Page 6 of Sun, Sea & Strawberry Shortcake
Giggling, I snuggle closer, and dinner is delayed for awhile as Hudson leads me firmly through to the bedroom.
Jaz
CHAPTERTHREE
‘Ruby’s going to Wales on holiday,’ says Ellie as sheempties the till at the end of another busy day in the Little Duck Pond Café.‘Sounds like a gorgeous place.’
‘A holiday? Lucky thing.’ Leaning against the counter, Iwatch my new puppy with a smile. She’s on a mission, sniffing every inch of thefloor – tracking down all the scents of the dozens of people through the cafédoor that day. She’s one of Maisie-Moo’s pups but her owner – a friend ofEllie’s – was going through a messy divorce and found she couldn’t cope withsuch a lively pet, so little Luna was rehomed and is now with us.
Ellie leans over the counter and shows me photos of the Welshvillage on her phone. ‘I wonder if Ruby realises it’s a magnet for peoplecelebrating the summer solstice,’ she murmurs.
‘It looks lovely. But why do people gather there tocelebrate Midsummer?’
‘There’s some kind of pagan monument on a hill. An ancienttower, I think.’
‘A bit like Stonehenge, then?’
‘Apparently. Everyone gets dressed up and gathers there towatch the sun come up.’
‘Might be fun.’ I glance around, just in time to see thelittle dog wriggling through a tiny gap in the door and disappearing.
‘Luna, come back!’ I charge for the door in a panic, imaginingher running off across the village green, out of my reach, into the traffic...
But thankfully, she’s been waylaid by some discarded orangepeel and is giving it a good old inspection.
‘Luna, sit!’
Obediently, she does as she’s told, looking up at meexpectantly with her melting chocolate eyes.
‘Good girl!’ I clip on her lead.
Ellie joins us at the door. ‘I remember Maisie-Moo used to bevery partial to a sock or two. She chewed through a pair of Zak’s best undiesonce.’
I groan. ‘Like mother, like daughter, then. Although to befair, Luna definitely doesn’t stop at socks. She’s managed to chew her waythrough a slipper, a cushion and a cheese string, including the plastic wrapper.And all of her blankets have holes in them. She’s quite fond of the odd bookcover as well. When the mood takes her.’ I grin. ‘In other words, when her“hoomans” aren’t paying herquitethe level of attention she feels shedeserves.’
‘But you love her all the same?’ Ellie’s smile is a littleanxious.
‘Oh, of course we do. We’re not about to send her back toyou! No, Harry was just saying the other day that he couldn’t actually rememberwhat life was like before we had her. And she’s the light of my daughter’slife.’ I smile fondly. ‘Emma thinks Luna is hilarious.’
‘Aw, that’s so cute.’
Bending, I tickle the puppy’s ears. ‘And you’reso goodwith Emma, aren’t you, Luna?’ I grin at Ellie. ‘Emma thinks it’s funny to tryand pull her tail but Luna’s so gentle with her, and they both think it’s thebest game ever.’
‘Is Emma with Harry just now?’
I nod. ‘He’s between jobs so he’s given me some time tomyself this afternoon.’
‘Lovely.’
I nod. ‘He even brought flowers home last night and twofillet steaks.’
‘Even better.’
‘I know.’ I smile, remembering. ‘I mean, obviously I had tocookthem. You know what Harry’s like in the kitchen. They’d have ended up tough asold shoe leather. But it was thethought...’
‘Absolutely. You’ve got a good one there.’
I swallow. ‘I think so.’
