‘Well, he certainly bowled me over, or rather his dog did.’ Ava went over some of what had happened to her the previous week. ‘It was such a change to be somewhere so quiet, though.’
‘You’re blushing.’
Ava knew it was futile to disagree as she could feel her cheeks burning.
‘It’s wonderful to see.’ Nancy reached across and squeezed her hand.
They caught up over a long lunch, and then Ava went shopping on Oxford Street. She was laughing to herself about the hustle and bustle that Jack would have hated as she weaved in and out of the crowds. She spent another hour in the shops and then went back to the flat. Saturday evening, she was going to be on her own as Georgia was going out.
Later, she sat on the sofa with a book and a glass of wine. It had been one of the joys of being a divorcee, not being made to feel guilty that she didn’t want to go out and party. Giles preferred to dine out rather than eat at home. He was always being invited along to corporate events, which he took advantage of at every opportunity.
He hated it when she didn’t want to come along to them all. But then again, she knew now that he probably only asked her because she’d say no. Then he could take another woman on his arm, making out it was her fault because she was antisocial.
He was so different from Jack, who seemed to like a quiet life, spending time with family, yet squirrelling himself away when the need for peace was necessary for his work. She knew which one she preferred.
Ava reached for her phone, disappointed when she saw there was no new message from him. He hadn’t sent anything since the first one. But it wouldn’t hurt to contact him.
You’re right. It is rather noisy in London.
His message came back straightaway.
I told you. But I bet it’s warmer down there.
A little. Missing my hot chocolate, though.
The phone rang, making her jump as she was holding it. Jack’s name flashed up on the screen.
‘What are you up to?’ he asked when she answered.
‘Relaxing. I’ve had a full day so far. I’m exhausted.’
‘Meaning?’
‘I met a work colleague for a coffee, went shopping, and then collapsed on the settee with relief that I have the house to myself this evening. Does that sound selfish?’
‘It sounds blissful, well – apart from the shopping part.’
She laughed, pulling her feet up to her side and settling into the conversation.
‘Do you have plans for tomorrow?’ Jack wanted to know.
‘Not really. I’ll be getting some things to bring down with me for work. Apart from that, I feel like a spare part in my own home. It’s very bizarre.’
‘It’s the Somerley effect. Once you visit, you’ll want to return. Although don’t leave it twenty-odd years this time.’
There was no way she would do that now. Not after connecting with Jack again. Because the one thing she wished was that he was with her now.
They ended the call, and she counted down the hours she had before she’d be on her way back.
It was nice to have something to look forward to.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
On Sunday morning, Jack was supposed to be working but he was staring across the lake, daydreaming. He came back to earth to see his laptop open at a blank page. He sighed, closing the lid. He might as well face it: he was going to get no work done today. All he could think about was Ava.
Ever since he’d dropped her off at the station, she was consuming his every thought. The banter they’d had on the phone had made him miss her even more. What was going on? She’d been here for less than a week.
They had so much to talk about, reminiscing about their younger days and catching up with what they’d been up to in the following years. They’d covered some of it, but he couldn’t wait to talk about the rest.
