Chapter 25
Brides by the Sea, St Aidan, Cornwall
The wrong trousers
Sunday
‘Maeve, if you’re free later, Coast FM would like a word!’
When I walk along the mews first thing on Sunday morning, the shop door is wide open and Poppy’s calling to me from beside a stall which is already decked with flowers, lanterns and stacks of mini brownies and iced cake cubes.
The buzz of today’s extravaganza must have come early, because yesterday every bridal appointment was taken.
I was still reeling from Friday evening’s shock, but I managed to tell Tia before the brides arrived, and then the day at the shop took my mind off it.
As I swished the changing room curtains backwards and forwards, helped brides in and out of dresses and handed white chocolate cookies and glasses of fizz to besties and brides’ mums, it reminded me that most people shop for the dresses after they’ve booked their venues.
Later, as we were sorting out things to take to the beach hut for today, it hit me that interest will be limited.
This will be a slow-burn project, and I’ve got to be patient, but at least that takes the immediate pressure off for the extravaganza.
Tia is down on the rota to set up and spend the day with me at Windflowers, and with the amount Jess has ordered in from Poppy, we’re all set for a day of chat while we eat our weight in cake.
I head for the shop door and smile at Poppy. ‘Good joke about the radio.’
She pops a piece of brownie into my hand. ‘It’s real, I promise. I messaged you when the radio reporter called in earlier.’
I dig into my bag and pull out my phone. ‘Damn, it’s still on silent. I’ve missed six messages from Tia too.’
Poppy nods. ‘They’re to say Thom’s fallen off his bike. He’s okay but Tia’s taken him to A I can’t cope with extras like that.
I give a cough. ‘I take it you’re planning to swap out the ripped denims?’
He shrugs. ‘Well-worn jeans are all I’ve got with me at the cottage. It’s pot luck where the holes are.’
I’m not giving up. ‘Maybe some that show less of your thigh? I appreciate you’ve come at short notice, but I’d rather not scare the customers with unscheduled views of your bum.’
‘Leave it with me.’ He flexes his biceps. ‘Where do you stand on the top half?’
‘A casual linen jacket might work?’
Lando’s laugh explodes. ‘You’re thinking of Oliver’s rails, not mine. How about an open-neck shirt?’
I blow out a breath. ‘I appreciate your help, but I can probably take it from here.’
It’s barely been half an hour since he arrived at the shop, and he’s already driving me round the bend with his deadly combination of sexual smoulder and self-confidence.
It’s such a shame he had to come with the attitude and family estate fully included in the package.
That body with a normal person’s head on would be worth a second look. As it is, it’s impossible.
It’s starting to hit me. The main reason we’re here at all has just been postponed.
I’m heading for a whole day without Tia’s jokes and encouragement, but most annoying of all, I’m staring at the man who, when we go back to first principles, is responsible for the whole damned mess up and everyone’s problems that grew from it.
Lando’s voice shoots up. ‘As if I’d run out on you.’ He frowns. ‘I’m sensing tension. If I’ve done something wrong in addition to everything else, you will tell me?’
I stare up at the sky. ‘Tension? I can’t imagine why that would be!’
He sniffs. ‘It’s always best to say if there’s a problem. Bring things into the open.’
Where to begin? The start of launch day isn’t the ideal time for this, but there’s so much to say and if I don’t say it now, it’s likely to burst out at some other time. The more I look at Lando and think about this, the more my resentment rises.
I give a sniff. ‘I can’t help thinking back to everything that’s happened over the last couple of months.
If Salvador hadn’t run into trouble then neither of us would be here today because Tia would still have her house deposit and she’d be all set to marry Thom at Poppy’s farm.
I certainly wouldn’t be running around St Aidan with you pretending to be a couple, desperate for every penny.
Instead of having to hire out the beach hut by the hour to random strangers who probably don’t even want it anyway, my family would be here enjoying the sunshine and sipping Pina Coladas. ’
His eyes narrow. ‘Your family didn’t ever like coconut.’
I shake my head. ‘It’s a metaphor, Lando. A representation of people having a good time without any worries, especially not about money! It’s how we’d be if Salvador hadn’t crashed and burned!’
He goes again. ‘You always left the Bounty bars at the bottom of your Celebrations tubs. I used to finish them for you.’
I’m despairing that he isn’t getting it. ‘This isn’t about chocolates. Or cocktails. It’s about why all those bad things came about. Once you look closely, those problems all lead back to you, Lando.’
He tilts his head on one side and speaks slowly. ‘I admit I came back to help Sav out.’
The words are bursting out of me. ‘And so you should have! You’re completely responsible for the mess Sav is in to start with.’
His voice drops. ‘How can you possibly think that, Maevey?’
I roll my eyes. ‘Sav’s always been in awe of you and your wealth. You’re the one who gave him the taste for spending with no thought for where that would end.’
Lando purses his lips. ‘I’m not sure now is the time for this level of recrimination. Can we deal with this down the line, along with the rest of the issues?’
For once I won’t let him wriggle. ‘When Sav was starting out, you let him into the secret of interest-only loans and encouraged him to take the plunge with rental properties. You knew how impressionable and impulsive he was. You should have steered him away but instead you made it easy for him.’
Lando blows out his cheeks. ‘I admit I used my contacts and introduced him to the better banks, but only to save him paying astronomical rates.’
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. ‘So you’re the good guy here?’
Lando pauses to kick the sand. ‘Sav is driven and ambitious. He lives and breathes deals and he works like a demon, but that’s not down to me. He’d have been the same whether he knew me or not.’
I’m shaking my head. ‘You make it sound like you had no part in this.’
He looks at me with a steady gaze. ‘My involvement is less than you imagine. I certainly don’t share Sav’s drive to amass money. My work involves sourcing finance, but beyond that, so long as I have enough to cover my basic lifestyle, I’ve no wish for more. I already told you about my jeans.’
I’m incredulous. ‘That’s total horse, Lando. How is a castle and half of Falmouth basic?’ Now I’m going, I might as well carry on. ‘And what about the way you dragged Salvador to Australia then left him on his own?’
Lando hesitates. ‘That’s what he told you?’
‘Why else would I say it?’