‘Who broke your heart?’
She rolls onto her back. She looks absolutely wrecked. I can see her swallowing, as though she can’t get the words out past the lump in her throat. ‘Celyn and Catrin are engaged,’ she replies, and then she bursts into a fresh set of tears. ‘We had something going once and he was so keen. I didn’t know how lucky I was so I didn’t cherish it. And now it’s too late.’
I lie on the bed beside her as she tells me all about how they met ten years ago when she was twenty and first came to work here, how they used to flirt and tease each other incessantly until one drunken night they took it to another level.
She reveals what I already know about Celyn’s younger brother Taran dying of leukaemia, and how their relationship suddenly felt heavy. She wasn’t ready to settle down and get serious in her early twenties so they ended it.
But there have been times over the years when they hooked up, and even then she took him for granted. Then Catrin came on the scene a couple of years ago and he shut it all down.
When Siân’s tears have dried up, I go downstairs to make her a cup of tea.
There’s an old grey Audi Allroad parked by the workshop now. My heart jumps at the sight of Ash getting out of the driver’s side. He goes to give Celyn a big hug, greeting the others with back pats and handshakes.
They must be celebrating Celyn’s engagement. Poor Siân.
Ash goes round to the back of the car and looks towardsmy cottage window before popping the boot and getting out a chunky green cool box. The lads all cheer as he carries it back to the table and opens it up to reveal their usual array of neon-coloured cans of Tiny Rebel craft beer. They dive in.
I feel nervous as I pull out my phone and text him.
Welcome back.
He looks over his shoulder towards my cottage and smiles before facing forward.
Are you watching me?
Like a creepy little stalker.
His shoulders shake and I know that he’s laughing.
I didn’t know you had a car.
My old banger.
I don’t think you can classify an Audi as an old banger.
I can. It’s eighteen years old and plays up sometimes but I love it.
Cute.
I didn’t tell you in case you made me drive you around in that instead.
Now I’m the one who’s laughing.
Celyn got engaged to Catrin today, he says.
I heard.
How’s Siân?
Does he know about them? He answers that question in his next text.
They once had a thing going. I wasn’t sure if Siân was over it.
She could probably do with one of your annoyingly long emotional hugs right now.
He looks over his shoulder, smirking, and I suddenly miss him so much it hurts.
I’ll come say hi to her once I’ve had a drink here, he replies.
