Kirsty’s expression baffled Saffron, as if Kirsty didn’t quite believe that statement.
“Back to Ginger and the balls. What do you think?” Saffron crossed her arms, appraising them.
“In what way?”
“I want to get Ginger a gift for the party, and…” Saffron looked back at the puffy balls on strings. “To be honest, my assistant usually does my gift shopping. From the shocked expression on your face, that’s a good thing.”
“Buying gifts can be hard.” Kirsty studied the dangling balls like they were a masterpiece she didn’t understand.
“I bet it’s not for you.” There was a twinge of tightness in her left shoulder.
“Not true. Every year, I struggle buying my dad something for Christmas. How many silly socks can one man own?” Kirsty panned the contents of the stall. “You know what, just on the other side, I spied something I think would be the perfect gift for Ginger.”
“Lead the way.” Saffron motioned she was at Kirsty’s mercy. If only Kirsty understood the true effect she was having on Saffron, whose heart hadn’t settled yet and never seemed to whenever the bedevilling woman was near.
A man in a yellow T-shirt and shorts walked his black lab.
“Hello, Rufus. How are you?” Saffron rubbed behind the dog’s ears.
“I swear he looks out for you every day.” The man grinned.
“That’s quite a compliment coming from such a handsome fellow.” Saffron gave the dog one final pet before the two of them took off, Rufus pulling his owner as only a large puppy could.
“My, my, my. You are making friends in town.” Kirsty chuckled. “I don’t believe I know Rufus and…?”
“I don’t actually know the man’s name.” Saffron hitched a shoulder. “Now, the gift.”
“It’s over here.” Kirsty led them to a jewellery stall. “Here it is.” She slid a silver necklace off a hook. “The pendant is a lotus flower.”
“It has a pearl dangling from the flower.” Saffron tapped it, the gem bobbing back and forth. “It’s beautiful.”
Kirsty held it aloft, the sun glinting off the silver. “Lotus flowers symbolise rebirth, and that’s what Ginger’s party is about.”
“And the pearl is for Sandy Cove, where she’s starting over. It’s perfect. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Happy to help my client.”
Saffron’s stomach plummeted, but she didn’t want the interaction to end so soon. “Can I buy you a coffee? It’s the least I can do since you’re saving my arse helping me shop. Or do you have to rush off?”
“That’d be lovely. Helena is opening the shop this morning, so I have some time.”
“Perfect. What about a pastry? I really owe you. I would have been here all day and still ended up with the balls.”
There was a long, uncomfortable pause before Kirsty conceded, “I do have a sweet tooth.”
“Fab. I’ll pay up here and then get pastries and coffees. Why don’t you grab one of the tables, and I can try this new thing I’m learning. I think you’d call it slowing down and spending quality time with a girlfriend.” Saffron couldn’t believe the word fell from her mouth. “Er, I mean girlfriends like inSex in the City. Not—right. Why don’t I stop”—she mimed digging a hole—“and get on coffees and pastries? Even I can’t fuck that up.”
“Don’t sell yourself short.” Kirsty’s laughter reassuringly wrapped around Saffron. Everything about the woman made Saffron feel better and normal, and when they were apart, she couldn’t handle the silence.
Saffron playfully snarled, liking that Kirsty understood her, which only dug the dagger in all the more given Kirsty had been clear that nothing could happen between them. Damn Echo and her mind games.
With the necklace now safely in a box, Saffron marched to the coffee hut. “Joe, I need a refill.” Saffron handed him her to-go cup. “Another coffee and…” She checked out the offerings. “I need some pastries, but I don’t know which ones. Can you select a dozen to knock my socks off?”
“Leave it to me.” He fixed the coffees first before tackling the pastries, selecting ones from the case with tongs, delicately placing them into a pink box. “I wish all my customers were as easy as you.”
“Experience has taught me it’s best to leave the important matters in life to the experts.” Saffron tapped her card and dropped a tenner into the tip jar.
Kirsty had her eyes glued to her phone when Saffron set the box on the table. “What’s that?”
