Page 4 of Winter Wishes at Pennycress Inn

‘Don’t worry. I can grab something later.’ Picking up the mug, Scarlett took a long deep breath, sucking in the strong, bitter aroma. However good the coffee shops were en route, they’d never measure up to a proper coffee.

‘Umm, let me think…’ Jackson pulled open the fridge. ‘I have some lamb stew from yesterday or chicken curry which we had today, there’s some of that left. I could heat either of those up?’

After taking a long sip of her coffee, the caffeine providing an almost instant fix to the tiredness that had been threatening to consume her, she lowered her mug to the tabletop. ‘I’m veggie, sorry.’

Slapping his hand across his forehead, Jackson groaned. ‘Of course, how could I forget that?’

Scarlett shrugged and grinned. ‘To be fair, you weren’t to know. It’s only been a few years, and I very much doubt you were taking any notice at what I was eating on your wedding day.’

Jackson chuckled as he stooped to the fridge again and pulled out a pack of eggs before brandishing them in her direction. ‘You eat eggs, though?’

‘Yep.’ Scarlett nodded, her stomach grumbling at the thought of food.

‘In that case, I’ll make you some of my French toast, if you like?’ Jackson waited until she’d nodded before taking the frying pan and placing it on the hob.

‘Oh, you’ll love Jackson’s French toast, it’s literally the best.’ Bringing her own mug to the table, Laura sat down opposite Scarlett. ‘In fact, Jackson, can I have some too, please? I’m starving.’

Chuckling, he nodded. ‘Of course you can. I might just make myself some as well. It’s just the weather for a nice warm supper.’

As Jackson turned his back to make the food, Laura reached out and gripped Scarlett’s hands in hers. ‘So, tell me, what’s brought you to Meadowfield?’

Scarlett shrugged. She’d spent half the journey here trying to figure out what to tell Laura, had even practised a billion possible explanations in front of Thelma, but now none of them felt enough. None of the reasons she’d concocted felt natural. Laura would see right through them. Instead, she gave Laura a quick smile. She didn’t want to lie, but then she didn’t want to bring her problems to the people she cared about either. ‘I had some time off, so I thought I’d come and see my two favourite humans.’

‘Uh-huh, go on…’ Laura nodded encouragingly.

‘What? That’s it. I needed a change of scenery and a much-needed catch-up, that’s all.’ Scarlett brought the mug to her lips, hoping Laura wouldn’t spot how fake her smile was. She wasn’t lying. Laura and Jackson had been a huge part of her life. Laura had always been on the end of the phone or a bus ride away when Scarlett was growing up. And Scarlett had spent the summer holidays staying with Laura’s family after her dad had got together with her stepmum which, of course, had meant spending a lot of time with Jackson too, who had been an almost permanent fixture of Laura’s family since Scarlett could remember.

She gulped her coffee as another wave of tiredness swept over her. She’d spent half her time daydreaming that Auntie Ruth and Uncle Phil had been her parents. She shook her head. She wasn’t that little girl any more. She wasn’t that child who had cooked beans on toast every night, waiting for her dad to come home from the pub. She wasn’t the child who had spent the evenings scrubbing the house clean after her dad had thrown up before drinking himself to sleep. She’d understood he’d only done it to numb the pain of losing his wife, but she’d lost her mum and she’d had to navigate that loss alone. She shook her head. He was happy now, up in Scotland with her stepmum, and that’s all she could want for him. ‘It’s true. We used to be so close before I moved to Manchester, and I want to be again.’

Laura tilted her head. It was obvious she could tell there was more to Scarlett’s story than she was letting on, but thankfully she let it lie and instead grinned back at her. ‘Good. I’m glad you came, I just wish you’d given us a bit of notice and I would have saved you a room. We’re fully booked right up until New Year.’

Lowering her mug to the table again, Scarlett relaxed. ‘Ha, you shouldn’t be complaining!’

‘Oh, I know. And I’m not. I just feel bad not being able to offer you a room.’ Laura grimaced.

‘Take our room, Scarlett. I’m more than happy to sleep on the sofa so you and Laura can share.’ The oil in the frying pan sizzled as Jackson poured in the mixture.

‘Nope.’ Scarlett held her hands up, palms forward. ‘Absolutely not. I’ve brought my camper and I’ll sleep in there.’

Laura shivered. ‘No chance. You’ll be cold.’

‘Yes, chance. That’s what I’d planned to do when I decided to come here, and that’s what I’ll be doing. It’s super cosy when I’ve got the heater on.’ Scarlett glanced towards the kitchen door. ‘I’ll give you a grand tour in the morning if you like? I’ve done loads of work on it and it’s a proper little home on wheels now.’

‘Oooh yes, that’ll be great.’ Laura stood up and went to help Jackson dish up the French toast. ‘Where will you park it overnight though? You can use our car park…’

Holding her hand up, Scarlett shook her head. Pennycress was full, which would mean the guest car park would be too, and she wasn’t about to take up space from paying guests. ‘No, I’ve already found somewhere, thank you though. I drove past a lay-by on the way into Meadowfield, I’ll park in there.’

‘But…’ Laura scrunched her nose up.

‘Honestly, it will be the perfect spot there. Close enough to the village but also a little out in the countryside so the views should be stunning.’ Scarlett smiled. After living in the car park at Devon’s Wine Bar for so long, she was looking forward to stepping out of her camper in the morning and listening to the morning chorus of the birds rather than hearing a couple of gulls squabbling over the remnants of someone’s abandoned kebab.

‘I’ve always loved the idea of travelling in a camper.’ Jackson set a plate down in front of her before sitting down himself.

‘Yes, travelling the NC500 or something.’ Laura dropped a mound of cutlery in the middle of the table before taking her seat next to Jackson. ‘It’d be an amazing way to see the sights of Scotland.’

‘Have you got any travel plans yet? Apart from the freezing cold Cotswolds, of course.’ Jackson chuckled.

‘I think Scotland might be a tad colder than here.’ Laura laughed before taking a forkful of her French toast. ‘But you could visit your dad en route.’