Relief ran through her body, he hadn’t regretted last night, he was just up early to open the boatyard and no doubt needed to walk Sam. She ran her finger over the message and bit down on her lip, unsure what to text to back.
She glanced back over towards him. His sleeves were pushed up over his arms, his forearms were lean and his dark hair fell in his eyes. She closed her eyes for a moment, remembering his touch and his lips on hers. She knew she wanted more, but with him returning to Ireland was she setting herself up for more heartache?
Quickly she thrust her feet into her boots and grabbed her coat and found herself standing on the jetty outside the ‘Nollie’. She was thankful Guy and Ed were deep in conversation as she slipped up the towpath without being seen.
In no time at all she found herself standing on the wooden bridge gazing over the lake. The sky glowed soft blue and the naked branches of the trees swayed in the gentle breeze. She stopped and listened to the sound of the birds chirping. There was a calmness about this place that she loved.
She wandered over the bridge and walked towards the water’s edge. She took a deep breath before speaking, ‘Morning, Ollie,’ she whispered, perching on the edge of the bench and tilting her face towards the warm sun. She closed her eyes.
Suddenly, she felt a shadow cast over her and opened her eyes to see her mum sitting down next to her.
‘I thought it was you, penny for them.’
‘You don’t want to know,’ replied Nell.
‘A problem shared and all that,’ said Gilly, casting an eye over the lake.
Nell took a moment, ‘Mum, I feel terrible,’ her voice quivered.
Gilly turned towards her daughter and met her grief-stricken eyes, ‘Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad.’
‘I’ve … Guy.’ Nell couldn’t bring herself to say the words and her voice petered off, leaving Gilly to fill in the gaps.
‘You’re getting close to Guy?’
Nell nodded.
‘And you’re feeling guilty?’
‘A little, actually a lot.’
‘It’s understandable, Nell. Ollie was your life, but don’t feel guilty about moving on. Life for you is becoming bearable again and I’m sure that’s got a lot to do with Guy.’
Nell smiled thinking of Guy, ‘It’s easy being around him. I feel alive again.’
‘And that’s nothing to feel bad about at all, it’s the most natural thing in the world.’
‘So why do I feel like I’ve betrayed Ollie, then?’
‘Maybe because you never thought you’d could be happy with anyone else other than Ollie. Nell, all these feelings are natural. Ollie was one in a million, one of the good guys. We’ll never forget him and if he were here, things would be different, but he isn’t here and he wouldn’t want you spending the rest of your days on your own. And if you think this Guy is good enough for you then I’m sure that’s good enough for Ollie too.’
Nell locked eyes with her mum and brushed away a lonely tear that was rolling down her cheek.
‘But then there’s the issue with Guy.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I don’t think he’s staying around.’
‘Why?’ Gilly pulled her daughter in close and placed her arm around her shoulder.
‘His home, his job is in Ireland,’ sighed Nell. ‘And now I think I’m just going to get hurt and I really can’t cope with any more pain,’ the tears began to roll down her cheeks.
‘Have you asked him how he feels?’ asked Gilly calmly.
She shook her head, ‘Given everything I’ve been through, I’m not sure I can cope if the answer is something I don’t want to hear.’
‘Oh, Nell.’ Gilly hugged her daughter tightly.
‘How can I have fallen for someone so quickly, Mum?’
‘Because people come into your life for a reason. Life is definitely not easy sometimes,’ said Gilly cautiously, pulling away from the hug and not meeting Nell’s eye.
‘There’s one thing I do know for certain. I don’t relish the thought of him going back to Ireland.’
Gilly patted her daughter affectionately, ‘Then you need to tell him how you feel.’
‘He texted me this morning.’
‘And?’
‘I haven’t answered.’
‘Then do it. I’m sure the poor man will be checking his phone every two minutes waiting for your message.’
‘Do you think?’
She gave Nell a knowing nod, ‘Text him.’
‘I will and thanks, Mum’ said Nell, smiling through her tears.
