Chapter Twenty-Seven

Once Aaron had seen Clancy drive off to his place to use the Wi-Fi, he climbed into his truck and drove the short distance to Trader’s Place and Genevieve’s cottage, her garden still bearing the scars left by her builders. It was late enough in the afternoon for her to be home from work.

He knocked. ‘Gen,’ he said when she answered, ignoring the smile that blazed across her face when she saw who her caller was. He looked into her blue eyes, sorry that it had come to this between them but having not a single qualm about what he was about to say. ‘I’ve just heard a worrying allegation that you might be making mischief for Clancy, specifically with Kaz and Oli at the B&B.’ He watched the smile vanish and apprehension slide into her eyes. He went on grimly, ‘I hate to think that it’s true, because we both understand that we’re over. Don’t we? No going back, whatever happens, so you know there’s no point. No. Point. At. All.’

Her eyes filled with pain, but she gave him a querulous smile. ‘I just … I …’

He’d been in a relationship with this woman for a year, so he bit his tongue on the anger he wanted to bellow in her face. ‘I can’t be what you want. You’re not what I want.’

She nodded jerkily and he turned away without trying to soften his rejection, Clancy’s hurt and bewildered face in pin-sharp focus in his mind’s eye.

When he’d set out early this morning he’d drawn castles in the air about Clancy coming back to Nelson’s Bar and them both living happily ever after. But did that make sense?

How could he expect things to change for him and Clancy if everything else remained the same? If Lee and Alice’s situation put them in opposition, if Genevieve made mischief, if even his own mum was cool to the woman he loved? He got into his truck and paused to lean his arms on his steering wheel for a moment, expecting to have to absorb the impact of hearing the L word, even in his mind. But, no. It settled there quite happily.

When he pulled up outside his cottage a few minutes later, there was no sign of Clancy’s car so he could only assume she’d been and gone. He got out of the truck and went indoors. Nelson fired at him like a missile, tail a blur, whimpering far back in his throat as he did when he’d sincerely thought that his owner might never return – which seemed to be any time they were apart for more than twenty minutes.

Daisy jumped up from the kitchen table. ‘Uncle Aaron! We’s painting, ’cos Daddy had today off!’ she yelled, displaying painty hands and a piece of paper bearing a colourful collection of swirls and smudges.

Lee grinned from the other chair, looking less excited by the painting treat. ‘I missed the start of a job erecting a conservatory so I’ve taken today and Monday,’ he said. Then he nodded in the direction of the wooden-armed chair in the corner. ‘Uncle Jordy’s here too, but he doesn’t want to paint, does he, Daisy?’