CHAPTER ONE
Kelly
“HAMISH,
no!” But I was too late. Hamish jumped higher than Steve Smith and unlike the
Olympic athlete who kept to a nice clean track, the German Shepherd pup had
been running wild in the reeds by the park pond. “Oh, you dreadful boy!”
I
was gazing ruefully at myself. My favourite rose patterned top was colourful
enough to disguise the coating of fur but nothing in the world could cover the
streaks of filth that now ran all the way down my front. Also, Hamish’s sharp
claws had torn a triangular tear in my leggings. At crotch level, of course, so
the world could see my ancient Paddington Bear knickers.
“Hi,
Kelly!” Julia Sackville-Smythe was gazing at me, eyes wide with horror. “Oh,
what happened to you? Are you all right?”
I
had to laugh because the contrast between the two of us was just too funny for
words. You see, Julia is perfect. I’m not kidding. She’s everything I’ve always
longed to be: sophisticated, successful and skinny. The three Ss that spell the
difference between glamour and - well, mundane me.
Even
when out for a stroll in the village park, Julia was dressed to kill. While I
looked like a mud dipped horror dressed from the reject bin, she was sporting a
beautifully cut tweed blazer and an exquisitely simple mustard yellow wool
dress that clung in all the right places. Even her polished leather boots were
just lived in enough to be the epitome of country chic.
It
didn’t stop at the clothes, either. Julia’s shining blonde locks drifted
elegantly around her shoulders, whereas the fresh breeze had whipped my dirty
straw hair into a rat’s nest. Add to this that Julia is so trim you might miss
her if she stood sideways, whereas me, well, let’s say that if we were in
‘Beauty and the Beast’, she’d be Belle and I’d be Mrs Potts.
“You’re
all muddy,” Julia said concerned. “Did you trip and fall? Are you hurt, Kelly?”
On
top of the glamour, she really was sweet. Annoying right? You’d think a beauty
like her should at least be catty if not an outright bitch, but Julia was
well-known for being a total darling.
“I’m
fine, thanks.” I brushed at the mud, spreading it rather than eliminating it.
“I’m taking Hamish for a run before his training lesson and as you can see,
we’ve not reached the bit where I teach him not to jump up.”
“He’s
filling out,” Julia was examining the bouncing Hamish critically. “You’ve made
such a difference to that dog.”
Hamish
looks like a superb pedigree German Shepherd, but the poor pup was rescued from
a mill, one of those awful farms where they breed purely for profit and they
don’t give a damn about the dogs.
When
the police closed the place down, our village vet Dr Gill was called in to
help. Hamish was so sick with ticks, fleas and cage fever that he was almost
put down. Thankfully, she persuaded the police to let me have him.
It
had been touch and go but Hamish had pulled through, so I was misting a little
as I watched him run around being happy. “He is looking good, isn’t he? How are
you, Julia?”
“I
finally sold that Hepplewhite chair so I thought I deserved a break,” she
explained. “And how are you doing? Not that I have to ask. Everyone is saying
you’re doing great!”
I’m
totally invested in my work so that made me smile. “Thanks!”
“You
must be so happy, being a business owner. Much better than being a tiny cog in
a giant corporation, right?”
She
meant well, but it caught me on the raw. You see, I turned entrepreneur after I
was let go by Hearts Unlimited, a publishing company specialising in romance
novels. It wasn’t anything I did, I was actually very good at my job, but
Hearts was sold to an American conglomerate. Being super efficient, they
slimmed the organisation down, and I was one of the trimmings.
Although
it was just economics, it hurt to be fired. My pride ached even months later.
Also, starting a business is roller coaster scary. I mean, so many good ideas
just don’t make it, right?
Julia’s
well-meaning comment hit some panic buttons but I didn’t let it show. “Pawsome
is awesome! I’m having a blast.”
“So
I see,” Julia said excitedly. “Everyone’s talking about how you’re training in
the park. It’s fun to watch.”
Which
is why I was there, of course. Hamish was as cute as a button, and being very
visible helped me to spread the word about my business. Even people who weren’t
keen on dogs smiled when they saw him.
“Idling
away the afternoon, girls?” Mrs Mowbray was marching up the path. I wasn’t
happy to see her. As the owner of the sweet shop, she’d always featured largely
in our lives when we were little. Unfortunately, she’d always been judgemental
and some of her comments bordered on poisonous. Still, in a small village you
have to get along, so I nodded politely and braced myself.
“Kelly’s
training Hamish,” Julia said peaceably. “Isn’t he adorable?”
“Dogs
belong on farms,” Mrs Mowbray snapped. “That animal should be working.”
