Page 104 of New Beginnings on Railway Lane

In addition, the pizza takeout service was a popular choice for many people at the weekends and the menu had begun to lengthen as Ryan thought up new flavours.

With all the popularity of their food and accommodation, they had been able to come to an arrangement with the bank as to repaying the mortgage. The station was safe at last.

Best of all, the station felt like home again to Ryan. But it was Katy that made it feel that way. She was his business partner, his best friend and the love of his life. Each day, he counted his blessings that she had answered Ethan’s ridiculous advert and had stumbled into all of their lives. They were a team and together it felt as if they could do anything as long as they loved each other.

He gave a sigh of satisfaction, happy and content as to how his life had turned around. Then he pulled open the door and headed inside.

* * *

Katy smiled at the customer in the coffee shop as she took her order for coffee and cake.

‘The lemon drizzle cake is amazing,’ she said, nodding her approval. ‘Good choice.’

She headed into the small kitchen to plate up a slice of cake for the customer.

She stood for a moment and listened to the sound of conversation and laughter coming from the coffee shop. Life had come back to the station and it was great, she thought.

All those months ago, the place had been full of clutter but empty of energy. These days, it had changed for the better and life had most definitely returned.

She smiled to herself. She knew that she had changed too. Her life had been empty too, she could see that now. Now every day was an adventure with Ryan.

The railway carriage accommodation had proved immensely popular and was booked up nearly every weekend for the next few months. But despite being rushed off her feet with it all and loving all the different businesses, she took time now each day to stop and smell the roses and didn’t spend her life only thinking about work. She made sure that she relaxed and savoured each precious day. Her life outside of all the businesses was the one that she and Ryan had created and it was far more precious to her than any work would ever be.

‘Lovely day outside,’ said Ryan, coming into the kitchen.

Katy looked up and felt the same thrill upon seeing him as she knew she always would.

‘Lovely day here too,’ he added, pulling her close to him and stealing a kiss.

‘We’ve had five more bookings to add to the waiting list for the restaurant,’ she told him when they finally drew apart. ‘You’re very popular.’

‘Mmm,’ he said, kissing her once more. ‘You’re popular too.’

‘Am I?’ she murmured, her lips against his.

‘Well, you know that Dad adores you,’ he told her, with a grin.

She smiled up at him, knowing it to be true. Bob and Eddie had become a surrogate family to her and she was thrilled, because she loved them too. They were both revelling in the popularity of the station and were so pleased that it was full of people once more.

Her relationship with her mum was becoming closer as well, now that Katy was taking the time to talk to her properly and not always in a rush with work. They had invited her mum and stepdad to stay in the railway carriage accommodation over Easter and the invitation had been eagerly accepted. Katy couldn’t wait to spend some quality time catching up with them both over the long weekend.

‘Of course, the girls love you as well,’ Ryan carried on, in between kisses.

Katy thought of Harriet, Flora and Libby. She had discovered that she loved having friends who cared and supported her. Women with whom she could laugh and who truly cared about her well-being as much as theirs. And she loved them and cared for them right back.

She still regretted wasting so much time, so many years, on the outside looking in on life. She’d been blind to everything but her dad’s bankruptcy and the legacy and hurt had lingered on way too long. But he and everyone else had moved on. Only she had been left behind. But no more. She was where she was supposed to be now. The fog had finally lifted from her eyes and her heart.

Life, like some walls, wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t meant to be. She had decided that a little imperfection here and there added character.

‘Okay, I adore you too,’ said Ryan, looking down at her with a smile.

‘Of course you do, especially when you hear my next grand idea!’ she told him, with an excited grin. ‘Pasta making courses! Run by you, of course. What do you think?’

Ryan groaned. ‘Are you ever going to stop with the new ideas?’ he asked.

Katy shook her head. ‘Nope.’

He smiled at her. ‘Then it’s a good job that I love you.’