Chapter 21
twenty-one
CLAIRE
Scruff and I finished our loop along the seawall before heading for sustenance. He trotted beside me, all pleased with himself, having collected an abundance of sticks. I dumped them over Alistair’s wall for him to hide again later. Scruff watched me as though I was betraying him.
‘Don’t worry, buddy, I’ll get you a pup cup to make up for it.’
Coffee & Crumbs welcomed me like an old friend, the warmth wrapping around me as I entered. Eilidh glanced up from the machine and grinned.
‘Look at you,’ she said, nodding at Scruff. ‘The two of you look like you’ve become fast friends.’
‘He keeps me from going crazy with the paint fumes,’ I said. ‘Gets me out in the fresh air.’
‘Not the only one who gets you out of the house,’ said Lola from the book wall without looking up, a pencil tucked behind her ear.
‘Lola!’ Eilidh admonished before turning to me as I took a seat. ‘But seriously, word on the street is that you had dinner with the family, it has to be getting serious, right?’
I settled Scruff on the floor by my chair. He sighed like an old man and melted bonelessly against my boot. Eilidh set a cappuccino down in front of me.
‘I don’t know how serious it can be,’ I said. ‘I’m supposed to be going back to London in a few weeks.’
‘But?’ Eilidh asked.
‘But I really like Owen. He makes me feel adored, you know?’
‘I bet. The way he kissed you at karaoke had us all swooning. Blueberry or chocolate?’ Eilidh held one of each muffin, and I helped myself to one of the fat blueberry ones.
‘Make it two muffins,’ said Emma from the window seat. ‘You know I can’t resist.’
‘You know that you’re doing Rose Cottage up for it to be rented out. You could always be the one to rent it. You don’t have to go back to London. We like having you around.’ Eilidh leaned back against the counter.
‘But I’d be moving for a guy, and that’s never the best idea.’
‘Or maybe it’ll be the perfect idea,’ Emma added from the window seat.
‘Some men are worth moving for.’ Lola’s voice drifted over.
‘I don’t even know him that well, not really. It’s only been a few weeks.’ I sipped my coffee before wiping the foam moustache off my lip.
‘Then get to know him. You’ve already sunk under his skin more than most people do.
And how much more can there be to know? He’s hot, he makes you happy, and he has a business.
What more is there?’ Eilidh sipped from a bottle of water.
‘Well, I can think of something else, but from what I hear, you guys have that covered.’
‘Eilidh!’ I laughed before sinking my teeth into the muffin and sighing happily.
The coffee shop hummed with the sound of milk steaming, pages turning, and the clink of cups.
I relaxed back against the chair and let the world go by outside at a far slower pace than I was used to.
It was like being in Otterleigh Bay settled over me like a cosy blanket, wrapping me up with peace.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see Shelly’s name pop up.
Shells: How’s it going, babe? What’s your ETA for getting back? Are you still staying for a few more weeks? Dominic wants to move his gaming set up into your room…
Me: I’m going to stick around for a few weeks, but he can use my room for gaming. No sex stuff though. I don’t want his stuff on my sheets.
Me: PS. Please can you post my proper phone up? I think I’m ready to face the world.
A bubble popped up instantly.
Shells: You seem… happy? I’ll get it boxed up in the morning. If anyone gives you grief, toss it in the sea.
I snorted. Scruff thumped his tail beside my feet.
‘You look healthier,’ Eilidh said.
‘Probably all your muffins filling these cheeks out.’
‘No. It’s something deeper.’
‘I might start believing fresh air is actually helpful.’
Emma tipped her chin at my jumper. ‘You’ve gone full village knit. Next stop is a sensible raincoat and gossiping with Morag.’
‘Too late,’ I said. ‘The cottage has a drawer full of them. And I’ve borrowed one on more than one occasion.’
We meandered through periods of quiet and idle chatter, which filled me with ease.
Lola recommended a crime novel that will creep you right out.
Emma offered to help me hang the new curtains, and Eilidh pushed me to accept an invitation to the book club.
Maybe everyone knowing my name wasn’t so scary after all.
‘Will you stay long enough to read the next novel?’ Lola asked gently, eyes staying on her novel.
I looked past them to the square outside, where the slant of late light fell on the cobbled stones. ‘Maybe London can survive without me for a bit.’
Scruff huffed and stood, doing a yoga stretch beneath the table. I reached for my bag as I stood, and Scruff clearly mistook this as a leaving signal. He looped his lead around the chair leg, my ankle, and then the other ankle as well.
