Page 60 of The Cornish Cream Tea Holiday
‘How can I forget about it when it was in such a terrible condition?’ Her smile was short-lived. ‘Though I suppose I can’t blame you for taking your anger out on it, if … uhm …’
He sighed. ‘It was my girlfriend, Allie. She’s the reason I’ve got it. Or, not just her, but also my best friend – ex-best friend, Damien. They’re both equally responsible. But the book was my sister, Julie’s, idea. I wouldn’t usually go for something like this.’
‘Has it helped, though?’ Thea asked quietly.
He shrugged. ‘I don’t know.’
She listened to the wind whistle through the crack in the leading, and Scooter’s gentle, squeaky snores now that he was dozing, his head on Ben’s ankle.
‘Your girlfriend cheated on you with your best friend?’ she whispered, once she’d let his words sink in.
‘It sounds very soap opera, doesn’t it?’ She could tell he was trying to make light of it, and completely failing.
‘It sounds terrible. I’m so, so sorry.’ She rubbed his arm, her palm tingling against his warm skin. She could feel his eyes on her, but she didn’t look up. ‘That’s the reason you’re in Cornwall, then?’
‘That’s why I’m here,’ he admitted. ‘This is my fresh start. It’s helping a lot more than any book could.’
