“Mum?”
Eugenie groaned. “I hate when you say Mum
in that tone.”
“What tone?” Josie did her best to sound innocent.
“The I want something
tone.” Her mum wore her playful let’s do battle
face.
“You have a very low opinion of me.”
“Does that mean you’re not going to ask for a favor?”
“Oh, no, I am, but I would prefer if you pretended this isn’t my usual song and dance.” Josie attempted her cutest smile, the one she’d perfected when she was a toddler and wasn’t ashamed to resort to when something really mattered, although she had no desire to fill in her mum about everything for the favor. They were close, but not that close.
“Try it again.” Her mum crossed her arms.
“Mum?”
Her arms fell, and she shook her head. “Nope. Can’t ignore the tone.”
“Fine.” Josie groaned. “Can I leave at nine tonight?”
“For what? A business meeting?” her mum scoffed. “If you think I’m falling for that again…” she said in a disapproving manner, which was somewhat confusing since Josie was convinced her mum wanted her daughter to be in a relationship. But she was so against Harry. Eugenie continued, “Or a late-night walk, perhaps, so you can sneak more cigarettes?”
No. I plan on shagging Harry
. There was no way in hell Josie would admit that now considering her mother’s hardening expression. Why did Harry have to question the name of the pub and décor? It was such a little thing, but something like that needled her mum more than Eugenie would admit considering she gave up the chance to go to college because of Josie. “Now, I don’t like your tone. Or the expression on your face that implies I’m either a hooker or sneaking cigarettes behind your back.”
“Are you? About either?”
Josie took a step back. “I can’t believe you actually asked me that. The hooker part.”
“It was meant to be a joke.” Her mum sighed.
“Didn’t sound like it.”
“I know. I could feel it when it came out. But I can’t get over the feeling that you’re hiding something from me, and I don’t like it. Not one bit.”
“Oh, please. It’s not like you tell me everything going on in your life.”
“When you say things like that, it really makes me think you’re keeping something from me.”
“Mum,” Josie muttered. “I’m thirty-eight, not eight. Of course, I don’t tell you everything.”
Her mum stared at her.
“Please, can I scram at nine? Clive said he’d stay, and one of the girls in the kitchen can pitch in if it gets super busy.”
“You told Clive about your plans but not me?” Her mum rested a hurtful hand on her chest as if Josie had said, “I hate you!”
“No, I didn’t tell him about my plans. He didn’t ask. Clive treats me like I’m an adult.”
“No, he doesn’t. Clive treats you like you’re one of his mates. Ask no questions; tell no lies. For all I know, we’ll be receiving more kittens on your behalf as some type of threat.”
“I’m lying now? Jesus. All I wanted was a few hours to myself tonight. I didn’t know that warranted the fucking Spanish Inquisition. It’s not like everything in my life has been smooth sailing. In case you missed the memo, my life fucking fell apart. I don’t have a career. I’m in a country I don’t know. Everyone corrects me when I say sweater instead of jumper, like they can’t help pointing out I’m a stranger.” Josie waved a hand in front of her face in an attempt to stop the tears and to get control of her quivering voice. “Everything I’ve worked for went up in smoke. You’d think my own mother would give me the time and space I need to get my shit together. Not fucking ride my ass.” Josie tossed the towel she’d clenched in her hands onto the bar counter. “I quit!”
Her mum hollered, “You can’t quit family!”
As she charged out of the pub, her back to her mum, Josie screamed, “There’s a first for everything!”
Outside the pub was a group of French tourists at a table, drinking red wine and smoking. They must have overheard the commotion because not one said a word, staring with their mouths open at Josie the American Barbarian, who’d just yelled at her mum in front of a roomful of strangers and some of the villagers.
Josie sniffed and tried to smile as if saying nothing to see here folks
, but in all probability, it turned into a grimace. She turned toward the river, needing to walk off the feelings.
She didn’t get far when she heard Harry call out her name.
