Page 10 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

She looked at him. She could believe that. She’d seen him out of the window walking the dogs yesterday and she’d noticed that every few steps, he’d pause and fuss them before continuing.

‘I think there’s a staff meeting in here now.’

‘Oh really? I’d better get out of the way then.’ Standing up, Megan closed the laptop and began tidying the paperwork.

‘No, you should stay. Ginny told me to come in and join in, so I imagine it will be the same for you.’

‘Oh, right.’ She frowned. Would it?

She looked towards the door as it opened again. This time, Ginny and Flora walked inside. Megan piled the papers on top of the laptop and picked it up.

‘You’ll stay for the staff meeting, won’t you, Megan?’ Flora asked as she flicked the kettle on. ‘It only seems right, being that you and Jay are both going to be spending a lot of time here. It would be good for all of us if you’re in the loop, so to speak.’

‘I can do.’ As she lowered the laptop back down, Megan dithered. Should she sit down again? Were there enough chairs for everyone?

‘Tea? Coffee?’ Flora began taking mugs from the cupboard.

‘Tea for me, please.’ Jay pulled out a chair and sat down.

Following Jay’s lead, Megan sat back down as Sally, Alex, Susan and Percy filed in.

‘Coffee please.’

‘Did you say you’d baked some of your flapjack, Susan?’ Percy took a pile of plates from the cupboard and set them in the middle of the table.

‘I certainly did.’ Susan picked up a large Tupperware container from the back of the work surface and set it down next to the plates.

‘Lovely.’ Rubbing his hands together, Percy looked around the table. ‘Flapjack, everyone?’

‘Sounds perfect.’ Jay grinned as he stood up and began handing the plates around.

Once the mugs and flapjack were distributed, Flora sat down at the head of the table.

‘So, today I’ve asked Megan and Jay to join us. As you know, Megan is rescuing us from the paperwork nightmare of the accounts and Jay has volunteered to come and walk the dogs every day apart from Saturdays for the time being. Is that right, Jay?’

Jay nodded. ‘Yes, just not a full day on Fridays.’

‘Of course. That’s right.’ Flora smiled kindly.

Megan looked across at him. He was volunteering every day? He’d spent the entire day at Wagging Tails yesterday and left only shortly before she had. Was he going to be spending all day here each day? When she caught his eye she quickly looked down at the slice of flapjack on her plate, the tinge of self-consciousness sweeping across her face.

‘As you know, we’ve got a busy few weeks ahead of us as we get the home ready for the extension and I’m excited to tell you we finally have the plans.’ Flora pulled a sheet of paper from a cardboard folder in front of her.

‘You’re getting an extension? That’s great news.’ Jay rubbed his hands together.

‘Yes. I had meant to mention it on the induction morning, but it completely slipped my mind.’ Flora laughed as she tapped her forehead. ‘Darryl has been doing a terrific job fundraising for us through the local paper.’

‘That’s really impressive.’ Jay took a sip from his mug.

Flora nodded. ‘It’s more of an outbuilding than an extension.’

‘A glorified shed. That’s what I call it.’ Percy shuffled in his chair and leaned forward. ‘Not that that’s a bad thing. No, it’s good. It’s a great way of getting another few kennels without the expense of a brick extension.’

Megan looked at Flora. ‘How many extra kennels will there be?’

‘Four!’

‘I’m actually quite interested in how it’ll be put together.’ Leaning back in his chair again, Percy stroked his beard. ‘I’m sure I read that it comes already constructed with the insulation and everything already in place and then the walls are slotted together.’

---