Chapter 3
Brides by the Sea, St Aidan, Cornwall
Bad hair days and new brooms
Saturday
We rattle up the winding staircase to Tia’s flat tucked under the eaves above the wedding shop, and peel off our soaking dresses.
An hour later I’m out of the shower, back in my jeans and sweatshirt, and bolstered by three cups of strong coffee and a plate of bakery pastries, I’m trying to put the meeting with Lando out of my head.
We’ve taken the dresses along the mews to Iron Maidens cleaners for one of the save-the-day cleans they’re renowned for, and now we’re back in the downstairs bridal room.
I must have been confident Lando wouldn’t be coming back into our lives, because I hadn’t revisited the scenario in my head for a while.
A lot of things have changed since the time I decided I couldn’t risk Lando knowing anything about Nemmie.
Nemmie herself is living proof that I’m not completely messing up as a parent, and I like to think that whatever happened to us in those awful early months, I haven’t let her down as badly since.
But this is why I need Lando to leave and not come near again.
We’re fine as we are, but for a long time we weren’t good at all; and I’d rather not have that put under scrutiny.
It’s hard to imagine how fragile and awful things were once, when we’re as solid as we are now.
Like a lot of people, I try to leave the bits I’m not proud of behind, and do the best I can moment by moment.
But I’m always aware of how fragile life can be, and how the certainties we take for granted can come crashing down in seconds.
Saturday is the busiest day at the shop, and Lily, who looks after the flowers and accessories in the basement, and Sera the dress designer (short for Seraphina), are already here preparing for a full day of bridal appointments, which Tia will join as soon as she’s fessed up about the dresses and flashed my footage to Jess.
I’ve flopped into a velvet chair and I’m trying to count the crystals in the chandelier and not think about the price tags on the rails of wedding dresses. When I lean to check in the long mirror, my easy-care short hair is sticking up like a yard brush.
I hear footsteps clattering on the scrubbed wooden boards, and as Jess and Tia come to a halt in front of the line of hanging wedding dresses, I pat my head.
‘Pixie cuts should be low maintenance, but I can’t do a thing with it!’
Jess taps the toe of her loafer on the floor, and looks like she’s holding back a smile. ‘Harbour water isn’t the best conditioner. Tia assures me you won’t be dipping any more dresses in there after today.’
I can’t believe she’s taking this so well. ‘No more wild excursions. I vow we’ll stick to the shop in future.’ My heart plummets, because I could be reading this wrong. ‘Assuming you let me in at all.’
Jess starts counting off her fingers. ‘Firstly, I believe innovators should be rewarded not punished, and secondly, I’m old and wise enough not to let one damp dress cloud the bigger picture.’ She coughs. ‘I hear my nephew may have inadvertently contributed to the mishap?’
My open mouth drops further. ‘You’re related to Lando Nancarrow?’
Jess sniffs. ‘On my ex-husband’s side. If he’s like the rest of the family, he’ll be equal parts charmer and nightmare.’
I shake my head. ‘He shouldn’t even have been in St Aidan; he and my brother argued and he promised he’d stay away.’ I sigh. ‘But no, I can’t blame it on Lando. This was all me.’
Jess nods. ‘Honest as well as brave. I like that in my staff.’
Tia catches my eye. ‘I may have mentioned you could be looking for extra hours, Maeve.’
I’m cringing that my problems are so public.
When I told Tia how tight money is at home with our whole family wading in to help Salvador, I was talking about finding new dogs to walk, which is what’s been keeping me going since the bingo hall closed.
After ten years standing still, it’s a ridiculous time to start considering my career trajectory, but it’s as if seeing Lando just now has woken me up to how little progress I’ve made compared to everyone else.
I have to be honest. ‘I did business at uni, but my only previous retail position was on the deck chair hut.’
Jess laughs. ‘The time you’ve spent here with Tia, you’re hardly a novice. Given the exposure we’ve had from your clips, I should have put you on the payroll months ago.’
Tia’s moved in beside me. ‘Maeve’s other trump card is that she’s free on Saturdays!’
I mumble. ‘My nine-year-old does dance days at the village hall.’
Tia’s beaming. ‘Other times Maeve and her mum cover each other’s childcare.’
Jess’s smile widens. ‘We can be very flexible for the right person. Whatever time you can give us, we’ll take it. So that’s settled then!’
I take a breath. ‘Thanks all the same, Jess, but where Tia is all about the detail, I settle for broad brush strokes. When Tia is meticulous, I go for wild approximation. And I’m not just rough and ready, I’m quite clumsy too.
’ I hesitate, then tell it like it really is.
‘I’m not wedding shop material; I’ll be a total liability. ’
Jess’s frown lines deepen. ‘I’m not asking you to do any more than you’re doing now, Maeve. And it won’t be a job; we’ll call you an advisor.’ Her face brightens. ‘Forget the mishaps. Why not shoot me your ideas for what you’ve started today?’