‘Anytime.’
‘What are you doing up and out so early anyway?’
‘Just running a few errands and I nearly always walk this way round,’ she said, squeezing Nell’s hand before ambling over the bridge and out of sight.
Nell stood up and took one last look up at the sky, ‘I will always love you,’ she said, scarcely breathing.
When Nell crossed back over the bridge, she took her mobile phone out of her bag and opened up Guy’s message.
She tapped back, ‘I had a good night too. x’
Almost immediately she received a reply, ‘Fancy dinner tonight?’
Feeling more positive, the slumping sensation of the early morning lifted as she smiled at the message. He hadn’t run out on her, he’d replied instantly. She bit down on her lip and typed a message back, ‘That would be perfect, look forward to it.’ she answered, knowing Guy had definitely come into her life for a reason.
Chapter 30
Two weeks later …
Guy hummed his way through his shower and let the water cascade over his body. The past two weeks had been dreamlike. Every spare minute he’d spent with Nell and they’d grown extremely close. He grabbed the towel off the rail and jumped out of the shower before quickly throwing on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Sam was barking at the front door, his tail thumping on the wooden floor.
‘What is it boy, is someone at the door?’
Sam’s feet danced as Guy glanced at the clock and twisted the key.
Nell was forty-five minutes early but he didn’t mind, he couldn’t wait to see her. She’d spent most of the week researching suppliers, builders and even discovered an internet site for all film memorabilia, which Lloyd had kindly recommended. With the auction taking place tomorrow, Nell was like an excitable puppy. Everything was in place, researched to the max, every scenario accounted for and tonight they were going through the figures one last time. Guy had already set the property details out on the table, uncorked a bottle of red and a beef casserole was simmering nicely.
With a huge beam on his face, Guy swung opened the front door, ‘You’re early, but I don’t mind.’
He stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes travelled upwards and his smile disappeared. He blinked straight at her, his mouth dry.
‘Pleased to see me?’
Guy was speechless as he stared at the woman in front of him … his wife.
Kate was dressed in her usual attire, a power suit with high heels and no doubt another new handbag, which she’d purchased from a last-minute Paris trip with her latest fancy man.
‘What are you doing here?’ Guy demanded, his tone less than friendly.
‘What sort of welcome is that?’ she said, leaning forward, kissing him on his cheek and taking him by surprise.
He bristled and squared his shoulders.
‘Aren’t you going to ask me in?’ Kate said with a sweet, sickly smile. ‘I bet you didn’t expect to see me.’
‘I was hoping I didn’t have to see you again,’ he said, meaning every word.
‘Ah, don’t be like that,’ she waltzed past him straight into the hallway.
He had no idea why she was here. All he knew was whatever she wanted, he needed to get rid of her quickly, before Nell arrived.
‘Come on in, why don’t you?’ he said, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, and gestured towards the kitchen.
‘It’s a bit poky
in here,’ she said, flitting her eyes over the place.
‘Homely, I’d call it.’
There was a lull in conversation as Guy hovered around the table and stared at Kate. He took a deep breath. ‘So you didn’t answer my question, what exactly are you doing here?’
‘Well, that’s a nice welcome,’ she said, her eyes glinting towards him.
He kept his poker face.
‘I’ve come a long way, you know. Aren’t you happy to see me?’
‘I’m not sure Ireland is classed as a long way or I’m assuming that’s not where you’ve come from?’
‘Oh Guy, you need to loosen up. You always seem so tense. It’s not good for you, you know.’
‘I’ll ask you again, what are you doing here?’ He said glancing at his watch.
‘Am I keeping you from anything?’ she trilled, trying to hold his gaze.
‘I’m on my way out,’ he answered bluntly, but knowing that wasn’t strictly true.
‘Surely you can make time for your wife?’
He opened his mouth to speak but words failed him.
Kate took a step towards him and ran her finger over his chest.
‘Mmm,’ she uttered seductively.
