Page 15 of Just the Beginning

‘I haven’t had a good reason to move out.’ He couldn’t help the defensiveness in his tone.

Anya rested her fork on the edge of her tray. ‘I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m living in a fancy shed at the bottom of my aunt’s garden. I’m hardly in any position to pass judgement on someone else’s circumstances.’

‘Good point. It does feel a bit weird to be the only one still living at home, but I didn’t want a house share and there’s not much else around. It seemed a bit selfish to take on a family home when I don’t need one, even if I could close a sale without getting gazumped by some buy-to-let out-of-towner looking to cash in.’

Anya nodded. ‘I remember talking to Chloe about how difficult things were for her when she was looking to move out.’ She glanced around the room. ‘This was her little haven and she’s given it all up for me.’

Rick leaned forward so he could catch her eye. ‘Hey, it won’t be forever.’

Her laugh was wry. ‘That seems to be my new mantra.’ She sighed. ‘I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, because honestly I can’t think what kind of state I’d be in if Aunt Helen and everyone else hadn’t stepped up. No. I need to stop feeling sorry for myself and focus on what I’ve got. Freya and I have a roof over our heads and that’s all that matters for now.’

‘How’s she getting on with… everything?’ As soon as he’d asked the question, Rick wished he could take it back. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.’

Anya sighed again, though it didn’t seem like an unhappy noise. ‘She’s remarkable, really. It feels like she’s coping a lot better than I am most of the time. I’ve sheltered her as much as possible, so she has no idea about?—’

‘Of course,’ Rick cut in, not wanting to make her go over old ground. He found himself wondering yet again how any man could do what Drew had done. Not just to all the poor people he’d cheated over the years, but to his own wife, his own child. To dig a hole so deep it almost buried them and then take the cowards’ way out when it all got too much.

They ate in silence for a while and by the time Rick had cleared his bowl there was a heavy, satisfied feeling in his stomach. He set his tray on the coffee table and took a sip of his cordial. ‘That was great.’

‘There’s more if you’d like some?’ Anya set her own tray beside his and made as if to stand up.

‘No, no, I’ve had plenty. If there’s enough left, you might as well save it for another day.’

‘Good point. I can’t afford to let anything go to waste.’

His heart ached for her. ‘It won’t take long before you’re back on your feet again.’

Anya seemed to slump a little before catching herself. Straightening her spine, she nodded decisively. ‘No, you’re right, it won’t. It’s all about a fresh start from here on in, and thanks to you sorting me out with a job so quickly, I’ll soon be back on my feet.’

Rick shrugged. ‘No thanks necessary. Besides,’ he said with a grin. ‘After a few days working for Uncle Davy you might be cursing me.’

Anya’s laughter rang out for a second before she covered her mouth with a guilty glance towards the open bedroom door. ‘Perhaps I shouldn’t have agreed to this after all,’ she said in a hushed voice. She stood up. ‘Right, let’s clear these plates and then we can go through the contract and then I’ll try and find you a nice recipe for that dinner you want to make. How does that sound?’

‘Great, thanks.’

Over a cup of coffee, Rick ran over the terms of the contract and what he thought her main duties would be. ‘The job description can be tweaked once you’ve settled in a bit and you and Davy find a balance, but is there anything in the contract that you’ve got any questions or concerns about?’

Anya scanned over the printed pages in silence for a few minutes before she shook her head. ‘It all looks okay to me, but I honestly wouldn’t know one end of a contract from another.’ She raised her hands to briefly cover her face before looking up at him, all trace of her earlier humour gone. ‘I’m embarrassed to admit the only employment contract I’ve ever seen is when I had a Saturday job at school.’

It was another reminder of how little he knew her. ‘Well, it’s honestly not much different to whatever you would’ve had back then,’ he said, trying to reassure her. ‘But if you want to have someone look over it for you, then feel free.’

Anya shook her head. ‘It’s embarrassing enough having to admit this stuff to you. Who else would I talk to?’

Rick sat forward, his every instinct to offer her some kind of comfort, but he kept his hands locked on his knees. ‘What about Chloe or Issy? They’d understand and wouldn’t judge you.’

‘That’s true, I suppose.’ She tilted her head and gave him a considering look. ‘Wouldn’t it bother you if I asked someone else to look over it?’

‘Why would it bother me? I want you to feel you can trust me, Anya, but given everything you’ve been through, my ego is less important than your need to know it’s all above board.’

She clasped her hands together so tightly the knuckles turned white. ‘I don’t really think you’d try and take advantage of me.’

God, if Drew Stokes was still alive, Rick would hunt the man down and… he sighed. Always the one to seek conciliation, violence had never been a part of his nature and he wasn’t going to let the ghost of that bastard drag out a new ugly side of him. Swallowing the sudden rush of anger, he gave Anya what he hoped was a reassuring smile. ‘Arming yourself with the right knowledge means you’ll know for sure that I’m not. Trust is to be earned, Anya, not given away freely.’

She huffed out a breath. ‘And where the hell were you ten years ago when that little nugget of wisdom would’ve been useful?’

I was right there, you just didn’t notice me.Rick brushed the thought aside. ‘Look, it’s not like I know more than you, I simply know different things to you. I’ve had to learn about contracts because of my job and my role on the council. When we get planning applications through, half the time I can’t make head nor tail of them, so I ask someone who understands, and each time I learn a little bit more. Not enough to be an expert, but enough to get by.’

‘But that’s the problem,’ she burst out. ‘I neverwantedto learn! Things were so hard after Dad left. Mum did her best but we had to scrimp and scrape and I hated it. Hated not being able to go to the shops with my friends and buy the latest fashions or waste money on magazines and make-up. My Saturday job wasn’t to earn pocket money, it was to help Mum make ends meet.’

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