‘You’re all heart, boss,’ Jay said.
There were no more slip-ups and they made it to the pub, an old whitewashed inn with a slate roof, in the heart of the village. Langmere might be a tiny community but it had managed to hang on to its pub and post office, along with a café and some tourist shops. It was a hive of activity in summer but on a November evening, there were only a handful of cars in the parking area.
More people had gathered in the bar where a fire glowed in the inglenook and the room echoed with banter and laughter. Irina and Jan were enjoying a meal at one of the tables. Wilf Carman was playing dominoes with a couple of his younger mates of around eighty.
‘Evening, Dotty!’ he called when Lottie walked in.
Jay was obviously amused, but Lottie still felt embarrassed at this reminder of her schoolgirl days. She rolled her eyes and greeted Wilf cheerfully before continuing to the table reserved for them. Some of the workers lived in the village itself while others had driven from further afield. Lottie noticed the level of revelry ramped up even further when Shayla insisted on paying for everyone’s meals: hearty pub fare from the Christmas menu.
It wasn’t long before Jay was chatting away over a pint of Cumbrian ale to Lottie and their colleagues about the Christmas tree sales. From his relaxed manner, she wondered why he didn’t seem more sociable. His reclusiveness seemed to have little to do with disliking his workmates. Lottie was happy that they’d managed to sit next to each other, the soft cotton of his shirt brushing against her arm from time to time.
One by one, people drifted off to the bar or the loo, or to join in a heated conversation around the darts board and she and Jay were left alone at the table.
‘Better enjoy my night out. I’m going to be busy for the next four weeks until sales close,’ he said, with a rueful smile.
‘When’s that?’ Lottie asked.
‘The twenty-second or until we run out of stock.’ He paused before adding, ‘I saw our red squirrel again today.’
The ‘our’ wasn’t lost on her. ‘In the same place?’
‘No, up in the High Copse. There were badgers last night at dusk.’ He slid her a look of pleasure and longing that made her shiver. ‘I wish you could have seen it.’
‘Me too,’ she said, allowing herself to imagine being alone in the woods with him, but not looking for wildlife. ‘I’d love to see badgers at Firholme.’ She forced herself back to safer topics. ‘I’ve spotted plenty of foxes around the Bothy but no Mr Brock yet.’
‘They have a sett up there. You should come up and take a look.’ His voice was animated, before he added more cautiously, ‘If you have time.’
‘I’d love to but you must be very busy at the moment?’
‘Yes. The lights at the sales centre might scare them off anyway.’
Lottie wished she hadn’t been so negative. She hadn’t meant to scare him off inviting her to the woods.
Their orders arrived so everyone returned to the table and tucked in. The atmosphere was light-hearted and Jay seemed to be enjoying the banter as well as the food. After they’d had the main course, she left him talking about football with Thorsten and Kerr, while she went to the ladies.
Shayla was in there too and took the chance for a gossip. ‘I knew you’d be able to bring Jay out of himself,’ she said, while they washed their hands.
‘I didn’t do anything special,’ she protested, realising that her cosy with Jay must have been witnessed by Shayla. ‘I only asked him if he was coming tonight.’
‘Well, it worked. It’s important that he gets to know the rest of the staff better. Now can you work your magic and persuade him to come to the Christmas ball?’
‘I don’t know about that.’
‘I have every confidence in you,’ Shayla winked and took out her lip gloss. Nothing got past her, Lottie thought ruefully.
Back in the pub, Jay went to play darts in the games room with Kerr. It was now getting on for nine o’clock and a few more people had come into the bar for a late evening drink. Some were in tracksuits, others in shorts and judging by the ruddy complexions and muddy calves, they were a local rugby team who’d been training. Lottie recognised one of the guys who worked for a company who’d held a training day at Firholme. The others were strangers to her. Jay had been in the games room a while but then Lottie saw him re-enter the bar with Kerr.
He’d made it halfway to her table before he stopped dead and stared at the back of one of the rugby players who was ordering a drink at the bar. Jay’s body bristled with tension. It was as if there was no one else in the pub apart from him and the man. Sensing something was very wrong, Lottie held her breath. She was sure that Jay was going to approach the man, maybe even grab hold of him but Shayla and the others were talking so only she had noticed.
The rugby player turned around, his eyes widened in shock and his mouth fell open. ‘Jay,’ he said.
Jay didn’t reply. His face was thunderous, eyes blazing with anger. Seconds later, he marched out of the pub as if the Devil was at his heels.
Chapter Twelve
Jay’s chest tightened at the icy air rushing into his lungs as he stormed out of the bar. He was halfway across the car park as realisation hit him like a sledgehammer.
Once again, he’d rushed out into the night because of Ben.
Once again, he’d run away from a situation he found overwhelming.
Because of Ben.
‘Jay! Wait!’
The voice calling after him was Lottie’s.
He swivelled round. Oh Jesus, he’d caused a scene; the exact thing he didn’t want to do. Now, people would be asking
