Page 11 of Spring Dreams at the Cornish Bakery

‘I don’t mind. You can go first if you like, Lynsey?’ Brooke called over her shoulder.

‘Okay. thanks.’ After this morning's events with Zac, she wasn’t about to argue about going to lunch first. She could certainly do with a walk along the beach and space to think. She pulled her apron over her head before hanging it up. ‘Ian, Zacshould be coming by to drop my key and a quote off any time now. Could you take them, please?’

‘Of course I will, love. He’s a nice guy, isn’t he?’ Ian smiled at her before turning back to the customer in front of him.

‘Umm.’ Nodding quickly, Lynsey walked around the counter and outside. She did feel guilty taking a lunch break after leaving Brooke and Ian in the lurch earlier when she’d run off to the cottage, but she also needed some time to clear her head. She needed this lunch break.

Once outside, she took a deep breath and rolled her shoulders back, filling her lungs with the salty, fresh air being carried on the gentle breeze from the ocean. Perfect. She smiled at the couple she’d just served as she walked past them sitting on a bench eating their pasties, and towards the concrete ramp leading down to the sandy beach.

People walked up and down the promenade, pointing to this and that, taking photos of the sea and chatting to each other. But once she reached the sand, the beach itself was relatively quiet. She supposed the cool spring air and the fact it had rained last night kept most of the people from venturing onto the still soggy sand.

Reaching the sea, Lynsey closed her eyes and let the gentle whoosh of the waves clear her mind. It must be amazing to live here by the seaside. To be able to visit the beach whenever you wanted. She squeezed her eyes tighter closed as thoughts of leaving Penworth Bay filtered into her mind. She wasn’t there yet. She didn’t need to make a decision. Not now. No, she needed to wait until she had the quote from Zac before she did. In this moment, she could pretend to herself that everything would be okay. She could pretend that she could stay down here and that she wouldn’t be forced to return to her hometown, red-faced that she couldn’t make a life for herself elsewhere.

Not that she’d be able to live happily back there. No, mud stuck. Whether she had cleared her name or not, she’d always be the woman who had been accused of stealing from her employer, who was accused of fleecing her customers. People wouldn’t care that it hadn’t been her at all, that it had been Ross.

Besides, they’d only think she was in on it too because she’d been with Ross at the time it had happened. She’d unknowingly spent the money he’d stolen. She’d unknowingly received gifts he’d bought her with that money, so maybe they had a point. She should have realised what he’d been up to, but she’d believed him when he’d told her his great aunt had left him the money in her will. Not once had she questioned him. She’d taken his lies at face value.

Opening her eyes again, she reached down and picked up a handful of pebbles, before throwing them one by one out across the water, listening as they hit the water and watching them plummet to the depths of the ocean. She’d never forgive herself for not realising and she’d never forgive him for turning on her and trying to lay the blame in her path when the insurance company they both worked for realised that he’d been adding extra money to their customers’ bills.

Perhaps she could eventually forgive her friends for turning their backs on her. She’d accepted their apologies when the truth had come out, but she hadn’t forgiven them for believing she was capable of doing such a thing. The friendships she’d had with people had been broken. They weren’t the same.

She’d certainly discovered who her true friends were, and they’d been few and far between. Her sister, Nina, of course. Her dad. And an old friend from school who had since moved abroad. That was it.

She threw another pebble, a large one this time, and watched the water splatter as it hit the surface, watching the ripples as it disappeared beneath the surface. What did that say about her?That her partner of eleven years, the person she thought had had her back, had turned on her, blamed her for something she’d never ever do and the only people who had stuck by her, who had stood with her, had been her family and one long-term friend?

She didn’t want to go back. She really didn’t.

‘Got it.’ The familiar low, gravelly voice sounded from behind her.

Chapter Twelve

Turning, she watched as Zac came to a stop in front of her. She hadn’t jumped this time. Maybe she was getting used to him sneaking up on her all the time?

‘I’ve got your key and your quote.’ He handed her the key before sliding a piece of paper from the grip on his clipboard. ‘Ian said I could probably find you here, and I thought it best I come and explain my quote to you myself.’

‘Right.’ Tucking the key into the pocket of her jeans, she held her hand out for the quote.

With the sheet of paper flapping in the slight breeze, Zac glanced around before pointing up at the promenade. ‘Shall we take a seat and I can go through my estimations with you?’

Lynsey shrugged before making her way back across the sand and up the ramp. The benches were full of people enjoying the view or their lunch, or both, so she led the way to the seawall and lowered herself down, her legs hanging over the edge. Waiting until he was sitting next to her, she then turned and nodded towards the paper in his hand. ‘Can I see it now?’

‘Uhh, yes.’ He began to pass it across before pulling it back and laying it back against the clipboard. ‘There are just a couple of things I want to go over before I show it to you.’

‘Okay.’ This wasn’t going to be good news, was it? He was about to tell her that the cottage needed a new roof or was riddled with woodworm or worse, wasn’t he? She readied herself for the bad news. ‘Hit me with it.’

‘First off, I’ve already told you I won’t do mates’ rates. Yes, I’m new down here and I’m sure Ian has told you I’m starting myown business, but my work is worth paying good money for. I’m worth the amount I charge.’

‘Uh-huh.’ So, he was arrogant as well as downright accusatory then. ‘And as I’ve already told you, I don’t expect mates’ rates. I don’t know you. And after the way you’ve spoken to me and accused me of things I never even tried to do, I certainly don’t view you asa friend.’

‘Fair enough.’ He ran his fingers through his already ruffled hair. ‘I suppose I asked for that.’

‘You sure did.’ She nodded as she looked out to the ocean. She knew what he was about to tell her couldn’t be good or else he would have just handed her the quote rather than wanting to talk her through it and she knew her chance at staying on in Penworth Bay was minuscule but what else could she do but sit here and listen? ‘Are you going to tell me the damage, then?’

‘Er... yes.’ Taking a deep breath, he placed his hand against the paper. ‘There’s a lot that needs doing.’

Lynsey gave a small laugh. ‘You don’t exactly need to be a seasoned builder to work that bit out.’

‘No, no, you don’t.’ He shifted position on the wall. ‘I’ll just get on with it then, shall I?’

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