Pepper Lane Sweet Shoppe (Pepper Bay #14)

15

Erin

Erin woke to find herself snuggled into Tyler’s warm body. Her arm was flopped over his chest, and she was sure his head was resting on hers. ‘Ty, you awake?’ she whispered, not wanting to disturb him if he wasn’t.

‘Hmm,’ he mumbled.

‘We seem to be cuddling in our sleep.’

‘I noticed.’

Erin couldn’t hold back her laugh. Ever since arriving on the Isle of Wight she’d found herself in so many bizarre situations with the man. It had become their thing, and neither of them bothered to care anymore.

Tyler was laughing too. ‘Still doesn’t beat you attaching yourself to me on the ferry. A complete stranger, Erin, but there you were, acting like we were a couple.’

Erin frowned as she peeled herself off him. ‘Hey, I was frozen. And you were the one offering me your drink.’

A warm smile dazzled her for a moment, then Tyler shimmied up the pillows, resting his back on the headboard. ‘How did you sleep?’

‘Quite well,’ she replied, sitting to his side. ‘It’s a lovely bed.’

‘Yes, we should check-in again one day.’

Erin giggled as she nudged him. Then she suddenly remembered about the blizzard. ‘Snow,’ was all she announced, heading for the window.

The whole estate was covered in a thick white blanket of untouched snow, and Erin could do nothing but coo.

Tyler’s warm body was pressing against her again as he peered over her shoulder. ‘We are so doing snow angels once we get home.’

‘Why do we have to wait?’

‘Because we can get changed afterwards at home.’

Erin laughed, leaning into him. ‘Hey, just think, we’ll be the only ones dressed for the day. Everyone else will have to put their partywear on again. It’ll be like the walk of shame.’

Tyler chuckled. ‘Knowing Conor, he’ll have tracksuits hanging in the closet for everyone. Designer ones.’

‘Ooh, let’s have a looksie.’ Erin tugged open the ornate wardrobe, disappointed to find it empty. ‘Oh, well. At least we have jeans and jumpers. Clean undies wouldn’t go amiss.’

‘I’m going to leave mine off. I can’t have a shower then put my boxers on again.’

‘Good to know.’

He grinned.

‘Do you think we’ll be able to get home today, Ty?’

His nose crinkled. ‘Yeah. We’re not staying here.’

It was obvious that was to do with Howie and Mandy, nothing else.

‘You jump in the shower, and I’ll put the kettle on. At least we can have a cuppa before we leave.’

Tyler headed for the en suite. ‘Some of the roads should be okay, I reckon, but it might still be tricky for the cabs. I’ll call Heath to come get us. His truck should be all right.’ He peered around the doorframe. ‘Or I can ask Nate to collect us in his tractor. You know he’d do anything for you right now.’

‘Leave Nate alone. Poor man. He feels bad enough as it is.’ She flapped him away, then made some tea. The shower switched on in the background, and she turned to face the wall where the noises were coming from last night.

I wonder who that was? Please don’t let us bump into Howie and Mandy coming out the room next door. Poor Tyler. I know that was what he was thinking .

She sipped her tea, waiting for her turn in the bathroom. It looked like a nice fresh morning outside, and she thought the reunion night had gone well. No one got punched, so that was a win. A new day would bring a new beginning for Tyler, she was sure. He seemed to have his head on straight at the party. Although, she could also feel his pain at times.

Erin had lost count of the times she’d cried over Harvey flaunting his girlfriend in her face. Maybe he wasn’t, but it felt that way. She felt protective of Tyler, for some reason, and didn’t want him to spend as long as she had getting over someone.

The en suite door opened, releasing a plume of steam, and Tyler’s hand stretched out. ‘Pass my tea, please, Erin. I’m parched.’

She handed him the tea, grinning at him in his towel. ‘Well, you’re just relaxed around me, aren’t you?’

Tyler sipped his drink and grinned. ‘I woke with you in my arms, dribbling on my chest. I’m way past awkwardness with you.’

Erin poked him in the arm. ‘I did not dribble on you.’

I hope I didn’t .

His cheeky laugh told her he was playing with her.

‘Go on. Your turn.’ He held the door open for her, and Erin slipped under his arm to freshen up.

Deciding on a washdown at the sink, as she didn’t want to get her cast wet, she was done in no time at all, and so thankful for the new toothbrushes in the cabinet.

She leaned out the door, brushing her teeth, making Tyler chuckle.

‘Conor has turned into Queenie,’ he said.

‘We should take her a hamper of sweets,’ she spluttered through toothpaste.

Tyler sat on the bed to pull on his socks. ‘Yeah, she’d like that.’

Erin rinsed her mouth and joined him. ‘I really want a bath and to change my clothes, Ty.’

‘I called Heath while you were in there. He’s on his way, but he reckons it’ll take a bit longer than usual, as the snow is quite deep in places. He gritted our farm last night, so we’re good, but not sure about everyone else.’

A wave of happiness poured through Erin, causing her to beam from ear to ear.

