Page 70 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

‘Great.’

Standing up slightly, Jay leaned across the table and kissed her.

Megan kissed him back, laughing as he sat back down, causing Jay to hold his hand against his chest, his eyebrows raised, and pull a face of mock-shock.

‘Charmed.’

‘Ha ha, no, I was just thinking how much my life has changed in the past few months. Before this whole thing with Wagging Tails, I’d never have imagined, dreamed, that I’d be in this position. Here, at a theme park, with you, someone I really care about. For once, I’m excited about the future.’

She was. When she’d been with Lyle, her future had been laid out in front of her. She had known what to expect – dinner parties, silent evenings, rambling around that big house alone. Now, she felt as though she didn’t really know what her future held. She hadn’t foreseen falling into another relationship – she hadn’t even thought about it – but it was exciting.

‘Cheers to Wagging Tails then.’ Raising his mug, he waited for Megan to do the same before they clinked ceramic to ceramic.

‘To Wagging Tails.’

As she lowered her mug again, she accidentally knocked it against her plate and watched as a splash of coffee covered the table. ‘Oops.’

Jay stood up. ‘I’ll go and get some napkins.’

‘No, don’t worry. I’ll go. I want to grab some mayo for my sandwich anyway.’ Pushing her chair back, Megan got up, turned and headed towards the corner of the till where the cutlery, condiments and napkins were displayed. As she stood in the short queue, Megan glanced back at Jay, who was eating his sandwich and looking out of the large window. He was a good man, kind. And cute too. Even though they’d only just started their relationship, there was no denying that she’d grown close to him. They had a real connection and, hopefully, a future, too.

Megan picked up the napkins and mayo before heading back to the table.

‘You had a message ping through.’ Jay nodded towards her mobile and lowered his sandwich.

‘Thanks.’ She sat down and wiped up the spilt drink before bunching the napkins into a ball and picking up her mobile.

Hope you’re happy being skint. Your fault. If you hadn’t been with HIM I would never have stopped your cards. My solicitor will be in touch. Lyle.

She sighed. Really? Did he really have to text that? Now? Today, whilst she was trying to enjoy herself and forget about everything? Of course, he didn’t know that.

She automatically glanced around the café, half expecting to see him. She wouldn’t put anything past him after the way he’d tracked her down through her bank statements.

‘I… umm…’ Jay indicated Megan’s phone.

Looking up, she frowned. ‘What?’

‘I didn’t mean to, but when it pinged up, I saw the message.’ He squirmed in his chair. ‘Is it my fault your ex cut you out of the money?’

Megan picked up the wet napkin ball, gently pulling it from its scrunched-up state and smoothing it over the tabletop.

She shook her head. ‘No, it’s not your fault. It was me that signed a prenup before we married. And if he hadn’t spotted us kissing at Wagging Tails, he would have found another reason. He would have thought of something else I’d seemingly done wrong in order to justify his actions.’

‘He saw us kissing? When we were digging up the foundations?’

She nodded. ‘Yep. He tracked me down here using the bank statements from my card and put two and two together.’

‘That’s how he knew where you’d gone? From your bank statements?’

‘Yep.’ Megan shook her head. ‘You couldn’t make it up, could you?’

‘Ha, no, you couldn’t. I’m sorry, I feel awful that he’s using me against you and I’m sorry about seeing your message.’ Leaning back in his chair, he rubbed the back of his neck.

‘Don’t be. Lyle is just being Lyle. I filed for divorce, but he’s ripped up the papers and is adamant he’s going to file for it instead.’ She shrugged. ‘Is that even possible? For someone to counter file? Is that the right word? I was going to check on the internet if what he’s done is legal but completely forgot.’ She grimaced. There had just been so much going on, what with the sleeping in the car, then moving into Flora’s, it had slipped her mind.

‘Really? Why?’

‘Because he wants me to be the reason the marriage is over, not him.’ She shrugged. ‘It doesn’t matter, anyway. Not really. As long as I get a divorce, that’s all that really matters. It’s not as though I stand to gain anything from the years I was with him, not with the prenup anyway.’

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