He could feel her breath on his face and she moved closer. His skin prickled at her touch and he grabbed her hand. His eyes hardened, ‘What do you think you are doing?’
‘Making up for lost time.’
Guy could feel his temples beginning to throb as the anger rose inside him.
‘Making up for lost time? You didn’t want to make up for lost when I discovered your affair, let’s just remind ourselves … with my boss, of all people.’
‘It’s not what you think,’ she said softly, giving him that look that once he would have fallen for, but not now.
Guy shook his head in disbelief.
‘Shall we talk about your trip to Paris?’ Guy stared straight into her eyes. ‘I’m not stupid, you know. I found the emails, the receipts. On a residential training course, you said.’
‘Like I said, it’s not what you think,’ repeated Kate unconvincingly, shifting from one foot to the other.
‘Really … the best you can come up with is that old cliché. What you probably actually mean is your sugar daddy blew you out, so you thought you’d come crawling back … for what exactly?’ Guy could feel his anger beginning to reach boiling point.
‘We can work through this.’
Guy shook his head, ‘You are deluded, everything about you is false,’ Guy was on a roll now and couldn’t stop himself, ‘Everything that comes out of your mouth is a lie.’
‘Don’t say that, we had a good life together, we have a good life together.’
‘Did we? Which part? I gave up everything for you, even working with my Granddad because you wanted a man in a suit on your arm; a builder’s labourer just wasn’t good enough. I was an embarrassment to you, to your friends – admit it.’
‘We needed the money, you were bringing in a pittance and Daddy pulled some strings to get you that job.’
It grated on Guy the way she still called her father ‘daddy’ at her age.
‘No, we didn’t need the money, the mortgage was paid for each month, with enough left for a few nights out.’
Money didn’t matter to Guy, unlike Kate. He wasn’t materialistic in the slightest. He’d worn the same pair of comfy converse and Levi’s for as long as he could remember and had no inclination to change them any day soon.
‘It doesn’t hurt to want nice things and holidays too.’
‘Something your sugar daddy can obviously provide.’
‘Listen to me, we can’t just throw all these years away.’
‘Can’t we?’ he answered, knowing he had no intention of saving his marriage, he’d already moved on.
‘You don’t mean that, I know you.’ Kate blinked at him then sat down at the table.
‘You have no clue who I even am,’ said Guy in despair.
‘Come home, Guy, we’ve had some time apart and I’ve missed you.’
Guy was lost for words at Kate’s attitude. He raked his hand through his hair and let out an exasperating sigh.
‘The least you can do is offer me a drink,’ she added, stalling for time, hoping to bring him around.
Against his better judgement Guy began to get Kate a drink, hoping to get rid of her quickly. But he turned back round he noticed Kate was perusing the property details of the Old Picture House.
She folded her arms and looked at him. ‘What’s this?’ She asked, scanning back through the property details of the Old Picture House that Guy had left on the table.
Damn.
‘I hope you’re not thinking of investing our money in something I don’t know about.’
‘So this is what this is all about … money, the house? You can have the house, Kate, I’m really past caring.’
Kate ignored his comment, ‘Is this for you?’
‘Not that it’s any of your business but I’m looking over a project for a friend, the auction is tomorrow,’
‘Tomorrow? Looks like a good investment. They could soon flatten that and build a few houses. Quick cash turn-a-round.’
Guy could have kicked himself for providing the information to Kate, knowing she worked for a property developer. He leant forward and took the details from her hand and gathered up the loose papers on the table, placing them in a pile on the worktop.
‘Kate, look.’
‘No, let me speak,’ she interrupted, ‘I can see I’ve taken you by surprise, but surely you must have been thinking about us.’
Actually, Guy hadn’t given Kate a second thought since he’d left Ireland. The only person who had been on his mind was Nell and right at this very moment he didn’t want her turning up and running into Kate.
‘I’m hoping you will fly back to Ireland with me.’
He exhaled sharply, rubbed a hand over his face and sat down opposite her.
