An icy shiver swept through his body at her words. Why would she want to come to Clavenham? Why would she want to leave her things at his penthouse? Her text made no sense.
The last time they’d seen each other in person was when she left on her latest “spiritual retreat”. Like usual, they’d argued, and Adrienne had sworn at the top of her voice that she couldn’t stand being in the same room as him. Although they divorced a year ago, they couldn’t be completely free of each other. She still had financial interests in The Walsh Group, and of course, they had Lucas.
When she’d left the country this last trip, Felix had enjoyed the initial blissful silence. Then, the occasional texting started. Usually, when she’d run into someone they knew or when she wanted to buy something ridiculously expensive. But rarely to check on their son.
He scowled. Was she trying to instigate one of her “chats” where she talked about them getting back together, for Lucas’ sake? Felix let out a long breath. Adrienne knew his weakness. He’d do anything for their son. But ending up in yet another angry texting fight wasn’t on his to-do list. And getting back together with his ex was on his never-to-do list.
A lead-like heaviness filled his body. Sometimes Adrienne sucked the life out of his soul. Felix put the phone back down on the table and pushed it away. He’d deal with her later.
He dragged his eyes up to Thea’s. She stared at him, a slight crease between her fair brows. Felix straightened his shoulders and gave her a closed-lipped smile. The frown disappeared, and after a fleeting look at his phone, she resumed their conversation. One lump of doughnut remained on her plate, and her lips were still coated in sugar. Felix snickered under his breath. At leastshe’dmake it into heaven. Maybe get that harp she’d mentioned.
“So, do you know many people in the village?” she asked.
“Not really, no. I have little in common with farmers and, well, you know, country folk.”
Her eyebrows raised. “We aren’t just farmers, you know.” She ate the last piece of her doughnut, then licked her lips.
After wiping her fingers on her napkin, Thea leaned towards him over the table, eyes drilling into his. “Take my brother, Josh, for instance. He’s not your average country bumpkin. Runs the local large animal vet practice. He’s smart. Tall, blond, built like Thor. Pretty memorable. Veryforgiving, too. Doesn’t bear a grudge. On the other hand, I can’t always be so kind.”
The hairs on Felix’s neck rose, and a slow burn crept into his throat. The smile on her face may look innocent, but the flash in her eyes and the edge in her voice told a different story. He ran through his mind, thinking of all the strapping blond men he knew or had upset in the recent past.
As he stared at his hands on the checked cloth, one incident from a dinner party last winter came to mind. Amber Valentine’s birthday. Back then, Amber worked for Daniel Cunningham at The Five Bob, and he’d tried to lure her away to manage The Rusty Plough.
Felix’s palms turned clammy as he recalled a moment ofuncharacteristic behaviour. Usually, he was more professional, but he’d been on edge because of the situation with Adrienne. His actions became erratic as Lucas went further off the rails. The farm vet, Thea’s brother, must have fallen foul of his clumsy attempt to poach Amber.
Relationship woes were no excuse, but he couldn’t change what he’d done. And he wouldn’t apologise for it. Everyone had moved on. If her brother didn’t bear grudges, why worry?
He raised his eyes to meet hers. Any warmth, no matter how tepid, had now gone from her face. Felix opened his mouth to speak. He wasn’t sure what to say, but his phone pinged again, its low buzz cutting the tension. A raising of one of her eyebrows and a nod signalled him to pick it up.
This time, it was his EA, reminding him to look over some documentation before noon. With a tiny shake of his head, Felix checked his watch. It was already ten. He’d have to wrap things up with Thea soon, and no matter how interesting he found doughnut eating, it wasn’t the reason they were here.
Felix put his phone down, but no sooner had he done so than it pinged again. This time, Thea’s eye roll was blatant. Her huff of breath loud and clear.
“I’m so sorry.” He hovered his hand over the offending piece of tech.
“No, please. Go ahead,” she said, repeatedly stretching and releasing one scrunchie at her wrist. “I’ve got all day.”
Felix’s gut lurched. It was Adrienne again, her tone more demanding.
Adrienne: Where are you? I know you’re not at the restaurant. There can’t be much else to occupy you in the middle of nowhere.
Felix looked up at Thea, who was tracing patterns through the sugar that had fallen on the tablecloth. She still had jam on her cheeks, and despite his foul mood, he smiled. He texted Adrienne back.
Felix: I’m in a sticky meeting right now. Will call you later.
“Shall we get down to business then?” he asked, turning the volume on his phone down and tucking it into the inside pocket of his suit.
“By all means. So, tell me. What is this menu of yours going to look like? How fancy are we talking?”
“I was thinking of some light canapes to start. Perhaps cranberry, orange and brie tarts, gruyere and bacon parcels, and I’d be keen to road test dark chocolate dipped figs with gorgonzola.”
“That’s a lot of cheese,” Thea said with a smirk. She took a pen out of her pocket and made a couple of notes on the back of her sugar-flecked napkin.
“Who doesn’t like cheese? For the main, I can whip up an incredible beef Wellington, and for the fish course, snow crab legs or perhaps slow-roast cod, with a delicious olive tapenade.”
When Thea snorted a laugh, Felix scowled. “What is it you find so amusing?”
She brushed a stray hair behind her ear and wiggled her pen in his general direction. “Nothing, but I’ll just say again, remember who you’re feeding. Do you serve fancy food at The Rusty Plough?”
