Page 50 of Sun, Sea & Strawberry Shortcake
She nods slowly. ‘I suppose so.’ She brightens. ‘When I wassix, I lived with the loveliest couple ever. For the first time since Dad died,I felt like I actually belonged somewhere, as I think I told you.’ She smiles.‘I remember she called me her little cherub. At night, I used to pray to Godthat this would be my forever home.’
‘But it wasn’t?’
She shakes her head. ‘No, no. It didn’t last long. One day,I was happily living with them and the next, I was whisked off to a differenthouse in another village, and I never saw them again.’
‘Oh, that’s terrible, Bee. What were the next people like?’
‘They adopted me. They’re decent folk at heart, Phil andCarol, but their attitude to discipline is a bit Victorian, you know?’ Shegives a rueful smile. ‘There are strict rules at the dinner table, when Jodieand I visit them.’ She shrugs. ‘I’m so grateful to them for giving me apermanent home but I never really feltlovedas a child. They’re quitecold and reserved, and they keep themselves to themselves. To be honest, Ithink they like their dogs more than people.’ She shrugs. ‘But, you know, theygave me a home, and I can’t have been easy to live with.’
‘But it must have been really hard for you, having to leavethe couple you really wanted to stay with. I can’t imagine how devastated youmust have been.’
She sighs. ‘I was. I still can’t think about it without thishorrible feeling of emptiness. But I just had to adapt – and quickly. Phil andCarol must have wondered what the hell had hit them when I burst into theirperfectly ordered life and mixed things up good and proper! I found a job andleft home when I was seventeen and I think they were quite relieved.’ Shechuckles, remembering.
‘Did you live on your own, at seventeen?’
‘I shared a dilapidated old house with a couple of othergirls.’ She grins. ‘That was a real laugh, actually. I lived there until I wasin my early twenties. And then I met Carl, Jodie’s dad.’ Her face falls. ‘Andthe less said about him the better.’
‘Wasn’t he good to you?’
She purses her lips. ‘Everything was wonderful for a year orso. Then he started having affairs. Every time, he said it would never happenagain, but it always did. He hurt me over and over again until I eventually hadenough and left.’ She gives a bitter laugh. ‘Within a few weeks, I heard thathe’d moved some woman into the house I jointly owned. I had to go to asolicitor to get my share of the house.’
‘And Jon?’
She smiles sadly. ‘Jon’s lovely. We met in the village puband got talking, and although I’d sworn off men completely after Carl, Icouldn’t resist his gentle humour and his kindness. He was lovely with Jodie.’
‘So what happened?’ I ask softly.
She looks down at her lap for a moment. And when she looksup again, tears are glinting in her eyes. ‘I can’t trust people, Ruby. It’s noone’s fault. It’s just that in my experience, you can’t rely on anyone in life.People either leave or they let me down.
‘Even Jon would, eventually...’
Jaz
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
The spa at Port Castleton Hotel is fabulous. WithHarry coming this afternoon, I couldn’t resist booking a bit of pampering thismorning, so I’ll be all fresh, scrubbed and glowing (hopefully) when I see himlater.
I’m quite surprised at myself.
I’m not really the romantic type, but ever since Harryannounced they were visiting today, I’ve been feeling quite girly and giggly,and my mind has been wandering through many delicious scenarios, all of theminvolving the sort of racy encounter with Harry that we haven’t enjoyed sincepre-Emma days. Of course, realistically, it’s going to be tricky with a toddlerand a dog in the same room. But the girls have already offered to babysit Emmaand Luna for a few hours during the day, so that Harry and I can grab a bit ofalone time...
Later, driving over to see them with my overnight bag, mytummy is once more full of butterflies. I’m so excited to see them.
But when Harry phones as I’m on my way, I know instantlythat things aren’t right.
‘Hi. We’ve got a problem,’ he says abruptly, and my heartsinks. Immediately thinking of Vivien, my heart starts beating uncomfortablyfast.
‘What is it, Harry?’
He sighs. ‘This is the last thing I wanted to happen but I’mafraid there’s no other way of putting it.’
My mouth is dry. ‘Go on.’
‘The thing is... Luna’s been throwing upin her crate all the way. She’s in a proper mess and feeling extremely sorryfor herself.’
‘Oh.’ Having been terrified of what he was going to say, therelief is enormous. ‘Poor Luna. Are you at the hotel now?’
‘Yup. And the owners have been amazing. They gave her a bathwhile I cleaned out the crate.’