‘Why would I do that?’
‘Because that’s where you belong, you are my husband.’
For the past couple of weeks Guy had begun to think less about Ireland and was contemplating making a fresh start here in England. He looked away from Kate’s stare.
‘All marriages go through difficult times, Guy.’
He sighed, ‘Kate, it wasn’t just your latest affair … I know about all your other men too.’
Guy had suspected more than several misdemeanours in the past but now it was time to hold her gaze and watch her squirm.
‘Okay, if we are going to make a fresh start, I need to be honest with you.’
Guy knew exactly what she was going to say before the words even left her mouth.
‘What girl doesn’t like a bit flirting? They didn’t mean anything, it was just drinks.’
‘Drinks? How stupid do you think I am? Actually, don’t even answer that, it doesn’t matter.’
‘I didn’t connect with these people mentally.’
‘So that makes it all right, then?’
‘But you were so distant towards me! You changed, Guy.’
‘How many others were there, Kate?’
Kate shrugged, ‘There weren’t many.’
‘How many?’ He demanded.
She paused, and Guy wondered whether she was actually doing a mental calculation in her head, ‘Maybe seven or eight.’
Guy couldn’t believe she was being so blasé about it. His pulse had doubled, his palms sweating. He banged his hand on the table and straightened up his body to catch his breath.
‘Seven or eight? Kate, you are mistaken if you think we are getting back together. It’s not happening, not now, not ever.’
‘We can work through this, Guy, I know we can. I love you.’
‘You don’t know the meaning of the word. For as long as I can remember I’ve lived half a life. Always doing want you wanted me to do. You never loved me for who I was. This needs to stop now. Since we split up I’ve begun to enjoy life aga
in.’ Guy knew he was nearly shouting now.
‘You can’t make a decent living from being a builder’s labourer! I did it for you, Guy. I wanted you to make more of yourself, realise your own self-worth.’
‘Bollocks …’ he took a breath, ‘Maybe I don’t care about mortgages, maybe I don’t care if I live in a cardboard box on the street corner, how would you know? You’ve never asked me or listened to what I wanted. All you have ever done is told me what to do. It’s always been about you.’
‘That’s not true. We wanted to start a family.’
‘Don’t even get me started on that,’ he jabbed his finger towards her.
Guy had noticed Kate’s eyes begin to fill with tears. ‘Oh brilliant and now comes the waterworks. You know what, Kate, I was mad to even get involved with you in the first place. I don’t know what I ever saw in you. You are manipulative, false and, quite frankly …’ he paused,
‘Is there someone else?’ Her eyes locked with his.
Thoughts of Nell flooded his mind; gorgeous Nell, who was beautiful on the inside and out. He looked away from her stare.
‘There is, isn’t there?’ Kate slumped back in her chair. Guy noticed a flash of anger in her eyes. Her mouth fell open and she folded her arms, waiting for him to answer.
‘And quite frankly …’ he repeated himself, ‘I want a divorce.’
Just as the words left his mouth there was a knock on the annexe door.
Guy and Kate just stared at each other.
‘Aren’t you going to get rid of whoever that is?’
Guy felt the colour drain from his face, knowing Nell would be standing on the other side of the door.
‘Is that her? Is that her now?’ Kate stood up.
‘Kate no,’ Guy pleaded.
She narrowed her eyes at Guy, ‘Does she even know you’re married? She doesn’t, does she?’
‘Kate, no, not like this.’
‘And here you are accusing me of being a liar, kettle … pot … black, springs to mind. I think she needs to know, oh, and there’s another thing she needs to know too,’ she shouted.
‘What are you talking about now?’
Kate pursed her lips, ‘She needs to know I’m carrying your baby. That’s why I’m here, Guy.’
Guy’s jaw fell somewhere below his knees and he felt his whole world crashing down around him.
The Cosy Canal Boat Dream: A funny, feel-good romantic comedy you won’t be able to put down! Page 18