The Cosy Canal Boat Dream. Christie Barlow

walked back into the shop and placed the sandwich down on the counter. ‘How’s Sam today?’

      ‘He slept like a baby last night after his little adventure but so did I after that bottle of wine.’

      Nell could feel Bea’s stare burning into the side of her face.

      ‘Wine?’

      ‘Yes, you know the drink that comes in a bottle, usually with a cork.’ Nell replied with a sarcastic grin.

      ‘Mmm,’ Bea eyed Nell doubtfully as she turned back towards Guy, ‘I’m glad you both slept well. Here, have the sandwich on the house. I’m sure Bea won’t mind.’

      ‘Not at all,’ Bea answered with a look that said to Nell that this conversation was far from over.

      Guy’s face lit up, ‘Thank you, that’s very generous of you both. I’ll see you every morning with this kind of service. Nell, you are the best and now I know why Ed raves about this place so much.’

      Bea coughed and folded her arms.

      ‘And you too, dear Bea, you both are simply the best.’ Guy grinned cheekily before disappearing through the deli door.

      As soon as the door was shut, Nell turned to Bea, ‘I can’t believe you let me come out here with brown sauce dripping from the corner of my mouth!’

      Bea leaned in closer towards Nell, ‘Hmm, and I can’t believe you missed out the part about drinking wine with a handsome stranger,’ she teased.

      ‘Don’t be daft, I rescued his dog and he was very grateful,’ she answered, chewing her lip while watching Guy stroll towards the boat yard with Sam trotting at his side. He looked back over his shoulder and snagged Nell’s eye.

      ‘He likes you, mark my words.’ Bea pulled her I-know-best look while Nell kept her poker face.

      ‘You heard it here first, Nell Andrews, you just remember that.’

      Nell flapped her hand at Bea, ‘Get back to work, Bea, you are driving me insane!’

      As soon as Bea’s back was turned, Nell felt the corners of her mouth lift and her face blush. There was something about that Irish charmer that made her stomach instantly flutter.

       Chapter 6

      By mid-morning Nell and Bea had been run off their feet. The beef and horseradish rolls were a hit and had sold out in no time at all. There were a couple of loaves of bread left and Nell was already baking her third batch of scones.

      ‘I’d a feeling today was going to be busy,’ Nell said, wiping her hands on her pinny and exhaling sharply.

      ‘Where did all those people come from? You’d think there was going to be a food shortage with the amount everyone has bought,’ Bea exclaimed, leaning against the counter and taking a breather. ‘We’ve not even had a tea break yet.’

      ‘It’s the weather. It’s difficult for the boats to move so I think everyone is panic-buying, just in case the snow fall gets heavier.’

      ‘Let’s just hope our supplies get through okay, but I think we have enough ingredients in the pantry to keep us going for a few days at least.’

      ‘According to the weather,’ Nell flicked on to her phone, ‘It’s forecast rain from this afternoon, so hopefully the panic buying will settle down.’

      ‘Here’s hoping. Did you remember to take the last batch of scones out of the oven? I’m not sure I heard the timer buzz in the mad rush?’

      ‘Oh shoot,’ Nell replied, quickly grabbing the oven gloves before hurrying to the back of the kitchen and flinging open the oven door.

      ‘Double shoot,’ she pulled out the baking tray and stared. ‘Well and truly cremated,’ she looked aghast, ‘That’s my fault. I forgot to set the timer with it being so busy.’

      ‘Not to worry, it’s just one of those things,’ Bea answered, leaning against the door frame, ‘Pop them on the side and once they’ve cooled down I’ll throw them out to the birds. They are probably in need of a good feed in this weather.’

      They both whipped their heads round as they heard the shop bell tinkle, ‘No rest for the wicked,’ Bea rolled her eyes.

      They hurried back behind the counter to find the postman standing there for the second time today.

      ‘Sorry Nell, I missed this one before,’ he smiled, handing over an envelope to her. As soon as the postman left the shop Nell put the envelope down on the counter.

      ‘Anything important?’

      ‘Bank savings, annual statement. Ollie’s life insurance.’

      Nell had had no idea that Ollie even had any life insurance until she’d had to sell the yard.

      ‘I’ll put the kettle on, come on. Oh and I’m putting the closed sign up for ten minutes, we deserve a break.’ Bea announced, walking towards the door and pulling the latch down.

      ‘Here comes the rain now too.’ Both of them looked up to see to see the sleety rain drumming against the glass and boat owners quickly pulling their windows shut.

      Nell moved into the kitchen and clutched the bank statement while Bea switched on the kettle and ferreted around in the cupboard for a couple of mugs.

      ‘I never knew what to do with this money, it was just never important in the grand scheme of things.’

      ‘You did the right thing bunging it into a savings account, it’ll have gained a little interest,’ Bea said, perching on the table waiting for the kettle to boil. ‘Any ideas what to do with it now?’

      ‘Not got a clue,’ answered Nell, watching Bea make the drinks and settling in the chair opposite her. Nell hadn’t really given the money a second thought up until now. ‘I don’t particularly need anything, maybe in time I could invest it in property or a business.’

      ‘Are you going to open it?’

      Nell nodded, then carefully opened the envelope. Her eyes flitted over the numbers on the page and exhaled, ‘Sixty-five thousand pounds.’

      Bea gave a low whistle.

      ‘Why did I ever ask him to go out that night, Bea? If only …’

      ‘Oh Nell, I don’t know what to say, we all miss him and I know it’s not the same but we are always here for you.’

      ‘I know.’ Nell flashed Bea a grateful smile. ‘No amount of money will ever replace him.’

      ‘It won’t and look …’ Bea paused, ‘you don’t have to do anything with the money, leave it where it is for now.’

      Both of them sipped on their tea before Nell pushed the letter to one side, then skimmed over the pages of the local newspaper.

      ‘What you need is a little company,’ Bea suggested, thinking that one of Gilly’s kittens might just be the thing for Nell.

      ‘Mmm, I believe you are going to have a new addition to the family very soon,’ Nell lifted an eyebrow and gave Bea a knowing look.

      Bea sat up straight in her chair, ‘Wait, how do you know about that?’

      ‘Call it my psychic powers.’ Nell grinned, remembering Jacob’s little face when this morning he literally let the cat out of the bag.

      ‘You saw it, didn’t you?’

      ‘Saw what?’ Nell eyed Bea suspiciously.

      They held each other’s gaze and no one spoke for a second.

      ‘Saw what?’ Nell repeated with a confused look on her face. She leaned forward and