‘Can I ask what you did before?’
Sophie decided to tell him the truth. ‘Would you believe I ran a Christmas shop?’
His jaw dropped. ‘No. You’re joking?’
‘Not at all. I ran it with my partner, but it didn’t work out, so I decided to have a complete change.’
‘That’s some change …’ He rested the camera on the table. ‘I’m guessing it was the partner that didn’t work out, rather than the business?’
‘You’d guess right,’ Sophie replied, about to deflect his question, but then she realised that her own guests had shared their stories. Nico hadn’t revealed that much, if she was honest, but perhaps if she said more, he might reciprocate. ‘I split up with my fiancé after he had a fling with my best friend. Actually it was more than a fling. They’re together now and expecting a baby.’
Nico winced. ‘Ouch! That’s really tough. I’m sorry. Your ex must be a total twat, not to mention devoid of a brain.’
Sophie had to smile. ‘That’s one way of describing him. Itwas horrible, I’ll admit, but if he hadn’t cheated on me, I’d probably never have moved to Sunnyside and made a completely new start.’ And now she needed another fresh start, she thought.
‘You’re very brave,’ he said archly.
‘Am I? Some people thought I was running away, but actually I was doing something I’d always wanted to, and making new memories, so – here I am.’
‘You certainly have made new memories: setting a new tradition with the “Escape for Christmas” break, helping to deliver babies and herding a bunch of frankly very quirky guests.’ His brown eyes glittered with amusement. For the umpteenth time, Sophie acknowledged to herself that Nico was an incredibly handsome man. She loved to look at him and yet there was no knot in the stomach when she did so, no racing of the heart, like Brody caused her.
‘I’ll admit it wasn’t quite the stay I’d imagined giving my guests.’
‘Still, you handled it very well.’ His eyes held hers, daring Sophie to look away. ‘Do you mind if I say something I might regret?’
‘That depends …’
‘More accurately, I’ll regret it if I don’t say it. I wondered if I can see you again – after my stay ends.’
Wow! Sophie hadn’t expected that. She had been propositioned not long after she’d taken over the guest house, by a man who’d turned out to be the owner of an artificial-lawn company. He’d wanted her to replace her garden with plastic grass. She’d politely told him where to shove his grassand was determined she’d be fully booked if he ever tried to stay again.
‘That’s very flattering,’ she said lightly, but firmly. ‘But I don’t date guests.’
‘I won’t be a guest soon,’ he said, with a teasing smile. ‘And it doesn’thaveto be a date or any kind of commitment, if that’s what’s bothering you.’
‘Um, that’s very presumptuous of you,’ Sophie murmured.
‘What’s the point in pussyfooting around? We’re two attractive people. We’re both single, and probably never going to meet again. You said yourself you wanted new experiences, so why not?’
Sophie gasped again. ‘I’m flattered, but I’m not interested.’
‘Life’s too short not to seize the moment. Or are you still not over someone else? Someone whose name begins with a B?’
‘What?’ she said, shocked that he knew about Ben.
He frowned. ‘I was thinking of the neighbourhood vet. Brody.’
‘Brody is engaged to Tegan, who you met yesterday.’
‘But that didn’t stop him trying to look at you,’ Nico said teasingly.
She shook her head in disbelief. ‘Come on, how can you be jealous when you’ve only known me two days? And Brody and I are nothing more than neighbours and friends.’
‘I’m sorry if I’ve offended you, but if you’re waiting forBrody to have a change of heart, I’m not sure he’d ever break away from Tegan, no matter how much he wants to.’
Sophie wasn’t sure what he meant by that. ‘I need to go to the shops.’ She scooped up her car keys to emphasise her point.
After he’d left, Sophie drove down to the village, concentrating hard on the roads following her encounter with Nico. The sun was out and water was flowing down the lane. The fellsides were criss-crossed with becks, swollen with meltwater gurgling its way down to the lake. Pockets of snow remained where the sun hadn’t yet reached and she had to negotiate the slushy areas carefully. The farm shop was closed until after New Year, so she headed to the small supermarket in Bowness to stock up on food for Boxing Day supper. The guests were looking after themselves for lunch, thankfully.
