The Legacy: Trouble Comes Disguised As Family (Unspoken Book 2) T. Belshaw (management books to read .txt) 📖

jeans. ‘Bugger, I left my phone in the car.’ She got to her feet. ‘Tell you what. I’ll nip up to the Tesco Extra while I’m out there and pick up a couple of bottles of PG, that one isn’t going to be enough.’

‘Grab some bacon too,’ said Sam, as she kicked off her shoes and sprawled back on the sofa. ‘Even PG can be improved with a bacon butty.’

Jess walked out to the car, started the engine and turned on the headlamps. She looked in the rear-view mirror before reversing onto the lane and was blinded by a wide beam of light as a long, sleek car roared past. Jess blinked a few times until her normal vision was restored, then cursed. She’d know that car anywhere. She remembered Calvin showing off after he’d made some modifications to make it sound like a supercar. It had to be Calvin, there was only a farm below hers on the lane and the occupants of that were in their eighties and hardly likely to own a BMW with modified mufflers. No, it was definitely Calvin, but what the hell was he doing parked up next to the farmhouse?

As she headed up the lane towards the town, Jess decided not to tell Sam about the incident. She’d want to get the police involved, but Jess was reluctant. She blew out her cheeks as she turned off the lane and onto the main road that led to the supermarket.

‘Bloody Calvin,’ she spat.

Chapter 9

As Jess came out of Tesco Extra carrying her bag of shopping, she heard a familiar voice call her name, she turned to see Ewan Drake, an old school friend who had spent a few years working for a charity in Africa.

‘Hello, Ewan, I haven’t seen you since the day of your Uni presentation when Calvin created all that fuss in that café. How are you? I hope the lecture went well.’

Ewan flashed a quick smile. ‘I’m good thanks. The lecture went very well, so well in fact, that I’ve been asked to do a series of them on different aspects of charity work.’

‘That’s great news, well done.’ Jess smiled and patted his arm. Ewan looked down at her hand, then back to her face.

‘Look, Jess… I heard through the grapevine that you’re young, free and single again. I was hoping to catch up with you to ask… well, to ask if I could take you out to dinner one night.’

Jess bit her lip.

‘I’m sorry, Ewan, but I’m not ready to move on yet. I was with Calvin for years and it’s only been a few weeks since the split. I’m not really over him yet.’

Ewan’s eyes narrowed.

‘You’re not thinking of having him back after what happened at the café are you? He was bang out of order, having a go at you like that, especially as the woman he’d been having an affair with was standing right next to him.’

‘No, I’m not going to have him back, Ewan. Believe me, the situation got much worse when I got home.’ She felt a chill down her spine as she remembered the day. ‘As you say, I’m young, free and single and I’m going to stay that way for a good while. I don’t need any more complications in my life at present, I’ve got enough on my plate.’

‘I wasn’t offering to marry you, Jess, it was only dinner. No strings.’

Jess’s face softened. ‘It’s very sweet of you, Ewan, but honestly, I’m off men at the moment.’ She put her hand on his arm again. ‘It’s not you, I’m not ready, that’s all. I’m just going to get on with writing my book. I haven’t had a chance to get started on it, what with Nana dying and then the break up.’

Ewan was appeased. ‘Well, if you change your mind, I’ll book us a table, somewhere nice. Do you still have my number?’

‘It’s on my phone, Ewan, but honestly, please don’t hold your breath. I need to get my head sorted out, and that’s going to take time.’

She pressed the button on her key fob and the lights on her car flashed as the central locking opened up. She gave him a quick smile and turned towards the car as he leaned forwards, lips pursed.

‘Bye, Ewan. See you around.’ Jess climbed into the car and dropped her shopping onto the front passenger seat. She closed the door quickly, pulled on her seat belt and started the engine as Ewan bent down to look into the car. Without a sideways glance, she indicated, then pulled out onto the evening traffic.

‘I got two extra bottles; we may as well make a night of it.’

Jess waved the bag of shopping at Sam as she walked into the lounge.

‘That sounds like a plan,’ replied Sam, waving an almost empty bottle of wine in return.

Jess walked through the kitchen into what was once the parlour, but was now used as a store room. She opened the lid of the old chest freezer and placed the two wine bottles carefully on top of the bags of frozen vegetables.

‘Remind me in twenty minutes, the wine is getting a quick chill,’ she called.

‘No need to shout,’ said Sam, appearing behind her. ‘Did you remember the bacon? I’m starving.’

‘I got bacon and some fresh rolls,’ replied Jess. ‘Do you want to do the honours, or shall I cook?’

‘I’ll cook, seeing as you were kind enough to buy the stuff,’ said Sam, taking a gulp of her wine. She walked back into the kitchen, took a frying pan from the hanging rack above the big oak dining table and set it on the hob.

‘This cooker has seen better days too, my darling,’ she said as she turned the knob and pressed the ignition button.

‘I know. I’ve got to plan a refurb. I’ll get a wall mounted oven and a halogen hob, but I’m not sure I have the patience to design my own kitchen. I think I’ll get onto Robin’s,