Josie slowly turned, fully aware she was crying, but she forced out a hi
that came out garbled, and then Josie burst into full-on waterworks.
“Hey, it’s okay.” Harry pulled Josie into her arms.
“I don’t even know why I’m upset. Or why I just yelled at my mum in front of the entire pub.” Josie mumbled the words into Harry’s shoulder, unsure if Harry was able to understand her. “I should go apologize.” Josie straightened.
“Do you think you two need time apart to let the dust settle?”
“I don’t know. We don’t really fight. This is a whole new world. Everything in my life is so new.” Josie held onto Harry tighter.
“I’m sure it’s all overwhelming. You’ve had some major life changes, and it might all be hitting you right now.” Harry placed a hand on Josie’s shoulder.
“Exactly. It’s like it’s really sinking in. My career is gone. What am I going to do? I feel like a boxer in the tenth round.” With frantic hand motions, Josie mimed getting hit from all angles.
Harry slanted her head, giving Josie her full attention. “Do you want to come back to my place so we can talk?”
Josie nodded. “Yes, but I’ll meet you there. I want to say sorry to my mum. I can’t leave it like that. We don’t act that way, ever. Not even when I was a teen.”
“Do you want me to go with you?”
“I won’t turn down your company.”
They walked silently, side by side, back into the pub.
Josie’s mum, her eyes puffy, talked to Clive behind the bar. Upon seeing Josie and Harry, Clive jerked his head so Josie’s mum would take notice. Without words, her mum came out from behind the bar and wrapped Josie into her arms.
“I’m sorry, Mum. I don’t know what’s going on with me.”
“Me neither. I mean with me.”
“I’m going over to Harry’s to talk and unwind. If that’s okay with you.”
“Of course, honey. Clive and Olivia are taking over for the night, so I’m going to take a hot bath. Maybe he’s not as useless as I thought.”
They said goodbye, and Harry held the door open for Josie.
Josie sucked in a deep breath, feeling much better.
Walking along the river toward Harry’s cottage, Josie said, “You know, Mum didn’t even give it a second thought that I was heading to your place.”
“Oh, I doubt she thinks you’d be attracted to me.”
Josie flinched as if someone had tossed cold water in her face. “Why would you say such a thing?”
“I have it on good authority.”
“Meaning?”
“It’s possible I overheard your mum and one of her friends talking about fixing you up on a date, and your mum categorically declared her daughter wouldn’t date someone from London or a woman with small tits.”
“She actually said small tits.”
“Not in those exact words. At least not the word small.”
“And you overheard this?”
“Yes. In the coffee shop on the square.”
“That explains some of your hesitancy around me. Just to clarify, I have no idea why she thinks I focus on breasts.”
Harry shrugged.
“She’s told me the same. About dating someone from London. I don’t know how to tell her out of all the women I’ve ever been interested in, you’re by far the best of the bunch.”
Harry smiled.
“I’m not sure that came out exactly how I meant it.” Josie’s gaze fell to the pavement. “I think you got a sense the night I ruined dinner that my taste in women up until this point has been abysmal. I was horrified after I shared the bee sting story.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want you to think poorly of me.”
“I don’t, Josie. Not at all.”
“It was like I couldn’t stop myself from sharing the story. For some reason, I want you to see the real me. Not the Josie I show the world. I need you to know me. Really know me. And it scares me.”
“I understand.” Harry threaded her fingers through Josie’s. “My ex-wife once told me I was too nice and didn’t have any passion. Not just for her, but for life. I’ll admit hearing her say that did a number on me. It’s not until I met you that I started to realize just how much I had absorbed those words and started to live according to her beliefs. Soon after she said it, I moved here, cutting myself off from everyone and life.”
“I’m glad. Not about what she said or how it made you feel, but I can’t lie about being happy to have met you. Out of everything going on in my life, you’re the one shining light. There’s something about you, Harry Powell.”