‘I really want to be a dog,’ he said. ‘Humans are either arseholes like Connor or Ben, or I fall in love with them.’ Like Nadia. Like Lottie.
After he’d finished working on the branch, he took the wood back to the forest centre then drove Trevor home to the cottage. He didn’t know whether to warn Lottie or gamble that Connor wouldn’t actually go to Shayla.
Would she be angry that he’d let Connor provoke him and risked her getting into trouble?
He pulled up in front of the cottage, staring at the dark windows of the Bothy.
‘Surely, she can’t possibly still love a prat like Connor?’ he said to Trevor, sitting in the front footwell.
Trevor rested his muzzle on the seat and looked back at Jay.
He ruffled his ears. ‘Things must be bad if I’m asking a dog for advice on my love life.’
That was the problem. Jay had no more clue about how Lottie really felt than Trevor did.
He walked home and as he neared the cottage, Lottie was getting out of her car, laden with bags.
‘Oh. Hello!’ she said. She seemed flustered and dropped two of the bags onto the ground.
Jay picked them up and handed them to her. ‘Looks like quite a spree,’ he said.
She was pink-cheeked from the cold air, and swathed in a soft scarf that brought out the green in her eyes. His row with Connor brought a fresh pang of guilt, but only in case he got Lottie into trouble. He didn’t regret tearing a strip off the man for a moment.
Seeing Lottie now, he felt it was ridiculous that she and Connor might have something going on.
Her smile was wary. ‘Thanks.’
He decided to draw her out, hoping to find out more. ‘Abbott’s. That’s my kind of shopping,’ he said, seeing the carriers.
‘Yes. It’s chocolate for the girls, and some stuff for their costumes in the nativity play.’
‘They still have those?’
‘It’s a very loose interpretation. Jodie is the donkey. Myra is playing the role of the lobster.’
‘Lobster? I didn’t pay much attention in RE but even I don’t recall a lobster in the stable. Was there one?’
‘There was in Love Actually. And in this play there’s also a Minion, a Baby Olaf and a kangaroo apparently.’ Her smile lit up her eyes and he was filled with relief, but in a moment, she seemed awkward again. ‘Um. I know you’re too busy and won’t be able to come, but I swore to the girls that I’d pass on an invite from them. They’d love you to come to see the play.’
‘Me?’
‘Yes. It’s probably not your scene … and it’s this Wednesday. I’m sure you’re working.’
The words slipped out before he could stop them. Maybe he hadn’t wanted to stop them and it was an opportunity to try and find out more about her real feelings for Connor. ‘As a matter of fact, I have the afternoon off.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes.’
‘So, you really want to come?’ Lottie sounded astonished.
‘If you’re sure it’s OK with Steph – and you?’
‘It’s not up to me.’
This wasn’t very encouraging but it was too late to back out now.
‘Erm … shall we go along together then?’ she offered. ‘I’ll pick you up at one forty-five?’
‘OK. Thanks.’
‘Bye, then.’
Taking her bags from him, she walked off and let herself into the Bothy.
Jay was none the wiser if she’d wanted him to go along or not. He didn’t know if he should have agreed and – much as he liked the girls – a school nativity play ought to have been his idea of hell. However, the temptation to spend more time in Lottie’s company, and discover whether Connor’s claims were true, was far too tempting.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Four days to the wedding
With four days to go, wedding fever had seized Firholme. Lottie was like a cat on a hot tin roof, attending to last-minute details, and double- and triple-checking that suppliers and staff knew exactly what they had to do on the day. On Friday morning, the florists would arrive, along with the lighting and electricians to set up ready for the band and DJ. Despite having overseen dozens of weddings, she was aware that there would be snags but it felt vital that this one went without a hitch.
Shayla walked in on Lottie to find her calming down with a few deep breathing exercises.
She dumped her bag on the table. ‘What’s up? You seem flustered.’
‘I am – I was. The wedding car company are having trouble with the vintage Rolls that Keegan wanted. They might have to substitute it with a newer model. I don’t know whether to warn her or not.’
‘What would you normally do?’
‘Call the bride and try to reassure her. We can’t switch suppliers at this late stage so I’m afraid she’ll have no choice. They’ll give her a discount, of course, but I don’t think that’ll compensate for not having this Silver Ghost she’d set her heart on.’
‘That’s for the hire car company to sort out,’ Shayla said curtly.
‘Yes, but I have to break the news as it’s part of our package.’
‘Anything else I can help with?’ Shayla asked.
‘There have been a few issues with the boiler and electrics at the big house. With a cold snap forecast, we need to make sure they won’t cause problems. We can’t have a shivering bride and wedding guests.’
‘Maintenance will make it a priority,’ Shayla said. ‘I’ll go and see the supervisor now and impress on him how important it is.’
‘Thanks, because with everything going at full blast, we don’t want a breakdown.’
‘Lottie, please stop worrying. You’ve put in place contingency plans for every eventuality and I’ve seen you swing into action to deal with any crisis. Darling, that’s why I hired you. You can handle it. I have every confidence in you.’
Lottie nodded gratefully; she knew she was letting the stress get to her more than usual. ‘Thanks.’ Her phone pinged. ‘Sorry, must get back to the florist. Wholesaler’s been let down for the wattle flower Keegan wanted in her bouquet