If the truth hasn’t put her off, there’s nothing to lose, so I dive in.
‘Wedding dresses in the wild take on a whole new level of surprise and excitement. I hoped we could film them all over town! In the bakers, on the beach, by the surf shop. If we showcase St Aidan then brides will see it’s the coolest place to come to buy the dresses and outfits for their weddings. ’
Tia flashes me a double thumbs up and Jess claps her hands. ‘Brilliant! That’s your brief for the summer. Take Brides by the Sea around the bay and bring in every bride in Cornwall. Start as soon as you like.’
I’m biting my lip preparing to go for the biggie. ‘What about the dress damage?’
Jess raises an eyebrow. ‘All the dresses are samples. Tia knows how to select from our less valuable rails without compromising the pictures.’
I’m still waiting for words to come when I hear the clatter of the shop door opening. Jess looks through to the hallway and claps her hands again.
‘Lando, come in! We were just talking about your harbour splash.’
He grins. ‘In the confusion, Maevey left some of her equipment on the pontoons.’
I jump to my feet and grab the speaker he’s waving. I’m kicking myself for leaving it. ‘After your outburst earlier, I thought you might have dumped it in the sea.’
He gives me a wounded look. ‘That’s a bit harsh.’
Jess is beaming. ‘I sense you have a lot of making up to do here, Lando.’ Her eyebrows arch. ‘If you come and feature in Maeve’s next shoot for the shop, that will go some way to atoning.’
Lando’s opening and closing his mouth.
Jess carries on. ‘I take it you’re staying locally?’
I stop marvelling that he’s lost for words, and strain to hear his answer.
He finds his voice. ‘Only for one night. I was dropping off a boat for an earth-friendly refit.’
Jess stares at him. ‘Meaning?’
‘The yard uses recycled teak and avoids toxic glues.’
Jess snorts. ‘I’m querying your personal availability and whereabouts, Lando, not marine specifications.’
He bites back a smile. ‘I’ll be in the county for the duration of the job.’
Jess’s beam widens. ‘In which case, give Maeve your mobile number and she can let you know when she needs you.’
Lando frowns. ‘So Maeve works here too?’
Jess nods. ‘She’s our newly appointed fun consultant.’
Lando grins. ‘Great title. I can’t think of a better woman for the job.’
Tia’s frowning. ‘We only ever film dresses, so where exactly does Lando fit in?’
Jess tilts her head on one side. ‘If we’re changing up by moving into town, why not throw a groom into the mix too?’
Tia considers. ‘Great. Except it might get confusing, if I ever get to add my real-bride pictures with Thom.’
Jess tilts her head. ‘Has Thom accepted Poppy’s offer to use the farmhouse at Daisy Bank Farm for your wedding?’ This is breaking news, and sounds so good they need to seize it.
Tia pulls a face. ‘I have no idea why Thom hasn’t bitten Poppy’s hand off, but he’s still considering.’
Jess brushes an invisible mark off her pinstripe trousers.
‘Sorry, Tia, it wasn’t you and Thom I was thinking of.
I meant Lando and Maeve! Even across the room they’re screaming “match made in heaven”.
’ She must take in that every bit of blood has drained from my face, because she carries on.
‘Your colouring and height are complementary, Maeve; you’re both photogenic.
Try it once, and if it doesn’t work, we’ll move on. ’
Tia pulls a ‘what the eff?’ face at me, then beams round the room. ‘In which case, all we need now is to swap our details.’
Lando blinks, and when she hands him her phone, I give a silent phew it’s not mine, then allow myself a smile. Lando’s usually the one giving the orders. The novelty of seeing him as bemused as I am is my one comfort in this whole unfolding shitstorm of a morning.
Tia hands the phone to me. ‘Here you go, Maevey Waves.’ She takes in my confusion. ‘I had it to show Jess the footage.’
‘Of course you did.’ I steady my breath. It’s eleven small digits. There’s no reason for me to feel like a noose is tightening round my neck. I force myself to look straight at Lando and smile. ‘You’ll be hearing from us very soon.’
There’s a sardonic tone to his laugh as he strides towards the door. ‘Don’t wait ten years this time.’
Then he gives a wave, and the ting of the bell tells us he’s back out on the street.
I look at Jess and Tia. ‘I’d better run too.’
Tia squeezes me into a hug then opens the door for me. ‘We’ll start you in the shop next week. In the meantime, you’ve got plenty to play with on your phone.’
Out in the mews the seagulls are wheeling overhead, and the salty tang of the air wakes me up all over again. As I jump down the back alley steps to the safety of Climbing Rose Cottage, I have no idea how the hell I’m going to handle any of this.