Free Kitty's Countryside Dream by Christie Barlow Page A

answer.
    â€˜What’s Tom’s take on it all?’ I asked, my stomach churning, not really wanting to know the answer.
    â€˜He’s definitely up for a night out, said he would look forward to it if you were game.’
    My heart sank to a new depth; if he was willing to go on a double date and I wasn’t his date then I needed to face facts – we were never going to be more than friends.
    Take a deep breath, Kitty.
    What was I thinking anyway? I couldn’t date an employee; I was technically Tom’s boss – it could never work!
    I stifled a yawn. ‘Time for bed for me, Jeannie. I was up early, and I mean early.’
    â€˜Well, come on, I’m dying here, what’s your answer? Robin thinks you’re really attractive. I’m not leaving until I have an answer.’
    I laughed but then suddenly realised she wasn’t kidding.
    â€˜Come on – tell me for heaven’s sake!’
    â€˜OK, it’s a night out. You can show me the nightlife around these parts.’
    This was going to be torture.
    â€˜Excellent.’ Jeannie clapped her hands in excitement.
    There was nothing excellent about it; it was most definitely on a par with the trainspotting date. It was probably for the best that I didn’t mix business with pleasure; well that’s what people say, don’t they? So why wasn’t I convinced?

Chapter Eleven
    A t the ridiculous time of 4 a.m., I turned on the bedside lamp and propped myself up against my pillows. Reaching for my book, I began to read. Usually within no time, I would feel myself dropping off to sleep, but after five minutes I gave up. It was no use; I couldn’t concentrate on the words and my mind began to wander. I was wide awake. Thoughts of Tom filtered through my head. The double date was already playing on my mind. I kept trying to tell myself that he was going on a date with Jeannie and it wasn’t a big deal, but who was I trying to kid?
    It was a very big deal.
    What could I do about it anyway? Absolutely nothing, so why was I losing sleep over it? I never lost a wink of sleep over Clive Ramsbottom, the obsessed trainspotter.
    I tried to read again and before I knew it, it was 6 a.m. I found myself dragging on my overalls and pushing my feet into my wellington boots. Wheeling the bike through the hallway, I’d decided I might as well be up at the Lodge. It was pointless hanging around here with nothing to do for another few hours and Alfie was still curled up fast asleep. Trying to block all romantic nonsense from invading my head, I cycled along the quiet street in the darkened morning sky.
    The air was a little nippy so I pedalled faster, trying to keep warm. Arriving at the Lodge, the padlock was flung on the ground in its usual place, which could only mean one thing: Tom was up and already moseying about.
    Riding past the cottage, I could see the outside light was shining up the yard and his boots were no longer sitting outside the front door. Hearing a distant shout of my name from the barn, I pretended I hadn’t heard him. I carried on until I got to the office, where I dropped off my bike. My stomach was twisting in knots; the feeling of gloom lay in the pit of my stomach. I just needed to forget about Tom and Jeannie and get on with my job.
    â€˜Good morning, Kitty, I’ve been shouting you!’ Tom smiled excitedly when he reached me.
    How could anyone be so smiley at such an early hour and how could anyone look that handsome?
    â€˜What are you doing up at this time?’ he queried.
    â€˜I couldn’t sleep, had a bit of a restless night.’
    â€˜Ooo, excited for your date with Robin?’ He grinned warmly.
    That was the last thing I needed to hear. There was nothing like rubbing my nose in it.
    â€˜Ooo, excited for your date with Jeannie?’ I blurted out, mimicking him and then feeling totally shitty.
    My lips started to quiver; damn, I was going to cry. Tom was silent