This Could Change Everything(53)

Sadly it was a rhetorical question and saying no simply wouldn’t have done the trick.

Maeve said, ‘I’m just taking a nice photo of Essie standing next to your picture!’

Lucas raised an eyebrow. ‘And you’re doing that because . . .?’

‘Because it’s what she wanted me to do,’ said Maeve.

‘I didn’t,’ Essie blurted out. ‘Really I didn’t.’ She looked at Maeve. ‘It was your idea.’

‘Ah well, same difference,’ Maeve said comfortably. ‘I saw her taking loads of photos of your photo so I just thought I’d offer. Everyone likes to be in their own pictures, don’t they? I was doing her a favour.’

Oh God . . .

‘You’re a good woman.’ Lucas managed to keep a straight face. ‘Go ahead.’

Maeve was visibly struck by inspiration. ‘Oh, but why make do with a photo when you’ve got the real deal here? The very man himself! You wouldn’t mind, Lucas, would you? Just go over there and stand next to Essie, it won’t take a moment—’

‘No need,’ Essie squeaked. ‘It’s fine. I really have to start work now.’

‘But—’

‘And you should be off too, Maeve.’ Lucas pointed to the clock on the wall. ‘Look at the time.’

Once Maeve had left, they worked together in silence to ready the bar for opening. Finally, as she’d known he would, Lucas said, ‘I’m still intrigued.’

‘Right.’ Essie was preparing to fill the ice bucket.

‘You didn’t think I was just going to leave it, did you? I have to ask.’

Her cheeks burned as the torrent of cubes came clattering out of the ice maker. ‘I was chatting to Scarlett on the phone this morning. She wanted to know what the portrait was like.’

‘Oh.’

‘That’s all. No big deal.’

‘OK.’

‘Why are you looking at me like that?’

‘No reason,’ said Lucas. ‘Except Scarlett dropped by last night. She’s already seen it.’

The next day, the doorbell went just as Essie was putting the finishing touches to her make-up, in preparation for her afternoon shift at the Red House.

To save Zillah the trouble of going to the front door, she ran downstairs to open it herself. The first thing she saw was a huge bunch of multicoloured tulips, and her breath caught in her throat because multicoloured tulips were her favourite flowers and the only person who knew that was Paul. She’d loved the way he’d always taken such pleasure in surprising her with flowers . . .

Then her eyes adjusted to the bringer of the tulips and she saw that it was Tamsyn, Barry’s wife.

OK, it really was time to stop thinking about Paul.

‘I brought them for Zillah, to thank her for arranging Barry’s wish,’ Tamsyn explained. ‘Is she in?’

It wasn’t until the three of them were gathered in Zillah’s kitchen that Tamsyn said, ‘Barry died yesterday morning.’

‘Oh no. Oh, my darling girl.’ Zillah shook her head in dismay. ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘He wasn’t in any pain at the end, which was a relief.’ Tamsyn was dry-eyed, pale but composed. ‘That was always something he was worried about. And we’ve known it was going to happen for such a long time. I just wanted to say thank you for making our last week together so special. You gave us the most perfect day and we’ll never forget it.’

Zillah was clearly moved. ‘We’re just so glad we were able to do something to help.’

‘You definitely did. The girls couldn’t stop talking about it. Here, they made you this.’

Tamsyn opened her bag and took out an envelope. Inside was a hand-drawn card, carefully coloured in with bright felt tips, depicting the family’s visit to the dogs’ home. Everyone was smiling and waving, surrounded by rainbows and waggy-tailed dogs.

‘That’s so gorgeous,’ said Essie.

‘They have wonderful memories now of their last outing with their dad, and we can’t thank you enough. Anyway, I left them with my parents for an hour so I could come over. But now I need to get back.’ Tamsyn gave Essie then Zillah a warm hug. ‘There’s lots to do, so much to organise. I need to make sure I get it all right. Mustn’t let Barry down.’

‘You won’t. Barry told us how proud he was of you,’ said Zillah. ‘He said you were the best wife he could ever have wished for. Didn’t he?’ She turned to Essie for confirmation.

Essie wanted to speak but there was a lump the size of a golf ball in her throat, because how could Tamsyn be so brave when the love of her life had just died?

She nodded instead, and Tamsyn said simply, ‘Oh, I was the lucky one, believe me. I got to be Barry’s wife.’





Chapter 25


‘Hey,’ said Lucas when they found themselves alone together for the second time in two days. ‘How are you doing? Everything OK?’

It was almost midnight, and they were finishing clearing up after a busy Sunday evening. Jude had left ten minutes ago. Essie had worked non-stop and put on a cheerful front for the customers, but inside she was a tightening mass of contradictory emotions.

Which hardly anyone else would notice, but Lucas had.