Page 92 of Return to the Lake House
Jake was in the hall, watching Marcus through the open doorway. He was standing by the hire car, looking cheesed off, waiting for Jake to join him.
Jake turned at the sound of Gayle’s voice. She marched down the hall towards him, wearing green wellies and leaving a trail of muddy footprints in her wake.
Olive was right behind her, muddy paw prints and all.
She stopped in front of Jake and pointed at his bag. ‘You’re leaving?’
‘I’m afraid so.’
Olive sniffed his bag and whined.
Jake took out his wallet and handed Gayle the cash for a two-night stay.
Gayle took the money. ‘Oh, you’ve given me too much.’ She attempted to hand half of it back.
Jake shook his head and refused to take it. ‘I booked two nights, so I’m honouring that booking.’
‘But you’ve only stayed one night.’
‘I know, but you might have had another booking.’
‘I still might,’ said Gayle holding out some of the money.
Jake wouldn’t budge on the issue.
‘Are you leaving because you had a rough night on the couch? You should have taken two rooms.’
Jake reassured her. ‘The sofa was fine.’ He decided not to mention that it was Marcus who had ended up sleeping on the sofa, nor the reason he’d felt compelled to share a room in the first place.
Gayle rolled the notes and tucked them in the pocket of her jeans.
Jake looked down at Gayle’s wellies.
She followed his gaze. ‘Oh Lord!’ She looked down the hallway and saw the muddy trail. ‘Gardening’s not my thing.’ She turned back to Jake. ‘Marty usually does the garden, but it’s such a lovely day that I got a sudden urge to get outside. I only nipped in for a glass of water. I was about to take off my wellies at the back door when I spotted you with your bag.’
Gayle tutted at the mud on the floor. ‘Now I’m wishing I hadn’t bothered doing any gardening.’
‘Marty?’
‘Yes, the gardener. The house I can manage, but the garden …’ Gayle held onto Jake’s arm as she struggled out of her left Wellington boot. ‘He comes once a week.’
‘The red-headed lad?’ Jake remembered the young man. ‘I saw him at The Lake House.’
Gayle put the boot on the mat by the front door. ‘Is that where you went this morning?’
Jake nodded.
She leaned on Jake’s arm once more as she struggled out of her other boot. She set the boot down on the mat with the other one.
‘Look, the reason I didn’t mention where I’d been—’
‘It’s okay, you don’t have to explain.’ Gayle rested her hand on his forearm and gave it an affectionate squeeze. ‘Youhaven’t been back since …’ She trailed off, knowing Jake would understand.
‘No.’
‘Eleanor’s brother?’ She glanced outside.
‘Same. Not until last night.’
