“Thanks for coming, Elliott.”

“I’m glad I did. I feel… better for clearing the air.”

“Me too. I’d been thinking about it for a while, only I didn’t realise quite how much it was getting to me.”

They smiled at each other then Elliott opened his arms and Honey hugged him. They stood there for a few minutes, and the remaining tension seeped out of Honey as she let go of the past. There was definitely an air of sadness about the situation but it was also a good thing, because now she could move on. Hopefully, she could really be herself with Dane.

“Goodbye then.”

Elliott kissed her cheek.

“Goodbye and good luck! I hope it all goes well for you. Text me and let me know…”

Elliott nodded but Honey suspected that he’d be far too busy to think about her once his baby arrived; his heart and mind would be full of his wife and child, and that was exactly how it should be.

As she waved Elliott off, her thoughts returned to Dane. He’d seen Elliott entering her cottage and hadn’t looked happy about it. She’d shower and dress – because she didn’t want to head over there dressed as a unicorn – then go to see him this afternoon.

Honey padded up the stairs with a smile on her face, feeling better than she had done in a while, because now she felt able to fully commit to her future.

Honey knocked on Dane’s door then turned to look at the pretty front garden. In the borders, tulips and daffodils created a sea of colour, and on the neighbouring roof, a blackbird sang, creating the perfect springtime scene.

Footsteps inside alerted her to Dane’s presence and when the door swung open, she smiled, anticipating seeing Dane’s handsome face.

But the frown that sat heavy on his brow made her stomach lurch.

“Oh,” he said. “It’s you.”

“Hi.” She licked her lips nervously. “Uh… I wanted to speak to you.”

“What about?”

“I saw you earlier and I wanted to explain.”

He stared at her, a tiny muscle in his jaw twitching, then he sighed.

“Come in.”

He led her through to the lounge.

“Take a seat. Can I get you anything?”

She thought about asking for a coffee, as her hangover still lingered uncomfortably, but she couldn’t bear to wait any longer to speak to him.

“No, I’m fine, thanks.”

Dane sat on a chair, not next to her on the sofa, and her heart plummeted. She allowed her eyes to roam over him, taking in his freshly washed hair, the grey T-shirt that clung to his muscular arms and chest and his loose jogging bottoms. He’d clearly showered recently and slung on his comfy clothes.

“Dane… that was my ex that you saw me with earlier. I haven’t seen him in ages and that’s why I was hugging him.”

Dane shrugged. “You don’t need to explain anything to me.”

“Well I do… because if I saw you hugging a woman, I’d want to know why. It wasn’t how it might have looked.”

“Okay. Thanks for telling me.”

“We had a good talk… me and Elliott, and I feel able to… I’d really like—”

Dane shook his head.

“Honey, I’m sorry. I appreciate you coming here but I’ve got a lot to do.”

“But I’d like to tell you about what happened to me before. About why I’ve been scared.”

He nodded.

“I have things I’d like to tell you too. Like… this week I have a job interview.”

“You do? I’m so sorry, I meant to ask but got side-tracked…”

“It’s okay. Anyway, I was shortlisted.”

“Well that’s great!”

“It is and it isn’t.”

“It’s in the bag, surely?”

“I can’t be certain of that.” He dropped his gaze to the wooden floor and she noticed that he couldn’t keep his hands still. “It’s a big deal for me as I love the school and I’d love to settle in Heatherlea.”

“Of course it is and I really hope you get it, Dane.”

“Thank you.” He smiled and the coldness in the room thawed slightly. “I’ve got a lot of work to do today though. I have to prepare a lesson, prepare for the interview, then if I’m shortlisted again on Wednesday, I’ll have to go through another day of it on Thursday.”

“Two days?” Honey gasped.

“Well they had a lot of interest, even at such short notice, but I guess there are lots of teachers looking for a great position in a beautiful village school. There are some strong candidates in the running, apparently. The head teacher’s PA told me… unofficially, of course. The selection process is going to be tough.”

Honey’s stomach clenched at the thought of Dane having to go through so much.

“Are any of the candidates newly qualified teachers?” She asked the question, as she knew that new teachers sometimes had the edge over more experienced colleagues because they were cheaper to pay.

Dane shook his head. “I wouldn’t have thought so because the school is also offering a teaching and learning responsibility with the job… for coordinating science. That’s why there were so many applicants, as well as the fact that it’s a fabulous school to work at in a great location.”

“Wow! You’d be great at that.”

Dane gave a small laugh. “I’d give it my best shot. I’m enthusiastic about delivering science to the pupils because we’re creating our next generation of scientists, doctors, nurses and more. But there could be a candidate with better experience or someone who interviews better than I do. I hate to admit it, Honey, but I’m really nervous and when I’m anxious I don’t always come across very well.”

His cheeks flushed and Honey saw how difficult this was for him. He really wanted this job, and to stay in Heatherlea, and she knew that she didn’t want to complicate this week any further for him.

“You’ll be amazing, Dane. Look… we can talk another time.”

“No.” He shook his head. “You had something you needed to tell me.”

“I do, but it can wait. You have enough on your mind right now. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Not unless you have the interview questions and fancy teaching the lesson for me?” He rubbed his hands over his face then pushed them back through his hair.

“I would if I could.”

Honey stood up.

“I’m going to go now and let you get on with your planning. If you need anything at all, just give me a shout. I’m not going far today.”

Dane walked her to the door.

“Thanks, Honey.”

She smiled then gently pecked him on the lips and walked out into the bright afternoon. When she turned to wave, Dane was standing in the doorway, the blue of his eyes darker than she’d seen it before and his shoulders slightly slumped, as if he was weighed down by the thought of the week ahead.

Honey wanted to run back to him and hold him tight, to make all of his nerves subside and to help him prepare for the interview, but she knew that she’d probably be more hindrance than help. So she made her way home, her heart heavy and her mind racing. Her feelings for Dane ran deeper than she’d realised; her urge to see him succeed in his chosen career and to see him happy, really mattered to her.

He really mattered to her.