Page 34 of Finding Love at Roseford Blooms
‘All right, boy?’ he said as he stooped to ruffle under the dog’s chin. Holmes gave him a big, dopey grin and the lively spring of the dog’s step suggested that Sarah hadn’t taken him out for a walk yet. Simon decided to see if Sarah wanted him to take Holmes out for his morning constitutional; it would give him the perfect excuse to walk by Bee’s cottage and see Lizzie in person.
As he trailed behind Elspeth and into the house, he heard the dull hum of two voices, one male, one female, coming from the kitchen. Heading towards them, he was momentarily distracted by a new photograph of Sarah, Fleur and Elspeth on a side table in the hall, obviously taken on a photoshoot when the bluebells were in bloom. They looked happy, relaxed and very much a family unit. He felt a pang then, of something that felt unnervingly like envy. Had he missed the boat to have moments like this with children of his own? He wasn’t getting any younger, after all.
The smell of coffee brewing in the kitchen drew him back away from the photograph, and as the voices grew more distinct, and the sound of Sarah’s laughter rang out, he wondered who it was that she was talking to that would make her laugh like that. He hadn’t heard her this happy in a long time. As he entered the kitchen the greeting on his tongue died. Sitting comfortably on a stool pulled up to the island in the middle of the kitchen, looking to all intents and purposes as though he owned the place, was Jago McAvoy.
30
‘Oh, Simon, hi,’ Sarah said as she turned back from her coffee machine and brought two cups over to the kitchen island. ‘I hadn’t realised you’d be coming back with Elspeth. Thanks for having her last night.’
Simon stared at his sister. It wasn’t often worlds failed him, but this wasn’t a situation he’d ever expected to encounter.
‘Can I get you a coffee?’
Sarah’s question broke into his racing thoughts. ‘Er, not right now, thanks, sis.’ He threw her a questioning glance, but she seemed to be avoiding his gaze.
‘That was quite a night,’ Jago said. ‘If I’d known you threw such great parties down here, I’d have made the effort to visit sooner.’
Was Simon imagining it, or did Jago’s tone seem to be issuing a challenge? Something along the lines ofGo on, mate. Ask. I dare you.The fact that Jago was still wearing the clothes he’d arrived in yesterday, but his shirt was rumpled and had a couple of buttons undone, was sending a clear message about what had happened under this roof after the wedding.
‘Are you all right?’ Sarah asked. Uncharacteristically for her, she suddenly looked nervous, and more than a bit guilty.
‘I’m fine,’ Simon replied, a little too quickly. He couldn’t help raising a speculative eyebrow at his sister, who flushed and averted her gaze again.
‘Well, I’d best be off,’ Jago said, after knocking back his coffee. Simon hoped it would scald him. Jago turned back to Sarah. ‘Walk me out?’
Sarah glanced at Simon again, and then nodded. ‘Sure.’
As they left the kitchen, Simon’s irritation seemed to grow in proportion to the smugness in Jago’s cheerily thrown out, ‘See you, mate.’ He decided to reconsider the coffee.
He was just pouring a most welcome cup of Americano, and sweetening it with a much-needed spoonful of sugar, when Sarah came back into the kitchen.
‘I know what you’re going to say,’ she said, grabbing her coffee from the island and leaning back against the kitchen units. ‘So don’t bother.’
Simon shook his head. ‘Sarah… Jago’s a complete tosser. I can’t believe you let him stay here last night. What the hell possessed you?’
‘Loneliness,’ Sarah retorted. ‘A need for human contact?’ She paused, her face flushing. ‘Or maybe I wanted to lay an old ghost to rest? Take your pick.’
‘But he screwed you up when you were eighteen!’ Simon exclaimed. ‘He nearly made you fail your A levels, you were in such a state. Why the hell would you want to spend any more time with him?’ He glanced around, mindful that Fleur or Elspeth might be listening in.
‘That was nearly twenty years ago,’ Sarah retorted. ‘And, frankly, Simon, I’m a free agent and a grown woman. What I choose to do is absolutely none of your business.’
Simon shook his head. ‘Fair enough. But you’ll forgive me if I’m just a little shocked that you had such a huge lapse in judgement. I mean, Jago? Really?’
‘I hadn’t intended for it to happen,’ Sarah said quietly. ‘But we got chatting, and I realised that I still really fancied him. Fleur went off to a friend’s house for a sleepover after the wedding and when you texted me and said Elspeth was sleeping at the main house, this rebellious part of myself just took over.’ She paused. ‘There was a bit of me that wanted to show him what he’d missed all these years.’
‘Well, I hope it was worth it,’ Simon muttered.
Sarah grinned. ‘I hate to say it, little brother, but it was.’
Unwilling to hear any more details about his sister’s night of passion with Jago, Simon put his coffee cup, mostly untouched, down on the island. ‘Are you planning on seeing him again?’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Sarah said, a trace of defensiveness in her voice. ‘I’ll see how it goes.’
‘Is that wise? I mean, you don’t really know anything about him.’ As he said it, he realised that he was probably overstepping the mark. Sarahwasan adult, after all. But he couldn’t help his concern. They might both be in their thirties now, but Sarah was still his sister.
‘Don’t worry,’ Sarah said carefully. ‘I’m not the stupid teenager I used to be. I’ll be careful.’ She smiled briefly. ‘You don’t need to fret.’
‘I hope not,’ Simon replied. As the pause stretched, he cleared his throat. ‘Well, I’ll be off, then. I was going to see if you wanted me to give Holmes his morning walk, but now you’re up, you can handle it yourself, can’t you?’ With that, all thoughts of using the dog as an excuse to visit Lizzie forgotten, he walked briskly out of the house.
