Page 35 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

‘You’ve got to believe me. I’d never try to shut down a dogs’ home, let alone threaten anyone. You must know that.’

She searched his face. He couldn’t really think she was capable of something like that? Could he? Over the past week or so, they’d gotten to know each other. He knew her better than that.

‘I believe you. I know you wouldn’t do anything of the sort, and Percy told me your role in saving Wagging Tails.’

‘Good.’

Great, that was great.

Jay turned back and picked up the shovel again.

‘Jay…’

Looking back at her, he paused, shovel in hand. ‘Yes?’

‘Are we okay?’ She gestured between them.

Sinking the shovel back into the soil, Jay shrugged. ‘Why didn’t you tell me who you were?’

‘Who I am?’ She frowned. Why did she have to be judged for the person she’d been, was, married to? She was an individual in her own right. She’d never hid the person she was from him. Yes, she hadn’t told him Lyle was her ex, but that had been because she didn’t want this. She hadn’t wanted him to judge her against the man she’d spent her life with. Her marriage didn’t define her.

‘That Lyle is your ex.’ Jay spoke quietly, his eyes fixed on hers.

‘Because that’s not who I am. Lyle is my ex, but I shouldn’t be judged on that. I didn’t know what he was up to like I said.’

‘I’m not judging you on Lyle’s actions. I’m judging you on your own. You should have told me.’

She bit down on her bottom lip. ‘Why? What difference would it have made?’

She shook her head. That was it, wasn’t it? He’d have never taken her for dinner, never kissed her if he’d known it had been Lyle who she’d recently split from. But that wasn’t fair.

‘It wouldn’t have made any difference to how I felt about you.’

‘Then what’s the problem?’ She didn’t understand.

Her heart sank, he’d said ‘felt’.

‘You were there when I spoke about Lyle and his development in the kitchen. Do you remember?’

‘Yes.’ She nodded.

‘And you didn’t say anything. You didn’t mention that he was your ex, you didn’t even mention that you knew of him.’

‘No, I didn’t.’

‘You hid that from me.’ He pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘You kept it from me and after Leanne hiding her affair and all the lies and secrets, I just can’t do it. Not again.’

Megan’s stomach lurched. ‘I… I just didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to be judged on his actions.’

Leaving the shovel stuck standing in the soil, Jay walked across to her and took her hands in his. ‘I really thought we had a connection, but I can’t walk into a relationship knowing that the person isn’t being honest with me. I can’t put myself through that. Not again. I’m sorry.’

Megan swallowed.

‘If I’m going to open myself up to a relationship again,’ Jay continued, ‘I need it to be based on honesty.’

‘I just didn’t know how to tell you.’

She could feel the callouses on his skin caused by shovelling the dirt, could see the hurt in his eyes. She should have told him. She should have been honest instead of keeping it a secret. She hadn’t meant to hurt him, but she understood. She understood he needed honesty after how Leanne treated him.

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