Page 25 of Winter Wishes at Pennycress Inn

‘Yes, yes, I will. We will.’ Laura smiled at her. ‘Thank you, Scarlett.’

‘You’re very welcome.’ Crossing her arms, Scarlett watched as Laura and Jackson got into the car before waving them off.

With them now on their way, Scarlett looked up and down the empty street. Apart from a few birds flittering from branch to branch in the trees lining the road as they sung their morning chorus, there wasn’t another soul around. Pulling her mobile from her skirt pocket, she checked the time. Five fifteen. Any other day she’d have been running straight to hide under the duvet, but today being left in charge of Pennycress, she was buzzing.

Scrolling through her contacts, she clicked on Devon’s name. He’d be awake. In fact, he’d probably already be in work taking in deliveries or checking the books or something.

‘Hello, stranger.’ Devon’s gruff voice filtered down the phone line. ‘What on earth are you ringing me at this time in the morning for?’

‘I’ve not woken you, have I?’ Scarlett grimaced. Trust her to wake him on the only day of the year he had a lie-in past five.

‘Of course not, you know I like to start my day early. You, on the other hand, well, I’ve never known you to wake before eight at the earliest.’ Devon chuckled.

‘Ha, well, I’m awake today, and you’ll never guess what?’

‘Go on, enlighten me.’

Scarlett spun on her heels to face the inn before brandishing her free arm towards Pennycress as though he could see her. ‘I’m only in charge of my cousin’s inn!’

‘Inn? What do you mean?’

Scarlett smiled. She could almost picture him massaging his temples as was his habit when he was trying to figure something out. ‘Just that, my cousin Laura and her new hubby have gone off on their honeymoon and they’ve asked me to look after their inn, Pennycress Inn.’

‘Well, I never. Whatever you do, don’t burn the place down, will you?’ Devon chuckled again.

‘Huh, why does everyone think I’ve suddenly taken up pyrotechnics?’ Scarlett shook her head. Perhaps she should stay away from matches after all.

‘I don’t. Of course I don’t. I’m sure you’ll make a grand job of it.’ Devon’s tone turned serious. ‘Dare I ask if that scoundrel is leaving you alone?’

‘Unfortunately not.’ Scarlett slumped her shoulders; back to reality then. ‘He rang me, demanding Thelma back.’

‘Noooo. Don’t you go giving her back to him, will you?’

‘Of course I won’t! Not in a million years would I allow him to take her back and subject her to her old life.’ Scarlett shook her head vehemently, the anger she’d felt after speaking to Tyler igniting once again in the pit of her stomach. ‘And before you ask, I won’t be going back to him either.’

‘I wasn’t going to ask you that. You know I’d never let you. If you tried I’d be dragging you kicking and screaming in the opposite direction.’ Devon’s voice took on a tone of mischief. ‘Or else I’d be dragging him away and condemning him to a life of serving the likes of the Jarvis twins.’

Scarlett laughed as she pictured Tyler dressed in a tiny apron and following the whims of those arrogant men. ‘Now that would teach him.’

‘It certainly would.’ The phone line silenced for a few moments before he spoke again. ‘In all seriousness, you stay away from the likes of him and find yourself a nice young man.’

‘You mean one who dates one person at a time?’ Scarlett grimaced.

‘Ha, yes, that’s exactly what I mean.’

Scarlett turned back towards the empty street as Rowan’s image popped into her mind’s eye before she shook her head, dismissing the thought. ‘No, I’m happy on my own for a while.’

‘Okay, well, when you do make sure he’s a good’un.’

‘I will.’ Scarlett shrugged.

‘Right, as much as I’d love to stay and chat, the books aren’t going to do themselves. Take care, love, and enjoy your inn.’

‘Thanks. I will. You take care too.’ Ending the call, Scarlett hugged her mobile to her chest and sighed. She hated the fact Tyler lived in Manchester. If he didn’t, she’d have been back to visit Devon already.

Slipping her mobile back into her pocket, she rolled her shoulders back and faced Pennycress. This would be her first day as stand-in innkeeper of Pennycress Inn and she was going to enjoy it.

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