The Perfect Hero: The perfect summer read for Austen addicts!. Victoria Connelly

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      ‘Gemma.’

      ‘Gemma Reilly?’ Kay asked, thinking that life couldn’t get much more exciting. ‘I saw that film of yours last year.’

      Gemma pulled a face. ‘Sorry about that.’

      ‘But I liked it!’

      ‘Did you?’ Gemma said, sounding genuinely surprised.

      The two of them made a slow progress up the stairs with the suitcases.

      ‘I did. You were great.’

      ‘Well, you’re the only person in the country who thinks so.’

      ‘But it was one of those roles, wasn’t it?’ Kay said. ‘I mean, it probably didn’t really stretch you – acting-wise – the character was just a spoilt little rich girl, wasn’t she? But you were so convincing.’

      ‘Was I?’

      Kay nodded as they reached the landing. ‘And, by the end, I really warmed to her, you know? I began to understand her.’

      ‘Thanks,’ Gemma said. ‘That means a lot to me.’

      Kay smiled. ‘I’m afraid you’ll have to share.’

      Gemma’s face fell. ‘Not with Beth?’

      ‘No,’ Kay laughed. ‘Beth grabbed a double. With Sophie. Is that okay?’

      Gemma sighed with relief. ‘That’s fine,’ she said and the two of them entered the room. ‘Sophie’s one of those people you feel like you’ve known forever – in a good way, I mean.’

      ‘But not Beth?’

      ‘Beth’s an acquired taste,’ Gemma said with the tiniest of smiles.

      ‘Can I get you anything? A cup of tea?’ Kay asked. ‘I was just going to make a quick bite to eat. Not much, just some soup or something. You’re welcome to join me – if you’re not going to the pub, that is.’

      ‘I won’t be going to the pub,’ Gemma said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. ‘I think I’ll just have an early night with a book.’

      ‘Okay,’ Kay said. ‘I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.’

      Gemma nodded and Kay left the room, closing the door and returning to the living room downstairs. She saw the opened paperback of Persuasion on the chair where she’d left it and smiled. It was as if the characters from the book had walked out of the page and right into her bed and breakfast.

      She sat down heavily in her chair by the window. Sophie Kerr, Beth Jenkins, Gemma Reilly and Oli Wade Owen.

      Oli Wade Owen! Kay’s eyes widened at the thought. How many daydreams had Kay had over the years about Oli Wade Owen? How many boring office hours had been enlivened by thoughts of that gorgeous smile of his and that twinkle in his blue eyes? She remembered cutting out a picture of him from Vive! once because she’d thought he would make the perfect hero to paint. Where was the painting now? she wondered. But maybe she could get on with some new ones. Maybe he would sit for her – in costume!

      She picked up her copy of Persuasion but she couldn’t concentrate and so put it down again. She could hear Gemma moving about upstairs and wondered whether she should make her a cup of tea anyway and take it up to her. But she was probably exhausted and wouldn’t want to be disturbed which was a shame because Kay would have loved to talk to her.

      ‘Don’t rush things,’ she told herself. ‘They’ll all be here for a while.’

      For a blissful moment, she thought about what the next few days might bring. She might end up best friends with Gemma Reilly and Sophie Kerr! They’d invite her to red carpet premieres and Kay would get a swishy new haircut and become a media darling. ‘Confidante to the stars’ they’d call her. ‘Former B & B owner, Kay Ashton, is now a star in her own right with her bestselling book, The Illustrated Darcy.’ She’d be an overnight sensation and Oli Wade Owen would fall desperately in love with her. Teresa Hudson would also be dazzled by her talents and insist she take up the lead role in her next film – starring opposite Oli, of course. They’d have just come back from their honeymoon and the film would be the talk of the—

      ‘I’ve changed my mind about that cup of tea,’ a shy voice interrupted her. Kay blinked her delicious daydream away and saw Gemma standing in the doorway.

      ‘Of course,’ Kay said with a smile, and she couldn’t help thinking that her daydream wasn’t quite so outrageous after all and that she and Gemma were going to be friends in no time.

      She led Gemma through to the kitchen.

      ‘You’ll have to excuse the mess. I’ve not been here long and wanted to get the bedrooms done first.’

      ‘They’re lovely,’ Gemma said.

      ‘Thanks. This will be too when I get round to it.’

      ‘So have you always run a B & B?’

      ‘Oh, no!’ Kay laughed. ‘I’ve only just bought this place. I’ve just done office work up until recently.’ She filled the kettle with water and switched it on. ‘I – well, I came into some money,’ she said. ‘Unexpectedly.’

      ‘Oh!’ Gemma said and she smiled. ‘Oh,’ she added, seeing Kay’s face.

      Kay nodded. ‘I’m afraid a very sweet friend of mine died.’ She sighed. ‘I still can’t believe it. The last few months have been so strange and I sometimes can’t believe that I’m here leading this new life.’

      ‘You mean you’ve not always lived here?’

      ‘No. I moved down from Hertfordshire, but after my mother died and then my friend, I really didn’t have anything keeping me there. I mean, there are a few friends I’ll miss and some of my work colleagues but I didn’t really feel I belonged there any more and I felt it was the right time to make a move.’

      Gemma’s face softened. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said. ‘You’ve been through a lot.’

      The kettle boiled and Kay got two floral mugs out of the cupboard and made the tea, noticing that Gemma liked hers with milk and one sugar – just like her.

      ‘It’s hard some days,’ Kay said at last as they walked back through to the sitting room with their tea. ‘I can’t help feeling a bit lonely. I walk around with all these thoughts in my head like, I must tell Mum this or Peggy will laugh when I show her this. But then I remember they’re not here any more.’

      ‘Oh, Kay!’ Gemma said, leaning forward in the chair she’d sat down in.

      ‘It’s all right,’ she said. ‘I mean, it’s easier with me living here. If I was still in my old town, I’d be reminded of them everywhere I went but it’s different here. Everything’s new.’ She looked out of the window. The sky was darkening and the lamps had come on. ‘But I still find it all impossible to believe. It’s horrible to think that I can’t pick a phone up and talk to them. I can’t ask their opinions СКАЧАТЬ