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Back All You Need Is Love Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. OCTOBER
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. Acknowledgments
  53. More from Jessica Redland
  54. About the Author
  55. Also by Jessica Redland
  56. About Boldwood Books

I had. I’d expected it to be awkward and, when I’d walked into The White Horse and spotted them laughing together, I’d almost lost my nerve. Then I’d noticed the third pint on the table. Stevie clocked me at that point and waved me over. ‘We remembered you used to love real ale. We’re hoping you still do. If you do, it was my idea. If you don’t, it was Rob’s!’

After that, it had been easy banter all the way. I decided to wipe the slate clean immediately and apologise for my stupid comments about Maddy. Stevie laughed and said that he could have saved himself a lot of pain if he’d actually listened to me instead of being so stubborn. He said that, if I could forgive him for not inviting me to the wedding, we were evens.

We chatted about their lives since college. Rob had gone away to Bristol University and stayed down there, only returning home a couple of years ago when he’d split up with his girlfriend. He said he was bi-sexual and was now living with a bloke called Gary who happened to be the ex-husband of Stevie’s partner, Elise. I certainly hadn’t expected a revelation like that.

The subject then moved onto Nikki. I didn’t tell them about the baby or about Jemma. I’m not sure why.

It turned out that Rob had known Nikki, although he hadn’t seen her for years. That was the thing about Whitsborough Bay; everyone seemed to know everyone.

‘You know what, Mum?’ I said, tucking into my second butty. ‘I think I will meet them.’

‘That’s the spirit.’

38

Jemma

I couldn’t believe it was Friday already. Wednesday and Thursday had whizzed by. Mum had woken up on Wednesday morning with a new lease of life, making an emergency appointment to see her GP that afternoon and another appointment with her counsellor to explore the new information.

I organised test drives for three cars on the Thursday afternoon and made a speedy decision as to which I liked best, placing an order on the same day. My very first car.

Mum spent Friday morning in Bear With Me but agreed to have the afternoon off to de-stress. Rachel had booked them both in for a pampering afternoon at a local spa and they were planning to end their day with a film and a takeaway at Rachel’s. Billy Thomas had invited Logan for tea, the cinema, and a sleepover, which meant I’d be on my own for the first time since I’d moved home.