Men were far too complicated! Ellie decided. Getting involved with them always ended in disaster as far as she was concerned. All her romances seemed doomed and the consequences of following her heart always caused pain and upset.
Why was she always attracted to the wrong kind of men? Guys who were destined to break her heart like Owen, or let her down like Rory, or simply ignore her like Neil. No! She was better off staying single. She should concentrate on work and make a success of the little hat shop.
She sighed . . .
She’d hoped that Neil would phone her, waited and waited for his call. But since that nightmare of a night when she’d disgraced herself he hadn’t even bothered to contact her. Who could blame him? She’d seen him once standing in the street talking to Gary at the print shop. She’d stood inside the window, heart racing, wondering if he would drop in on her afterwards, strangely disappointed when he had turned and headed in the other direction.
Her love life was a great big mess. She could advise other women, help give them confidence, make them feel elegant and stylish, add a bit of fun and frivolity to their lives, and yet her own romantic life was non-existent. No. It was far better she forget about affairs of the heart and concentrate on building up her millinery business instead.
‘When the leaves fall I’ll go to Paris,’ Ellie promised herself, ‘and visit my aunt.’
She was stitching a piece of rich red felt when Minouche tiptoed over and jumped into her lap. Warm and soft and black, the little cat’s fur gave her comfort. She buried her face in it.