Page 60 of The Inn on Bluebell Lane

“Will this make you feel better?” he asked, and to her surprise, he revealed the grande caramel macchiato he’d been hiding behind his back.

Ellie let out a wobbly laugh of surprise. “Where on earth did you get that?”

“At the Starbucks on the way to Cardiff. Better drink it quick, before it’s cold.”

She shook her head in amazement, taking a sip and then sighing in appreciation. “I’ve missed this,” she admitted. “But what were you doing on the way to Cardiff? How did you even get there?”

“There’s a big DIY place on the way there,” he told her. “I thought I’d walk around and get some ideas… about how to make this place more like you said. An old mate of mine, Gareth, drove me. I didn’t realize he was still in Llandrigg, but we ran into each other the other day.”

Ellie lowered her cup, amazed at all this news. “Really?”

“It makes sense, doesn’t it?” he told her with a crooked smile. “I know I didn’t respond as well as I should have, because it was so different to my idea… which was clearly absurd.” He let out a little laugh that made Ellie’s heart both ache and lift. “But over the last few days, when I’ve managed to let go of my pride and really think about it, it seemed like not just a good idea, Ellie, but a great idea… something we can both get behind.”

“Oh, Matt.” Ellie’s voice trembled, and she put down her coffee to step closer to him.

He wrapped his good arm around her, his lips brushing her hair. “Sorry it took me so long,” he whispered, and she hugged him tightly, trying to be careful of his cast.

“It doesn’t matter.”

He gave her another squeeze. “Now drink your coffee before it gets cold!”

CHAPTER 31

JESS

Jess slammed her door and then hurled herself onto her bed, burying her hot face in her pillow. Her mom was so unfair. And everyone here was so mean. She hated everything, she hated it all more than ever.

The sobs shook her frame as her tears soaked her pillow. It had all started that morning, when she’d come into school. Sophie had been waiting for her at the door, the look on her face both mutinous and miserable.

“What is it?” Jess had asked immediately, for she’d known right away that something was wrong. Really wrong.

“Never mind.” Sophie had shrugged, looking away, and that was when Jess had become aware of all the stares and whispers. She’d glanced around and seen how people smirked or looked away. She’d felt herself start to flush, a prickly sensation creeping all over her body, and hadn’t even known what had happened yet.

“It’s the music board,” Sophie had muttered under her breath. “Don’t look.”

Even though she’d known she shouldn’t, Jess had headed down the corridor toward the music block, and the noticeboard where she and Sophie had seen their names on the concert list. She’d frozen as she’d stood in front of it. Someone—someone horrible—had printed out headshots of the two of them, taken from their Instagram accounts no doubt, and scrawled “Nerds” in thick red marker over their faces. As she’d stared at the pictures, Jess had felt herself go hot and then cold, while a tide of titters and whispers had grown in volume behind her.

“It doesn’t matter,” Sophie had said, but Jess hadn’t been able to answer. Singing in the concert and her friendship with Sophie had felt like the only two good things about her life in Llandrigg, and now they’d both been ruined. “Jess…” Sophie had put a hand on her arm, but Jess had shrugged it off.

For a reason she hadn’t been able to understand, she’d felt furious with Sophie rather than whoever had played the cruel prank on them. She’d walked away from the board and Sophie without a word, and had headed to her locker, keeping her head down, freezing out the world… including her only friend.

By break, the photos had been taken down, but the damage had been done. The whole thing had been made worse by the head teacher’s well-meaning words at assembly, reminding everyone about the school’s zero tolerance toward bullying. As if.

Jess had done her best to ignore all the smirking and sidelong looks, but it had taken everything she had.

Sophie had tried to talk to her at lunch, but Jess had avoided her. She’d still been angry, and as she couldn’t explain why even to herself, she’d pretended not to see Sophie in the lunchroom and then she’d ducked into an empty classroom. It had been her worst day of school yet, where she’d felt physically sick with the sheer misery of it all.

And now her mother was angry at her, and her brother, who knew about the prank, had teased her about it on the bus, saying she was “a total nerd, and everyone knows it,” and Jess really didn’t think she could take anymore.

Her phone pinged and Jess lifted her head from the pillow. It was a Snapchat from Chloe, making her usual cross-eyed funny face, tongue sticking out, with I miss you!!!! as the message. The tiniest of smiles tugged at Jess’s mouth. Chloe hadn’t messaged her in ages.

I miss you too, she typed and took a selfie of her tear-streaked face. She couldn’t pretend she was having a good time. She didn’t even want to.

Chloe sent another photo, this one with her mouth wide open in alarm, and a dozen sad-face emojis.

Everyone here is horrible, Jess texted, feeling only the tiniest flicker of guilt for including Sophie in that blanket statement. I hate it so, so much. That much was definitely true.

I hate it here too! Chloe messaged back.