‘In here, mate!’ Robin called.
Jack appeared at the doorway. ‘Hi, looking good,’ he pointed to the shiny varnished floor.
‘Yep, then that’s it, all done,’ Robin said, which prompted him to tell Jack about Bunty’s offer of buying back the cottage.
‘Straight up?’ asked Jack in surprise.
‘Yeah, she’s putting her house on the market,’ said Robin.
‘Blimey, I never thought she’d leave that place.’ Jack was still in shock. ‘Not that I blame her, it’s vast.’
‘And costly. She’s going to need a new boiler, plus the amount that needs spending on it.’
Jack narrowed his eyes. Robin knew instantly what he was thinking.
‘No, mate, it’s too big a project and we’d never raise the capital to buy it,’ he counselled.
Jack nodded his head reluctantly, realising he was being far too ambitious.
‘Still, it’s a great buy for someone,’ he conceded. ‘Anyway, I believe you and the lovely Jasmine have finally got it together.’ He quirked an eyebrow.
Robin laughed. ‘We might have.’
‘Come on then, spill,’ Jack said eagerly.
Robin briefly outlined the barbeque on the beach, editing out the romantic kiss on the rug. The main thing was that the feelings he had were reciprocated by her. His chest filled with utter joy; he’d never know such bliss. It obviously showed on his face, as Jack came over and gave him a hug.
‘I’m pleased for you, Rob. It’s good to see you so happy.’ Jack smiled and decided not to tell him about his conversation with Trish. Any mention of Ellie would only sour the mood.
‘So, what do we do about the cottage? Sell it back to Bunty?’ asked Robin.
Jack shrugged. ‘Why not? Although I’m not sure for how much.’
‘Especially after she knocked ten grand off the asking price,’ Robin said, having had similar thoughts.
‘We’ll do the same, just take ten grand off the current value,’ reasoned Jack.
There was a pause.
‘How did you know?’ Robin suddenly asked.
‘What?’
‘About me and Jasmine, how did you know?’
‘Trish, but she wouldn’t reveal who told her,’ Jack said flatly. ‘Apparently you were seen cosying up on a rug.’ He shot Robin a sly grin.
Robin chuckled, too happy to care. So what?
Jasmine was working on the cover for a sweet romance, the brief asking for a cross between countryside and vintage. She rather liked choosing colourful, floral bunting to swoop over the title and depicting a young couple sitting at a bistro table holding hands. Maybe it was her frame of mind that made her enjoy the project so much today.
She cast her mind back to the barbeque on the beach with Robin and couldn’t help but feel warm and tingly inside. It seemed an age since she had felt anything that resembled passion. Yet passion was what she did feel for Robin, there could be no denying how her body had responded to his.
Jasmine had felt a cocktail of emotions these past few days, longer even. From attraction, jealously, confusion, guilt and now… serenity, happy in her own skin. Love must be in the air, she chuckled to herself, remembering the drive home from Lancaster with Bunty.
Jasmine had dropped Bunty off outside the castle and, after being assured that she’d be fine, had parked nearby and wandered round the shops. She’d picked up a brass table lamp from an antique shop and a pair of brass candlestick holders. Her living room still needed finishing and she thought they’d look good in there once it was decorated and ready for the final touches. She’d also bought, to her delight, a framed picture of Samphire Bay. It was a small watercolour print which captured the beauty of the landscape. She had thought of going on a tour of Lancaster Castle but didn’t want to run the possibility of Bunty seeing her and think she was spying. Instead, she opted to go for a coffee on the high street and watch the world go by from a table by the window.
Sipping her latte, she took stock of her life and all that it had thrown at her. She’d accepted the tragic turn of events in her life and had come out the other side stronger than she ever could have expected. She’d got through it. She was now in a good place.
