Page 67 of My Kind of Happy

‘How do you creep in so silently?’ I said, pressing a hand to my chest. ‘Not even Scamp woke up.’

Scamp rolled over and presented his undercarriage to our visitor but didn’t deign to get up. Lucas, from his experience, rarely carried treats.

‘I’m light on my feet,’ said Lucas, primly inspecting his nails. ‘I could have been a ballet dancer. I swear, Billy Elliot’s arrières had nothing on mine at one time. Anyway don’t change the subject, what secrets?’

‘Oh, nothing exciting,’ I said hurriedly, doing a terrible job of hiding my discomfort. I fetched some raffia to tie around the mysterious Pandora’s roses.

Lucas cocked an eyebrow.

‘Fearne’s being modest; it’s very exciting,’ Nina piped up, expertly changing the subject. ‘We’ve won a massive contract with a hotel.’

‘Oh. Well done.’ Lucas looked disappointed for a second before producing a parcel from inside his jacket. ‘I came round to give you this. A going away gift from me.’

Nina tore the paper off to reveal a teal blue silk scarf printed with tiny white flowers. She gasped with delight, put it on and gave him a twirl. ‘It’s gorgeous, I love it! Thank you. I’m really going to miss you.’

She kissed him and he dabbed tears from his eyes.

‘Now,’ he said with a sniff. ‘I want you to get on that plane and don’t give the shop, or us a second thought.’

‘I think Fearne might have something to say about that,’ she replied, her own voice sounding a bit wobbly. ‘But thanks.’

Lucas winked at me. ‘Don’t worry about Fearne, Barnaby is a friendly place, we’ll all take her under our wing. Any problems, and we’ll be here in two shakes of a lamb’s booty.’

‘Thanks, Lucas, I might hold you to that,’ I said, thinking of the Edelweiss job. ‘Are you any good at flower arranging?’

‘Look at these dextrous fingers!’ He waggled his hands. ‘I’d be ace at it, I’m sure. And as for you, Nina, be careful with those farmers, they might want a wife, but there’s no need to go that far if you don’t want to. Next thing you know the wife will want a child and if I remember the words to the song correctly it ends with a bone that won’t stand. Disaster.’ He pulled a comical face and Nina and I laughed.

‘I promise I won’t come back pregnant, or married,’ she said. ‘I’m ready for an adventure and thanks to Fearne, I can have one and still have a business to return to when it’s over.’

‘You’re welcome,’ I said. ‘But I expect plenty of updates.’

‘Yes, I’m up for that!’ he agreed. ‘We need photos of the farmers. Only of the sexy ones. Not the munters.’

‘Oi,’ she said with a snort of laughter, ‘those are my potential husbands you’re talking about, have some respect.’

‘Ooh, talking of sexy ones, isn’t that your landlord?’ Lucas nodded his head to the window and we all looked out. My heart gave a leap when I saw who it was. Lucas kissed Nina and said his last farewell, passing Sam on his way out.

‘Hello, ladies,’ he cried, bounding in.

‘Sam!’ I exclaimed, taken aback by his exuberance.

He had a laptop case in one hand and a small gift bag in the other. He looked good. I took a deep breath. Really good. Full of smiles and with a healthy glow which suggested time well spent in the sunshine. He wasn’t wearing a jacket today and his shirt fitted snugly over his chest and arms. I bet he was strong. I bet he was the sort who could pick you up and carry you off …

‘Whoops, better hide that,’ muttered Nina. She picked up sexy tiger’s card and slid it under the counter.

I was still holding the red roses. But they clearly weren’t destined for his wife, I thought with relief. Sam was far too happy for a man whose marriage was over.

‘Nice flowers,’ he said, with a grin.

‘Very nice. Bit predictable though,’ I said, wrinkling my nose. ‘The flowers you gave your Pandora were much nicer.’

He laughed. ‘My Pandora, how many others do you know?’

‘Er …’ I blinked at him. ‘A couple.’

‘She’s still swooning over how romantic you were, making that big bouquet for your wife,’ said Nina, coming to my rescue. She whipped the roses away and put them in water next to the other deliveries. ‘But whoever gets these will be over the moon, I’m sure.’

‘Two dozen red roses.’ He set the champagne down on the counter and leaned on it with his arms. ‘What’s not to love.’