Chapter 16

16

‘Aw, you two really are beauties, aren't you?' Megan grinned at the two now-retired race greyhounds and fed them both another treat through the bars of their kennel.

‘They sure are, aren't they?' Ginny closed Ralph's kennel door and joined her. ‘I took them on a wander down to the cove when they were first brought in earlier and they're so good on the lead, too.'

‘Are they? That's good. I would have expected them to be tugging and trying to run after anything they spotted.'

‘No, I think they're so well trained in that respect. I suppose they have to be at the racetracks. All the ones we have in have always been super good on the lead.'

Ginny took two treats from her pocket and gave them to the pair.

‘Hopefully, they'll be rehomed quickly then. Will they be rehomed together?'

‘I don't know. We find greyhounds so tricky to rehome. The cute little dogs and the puppies are always snapped up but not many want a large dog like a greyhound, plus people see their long legs and hear they're ex-racers and think they need a ton of exercise and will be on the go all the time.' Ginny shrugged.

‘And all they want is a comfy sofa or bed to lie on and short walks?'

‘Exactly. They don't even need as long a walk as many other dog breeds. Greyhounds make the perfect companion; it's just not how they're perceived.' Ginny stroked each of them in turn through the bars of their door before turning and leading the way down the corridor. ‘In a perfect world, they'd be rehomed together as they've been together their entire lives, sharing a kennel at the racetracks, but two perfect homes are better than none.'

‘That's true. At least it sounds as though they'll be easier to rehome than Cindy.'

‘Oh yes.' Ginny nodded as she pulled the door into the reception area open, and Cindy tilted her head, looking at them from the makeshift kennel in the cupboard as though she realised they were talking about her. Laughing, Ginny went across to her and slipped her a treat. ‘Don't worry, you're gorgeous too, Cindy.'

Megan smiled as she fussed over the large greyhound. ‘She really is, isn't she?'

‘You just need to learn how to be left on your own for even a millisecond and you'd make someone a wonderful companion too, wouldn't you?' Ginny fussed over her before pulling her car keys from her pocket. ‘Right, I'd better be off. I promised Darryl I'd meet him half an hour ago.'

‘Oops.'

Ginny laughed. ‘It's a good job he knows what I'm like. See you in the morning.'

‘Yes, bye. Have a nice evening.'

‘You too.'

The bell above the door tinkled as Ginny left.

‘Is that you, Megan?' Flora called through from the kitchen.

Aha. That was why Cindy hadn't been crying when she and Ginny had been in the kennels then; she must have heard Flora in the kitchen.

Following Flora's voice, Megan called out and made her way to the kitchen, where she paused at the end of the table.

Flora placed two mugs on the table before sitting down in her chair. ‘Here, come and have a cuppa if you've got time?'

‘Thanks.' Megan sat down and pulled the mug towards her.

‘I thought we could have a catch up. How are things going with you?'

‘Oh, okay, thanks. I'm still working my way through the receipts and invoices and documenting the expenditure.'

‘Good, good. I didn't mean about the books, though. I meant how are things going with you , lovely? You've been through a fair bit recently and it can't be easy having left your home and everyone you know to come down here and live in a B and B.'

Megan squirmed in her chair. ‘It's okay, thanks.'

‘Are you sure? You're holding up, okay? It's a huge transition.'

Megan looked down at her drink. Tiny bubbles of milky coffee floated on the top. She gently swirled the mug around, watching them disappear as they dispersed.

‘It's not been easy, but then staying in the house with Lyle, after knowing what he's capable of, wasn't either. I don't regret making the decision to move out.' Even if she would be spending her first night sleeping in her car, it would be easier than living with him.

‘No, I can imagine that wasn't easy. I can imagine it wasn't a very nice atmosphere in that house.' Flora took a sip of her drink.

Megan shuddered. ‘It's strange. I know I was with him for so long, but now, being on my own, life is so much easier. I haven't got to second guess what he means when he says something, always wondering if he's telling me the truth or not. Even before I discovered what he was up to with this place, I mean. It seems he's been lying to me for such a long time, and I hadn't even realised he was doing it.'

Flora nodded quietly.

‘It's a relief our marriage is over now.' Megan smiled sadly. She'd never get back the years she'd dedicated to him, but she was glad she'd now seen him for who he really was.

‘Well, as long as you're holding up okay.' Flora patted Megan's hand.

‘Yes, I am, thanks.'

Or she had been. It had almost felt like an extended holiday of sorts living at the bed and breakfast. Now, though, she knew things were going to be different, but she'd cope. If she could walk away from Lyle after the years they'd spent together and brave coming down here not knowing what welcome she'd receive then she knew she'd be okay sleeping in her car for a few nights, or weeks, or however long it took her to find a job.

‘I know I've said it before, but I'm always here if you need an ear. We all are. We've all been through our share of difficult times, and we understand.'

‘Thank you, that means a lot.' Megan smiled. ‘And I know I've said it before too, but thank you again for accepting me and letting me volunteer here.'