“Pets
give people a lot of pleasure,” I pointed out. “Many of us think of dogs are
our family.”
“You
never did have any sense,” she responded rudely. “So you’re still wasting your
time, pretending to run a business?”
At
that, Julia gasped. She might have spoken up for me, but I frowned her down. I
like the quiet life, and if that means ignoring the odd nasty barb, that’s fine
with me. Mind you, I can be lethal if I want to. But I prefer not to rise if I
can help it.
“I’ll
arrange some restaurant hours at the Three Swans for you,” Mrs Mowbray took my
self-controlled silence for being soft and thought she was on a roll. “You’re
not qualified, of course, but they’ll take you as a favour to me.”
Great.
I was stupid and incompetent. I took a breath and held on to my temper, “No,
thanks.”
“It’s
good money, waitressing. And you get tips.”
“I
have a business of my own to run.”
Mrs
Mowbray scowled. “Right, well suit yourself.” Then she added spitefully.
“You’ll pipe down when you go bust.”
At
that, I was seeing red but she was marching off before I could blast her.
“Don’t
mind her,” Julia comforted me.
“Thanks,
I won’t.”
Julia
was shifting from foot to foot. “You’re doing okay, though, aren’t you?”
“Of
course!” A new business survives as much by its reputation as its products, so
I was firm about talking myself up. “I love what I do and my customers are
giving me rave reviews.”
At
which point Hamish bounced back, feathered paws filthy, and cheerfully leaped
on me again, brushing my face with a courtesy mudpack. I was still wiping the
muck from my eyes, when I heard Julia exclaim, “Oh lord, I hope that comes
off!”
I
was holding on to a wriggling Hamish as I fumbled for the leash in my pocket.
“Sweetheart, you’re a terror.” But I was petting him as I spoke. The dog was so
full of the joys of life that he was irresistible. As I stroked the soft ears,
he licked my face, tore himself out of my grip and dashed off again.
“Eeeew,”
Julia moaned. “You’re covered in mud!”
“Talk
about an impromptu makeover,” I laughed. “Think Hamish would make it as a
personal stylist?” From the noises of horror behind me, though, I wasn’t the
dog’s only victim. “Sorry, Julia. Were you splashed too? Is it very bad?”
But
as I finally wiped the dirt out of my eyes and turned around, I just stood
staring in surprise. It wasn’t Julia who’d been spattered; it was Cory
Winthrop.
“I’m
okay but this suit isn’t.” Julia was fussing, brushing his jacket with long
sweeps of her elegantly manicured hand. “I have a magic little velvet roller
thing in my shop if you want a quick spruce up.”
I
should have said something, but I was tongue-tied. Tall, golden-haired and
handsome, he was a vision straight from Hearts Unlimited. He even had a title,
being in fact, Corwyn Holbrook Norman, tenth Viscount Winthrop. I know, yummy,
right?
Better
still, unlike the conventional romances, he wasn’t one of those nasty Byronic
heroes filled with dangerous power and sneering alpha male arrogance. Being
around Cory meant being enveloped in a bubble of warmth and laughter.
Even
now, with his purple silk tie splodged with mud and his steel grey suit jacket,
definitely Armani, sprinkled with little spots of dirt, he was smiling. “It
doesn’t matter. I never liked the tie, and the rest will brush off when it’s
dry.”
Yes,
Cory hadn’t changed one bit. I’d had a crush on him when I was sixteen and he
was still utterly gorgeous.
Julia
was pink with excitement, “It’s been ages, Cory. I almost didn’t recognise
you!”
She
got a hug right away. “I spotted you straight off. You look even more amazing
than usual. Wow!”
Standing
together, they looked as if they’d stepped off a novel cover. Hearts would have
snapped them up in a heartbeat.
“My
jeans and tee days are gone,” Julia said brightly. “I dress pretty to snare
customers into paying exorbitant prices for my antiques.”
“I’d
pay anything you asked,” Cory replied promptly, adding another, “Wow!”
Julia
might have morphed from scruffy student to glam fashion model but Cory had
always been pin-up material. You could have dressed him in a dustbin bag, and
it wouldn’t have disguised the long cheekbones, sculpted lips, and startlingly
blue eyes, the colour of cornflowers and summer skies.
Now
those heavenly eyes were smiling down at me. “Kelly Taylor! It’s so good to see
you again.” The charm was flowing over me like caramel. “It’s been ages. Five
years? Six?”
“More
than that, I think.” I looked again and realised he looked better than ever.
The lean hips were the same, as were the long legs, but he’d been working out.
Drinking in the deep chest and the powerful shoulders, I felt myself blush. To
my horror, my crush came rocketing back.
