The Escape to Willow Cottage was originally published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package.
A cosy and heartwarming seasonal romance, perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley.
Beth is running away. With her young son Leo to protect, Willow
Cottage is the lifeline she so desperately needs. Overlooking the
village green in a beautiful Cotswolds idyll, Beth sees a warm, caring
and safe place for little Leo.
When she finally uncovers the
cottage from underneath the boughs of a weeping willow tree, Beth
realises this is far more of a project than she bargained for and the
locals are more than a little eccentric! A chance encounter with gruff
Jack, who appears to be the only male in the village under thirty,
leaves the two of them at odds but it’s not long before Beth realises
that Jack has hidden talents that could help her repair more than just
Willow Cottage.
Over the course of four seasons, Beth realises
that broken hearts can be mended, and sometimes love can be right under
your nose…
Escape to Willow Cottage was originally digitally published as a four-part serial under the title Willow Cottage. This is the complete story.
Chapter
11 p.104-106
Three
fully
leaded
takeaway
coffees
later,
Carly
and a
sick
bag
were
on their
way
back
to the
train station.
Leo was
zoned
out
playing
a game
on Beth’s
phone,
so Carly
and Beth
were
able
to have
a hushed
conversation
in the
front
of the
hire
car.
‘I
can’t
believe
you were
going
to kiss
Jack,’
said Beth.
‘I
wasn’t!’
protested
Carly,
although
she was
scowling
as she
spoke.
‘Well,
it was
only
going
to be
a little
kiss on
the cheek
not a
full-on
snog fest!’
‘You
were
not heading
for
his cheek!’
‘That
was probably
the wine
doing
the steering,’
said Carly
glumly
rearranging
her
sick
bag.
‘Why
were
you going
to kiss
him at
all?
You don’t
know
him, he’s
a stranger
and you
have
Fergus.’
‘He
said something
lovely
… but
I can’t
remember
what,’
said Carly
pulling the
same face
she pulled
when
she accidentally
switched
on
University
Challenge
and tried
to join
in. She
sighed.
‘I’m
sorry
I was
drunk.’
‘And
what did
you talk
about
anyway?’
‘I’m
so sorry,
but I
can’t
remember,’
said Carly,
hugging
the sick
bag as
Beth went
a little
too fast
over
another
village
speed
bump.
‘Nothing
at all?’
‘Nope.’
Carly
shook her
head. ‘Ouch.
Wishing I
hadn’t
done
that,’
she said,
putting
a hand
to her
forehead.
‘Me
too,’
muttered
Beth.
‘Are
you and
he …
you
know?’
asked
Carly.
‘No!
Seriously,
do you
think I
would get
involved
with
someone
else so
quickly
after
Nick?
Or even
get
involved
with
anyone
at all
after
Nick?’
Beth’s
voice
was rising.
‘I
don’t
know.’
Carly’s
expression
was pained.
‘No.
Of course
not. Again,
very
sorry.’
‘Good,’
said Beth,
relaxing
her
tight
grip
on the
steering
wheel.
They
bumped
along
the hedgerow-lined
lane in
silence
for
a while
before
Carly
spoke.
‘You
can’t
pledge
not to
have
any
more
relationships
because of
Nick.’
‘I
can,’
said Beth
with a
snort.
‘You
shouldn’t,’
said
Carly,
as Beth
opened
her mouth
to
contest.
‘I don’t
want to argue. I’m your friend and I’m just
saying, you never know. And while I’m at it from what I can
remember Jack was really nice to me, so don’t judge him the same as
Nick. If he wants to help you, give him a chance.’ ‘I’m
thinking he might not want to do that after today,’ said Beth and
she started to grind her teeth.