‘Oh, lovely, it was never you who wasn't welcome here.'

‘I know, but thanks.' Megan took another sip of her drink before standing up. ‘I'll see you in the morning.'

‘Yep, see you. Have a good night.'

‘Okay, thank you anyway.' Megan clutched her mobile closer to her ear and stared out of the windscreen as a van pulled into the lay-by in front of her. ‘But you'll let me know if anything else comes up? Anything which doesn't require experience?'

‘You're on the list.' The voice at the other end of the phone sounded irritated. Probably eager to get her off the line so they could go home.

‘Thank you.' Ending the call, she placed her mobile down on the dashboard. Thanks for nothing. And what had they meant by ‘the list'? Did that mean they had a lot of people looking for a job or was ‘the list' code word for ‘the bin'?

Picking up the scrap of paper she'd jotted the numbers down on, she crossed off the last number. That was it. No more. She sighed. She'd contacted all the potential employers who had advertised for jobs in the Trestow Telegraph , but that didn't mean there weren't other businesses out there looking for new employees. There were probably loads. It was the height of the tourist season, after all. There must be companies looking to recruit temporary staff at least.

Yes, she just needed to take a look. If she'd had the energy, she'd have looked online now but after all of the rejections she just couldn't bring herself to. Besides, it was getting late, most places would be closed or closing. She'd find something. She would.

Despite what she was trying to tell herself, she couldn't ignore that little niggle inside her mind, telling her that all summer vacancies would have already been filled, telling her that with university students back home and the colleges having broken up for summer any temporary spikes in the need for employees will have already been accounted for. If she acknowledged that niggle, that nagging doubt, what then? How was she supposed to survive on no money?

And who could she turn to? Not her parents, that was for sure. They'd hated Lyle when she'd introduced them and when she'd announced their engagement they'd all but disowned her, told her they wouldn't be picking up the pieces when the marriage fell apart. She pinched the bridge of her nose. What had they seen in him then that she hadn't? What had everyone else seen in him that she hadn't?

Andy, Sally's partner, had trusted him, though. He'd trusted him enough to go into business with him. She shook her head. Andy hadn't known him for as long as she had. And their shared friends – or should she say Lyle's friends – had been the same as him, ambitious without a conscience. Maybe she had been the only one gullible enough to see him for who she wanted him to be.

No, that wasn't true. He had been nice, he had been kind, but maybe only to her. Maybe he had acted differently towards others, towards her parents, whilst putting on a show for her? That would explain why they'd been so against her marrying him. And that would explain how easily he'd turned against her when she'd scuppered his plans to demolish Wagging Tails.

There was nothing she could do now. She couldn't change the past.

Shaking her head, she tore open a bag of crisps before pushing the rest of the multipack across the passenger seat. She looked down into the packet. When had portions become so meagre? This wasn't going to fill her up, but now she'd used the last of her change on the crisps and a bottle of water it would have to do. She'd need the other five in the pack for her upcoming meals.

She crunched down on the first one. If Lyle had even given her a little notice before he'd cut any ties to the money, then she'd have got some cash out, but there'd been nothing to suggest his plans. No signs, no mumblings from him. Although he had been fixated on having seen her and Jay together when he'd turned up the other day. Maybe she should have guessed.

She should have remembered about the prenup, she should have figured out what his next move was going to be. But that had been years ago. They'd been married fourteen years now, together even longer. Would it even stand up in court now?

When she finished the crisps, she crumpled up the packet and shoved it in the pocket of the car door. She picked up her mobile. Still nothing from the solicitor. She'd rung and left a message earlier, but he hadn't got back to her yet. Hopefully, that meant he was looking into it. She tapped the steering wheel. She wasn't going to hold her breath. The articles she'd read online about prenups didn't give her much hope.

It was 6.05p.m. She had the whole evening ahead of her, the whole night stretching out. Leaning down, she pulled up the small lever beneath her seat, sliding it backwards, away from the steering wheel. What was she supposed to do with all this time? Just sit here? Research, she guessed. Yes, she'd take this opportunity to research some accountancy refresher courses. There might even be a free one she could begin right now.

Megan blinked, the tiny screen of her mobile bright in the dim evening light. The lay-by was empty again now; the van having moved on. She could hear the odd car zooming past on the road beyond the thin line of trees screening the lay-by from the road. Apart from that, she was alone. The world around her silent.

Turning the ignition on for a moment, she held the button down and watched the window close. It was still warm, and she knew the temperature in the car would only rise without the tiny breeze coming in from the open window, but she felt uneasy going to sleep with it open.

Huh, she felt uneasy full stop. She tried to calm her breathing. It would be okay. There was no one about and it wasn't as though she was parked up in the middle of a town centre or somewhere. There likely wouldn't be another car joining her in the lay-by until the morning. She'd be fine. It would be all be fine.

Moving across to the passenger seat, she leaned her chair back as far as it would go, and drew her coat up to her chin once more. Staring into the darkness outside, she curled her fingers against the collar of her coat, willing sleep to come.