Page 66 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

‘Thank you.’ She took a sip of the coffee, strong with a teaspoon of sugar. ‘I am.’

‘Good, good. It’s nice that you’re over in the cottage with Flora and Poppy now.’ He nodded at Cindy, who was lying in her usual position under the kitchen table, almost on top of Megan’s feet. ‘I bet this one is happy to have you over there too?’

‘Ha ha, yes. She’s a proper little, or should I say big, Velcro dog. Wherever I go she’s always there right next to me, just as though she’s stuck to me with Velcro.’ Megan grinned.

Cindy had insisted on sleeping in her room last night. After her whining at the door for half an hour, Megan had relented and let her in, and she’d sprawled across the foot of the bed, stretching out from one side to the other.

Percy nodded and took a sip of his drink before glancing at the door and lowering his voice. ‘I don’t suppose you’ve had a chance to speak to Flora, have you? Don’t worry if you haven’t. I know you’ve had a lot going on and all.’

Megan pushed the laptop away a little and wrapped her hands around her mug. ‘I have actually. Sorry, I completely forgot to tell you what she said.’

‘Don’t worry, love. I know it’s been a tricky time for you recently.’ Percy clasped his hands on the tabletop. ‘What did she say?’

What had she said? The conversation she’d had with Flora felt as though it had been ages ago. A lot had just happened between then and now.

‘From what I could understand, she would be interested in dating. She said she thought she’d left it too late, and that anyone who would want to be with her would have to be as crazy about dogs as her.’

Leaning forward, Percy nodded. ‘And?’

Megan shrugged. What else had she said? ‘That they’d need to share her love of this place.’

‘Right. Anything else?’

‘I don’t think so. Not that I can remember, anyway.’ Megan nodded. ‘Yes, I think that was the general gist of the conversation.’

‘She definitely said she’d be open to dating then?’

‘Yes, well, I think so.’ She looked at Percy as he frowned. ‘I’m sure of it – as much as I can be, of course.’

‘Okay, okay. So, what now?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘What do you think I should do now?’ Percy furrowed his brow.

Megan looked at him. She knew he wanted her to tell him to ask her, but she couldn’t. Although she felt as though she knew him and Flora well enough, and from what she’d picked up on, she definitely felt there was a connection between them both, this was too big. Percy and Flora had known each other for over thirty-five years. If Megan was wrong, then who knew how it might alter the friendship they had?

‘What do you want to do?’

Wringing his hands, Percy glanced over his shoulder towards the kitchen door. ‘I want nothing more than to ask her, but if she says no…’

‘What would you say to me or Alex or Ginny? What would your advice be for us?’ Megan sipped her coffee.

‘Well, that would be easy, wouldn’t it?’ Percy shifted in his chair. ‘I’d have told you not to be so daft and to ask her to dinner.’

Megan looked at him. ‘Why aren’t you following your own advice, then?’

‘Because I’m a coward, that’s why.’ Percy rubbed his chin, his beard shifting beneath his hand. ‘I love her. I only want the best for her and if that means being her friend for the rest of my life, then that’s what I’ll do.’

Megan gazed into her coffee before looking across at Percy. His eyes were shining with tears. From an outside perspective, he and Flora were perfect for each other and definitely appeared to have a connection, to have more than a friendship, but she was new here. Maybe she’d got it wrong. Maybe she was picking up on things which just weren’t there. She didn’t know their history. Percy did.

‘Why don’t you have a think about it?’

Percy nodded sadly. ‘I’ve been thinking about it for the past thirty or so years.’

Megan glanced at Cindy, who had left her favourite spot beneath the table and was now standing in front of the kitchen door, her left front paw held against the door frame.

Percy followed her line of sight. ‘It looks as though she needs to go out, love. You go, I’ll be okay.’

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