Summer at the Kindness Cafe by Victoria Walters

Author:Victoria Walters [Walters, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Chapter Eighteen

Abbie took a deep breath and knocked on the door of the library at Huntley Manor. She was nervous about telling Thomas her decision to go back to London. She had spoken to Louise earlier, who had seemed resigned to the news if not overly enthusiastic about it, but she knew that her sister just wanted her to be happy and that she would miss her. She wasn’t sure how Thomas would react at all, but she couldn’t avoid him any longer.

Thomas’s deep voice told her to come in, so she pushed open the door and smiled tentatively at him. He was at his desk, buried in paperwork, the sleeves of his crisp white shirt pushed up, his hair tousled as if he had been running his hands through it.

Abbie stepped into the room and found herself taking a mental picture of him, wondering if she would ever see him again. She was sure of her decision, but seeing him made her waver. She had loved working here with him. The thought that she wouldn’t be any longer was harder to comprehend than she had realised. ‘Do you have a minute?’

‘Of course. Take a seat.’

Abbie sat down on the other side of the desk and crossed her legs. ‘I wanted to talk to you, to tell you that I’ve made a decision. As you know, Jack’s been here all weekend and he’s presented an opportunity to me, and I feel that I need to accept it.’

He nodded and put his pen down. ‘You’re going back to London.’ His face showed no sign of what he felt about that.

‘I have to, Thomas. Setting up my own PR company is something I’ve always wanted to do. And I haven’t had any hint of other job prospects so far this summer. I can’t turn this down. But I am sorry to leave here.’

Thomas nodded, avoiding her eyes. ‘I’m sorry that you’ll be going,’ he said softly, then he cleared his throat and spoke more formally to her. ‘It sounds like a good opportunity, and I’m aware it wasn’t ideal working here for free. I appreciate all you’ve done.’

‘You know I was happy to help,’ she said, wishing he didn’t sound so businesslike. Wouldn’t he miss her at all? ‘I’m so sorry I won’t be seeing out the summer here, but I know you’ll make a big success of the relaunch and I will definitely . . .’

‘We’ll see,’ Thomas cut her off before she could say that she wanted to come back for the party. ‘I’m just looking at the books, and even if I do the relaunch party at the end of the summer, I just don’t think I can hold the bank off much longer. Perhaps you leaving is the sign I need that this place is finished.’

Abbie stared at him. ‘No, you have to keep trying! The party is all set up, the ballroom is almost ready. Please don’t give up just because I’m going.’

‘It has nothing to do with you.

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