Page 19 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

Waving a goodbye, Flora turned and headed back towards the reception area.

Before he plunged his shovel back into the soil again, Jay paused and wiped his forehead with the back of his forearm.

‘This is hard work in this heat, isn’t it? We’d be done by now if it had been autumn or spring and the soil was softer, it’s drying out so quickly after soaking it with the hose.’

‘It sure is.’ Megan watched him as he tilted his shovel back, loosening the soil. ‘And Percy wouldn’t have pulled his back, either.’

Jay nodded and slung the loosened soil onto the heap to the side. ‘I’m not surprised he did.’ He indicated behind him as Flora and Percy made their way across the courtyard towards Flora’s car. ‘They’re a sweet couple, aren’t they?’

Megan followed his gaze. Flora had one arm around Percy’s middle, and was cupping his elbow with her other hand.

‘I don’t think they’re together,’ she said.

‘Really?’

‘No, not unless it’s a recent thing.’ She shrugged. She knew they hadn’t been when she’d visited for Flora’s party last year. She shuddered as she remembered that day; she’d come to see if the rumours had been true. One of the builders on the team Lyle had managed had come to her in confidence to say how uncomfortable he’d felt about Lyle’s plan to buy the land Wagging Tails was on. He’d told her Lyle had even gone so far as to position a Portakabin right up against the fence of one of the paddocks. She’d had to see for herself. She’d known Lyle’s last couple of developments had been shifty, but this had been a whole different level.

‘What do you think?’

Megan blinked and looked from Flora and Percy to Jay. ‘Sorry, I was miles away.’

‘Shall we give it another ten minutes and then take a break?’

‘Good idea.’ She swallowed. She couldn’t tell if her mouth was dry because she was thirsty or because she’d been thinking about that day. The day her fears had been confirmed, the day she’d realised she’d have to end her marriage.

She looked back across the courtyard as the hum of Flora’s car starting hung in the still summer air. She was glad she’d found out who Lyle had become, glad she’d been able to stop Wagging Tails from being demolished, but it was still difficult. She’d still lost everything she’d once loved and treasured.

‘Shall we go and grab a drink now?’ Jay asked. ‘You look as though you need one.’

Focusing once again on Jay, she nodded. ‘I think that’s a good plan.’

8

‘I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to get the dirt from under my fingernails.’ Jay chuckled as he rubbed his hands together under the tap, the soap suds foaming on his skin.

‘Oh, I must admit I gave up.’ Megan smiled as she looked down at her own. Mud was engrained beneath her nails and the paper cut she’d given herself this morning had stained a murky brown. Before now, up until she’d walked out of the marital home, she’d have had a manicure once a week without fail. She kind of liked this, though. She liked how her hands looked after a decent morning’s work. This was the new her. She didn’t need to worry about whether her mascara had smudged or her nail varnish chipped. No one cared. The people at Wagging Tails were bothered about who she was, not what she looked like.

‘Penny for them.’ Jay passed her a large glass of water, the clear glass cloudy with the condensation of freezing water.

‘Thanks. I was just thinking about how strange life is and how quickly things can change.’

‘Oh, I hear you there.’ Leaning against the work surface, he downed the glass of water before refilling it. ‘In what way do you mean?’

After taking a sip of water, she placed the glass on the table and rubbed her fingers against the leg of her jeans before holding them up. ‘A few months ago, I would never have left the house without my nails done and look at me now.’

Jay grinned, his blue eyes shining. ‘There’s something about a woman who’s not afraid to get her hands dirty.’

Megan laughed. If Lyle had said something like that to her, she’d have immediately assumed he was putting her down, criticising her for not taking immaculate care of herself, but with Jay… She had a feeling he meant exactly what he said.

‘I know this probably sounds daft, and please feel free to say no.’ Jay held his hands up. ‘But, I wondered if…’

The bell above the door to reception tinkled, and Megan glanced towards the open kitchen door.

‘That was quick,’ she said, as she waited for Flora to enter. ‘I was expecting it to take a while to settle Percy at home.’

‘Hello?’ The voice was deep, and a scratching noise could be heard too.

‘That’s not her then.’

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