I gave a loud cough. I had almost blurted out that I’d been injured doing exactly that. Arresting someone twice the size of me. Not to mention the fact he had a knife.
But I still hadn’t told Lucy about it, and Adele had mentioned more than once that she had trouble keeping secrets.
Adele was looking at me with keen interest.
‘Since I was promoted recently,’ I continued. ‘I have been wondering if policing is really what I want to do for the rest of my life. I do love my job, but it’s stressful and the politics and bureaucracy drive me nuts. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to spend two weeks here. I want to take some time out to rethink my future. Don’t tell Lucy yet, if you see her. I’ve hinted that I’m having a rethink, but I haven’t gone into detail. I was going to tell her this evening.’
Adele made a zipping motion across her lips with her thumb and forefinger.
‘My lips are sealed. Even I can keep a secret for one day.’ She leant forward as she poured our tea. ‘So … are you considering moving down to Fairlight Bay? I know nothing would make Lucy happier if you did.’
I shrugged as I took a bite out of my doughnut and when I’d finished savouring its delights and made several ooh and ahh noises, I smiled.
‘This is truly yummy, Adele. Erm. Moving here has crossed my mind. I’d love to live near my best friend again. But I’m not sure what I can do to earn a living, so I need to give it some serious thought. And, would I miss policing if I gave it up? I’m not one to make rash decisions. Well, not usually. I’m hoping being here will give me some clarity.’
‘When I lost my job as head pastry chef and baker at the hotel, which I expect you’ve heard about, I thought I’d never be happy again. And yet, I can truthfully say that I’m happier working in this café as a waitress than I ever was in my old job. The money isn’t as great and that was a problem. And it’s true that I went downhill very fast. That was partly due to what had happened between me and Marcus though. Anyway, the point is, I survived it. And life suddenly turned around for me. Noelle, who lives in Middle Cottage had a lot to do with that and I’ll never be able to thank her for what she did for me and Marcus to bring us together. Now I’m living with the only man I’ve ever loved, and he proposed to me on Valentine’s Day. I bake biscuits which I sell at the local market, and online via Noelle’s business. And, I’m renting out my cottage and making enough to enable me to clear my mortgage before too long. Marcus did offer to clear it for me but I couldn’t allow him to do that. He does more than enough for me as it is. What I’m saying is, Life may knock us down, but it usually has a way of helping us get up when we fall. Sometimes it just takes longer than we’d like. And sometimes it takes good friends and people who love us to help us along the way. But, on the rare occasions it doesn’t, we have to find the strength to do whatever it takes to get us to wherever it is we are meant to be.’
Okay. Perhaps Adele wasn’t so ditzy after all.
