‘I hope it goes well, get you finished up there as soon as possible. I know the markets weren’t your favourite thing when you were staying with your mum.’
He was right. She hadn’t liked it at the start; it had simply been what she had to do. But over time, the markets had become a real bonding experience. She’d loved the way Elaina had time to chat to anyone who came over, customers or other stallholders, how she loved nothing more than helping others when they had a dilemma, whether it was about what to cook for dinner that evening or how to deal with a family crisis. Elaina would multitask, carry on selling, talking at the same time. She buzzed on it here and the feeling had been infectious.
Morgan had to excuse herself to Ronan once again, this time for a customer who bought the love-heart silver trinket box that she remembered her mum getting through the post and cleaning up till the discolouration was removed and it shone brilliantly. She’d had the inside lined with plush, deep-pink velvet and when she’d sold the piece, Morgan picked up her phone again. She didn’t have to tell him this really was a bad time because he sounded annoyed when he said the exact same thing. And when he told her he would be out tonight with work colleagues and not back until late, it was like she’d been given a reprieve. She was already feeling tiredness creeping up on her and she wanted nothing more than to go home after this, get into her pyjamas and watch movies for the evening.
Right after she hung up, Jasper appeared again, this time with a tuna focaccia for her and one for Nate. He apologised once again for his ‘monumental cock-up’ – his exact words.
Morgan spoke to him as Nate served his customer. ‘Jasper, you’ve said sorry, we’ve sorted the stall to fit us both in, you’ve given us coffee and now lunch. It’s time to stop.’
‘I’m looking out for you, the way your mum would want.’
‘And she’d want me to tell you exactly what I just told you.’
He gave her a hug. ‘You’re a good lass.’
Morgan sat in the chair to eat her focaccia while she had no customers and as she finished, she moved the cushion from the chair so she could get rid of all the crumbs she’d managed to drop. She set the cushion on the table and turned around to brush the chair clean.
Nate tucked into his own lunch as soon as he got a break. ‘Thank you for being accommodating today,’ he said between mouthfuls, aware that any second now, he might have to stop eating.
‘It all worked out in the end,’ she shrugged.
‘Jasper seems a good guy.’
‘He is. The best. He and Mum were good friends. And he always wants to do the right thing for everyone.’
After another bite, he asked, ‘So you work for a newspaper?’
She realised it had been Jasper’s earlier comment about her writing a story that would make him ask. ‘Used to. I’m a freelance writer these days. I write mostly for magazines.’
‘Nice gig.’
‘It’s not bad.’ And two could play at the inquisition game. ‘What made you come to the markets on this visit to see your dad?’
‘I applied for a trader licence a while back and never used it. Dad wanted me to come here.’
‘That’s because he’s entrenched in goings-on in Little Woodville.’
‘Are you implying he’d never want to leave?’ He put the rest of his focaccia into his mouth.
‘I’m sorry if that sounded rude. I didn’t mean it that way.’
‘Don’t mind me.’ He shook his head after he’d swallowed his mouthful. ‘I’m tired and a bit touchy. It wasn’t rude.’
‘Are you still worried about Trevor?’
‘You can read me like a book.’
The word book had her feel that tingle inside of her as it reminded her of the event last night. They were frequently in much closer proximity today, but with plenty to do for each of them, there hadn’t been the awkwardness of when she’d stood in front of him last night.
‘How long are you staying?’ she wondered. He’d said earlier that the stall was to be his for four weeks.
‘A month. I’ve got a couple of jobs to do for Dad at Oak Cottage and there’s some sorting out to be done before I head back to Wales, back to my own place and my business.’
‘What do you do?’
‘I’m a plumber.’
‘And business is going well?’
