“I also skated at a snail’s pace.” They sat on the bench together and unlaced their skates, and then as they started back along the twilit path, Simon reached for her hand. It felt completely natural and right to walk along holding hands, and even though the path was a little too narrow to walk alongside each other, they somehow managed it.

Olivia’s steps slowed as they came down the high street towards Tea on the Lea. Should she invite him in? Once again she was in a quandary, and then she decided she didn’t need to be. Why worry so much? Why not simply take life’s opportunities as they presented themselves? Find happiness and perhaps even love where and when she could?

She turned to him, so abruptly she nearly crashed into him. “Do you want to come in?” she asked a little breathlessly. “Have some dinner? I think I could rustle up something, or we could get a takeaway, although admittedly Wychwood doesn’t have that many options. Fish and chips...”

“I’d love to,” Simon answered, and Olivia’s breath came out in a rush of relief. Maybe this really could be easy. Maybe it could be good. And she could stop being afraid, stop worrying about the what-ifs or the things she didn’t know, and let everything unfold natur­ally...wonder­fully.

Chapter Ten

Of course, as soon as Simon followed her upstairs, Olivia realised she had not left her poky little flat in a state to receive visitors. The kitchen was a mess of dirty dishes, an open box of cereal trailing its flakes across the counter, and her washing was hanging to dry on a rack in the middle of the sitting room, her rather worn M&S bras and pants on glaring display.

“Sorry, I wasn’t expecting...” she began in a half-mumble before whisking the rack into her just-as-messy bedroom. She returned with an apologetic smile, and Simon laughed.

“You should see the state of my room.”

“Will you be glad to get your own place?” Olivia asked as she hunted through the kitchen for something to offer. She should have done a weekly shop today, but between her mum and ice-skating with Simon she hadn’t had the time.

“Yes, I think so,” Simon said after a second’s hesitation. “It will be nice to have some space.”

“You must get along with your sister rather well if you’re able to live with her,” Olivia remarked. She had a packet of pasta and a jar of sauce. Not the most inspired meal, and she realised belatedly that the fish and chip shop in the village was closed on Sundays.

“Yes, we do, mostly. I suppose any siblings fight.”

“I wouldn’t know, but that sounds right.”

“Did you ever wish you had siblings?” Simon asked as he leaned against a kitchen counter, his long legs stretched out in front of him.