‘What are you grinning about?’ asked Tyler.

‘I don’t know. I just feel happy. Can’t remember the last time I felt this way.’

‘That bad, eh?’

Erin gave a little shrug, then got up to tidy the bed. Talking about being jilted wasn’t the conversation she wanted. She still hadn’t told Tyler her full backstory, not that she was hiding anything. It just wasn’t a great topic.

Tyler helped her make the bed, then tidy everything else. ‘Shall we head downstairs?’

‘We can wait here until Heath arrives if that makes you feel more comfortable.’

He shook his head, looking determined. ‘New day, new life. I’m not hiding in my room anymore.’

‘All right, but we can always come back up if push comes to shove.’

‘I wanted to shove him last night.’

‘I’m glad you didn’t.’

He met her eyes and smiled softly. ‘It’s all right. I don’t fight unless it’s absolutely necessary. My dad hated violence, so he drummed it into us to always find another way to solve issues.’

I wish I’d met your dad .

‘Good advice.’

‘Not always easy to take though.’

‘You’re a better man than that Howie. At least your hair doesn’t fall in your eyes every time you look down.’

Tyler laughed and took her hand. ‘Where have you been all my life, Erin Mason?’

Erin scoffed. ‘Hiding in my own bedroom.’

He kissed her knuckles, causing more happiness to run through her. ‘Let’s see if Conor’s got any cereal.’

‘If not, we’ll have a fry-up when we get home.’

I’ve got to stop saying home .

She smiled to herself at how at home she already felt at Tyler’s. The flat was nothing short of dismal and lacked the warmth the Silver family had. She figured it would be okay once she decorated and made it her own, but still, Tyler’s place had grown on her within days.

‘Ooh, fry-up, snow angels. You can have a bubble bath, then…’ Tyler’s words faded.

Erin followed his eyes to see Howie and Mandy coming out the room next door.

Oh, bloody hell. It was them. Now what? I need to help Ty. Think, think .

She quickly slid her hand into Tyler’s, giving him a gentle tug towards the stairs, as the tension on the landing was sky high.

There were no words as they walked down the stairway, closely followed by enemy number one and two.

They could have at least waited on the landing until we were downstairs. How selfish .

She wrapped her good arm around Tyler as soon as they hit the last step, then pressed up on her toes to kiss his cheek.

He smiled softly, then nudged her nose with his own, and Erin was quite sure part of her heart just melted.

Stay focused. You are on a mission .

‘Let’s eat,’ she whispered, glad to see Howie and Mandy pass them by, because at one point she was sure they were about to strike up a conversation. Perhaps swap some pleasantries. She wasn’t about to put anything past them.

Conor approached as they entered the dining room. ‘Hope you slept well. There’s enough food here to feed an army, so don’t be shy. Oh, and some of the roads around here have been cleared this morning. Well, they’re drivable, so hopefully you should be able to get home today.’

Tyler patted his friend’s shoulder. ‘Thanks, mate. I’ve got Heath coming to get us.’

‘But we’ve definitely got time for some of that lovely brekkie,’ said Erin, eyeing up the spread.

Conor stepped closer, lowering his voice. ‘Look, I’m sorry about Howie and Mandy being here all night. I honestly didn’t think they’d come at all, let alone together.’

‘Maybe Tammy came to her senses and kicked him out,’ said Tyler.

Conor shook his head. ‘Nope. They’re still married, and Mandy is putting up with it. I don’t think Tammy knows he hasn’t given up Mandy.’ He smiled sympathetically at Tyler. ‘Just be glad you’re out of it now.’

Erin waited until Conor walked away to give road updates to someone else. ‘He’s right, Ty. At least you don’t have that crummy life they have.’

Tyler glanced across the room to where the couple sat. ‘Maybe they’re happy.’

‘No one’s happy in a love triangle.’ She kissed his cheek as soon as she saw Howie peer over.

Stick that, you selfish git. Hope you can see how happy Tyler is. Better life than you’ll ever have .

She balled Tyler’s Christmas jumper, bringing him closer to her. ‘I’m sorry I’m only showing them a fake happiness, but I know you’ll be happy again one day. It just takes time.’

Tyler smiled. ‘I don’t feel fake happy. Not with you.’

There weren’t any words left after that statement, so Erin took his hand and led him to the food so they could pick out their breakfast. She sat by his side the other end of the room to his enemies and studied him for a moment whilst he tucked in to a croissant and some fruit.

I can’t fall for you. You’re in rebound mode. Oh, why couldn’t I have met you at a different time? When I was in rebound mode would have been good .

She tried not to laugh at herself as she bit into an apple.

A muffled laugh came from Howie and Mandy, and Erin saw Tyler’s fists clench. She reached out to him once more, realising she had held his hand more times than she could count. It was becoming so natural and perhaps a tad dangerous. Could she risk falling for this man? Could she risk giving her heart to anyone again? The memory of being jilted at the altar hit, so she casually sat back in her chair, slipping her hand away from his, and got on with her breakfast.