Page 61 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

‘What for?’

‘For everything. For not telling you about Lyle to begin with, for risking your life out there.’ She indicated the window, the storm still raging outside ‘For using your hot water, for eating your food, for crying at you.’

He chuckled. ‘You’ve nothing to be sorry for. I should be apologising for the awful food. I’m not trying to poison you, I promise.’

She smiled, her eyes sad. ‘The cooking is good.’

‘Why don’t you get some sleep? I can’t imagine you’ve had much over the past few days?’

Megan nodded. At the mere mention of the word, she could feel her eyes wanting to close. Sleep would be good.

23

‘Thank you for last night, but now the storm’s over, I’ll be fine back in my car.’ Megan looked out of the kitchen at Wagging Tails. Both she and Jay had arrived early and no one else was to be seen.

‘No, you can’t do that.’ Jay ran his fingers through his hair. ‘Have the spare room again.’

‘Thanks, but no. Putting me up last night was amazing of you, but you have your daughter tonight and there’s no chance I’m going to intrude on your time with her.’

As the kettle boiled, Megan spooned coffee into two mugs. She felt a million dollars after having a shower and a good night’s rest. She smiled as she caught sight of Flora and Percy chatting by the gate to the bottom paddock. She watched as Flora let Cindy loose into the paddock before leaning against the fence next to Percy.

Megan groaned. She hadn’t told Percy what Flora had said when she spoke to her about dating again. She’d been so wrapped up in Lyle’s games and trying to survive the nights in the car that she’d clean forgotten to report back to him.

‘Have you forgotten something?’

Glancing over her shoulder, Megan smiled at Jay. ‘Just something I was meant to tell Percy. I’ll speak to him today.’

‘You’re going to tell him and Flora about Lyle having blocked your cards?’

‘No, not that. Something else entirely.’ She shook her head. ‘Like I said, I’ll be fine back in my car.’

‘And what about the small matter of food? You’re going to carry on filling up on biscuits from here?’ Jay indicated a plate of Bourbons sitting in the middle of the table.

Megan turned back to the kettle, filling the mugs with boiling water. ‘I don’t want to tell Flora. I don’t want to tell anyone. Heck, I didn’t even want you to find out.’

If she was being honest, Jay was the last person she’d have wanted to know about her situation. She felt the warmth of embarrassment mixed with shame sweep across her.

‘I know you didn’t. But I’m glad you told me, and Flora will be too.’

‘I didn’t tell you. You guessed and came looking for me.’ Megan placed a mug in front of Jay before slipping into the chair opposite him. He’d admitted it last night, eventually.

‘Yes, well. I’m glad I did. Anything could have happened to you in that storm. Anything could happen to you any night, sleeping in a lay-by.’ He locked eyes with her.

‘No, it won’t. This is West Par, not Las Vegas or somewhere.’ She laughed, trying to make light of the conversation.

Jay lowered his mug. ‘Megan, please? Tell Flora. Someone will have a spare room you can stay in. Besides, she might even give you a job here.’

‘There’s no way I’d accept a job here, I’m a volunteer.’ Her whole trip down to Cornwall would be rendered pointless if she were to be given a job at Wagging Tails. She was here to make up in some small way for what Lyle had done and the only way she could do that was by volunteering.

‘Okay, well, she might know someone who would give you a job then.’

‘Please, drop it.’ Megan spoke quietly. She knew he was right. She knew she should ask for help. But she couldn’t. That wasn’t who she was, who she wanted to be.

Sighing, Jay shook his head. ‘Then you can sleep at mine again tonight.’

‘We’ve already been through this. You’ve got your daughter tonight.’

Jay shrugged. ‘I’ll think of something to tell her.’

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