Page 108 of The Village Inn of Secret Dream

It hadn’t occurred to Belle that Cathy and Grandma Tilly would assume that her and Pete were an item. She was ready to self-combust with embarrassment. It was almost too much to bear, knowing that he didn’t feel that way about her.

‘You okay?’ murmured Pete, who was sitting next to her. ‘You look a bit flushed.’

‘I’m fine,’ she said, trying to think of anything but Pete’s leg pressing up against hers. It was hard to think straight when Cathy asked about her aunt and uncle’s cruise.

‘They’re really enjoying themselves,’ Belle told her.

‘There’s a first time for everything,’ said Grandma Tilly, looking surprised. ‘It must have been exhausting living with them when they were arguing all the time.’

‘Not as much as living with my brother,’ said Josh, which earned him a bread roll lobbed across the table. He easily caught it with one hand. ‘Thanks,’ he said to Pete with a winning smile. ‘Not sure we’ll sign you up for the village cricket team this summer with that shot.’

‘I was always better with one-to-one sports,’ said Pete with a wicked grin.

Josh laughed. ‘Yeah, I remember the long line of rejected girlfriends that used to go around the block.’

Cathy gave him a stern look. ‘That was a long time ago,’ she said in a warning voice. ‘And besides, I don’t suppose Belle wants to hear about that.’

Belle went to answer, but Pete was already getting up. ‘Anyone for seconds?’ he asked, walking into the kitchen.

Belle fixed a smile on for those remaining at the table, but inside, her heart was breaking. Everyone seemed to think that they were good together except Pete.

After they had all enjoyed far too much Christmas pudding, Pete offered to do the washing up with his brother whilst the women all sank onto the sofas clutching their full stomachs.

Pete felt happy but somewhat exasperated at the way his mother and grandmother were constantly referring to him and Belle as some kind of couple.

‘What’s up?’ asked Josh.

‘Their teasing about Belle,’ muttered Pete. ‘It’s not right.’

‘Well, if you can’t beat them,’ murmured Josh to his brother before laughing at Pete’s cross expression. ‘You’re so uptight today. What’s wrong?’

‘Nothing,’ whispered Pete. ‘I just don’t need setting up by my own mother, that’s all. I’m thirty-two!’

‘So?’ asked Josh, leaning against the sink. ‘Would it be so wrong?’

‘With Belle?’ said Pete, with a shrug of his shoulders. ‘Of course. We’ve known her forever. Since we were young, you know that.’

‘Yeah. And? I don’t see a problem, do you?’

Pete turned away. ‘I don’t want to talk about it, okay?’

His brother laughed again.

When Belle came over to offer a hand, Josh slipped away with the excuse of going to check on Amber.

Pete turned to look at her. ‘If my family embarrassed you, I apologise,’ he said softly.

She smiled up at him. ‘That’s okay,’ she replied. ‘We both know that my own family would win that contest, let’s be honest. Yours are lovely, warm, friendly, loving. You’re so lucky.’

He caught the wistful tone in her voice and it touched his heart.

‘Did you hear from your parents?’ he asked, suddenly concerned about her.

Her smile faded. ‘I left a message and got a short text from Dad.’

He had a sudden desire to give her a hug, but there was no way he could do that with his mum’s laser vision from across the other side of the apartment.

Frustrated, he muttered, ‘I just wish mine wouldn’t interfere.’