.

‘Unfortunately, yes. My ex was also my boss and, well, I just can’t bring myself to go into the office and see him day in, day out.’ Nicola brought her mug to her lips.

‘I don’t blame you there.’ Laura frowned. ‘What did you do?’

‘Events management. We were only a small team, but we were always busy and our business even won a few awards.’ Nicola lowered her mug to the table, coffee splashing over the rim and pooling on the table. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t worry.’ Standing up, Laura grabbed a piece of kitchen roll and passed it to Nicola.

‘Thanks.’ She wiped up the spilt coffee before continuing. ‘I enjoyed it and it’s difficult to walk away from something I put so much into, but ultimately I know I just couldn’t carry on working with him, not after the way he’s treated me.’

‘I’m sure something will come up. It sounds as though you’ve had a lot of experience.’ Laura smiled kindly.

‘I’m sure it will. I just need to think positively.’ Nicola looked at Vivienne, who nodded.

Laura sipped her coffee. She wasn’t the only one then. The only one left heartbroken, only she hadn’t been left heartbroken by Harry, it had been the one person she thought would always have her back who had broken her trust – Jackson.