“No, we didn’t…”
“You didn’t have sex? In a week? I’ve never known you wait more than an hour. Christ, we had sex before you even knew my name!”
“We…did stuff,” I said, sounding like a lame teenager. I realised I had left Llywelyn in the lurch, promised him something special and left him in the night. I hoped he would forgive me when I could get back.
I checked my little phone and tried calling Nain’s home number again, only to be notified that her answering machine inbox was full. “Fuck’s sake, I had a week to teach her how to use technology.”
“And you spent it all mooning over some wild Welsh hunk. I don’t blame you for your life choices, though I do judge you.”
“Shut up,” I swatted at Owen’s arm. “God I want to be back there right now.”
“Wow, I feel so wanted,” he said.
“No…it’s not that I don’t want to be here.” I thought for a second. “No, scrap that. I definitely don’t want to be here. Whatever attraction London held for me, and it still does - fast internet, nightclubs and cinemas all hold a special place in my heart. But something switched, and I don’t know if being mugged reminded me of the dangers of living in the city, or if Hiraeth and the people were justthat good, but within days of stepping off that train I knew it was the place to be. It’s not about the man.”
Owen gave me a look of disbelief, but I continued. “Honestly, it isn’t about Llywelyn. Because he’s wonderful, and showed me just what I’ve been missing. But if I went to Hiraeth tomorrow and he said he wasn’t interested in me, or that he didn’t want to pursue anything with me, I would be devastated but I would accept that. And I would stay there. Because I’ve fallen in love with the place just as much as I’ve fallen in love with…”
“With?” Owen prompted.
“No. Shut up. I’m not admitting that out loud. Not now.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
So I told Owen about the shop, and about the plans I had for it - how I wanted to create a community hub for the little village of Hiraeth, and the chance to pursue my own passions.
“So when are you going?” asked Owen.
“As soon as I can. I’m going to hand my notice, work a few weeks and get back to Hiraeth.”
“Why?” Owen asked.
“Because I want to go back there. Because I want to make a life there.”
“No, you idiot. Why are you waiting? You’ll be running your own business, you don’t need to serve your notice period. Why are you waiting for a reference?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do.” I had been confident about my plan up until now, but Owen had put a chink inmy armour. Should I be waiting? An image of Llywelyn flashed through my mind, and I wanted him. I was missing him already.
“Screw the right thing, get out there and get your man.” Owen sounded much more confident than I felt.
12
Chapter Twelve
Llywelyn
I wasn’t proud to admit that I was playing 90s heartbreak songs in the van, but anyone within 3 miles could probably hear it. Celine Dion and I had become friends in the space of one night, and I’d also made very good friends with the bottles of wine I’d bought for James to come around. I had no idea why he hadn’t come to mine, and I didn’t have his number to check. I looked at my phone. Either way, he would be on his way back to London now. Without me. I drove toward the high street and avoided looking for him and Glynis. The night before, it had taken all my willpower not to drive straight there and ask why he hadn’t showed up.
I had some work to do in G&G’s, so I pulled up outside, cut the music off and stomped a bit childishly into the shop. Geraint was as smiley, round and red-faced as ever. “Nice and early I see. How are things, Llywelyn?” he asked.
“Fine.”
“Good, good…so this is the problem.” He led me to the back of the store where a wall was showing cracks. I had the plaster in the back of the van, so it shouldn’t take too long.
“How long do you think this will take?” Geraint asked.
“Only a couple of hours.” It was a simple enough job. “Who did you have in to plaster originally? Looks like you’ve had cowboys in here.”
“Some big company from out of town. We’d have asked you, but…”
