‘And how do you feel about that?’ Nessie asked carefully, her voice as even as she could make it over the thudding of her heart.
‘I think he’s the obvious choice,’ Sam said, her tone neutral. ‘It means Gabe can focus on the restaurant side of things and I’ll know the pub is in good hands.’
Nessie studied her sister’s face closely. There was more to it than that, she could tell. Could it be that Sam was considering more than a business partnership with Joss? ‘And?’
‘And nothing,’ Sam said. ‘Oh, he wanted us to get back together, but I told him that wasn’t happening.’
Relief coursed through Nessie so fast that she almost sagged. ‘Oh. Good. Because there’s something I wanted to tell you.’ She took a deep breath and met Sam’s eyes. ‘Owen and I have talked it through and I’ve decided I’m not taking the job with McBride.’
‘What?’ Sam gave her a stunned look. ‘But it’s perfect for you. And the money . . . the fresh challenge – I thought it was everything you wanted.’
‘I won’t say I wasn’t tempted,’ Nessie said. ‘They were offering a lot. But I realised that none of that matters to me – there’s a lot on offer here, too, and plenty of challenges. The truth is, I belong at the Star and Sixpence. With you.’
Sam’s eyes filled with tears. ‘But—’
‘But nothing,’ Nessie said, smiling. ‘I want to be here, to watch you become the wonderful mother I know you’ll be. And I want to see my niece or nephew grow up. I can’t do that if I’m off raising spirits elsewhere.’
Sam dabbed beneath her eyelashes and sniffed. ‘Raising community spirits,’ she corrected. ‘Raising spirits is an entirely different job.’
Nessie laughed. ‘Okay, but my point is that I’m staying here. And if Joss wants to come back to help, we’ll make it work somehow. Whatever the coming months and years bring us, we’ll face it together.’
‘That would be wonderful,’ Sam said, opening her arms to hug Nessie. ‘See? You’ve raised my spirits already.’
‘Good,’ Nessie whispered as she pulled her sister close. ‘Mine too.’
End of Part Three
Also by Holly Hepburn
The Star and Sixpence Series
Snowdrops at the Star and Sixpence
Valentine’s Day at the Star and Sixpence
Summer at the Star and Sixpence
Autumn at the Star and Sixpence
Winter at the Star and Sixpence
New Beginnings at the Star and Sixpence
Christmas Kisses at the Star and Sixpence
The Picture House Series
Brief Encounter at the Picture House by the Sea
Singing in the Rain at the Picture House by the Sea
Dirty Dancing at the Picture House by the Sea
The Castle Court Series
Snowy Nights at Castle Court
Frosty Mornings at Castle Court
Stormy Weather at Castle Court
Starry Skies at Castle Court
First published in Great Britain by Simon & Schuster UK Ltd, 2019
A CBS Company
Copyright © Tamsyn Murray, 2019
The right of Tamsyn Murray to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
Simon & Schuster UK Ltd
1st Floor
222 Gray’s Inn Road
London WC1X 8HB
Simon & Schuster Australia,
Sydney
Simon & Schuster India,
New Delhi
www.simonandschuster.co.uk
www.simonandschuster.com.au
www.simonandschuster.co.in
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
eBook ISBN: 978-1-4711-8002-6