Chapter 24
twenty-four
CLAIRE
By the time I got Scruff settled under the table with a bowl of water and a stern warning about not tripping me up, Marty had already done two laps of the square outside.
He held a ladder for Jeff, moved a crate for Morven, and spoke to Lola for a good twenty minutes, oblivious to her rolling her eyes.
‘He’s like a pigeon in slacks.’ Eilidh muttered, lining up cups. ‘It’s like he’s trying very hard to make everyone fall in love with him.’
‘I’m pretending he doesn’t exist.’
The bell chimed, and eyes lifted to the door throughout Coffee & Crumbs. Bright smiles dulled.
Kirsty whispered, ‘Oh, great. Here she is.’
‘Here who is?’
Kirsty leaned closer. ‘Becky. Owen’s ex. She’s back from wherever she buggered off to.’
Becky walked in like she owned the place. She looked every bit at ease in the coffee shop, greeting everyone by name.
‘Becky,’ Shona said, flat as the counter.
When Becky met my eyes, they snagged for just a moment before she looked past me. It felt like a snub. But that was crazy, considering that she had no idea who I was.
Everyone knew her. Everyone except me.
Owen was by the window with Isla and a stack of cocktail menu cards. He looked up, and Becky lit up like she had a thousand lightbulbs up her perfectly pert arse. Isla’s smile went paper-thin. Owen’s didn’t change at all.
Marty clocked Becky the instant she crossed the threshold and peeled inside, giving me a lingering look.
No introductions this time, just a smooth pivot into Becky’s path at the sugar station like they’d rehearsed it.
Their heads inclined together, the easy rhythm of two people who were up to something.
‘…timing…’ from him.
‘…knows everyone…’ from her.
I caught the way Becky glanced at Owen, then at me, then back to Marty. Cold calculation that made me uncomfortable. It felt like watching a fuse light.
Owen crossed to my table, ignoring the pointed glances from Becky and the sizing up from Marty. His palm found the back of my chair, and the fizzing under my skin settled.
‘Is that your chump?’ he asked.
‘Ex-chump,’ I said. ‘I’m on a chump-free diet these days.’
He huffed a laugh. I tipped my chin towards the sugar station. ‘That’s your ex-chump too, right?’
His hand eased onto my back. Not possessive, but protective. ‘Unfortunately.’
‘Why are they together?’
‘Can’t imagine anything good.’
‘I’ve got you,’ Owen said. ‘If he bothers you, or she bothers you, tell me, and I’ll handle it. Or we’ll ditch the village and spend all day in bed instead.’
Something in my chest unclenched. ‘Well, that’s a tempting offer.’
Owen brushed his knuckles over my shoulder, small and private, and I took a slow inhale. Behind us, takeaway lids clicked..
‘…brand risk…’ Marty.
‘…he responds to…’ Becky.
Eilidh set a saucer by my elbow a shade too firmly. ‘You all right, sweetheart?’
‘I will be.’ I leant into Owen’s touch.
‘Back in a tick,’ he told me, his lips near my ear. ‘Text if you want me back in thirty seconds. Or less.’
He followed Isla outside. He laughed at something she said, the sound threading through the window.
Marty and Becky angled themselves to block the most convenient path to the door. Like it was some game to them both.
Scruff lifted his head onto my knee, and I scratched his ear.
‘Let them at each other,’ Eilidh said under her breath, sitting across from me. ‘We know who’s a bad egg around here.’
She reached over and squeezed my hand, and it felt a little like having an army of my own on my side, for the first time ever.