Page 30 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

Megan clutched her stomach as she laughed. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much fun. Definitely not with Lyle, that was for sure. If she’d accidentally covered him in dirt, he’d have sulked for days rather than turn the mishap into a mudslinging event.

Straightening her back, she looked across at Jay and pointed to her cheek. ‘You’ve got a bit…’

Jay walked towards her, grinning. ‘Is this just a trick to get me to come closer? Are you going to rub mud in my hair or something? Because I think I probably have enough in there already.’

‘Ha ha, nope.’ Reaching out, she gently ran her finger down his cheek, wiping away the dirt. As she focused on wiping his cheek, she felt his finger across her own, his touch soft and gentle. Pausing, she looked into his eyes as he cupped her cheek.

‘May I?’ His voice was barely above a whisper.

Nodding, she leaned in towards him, and their lips met in a sweet kiss. Megan closed her eyes. Jay’s hand was still against her skin as she stepped back and smiled.

‘You still have a trail of mud down your cheek,’ she said.

Jay grinned back at her, the fine laughter lines creasing around his eyes. ‘And so do you.’

Reaching out again, he used the edge of his T-shirt to wipe her clean before kissing her once more.

Looking over Jay’s shoulder, Megan stepped back.

‘Percy is coming over now, so I guess we’ll find out how much more needs to be dug.’

Jay glanced behind him before picking up his shovel again.

On reaching them, Percy shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand and surveyed their work before whistling under his breath. ‘You’ve done a fine job. After levelling it, I think it’ll be time for Susan to pour the concrete.’

‘It’s been tough work but satisfying.’ Jay stuck his shovel upright in the ground and put his hands in his pockets.

‘Indeed. At least we’ll get it all prepared in time for installation day.’ Percy stroked his beard. ‘I’d have liked to have finished it off myself, but I don’t think Flora would approve somehow.’

‘We’re happy finishing it off, aren’t we?’ Megan glanced at Jay as a warm glow swept across her face.

‘Absolutely. We’ve got this far.’

‘Good, good. Thank you, both of you. Come on in and take a break now, though. The sun’s at its peak and I’ve just stuck the kettle on.’

‘I wouldn’t say no to a cuppa.’

Jay hung back, waiting for Megan to prop her shovel up against the mound of soil before joining her and Percy as they made their way across the courtyard.

As they reached the door, Megan took a moment to look back across at the foundations they’d been digging. She traced her forefinger over her lips. Jay had kissed her! Yesterday evening he hadn’t made any move whatsoever. She’d all but given up on any idea that he might be interested in her romantically. Even after their chat earlier in the kennels she hadn’t been overly convinced, but now… now she could begin to feel the excitement of a new relationship.

‘After you.’ Percy let Jay and Megan step through before himself. ‘Of course, with the weather being what it is, we’ll have to be extra careful when mixing…’

The bell tinkled above the door as Percy shut it and Megan smiled at Flora, who was perching on the stool behind the counter.

‘Oh, Megan, can I have a quick word, lovely?’ Flora’s voice was quiet as Jay and Percy continued to speak.

‘Yes, of course.’ Coming to stand in front of the counter, Megan frowned. Flora looked worried. Her eyes flitted towards the window and back towards Megan, deep lines etched across her forehead. ‘Is everything okay?’

‘Is that who I think it is?’ Flora pointed her pen out of the window.

Following Flora’s gaze, Megan froze. She could feel her heart beating faster, could hear it drumming in her ears.

‘Lovely?’ Flora placed her hand on Megan’s forearm.

Glancing down at Flora’s hand before steadying herself and taking a deep breath, Megan took a step towards the window, and looked out towards the gate across the lane, where the familiar BMW was parked and with it, the figure of a man standing there, watching.

‘Yes, that’s him.’

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