thought!’
‘You did what?’ Josie said through a mouthful of Frosties . ‘Are you telling me you’ve seen Seb already? I thought you only arrived around midnight last night! Bloody hell, Carole, you have been busy!’
Carole tutted. ‘I bumped into him this morning, on my way to apologise to Nick. And I do mean literally, bumped into him. We got talking and ... well, I feel awful saying this Josie but it was just like old times. As if none of the last ten years have happened. And he even told me that he made a huge mistake and he’s been regretting it ever since. He still loves me, Josie, can you believe it? Sebastian Jarvis actually still loves me.’
‘Really? He told you that ... this morning ... in the street? He actually told you he still loved you? And that’s a good thing because ...?’ Josie didn’t look convinced.
‘Of course it’s a good thing! Why wouldn’t it be?’
‘Well, because as you keep saying, you are practically engaged to Dom, the guy you’re actually living with at the moment, so that’s one minor problem. Then there’s the fact that Seb does still have a wife, which leads me nicely on to the real crux of the matter. The guy left you at the altar ten years ago, ran off to Aus using money from your joint bank account, and married someone else a few months later. You’re not seriously telling me that you would resume a relationship with a man who broke your heart without so much as a backward glance. And caused you to nearly have a breakdown, let’s not forget.’
Carole glared at her friend. ‘Trust you to remind me of that.’
‘Well, clearly someone has to! Look Carole, don’t get me wrong, I like Seb, I always did but you were devastated when he left. It took you years to get over him and whilst I’m not absolutely convinced that Dom is the love of your life, I think he’s a far safer bet than Sebastian.’
‘He made a mistake, Josie! Surely everyone’s entitled to be forgiven for making a mistake?’
‘Fine. Forgive him. Just don’t get involved with him again, that’s all. If you’re having doubts about Dom, I can understand that but please, don’t convince yourself that you’re still in love with Sebastian because you’d have to be insane to feel like that.’
Carole sighed and hugged the mug of coffee. ‘Then I think I have to say I’m insane, Josie, because that’s exactly what I do think – and I’m not sure that I ever really stopped.’
Josie slumped forward on the table. ‘And Dom? What about him?’
‘That’s the real problem, Josie. I love him too.’
‘Oh dear God! It’s not even eight o’clock in the morning! You’ve only been back in the village for one night, and I need a drink already. Look, I’ve got to get to work. Why don’t I pop round this evening and we can have a proper talk about all this ... over a bottle of wine?’
‘Um ... I think Sebastian asked me to meet him in the pub,’ Carole said.
‘And you’re going? You’re actually going on a date with Sebastian the day after you get here? What about your gran? I thought you were supposed to be looking after her.’
‘Oh, that’s true! Perhaps I’d better suggest Sebastian comes round to gran’s instead. But it’s not a date! Just to talk, that’s all. Nothing else.’
Josie stared at Carole in silence for a full ten seconds.
‘Your gran will just love that idea. Well, I think you’re right about one thing. You really are insane. I’m going to work. Haven’t you got some apologising to do?’
‘Oh bugger! I’d almost forgotten about that.’
CHAPTER SIX
Carole had been to the old plant nursery on the outskirts of Jutsdown village, hundreds of times, as a child and young teenager. The nursery was one of her dad’s favourite places and he’d taken Carole there to help him choose plants for the sprawling garden of their Victorian villa many times over the years.
After her father’s death Carole avoided the place like the plague. Even
‘You did what?’ Josie said through a mouthful of Frosties . ‘Are you telling me you’ve seen Seb already? I thought you only arrived around midnight last night! Bloody hell, Carole, you have been busy!’
Carole tutted. ‘I bumped into him this morning, on my way to apologise to Nick. And I do mean literally, bumped into him. We got talking and ... well, I feel awful saying this Josie but it was just like old times. As if none of the last ten years have happened. And he even told me that he made a huge mistake and he’s been regretting it ever since. He still loves me, Josie, can you believe it? Sebastian Jarvis actually still loves me.’
‘Really? He told you that ... this morning ... in the street? He actually told you he still loved you? And that’s a good thing because ...?’ Josie didn’t look convinced.
‘Of course it’s a good thing! Why wouldn’t it be?’
‘Well, because as you keep saying, you are practically engaged to Dom, the guy you’re actually living with at the moment, so that’s one minor problem. Then there’s the fact that Seb does still have a wife, which leads me nicely on to the real crux of the matter. The guy left you at the altar ten years ago, ran off to Aus using money from your joint bank account, and married someone else a few months later. You’re not seriously telling me that you would resume a relationship with a man who broke your heart without so much as a backward glance. And caused you to nearly have a breakdown, let’s not forget.’
Carole glared at her friend. ‘Trust you to remind me of that.’
‘Well, clearly someone has to! Look Carole, don’t get me wrong, I like Seb, I always did but you were devastated when he left. It took you years to get over him and whilst I’m not absolutely convinced that Dom is the love of your life, I think he’s a far safer bet than Sebastian.’
‘He made a mistake, Josie! Surely everyone’s entitled to be forgiven for making a mistake?’
‘Fine. Forgive him. Just don’t get involved with him again, that’s all. If you’re having doubts about Dom, I can understand that but please, don’t convince yourself that you’re still in love with Sebastian because you’d have to be insane to feel like that.’
Carole sighed and hugged the mug of coffee. ‘Then I think I have to say I’m insane, Josie, because that’s exactly what I do think – and I’m not sure that I ever really stopped.’
Josie slumped forward on the table. ‘And Dom? What about him?’
‘That’s the real problem, Josie. I love him too.’
‘Oh dear God! It’s not even eight o’clock in the morning! You’ve only been back in the village for one night, and I need a drink already. Look, I’ve got to get to work. Why don’t I pop round this evening and we can have a proper talk about all this ... over a bottle of wine?’
‘Um ... I think Sebastian asked me to meet him in the pub,’ Carole said.
‘And you’re going? You’re actually going on a date with Sebastian the day after you get here? What about your gran? I thought you were supposed to be looking after her.’
‘Oh, that’s true! Perhaps I’d better suggest Sebastian comes round to gran’s instead. But it’s not a date! Just to talk, that’s all. Nothing else.’
Josie stared at Carole in silence for a full ten seconds.
‘Your gran will just love that idea. Well, I think you’re right about one thing. You really are insane. I’m going to work. Haven’t you got some apologising to do?’
‘Oh bugger! I’d almost forgotten about that.’
CHAPTER SIX
Carole had been to the old plant nursery on the outskirts of Jutsdown village, hundreds of times, as a child and young teenager. The nursery was one of her dad’s favourite places and he’d taken Carole there to help him choose plants for the sprawling garden of their Victorian villa many times over the years.
After her father’s death Carole avoided the place like the plague. Even
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