BooksBarbecue
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

Then I turned and dashed up Castle Street, tears raining down my cheeks once more as it struck me how deeply I’d fallen in love with Sam. I had to stay strong and keep walking. I couldn’t do the distance relationship thing with him because I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that it would destroy us both.

46

Sam

I stood on the same spot, staring down Castle Street, until the crowds of shoppers swamped Jemma and I couldn’t see her anymore. I touched my fingers to my lips. What a kiss. What a way to say goodbye. Except I didn’t want to say goodbye and, judging by the passion in that kiss, neither did Jemma.

I wanted to talk to her about Scott and how she felt about it. I wanted to share our experiences of grief. But I needed to leave her be so that she could do that in her own time with whomever she chose. She had some great friends in Karen, Tiff, Leah and Drew. She was close to her mum. They’d all be there for her. I was a distraction and I’d slow down the grieving process if I was around. Which I wasn’t. And that, in itself, clearly presented one of the biggest barriers to making a go of things with Jemma. It was time to do something about it.

✉︎ To Jack

Are you and Millie around this afternoon or this evening? I need to talk to you. And to apologise

✉︎ From Jack

We’re in now. Isla’s just removed Saffron’s nappy and swung it round her head in the middle of the lounge. Couldn’t have timed it better as Saffron had just taken a dump. You can join in the cleaning effort. Sounds like a great way to apologise!

✉︎ To Jack

I told you before that you needed to work on your sales technique! I’ll be there in 15 mins with my surgical mask and gloves!

47

Jemma

Six weeks later

‘Mum! Jem! Mrs Denholm’s moving out.’

Joining Logan at the lounge window, I peered out as two men exited the cab of a small removals van and walked towards Mrs Denholm’s front door.

Well into her nineties, Mrs Denholm had lived in that cottage for decades and had always been a lovely neighbour – the sort who’d do anything for you without expecting favours in return. She was fit as a fiddle but her eyesight was failing. She knew she’d have to give up driving soon and the bus service to Little Sandby didn’t run regularly enough to be a viable alternative. Faced with becoming isolated in the village or moving into Bay View Care Home in town where she had several friends, she’d realised there was only one sensible decision to make and had put her name down on the waiting list some time ago.