Desperate
to hide the tide of red that I knew was sweeping over me, I whipped a pack of
wetties out of my pocket and rubbed away at my muddy face. Suddenly I was
wishing for a little more of those three Ss. Or at least a muck free face.
“You’ve
always been handsome. You know I’ve lusted after you forever, don’t you?” Julia
was holding his hand, looking soulfully up at him as she flirted shamelessly.
“You
were my first crush,” he responded instantly. “When our eyes met, it was
perfect love.” He paused a second and added wickedly, “Or it might have been
because you had a choc ice. I’ve always been partial to those.”
“Oh
lord, St Edmund’s Church charity picnic,” Julia giggled. “We must have been,
what, six years old?”
As
they laughed away like the old friends they were, it came home to me that this
was really too much like a scene from a Hearts novel. Except I wasn’t the
heroine, damn it. I now knew exactly what it was like to be a wallflower at a
debutante’s ball.
“You
were there too, weren’t you, Kelly?” Cory was chatting happily. “I think you
two must be my oldest friends.”
In
a way, that was true. Julia, Cory and me were all village born and bred, and as
Silverdale is small, we all went to kindy and primary school together. The
three of us had been best friends in those early years. But after that, I went
to the local comprehensive while Julia went to Cheltenham Ladies College, a
hugely expensive private school, and Cory went to Eton, which is even more
exclusive.
From
that point, we lived separate lives. During the holidays I spent my time
earning Girl Guides badges and then as working as the vet’s kennel cleaner and
assistant while Julia and Cory hung out at various stately homes between trips
to Corfu and Tuscany.
“It’s
like old times, isn’t it?” Julia squeaked. “I feel as if we’re back at school
again! Oh Kelly, do you remember how Mrs Twickerton made us perform scenes from
the Odyssey? We were Sirens, remember, and Cory was Neptune.”
“Mrs
Twickerton got it right on the button,” Cory grinned. “You two are
irresistible.”
I
wanted to sparkle, or at least say something interesting, but as the crush
rolled back, it brought along my teen shyness. I was horribly aware of my
over-abundant curves and muddy clothes.
Of
course, Julia was chatting away. “Where did you spring from, sweetie? I thought
you were in London.”
“Mum’s
charity ball,” Cory said easily. “I came up to help.”
I’d
been to the Hearts galas and Cory was acting as if we were still as close as
the days were shared buckets and spades in the sandpit but I was thinking that
the only way I’d be invited to Winthrop Hall was as a waitress. It shouldn’t
have bothered me, I wouldn’t know a soul who was going, but somehow it just
underlined how difficult the year had been.
I’m
usually confident but for a split-second, I wondered if I was kidding myself.
Was I building my own business and being my own boss, or was I wasting my time
and squandering my savings? Every penny I had was invested in my venture. Would
I come out of this completely broke?
Julia’s
ecstasy pulled me out of my temporary funk. “A charity ball? But I’ve not heard
a word!”
“It’s
a bit sudden,” Cory said vaguely. “As soon as it’s sorted, I’ll send you
tickets. And you too, of course, Kelly.”
Sweet,
right? Told you he was lovely.
“I
haven’t been to a fun do in ages,” Julia sighed. “Any celebs coming?”
Cory
grinned. “There may be a few. If I know Mum, she’ll have London and Paris
turning out.”
“Yes!”
Julia squeaked. “Oh, I love your mum!”
“Save
a dance for me, Julia,” Cory said warmly. “And you too, Kelly.”
I
finally got my voice back. “It sounds lovely. But Cory, about that mud -”
“It’s
no problem,” he said quickly. “How have you been, Kelly?”
“Great.”
As scintillating was out of the question, I went for the obvious. “You walked
up from the station?”
“That’s
right,” he smiled. His eyes went to Hamish who was now frisking about the reeds
again. “That’s a good-looking dog. Yours?”
“Yes.
I’m training him.”
Cory
gazed at the German Shepherd who was now running around like a lunatic. With a
tree branch in his mouth and leaves sticking to his muddy sides, Hamish looked
like he was training at the Attila the Hun School of Discipline. “He looks very
happy,” Cory ventured.
I
couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh lord, you are kind. But really, he’s only four
months old. He needs to run off his energy before his lesson.”
“He
does have a lot of that,” Cory agreed. But the heavenly eyes were thoughtful.
“You’re with Hearts Unlimited, right? Are you back for a holiday?”
Ouch
again.
But
before I could answer, Julia was chatting. “Didn’t you hear? Kelly moved back
in with her mum and dad. She’s the village dog whisperer now!”