‘Wait—’ I said.
Scruff did not wait.
He moved with all the excitement of a pup half his age when the door opened and the bell above it rang.
My chair scraped, and the lead cinched. Gravity worked against me, tipping me arse-first toward the floor.
My muffin flew off the table, and Scruff dove for it.
I landed in a heap of wool and muffin crumbs, coffee miraculously upright, and Scruff searching my face for muffin crumbs.
‘Oh my God,’ I wheezed, half-laughing because what else was there to do. ‘I’m fine. A bruised arse, and equally bruised pride, but I’m fine.’
Eilidh was already around the counter with a cloth, trying hard not to laugh. ‘We’ve seen worse. The farmer’s wife had her waters break on my floor last year. So I can cope with a few muffin crumbs.’
Emma put a hand out. ‘Up you get, hen.’
‘You’re a little terror,’ I told Scruff, who looked like butter wouldn’t melt.
A shadow fell over me, bringing with it aftershave that smelled all too familiar.
‘Claire?’
I stilled, my laughter shutting off like a tap.
Marty stood in a perfectly cut navy suit, his hair immaculate. His face pulled into an expression somewhere between concern and bewilderment, like I’d sprouted antlers.
‘What on earth—’ he started, then looked around at the group of women openly staring at him. ‘Has happened to you?’
Heat flared from my cheeks to my chest. Of all the ways for him to find me. Windswept, crumb-coated and on my arse covered in dog slobber. Shame prickled up my spine.
‘Don’t touch me,’ I snapped when he reached a hand out. Rather than take it, I pushed myself up off the floor before brushing down my thighs.
‘Just trying to help,’ Marty said.
‘What the hell are you doing here? You can’t be here.’ I wasn’t ready to face him.
‘I couldn’t reach you. You disappeared. I had to see you.’ He put on that earnest face I’d fallen for a hundred times before.
Eilidh stepped back to the counter with a look that said If you need me to towel whip him, I will. Lola and Emma exchanged a look before sitting back down.
‘I was an idiot,’ Marty went on. ‘I shouldn’t have dumped the PR disaster on you. I understand that I didn’t always treat you well. I see that now. I want to fix what I broke.’
‘And you think you can just show up here, and I’ll drop everything to live like your dirty little secret scapegoat again?
’ Seeing him there was like an electric shock to my insides.
Forcing me to remember the years we’d spent together.
It was like he had shown up in Otterleigh and yanked my head out of the sand.
Scruff sneezed as if on cue. I tightened my grip on his lead just to ground myself.
‘I’m happy here,’ I said, and the truth to the words surprised me. ‘You don’t get to arrive with your suit and your apologies and ruin my peace.’
‘I’ll get you your job back,’ he said, too quick, too slick. ‘A better job. We can even go public with the relationship and date properly. Hell, we could get married. It’s about time I looked at having a son anyway—’
‘No.’. The room seemed to squeeze around me, stealing my breath. ‘I don’t want this, Marty. I spent far too many years on you. You used me.’
He stared, calculation clicking behind his eyes. ‘No?’
‘I’m seeing someone,’ I said. My stomach churned. ‘And he’s not ashamed of me.’
Eilidh inhaled sharply behind me, and Lola’s pencil stopped moving. Emma grinned.
Marty’s mouth opened, closed. For once, he didn’t have a prepared line. ‘Claire…’
‘Go home, Marty. It’s over.’
‘No. I’m going to stay here until I convince you to come back.’ He straightened, his sharp suit so out of place in Otterleigh Bay. ‘You’ll see I’m serious.’
Scruff tugged, and I let him. I looped the lead properly, grabbed my bag, and nodded to Eilidh with an apology I didn’t have words for.
‘Put this on my tab?’ I asked.
‘Don’t worry about it.’
I walked out with Scruff, the bell over the door giving a single indignant ding.
Footsteps followed. The first time Marty had ever been the one chasing.
I bit back the emotional overwhelm, determined not to let Marty see how he’d rattled me.
I didn’t speed up, and at the end of the little run of windows, I stopped and turned.
Marty had halted on the threshold, deep in conversation with a woman I didn’t recognise. Pretty, polished, and stealing a glance at me. She passed him a piece of paper, which he took with a grin.
Something in my chest did a sour twist, old feelings scratching at the door. I looked back once more, felt the damp air kiss my face, and walked away. Scruff trotted at my side as if he hadn’t just tipped me over in front of my ex.
‘Come on, pal,’ I said. ‘Let’s get you home.’