Free Amelia Grey's Fireside Dream by Abby Clements Page A

mug. Some fresh air would do me good. In our bedroom I put on a loose, orange silk top and slim black jeans with bronze pumps and slipped my phone and wallet into my handbag. I took a quick look at myself in the mirror. My hair was a bit of a mess – with the frenzy of the last few weeks at work I hadn’t had it cut for a couple of months, and there were dark shadows under my eyes from the unsettled night.
    I got a bus and then the tube into town, and found Sunita waiting for me at the doorway of the department store. ‘Morning,’ she said. ‘God, Amelia, you look dreadful.’
    ‘Thanks.’ I frowned.
    ‘Sorry. But you do look tired. You didn’t even seem that drunk last night.’
    ‘It’s not that,’ I said, blowing air out of my cheeks. ‘It’s the cottage. Everything’s fallen through, Suni.’
    We walked through the fragrance department and I filled her in on what had happened when Jack and I got home the previous night.
    ‘That’s terrible. What a massive bummer.’
    ‘I know. I should have seen it coming. I think I was just fooling myself that it would all work out – I’d get a new job, or they’d take a chance on us.’
    ‘Not sure mortgage lenders are big on taking chances on people any more,’ Suni said. ‘I’m so sorry, hon. Are you sure you’re still up for today?’
    ‘Yes, it’s fine. It’s good to have something else to focus on.’ I took a breath to steady my nerves. Talking about the cottage had brought all that emotion back, and I really didn’t want to cry.
    ‘It’s good to have some company. Nico’s not really been the best at helping get us organized.’ There was a trace of strain on her face.
    The two of us spent several hours idling around the baby department on the third floor, picking out woodland animal nursery decorations, a baby monitor, a car seat and a Moses basket. Plus an activity mat and some bootees I couldn’t resist getting Suni as a gift.
    At about three, my stomach started to growl. ‘Suni, not that I’m not having fun, but didn’t you say something about waffles?’
    ‘Waffles!’ she said, a light going on in her eyes. ‘Of course. God, how has it come to this, that I’m more focused on expensive travel systems than carbohydrates and cream with you? Sorry. Let’s go to the cafe before I lose my mind completely.’
    A quarter of an hour later we were in a window seat overlooking the crowds on Oxford Street, with two plates of waffles, whipped cream and strawberries between us.
    ‘Thanks for coming today, Amelia. It wouldn’t have been as much fun without you.’
    ‘No worries. What are friends for?’ I said with a smile. ‘I’m happy to help out with this stuff, but not sure how much use I’ll be on the night feeds.’
    ‘True,’ Sunita said. ‘Hopefully Nico will be more of a support then. I’m hoping something will click when the baby’s here.’
    ‘Nerves?’
    ‘I think so. He’s excited. But yes, nervous too. He had a nightmare about delivering the baby himself in Sainsbury’s, and since then he’s paled a bit whenever we talk about the birth.’
    ‘I bet he’ll be brilliant on the day.’
    ‘We’ll see. What about Jack? Is he still clucky?’
    ‘Yes,’ I said, breaking off a chunk of waffle with my fork and adding a bit of cream and a slice of strawberry to it. ‘You should see him when he talks about you two. But you know Jack – I’m sure next month he’ll have moved on to something else.’
    ‘And that’s what you want? For him to forget about it?’
    ‘To be honest, yes.’
    ‘Do you think you might change your mind, in a couple of years, say?’
    ‘It’s possible,’ I said, with a shrug. ‘But I can’t really imagine it. I like things the way they are. Anyway, right now we’ve got enough to think about without bringing another human being into the equation. We need to find somewhere to live, for starters.’
    ‘OK. Let’s think about your flat first. Could you negotiate a later move date with the