The Lost Letters of Evelyn Wright by Clare Swatman

Author:Clare Swatman [Swatman, Clare]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Published: 2024-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

By the time we’d finished eating, Charlie’s van had pulled up outside. I opened the back gate to find him hauling a potted bay tree down the side of the house.

‘Are you okay with that?’ I said, laughing as he stopped and wiped his brow.

‘Christ, it’s heavier than I thought,’ he said.

‘Where on earth did you get it?’

‘My neighbour was getting rid of it, so I rescued it before he threw it in the skip.’

‘He was just going to chuck it out?’ I said, incredulous. ‘But it’s gorgeous.’

‘I know, mad, isn’t it?’

I bent down and tried to lift the base of the pot but Charlie was right, it weighed a ton. ‘Come on, let’s drag it together,’ I said. As we hauled the tree along the path, the pot making a terrible screeching sound along the paving slabs, I tried not to notice how good Charlie smelt, or how handsome he looked with his curls bouncing around, or how his biceps bulged as he worked. Nope, I absolutely wasn’t going to notice any of that.

We got the tree into the garden and stood. I was breathless with the effort.

‘It’s going to be a hot one again,’ Charlie said, wiping his hands on his shorts.

‘I’ll get some drinks.’ I turned. ‘Have you eaten?’

‘A bit.’

‘There are a couple of pancakes left if you want them. The kids bullied me into making them.’

‘I shouldn’t. I’ll get fat if you keep feeding me like this.’ He patted his washboard stomach and I averted my gaze. ‘But go on, then, if they’re going spare, thanks.’

I scurried into the kitchen, suddenly desperate to get away. This was ridiculous. Charlie was a married man. I needed to sort myself out.

‘Cooee!’ A voice interrupted my thoughts and I almost dropped the glass in my hand. I whipped my head round to see Catherine just inside the back door.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘I haven’t got much work on so I thought I’d come and help too. But maybe I should just go home again?’

I put the glass down and let out a breath.

‘No, sorry, it’s me,’ I said.

She stepped into the kitchen and put her bag down. ‘You look exhausted. What’s the matter?’

‘I didn’t sleep well.’ I fixed my gaze on her. ‘Too much on my mind.’

‘You shouldn’t let other people’s worries keep you awake,’ she said, picking up the glass from the side and filling it with water. ‘You’re doing as much as you can to help them.’

‘It’s not just other people’s problems that were bothering me,’ I said pointedly. She didn’t get the hint so I spelled it out for her. ‘I’m worried my friendship with Charlie might be ruined,’ I whispered, checking the garden to make sure he was still out of earshot. He was hovering by the back fence studying something at knee level.

‘Ruined?’ she said. ‘Why?’

‘Well, partly you putting thoughts into my head about having feelings for him,’ I said. ‘Making me think about him as more than a friend.’

She folded her arms. ‘I didn’t put the thoughts there, Beth.

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