Page 50 of Coming Home to Sturcombe Bay
“Isn’t it?” Vicky’s eyes danced with delight. “I love it.”
“Oh, this is all so romantic.” Lisa sighed. “I want a job here.”
“Don’t be daft,” Cassie retorted. “That’s like it being Christmas every day.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” Lisa insisted. “I’ll work in a bridal shop all summer, and a Christmas shop all winter!”
“You’re nuts!”
“Anyway, it’s our turn now,” Lisa declared. “Party dresses!”
A couple of hours later they were sitting in the sunshine outside a smart little restaurant beside the Cathedral Green,surrounded by shopping bags, sipping wine and eating Mexican penne with avocado.
“Oh, wow — this is delicious.” Vicky’s eyes were bright. “I’m having such a wonderful time. I never believed . . . !”
Lisa laughed, reaching over to gently rock Kyra’s buggy. “Shopping with your besties, and the best excuse in the world. What’s not to like?”
Cassie sipped her wine, gazing around at the wide grassy space, the shady trees, the golden medieval facade of the Cathedral itself. She was having a good time too.
Trying on one fabulous dress after another, picking out shoes and a pretty beaded evening bag, deciding at the last minute that she would buy that gorgeous floaty pink chiffon top with the handkerchief hem after all . . .
A girlie shopping trip — maybe the reason she had thought it wasn’t her thing was because she had never really had a group of girlfriends before, at least not since she had left school. Working in water-sport centres and the safari resort and the dude ranch, she had mostly been working with men.
Which had been fine. But now, with these women, she realised what she had been missing. Something else to add to the scales when she was deciding on her future.
* * *
“Well hello, old boy. How are you doing?”
Cassie stopped dead in the doorway, startled to find Liam in the small animal surgery. He scooped Barney up and settled him on the examination table. “Oh . . . I thought . . . your mum would be here,” she protested, flustered.
He smiled easily. “It’s her day off.” He nuzzled Barney as the little dog stretched up to sniff at his cheek. “How has he been?”
“Not too bad.” She forced herself to focus, ignoring the sudden acceleration of her heartbeat. “A little stiff in the mornings, but he still enjoys his run on the beach.”
“That’s good. Eating well?”
“Oh, yes!” Cassie laughed. “Anything he can get hold of.”
“Good.” All businesslike, Liam had hooked his stethoscope into his ears and was listening to the little dog’s chest. “That seems fine.”
Cassie managed a smile. He was being perfectly professional — that was the problem. He was behaving as if she was just another dog owner bringing their pet in for treatment.
Which was entirely appropriate, of course. She really had no reason to object.
Barney had never appreciated the thermometer thing and tried to sit down to protect his rear end, but Liam lifted him deftly with an arm under his tummy and inserted it, laughing as the dog wriggled and tried to twist around to see what was going on back there.
“It’s okay, buddy. Nearly done.” He checked the thermometer and nodded. “That’s fine. I just need to take a blood test to check his liver function.”
“Right . . . Yes . . .”
Barney didn’t object at all as Liam shaved a tiny patch of his front paw and drew a small phial of blood. He was an experienced vet — of course he had a way with animals. But Cassie couldn’t help but be impressed by the gentle way he handled the little dog. Barney was a true terrier and could be quite assertive about having his own way.
“There. I’ll get that tested. It won’t take more than a few minutes.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
He disappeared into the back room, leaving Cassie to have a few moments to regain her composure. She hadn’t seen himsince the funeral. That conversation about Natalie had lingered in her mind. It had been clear how much he had loved her — it would have completely eclipsed that brief summer of calf-love all those years ago.
