Page 25 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

She shook her head. Of course, it hadn’t. He was divorced and she soon would be too. Lyle hadn’t even received the papers yet as far as she knew. She pulled her mobile from her back pocket and checked it quickly. Nope, nothing. Still no missed calls or angry messages to suggest he had.

She picked up their empty chip wrappers and looked towards the top of the beach. She was sure they’d passed a bin on their way on their way here.

10

Megan ran the brush through her hair again. What was it with that little bit at the front? She could never seem to get it to lie right. She sighed. It was probably because she hadn’t had her hair cut recently. Perhaps it was her body’s way of saying she should be taking more care of herself.

Drawing her hair up into a ponytail, she wrapped her hairband around it and sank onto the bed. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled. There was a part of her who quite liked this low-maintenance version of herself. Without her every-five-week haircuts, her hair was longer than it had been in years and having left her straighteners behind, it was recovering from the frequent heat treatment.

After spending the day outside yesterday, her skin was glowing too, without the need for endless fake tans, the gloss of her youth having returned without the need for ten different daily serums. Maybe this life was agreeing with her. She furrowed her brow before relaxing again. Yep, life was certainly less stressful without Lyle and that huge house to take care of. Maybe finding out who Lyle really was had been the best thing. She hadn’t felt this happy, this motivated or eager to start the day in a long time.

Memories of yesterday’s trip to the beach with Jay suddenly replaced all thoughts of Lyle and she watched her reflection as her cheeks reddened. What was that about?

She looked down at the duvet and ran her forefinger across the floral design, drawing around the petals of the roses emblazoned upon it. Jay did seem lovely – kind, thoughtful, funny – and eager to get to know her, to listen to what she had to say, to want to listen to what she had to say. When had Lyle last been interested in what she thought? Or her dreams?

She couldn’t remember.

She shook her head. She was being silly. Maybe this was what was meant by a rebound? Maybe these feelings she was beginning to feel towards Jay simply weren’t real. They were a coping mechanism to help her get over her failed relationship.

Then why did they feel so real? Why did her lips involuntarily curl into a smile every time she thought about seeing him?

Gripping the edge of the bed, she looked down at the garishly patterned red carpet and took a deep breath in. Regardless of why she was feeling the way she was towards Jay, she knew he wouldn’t be feeling the same. Not in a million years. He had his life together. He had a lovely home in West Par, a daughter, friends; he didn’t need or wouldn’t even want someone like her. What did she have to offer? Nothing. Her life lay in tatters around her feet.

Nope, she needed to push all thoughts of Jay away and get on with what she had come here to do – to try to make up in some small way for Lyle’s actions towards Wagging Tails.

A quiet knock on the door broke the empty silence in the room, shortly followed by Lisa’s voice. ‘Are you in there, Megan?’

Pushing herself to standing, Megan pulled open the door as Lisa picked up her bucket full of cleaning products. ‘Morning.’

‘Oh sorry, I’ll come back.’

‘No, no, it’s okay. I’m just on my way out.’ She grabbed her canvas tote bag from the hook on the back of the door. ‘I’ll see you later.’

‘Hi, just in time for coffee. Did you want one?’ Percy nodded towards the kettle as he took a mug from the dishwasher and placed it next to his and Flora’s.

‘That’d be great, thanks.’ Closing the kitchen door behind her, Megan pulled the sandwich she’d bought at the shop from her bag and opened the fridge, quickly realising yesterday’s one was still sitting where she’d left it. ‘Oops, I’d forgotten I had one in here already.’

‘I bet the chips were worth it, though.’ Flora finished scribbling in her notebook and smiled at Megan.

‘Yes, definitely.’

The chips and the company. She swallowed. Why had she even thought that?

‘Morning.’ The kitchen door opened as Jay stepped inside, shortly followed by Ginny with Cindy.

‘Morning.’ Megan mumbled and turned back to the fridge, this time to get the milk for Percy.

‘Hello, lovely.’ Flora smiled at Jay. ‘All ready for another day of volunteering?’

‘Absolutely.’ He grinned and looked over at Percy. ‘How’s your back now?’

‘Good, good. Not a jot wrong with it today.’

Flora tutted. ‘You might be able to think you can pull the wool over everyone else’s eyes, but I saw the way you got out of that taxi.’

‘There’s nothing wrong with me.’ Percy huffed as he placed Flora’s mug down in front of her.

‘Umm, and you could have rung me for a lift instead of wasting money. I said to you when I dropped you off yesterday that I’d give you a lift in today so you could collect your car.’

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