That
term was one I loathed, so I stepped in quickly. “Mum and Dad were in an
accident, and as my job disappeared when Hearts was sold, it made sense to come
home.”
“I
heard the company changed hands,” Cory frowned. “But not about your job or your
parents. I’m so sorry, Kelly.”
“They’re
both much better and it’s given me the opportunity to start my own business.”
“Dog
breeding?”
“Luxury
pet treats.” I wasn’t even thinking as I dug into my pocket and handed him a
flyer. I’d been boring on to anyone who’d listen for months, so my elevator
pitch was perfect. “If you’re worried about salt, sugar, and additives in
commercial pet treats, try Pawsome. It’s fresh, home-made and packed with
goodness. Pawsome treats for pawsome pets.”
“Very
slick,” Cory smiled. “I love it!”
Success
breeds confidence, so I didn’t hesitate to talk myself up. “I’m also a positive
reinforcement dog trainer. If you have a pup who needs to learn company
manners, I’m your girl.”
“You
must be doing great, seeing the village is obsessed with their pets.” He was
being nice but I could see him trying not to look at my ripped leggings.
Cory
Winthrop wasn’t just titled and rich; he was also a very successful banker.
He’d skipped university, going straight into the family bank from school, and
swiftly transformed the small private corporation into a hugely successful
investment bank that rivalled Lloyds and Goldman Sachs. The serious newspapers
were filled regularly with details of the multimillion pound deals he did
before breakfast.
Faced
with all that success, I was suddenly certain my fledgling business enterprise
was a childish dream. Maybe Mrs Mowbray had been right. Maybe I should be
looking for hours at the Three Swans.
For
a second my confidence wavered but then Julia went into support mode, “We all
thought Kelly was crazy when she first started handing out her flyers, but
she’s a red-hot hit. Everyone is raving about her.”
While
she gushed, I stepped away from them both and called Hamish. Much to my relief,
he came bounding over. He was absolutely filthy now and tired enough not to
jump up.
“Sit,
Hamish.” Yes, he was eager to please. I rewarded him immediately with a treat
and praise. “Good boy.”
I
clipped the leash to his collar, and tried to look cool, calm, and collected as
I said my goodbyes. “I have to go back to work. Sorry about the mud, Cory. It’s
nice to see you again. Please give my best to your mum.”
“Of
course.” Those wonderful eyes were looking straight into mine. “Do you have to
go?” He had tiny laugh lines and they were crinkling at me. “Sorry, but it’s so
good to be back home. After grey claustrophobic London, I feel like I can
breathe again.”
“Has
it been foul?” Julia asked sympathetically.
“Oh,
you know how it is,” Cory replied. “It’s always interesting but it’s not home.”
Julia
shook her head but I knew what he meant. “It becomes stifling after a while,” I
agreed.
Cory
nodded. “Exactly! Hey, how about we all meet tonight? I left my bag at the
Three Swans so I’m driving down there later to collect it.”
“I
have a dinner with the Ellingtons,” Julia said regretfully.
“How
about you, Kelly?”
That
came totally out of the blue. I just gawped at him. “Erm, me?”
“You’re
at Old Yew Lodge, right? I can swing by and collect you.”
I
thought I’d misheard him. There was no way that Cory Winthrop, the country’s
nicest, most handsome and probably most eligible bachelor to boot, was asking
me out. Unless it was a Candid Camera prank.
He
was standing so close to me, that I could smell his aftershave. It was fresh
and clean, like a newly mown lawn after rain. In the blink of an eye, I was
thinking how it would feel to be hugged by him. I knew that snuggling into
those arms meant being enveloped in a cloud of loving warmth. I was a split
second away from doing a Hamish and just going for it.
“They
have a Pinot Grigio there that’s very good,” Cory said.
Julia
was looking a bit down, but she nodded, “Yes, but Kelly likes cider.”
I
preferred wine but I wasn’t going to admit I drank local scrumpy by the glass
because I couldn’t afford to spend a fortune on an imported award-winning wine
that was sold by the bottle. “I like both.”
The
laughter lines were nothing compared to the brilliant smile. “Great. They do
excellent roast beef and the duck’s fantastic too.”
Not
just a drink but dinner. Was I dreaming? I almost pinched myself.
“Shall
I pick you up at eight?” Cory asked.
Putting
myself in his way would lead to nothing but trouble. He wasn’t just out of my
league; he was from a different universe. I should walk away and spend the
night planning a promotion schedule or working out a new recipe for dog
biscuits.
“Yes,
please,” I heard myself say.
Love, Laughter, and Lots of Dogs
A standalone novel
Pre-Order Special $1.99 (33%
Discount!)
Regular Price: $2.99
No comments:
Post a Comment