“Gran.”
Jake nodded. “And Maud’s the minute taker. Check with them.”
“Maud’s the minute taker.”
“Are you going to repeat everything I’ve said?”
Lainey didn’t speak. She didn’t have the words. Instead, she turned around and headed to the stables where an alpaca was finding a salt lick very interesting.
Chapter Seven
Marley Washington had an eye for subtle contouring and a talent for making cocktails, both of which Lainey found she very much appreciated. Marley was a landscaper by day, and to look at her when she was covered in soil, bugs and wielding a spade was the polar opposite to how she looked in the evenings. She liked the contrasts, Lainey knew. It was one of the things they’d talked about when Marley had come round to the farmhouse this evening with a bottle of prosecco and her evening toolkit.
She’d lived away from her sisters for years; they’d spread themselves out over a couple of continents at times while they all pursued different things, but she still missed them, especially the days when one or more of them would be getting ready to go out to a club or on a date and they all helped get her ready. That silly girly time when they forgot whatever grown up cares they had and were just sisters.
It had been a couple of months since Imogen had gone back to London, and that had been the last but one time she’d seen any of her family, the last when Maven had made a fleeting visit when she had to go to Manchester to check something at some theatre or other. Shay had been swamped with work, which was normal, and Catrin had suggested coming up to see her at least five times, each time Lainey had put her off.
Severton wasn’t ready for the rest of her family yet, even though it had already been exposed to the rest of the Callaghan clan several times before. There was a photo of her cousins Seph, Max and Jackson all holding up gin glasses in the distillery, a business in which they’d invested in its infancy, because that was what they did. But as much as the Callaghan boys were live-wires to say the least, Severton wasn’t used to sisters. Not her sisters.
Marley stood back and surveyed the job she’d done on Lainey’s eyelids. “I hope you like it. It’s subtle enough for a dinner party and doesn’t scream city girl.”
“I’m really not a city girl. I grew up on a farm.” Lainey narrowed her eyes at Marley. “Do people think of me as a city girl?”
Marley laughed, a sound which was musical, just like her voice. “You came here from London, you’re related to the Callaghans and Gran’s Vanessa, who now lives in London. That makes you a city girl in some people’s eyes.”
Lainey shook her head, moving on from the city girl comment. “Where’s your gig tonight?”
Marley was a local folk singer, something she could probably do as her main job, except she also ran a successful landscape gardening business, which she adored. She’d already told Lainey exactly what she was going to do to improve the front of the farmhouse, and they’d chatted through a sensory garden that could be created in the field next to Jake’s alpaca sanctuary, if they managed to do something to keep the alpacas from eating whatever they planted. If. It was a big if.
“Underwood. There’s a new bar that’s opened up there and they’re having gigs every evening – apparently it’s drawing a decent crowd.” She started to attack Lainey’s hair. “I’m just going to straighten this. If you were actually going out, I’d put it up, but that’s a bit much for a dinner party.”
Lainey sat back and closed her eyes. It had been a busier day that usual. She taken on two new clients, both of whom had started sessions today. One child was a selective mute, but even seeing the horses had managed a change in their demeanour. The other was a teenaged girl who’d gone through early trauma and was struggling with identity, which was leading to a whole remit of other possible diagnosis.
“I really could do with an early night and a good book.” It was a confession Lainey hadn’t been going to make.
Marley laughed. “It’s a dinner party. Sorrell is an amazing host, and the food will be lovely. Go, chat, have some wine and no one will mind if you leave straight after dessert. Sorrell will probably be glad of it.”
Lainey relaxed a little. She’d been working so hard with the horses, training the new animals that had arrived, keeping on top of her workload and the ever-increasing number of referrals, and she hadn’t started to really make any friends. Severton was going to be her home for a good number of years, and she needed to put some effort into making it so. A social life was important, and although she and Marley had become good friends – Marley had been desperate to learn how to ride and Lainey had obliged by offering Sunday afternoon lessons, and in the process she’d gained a friend.
“Who else is going tonight?”
Marley was the source of much gossip, and a good way to get know the things about her neighbours that normally would only come after decades of living in the town.
“All the Maynards. Even Alex and Jake are going. Olly and Will are going too, so it’ll be man-heavy. You should see who you fancy going on a date with. You could have your pick, especially with how I’m making you look.” Marley had a tendency to not use any filters at times.
Lainey opened her eyes and looked at her dressing table mirror. She had to agree; whatever magic Marley had managed to conjure up had been a success. The make-up free woman who was usually up to her elbows in horse manure looked glamorous and almost sophisticated.
“Who are Olly and Will?” She’d heard their names but hadn’t met them to know who they were.
“Olly owns the accountancy firm in Severton. He’s part of Scott’s band and looks like a geek with muscles. Will is a firefighter and part of the mountain rescue team. He looks grumpy but in a military hero kind of way. I haven’t slept with either of them so I can’t say what they’re like in bed.” Again, the lack of filters came through.
“Have you slept with Jake?” Lainey asked the question before her own filters could kick in.
Marley laughed. “No. I slept with Scott years ago so that meant I had to leave the rest of them alone. I have rules. Have you slept with Jake?”
Lainey’s head twisted round like something from a horror movie. “No. Does someone think I have?”
Marley shrugged. “Jake has a reputation for sleeping with women. You live next door. You’re both attractive and like the same things. It would be convenient for a hook up, especially as you both keep early hours. No one would blame you if you slept with him.”
