Hug

Chapter 5

It was a beautiful day. The sky was a bright, cloudless blue. A California sky.

The walk on the cliff top was windy. It was busy, with families and dog walkers using the path. Ed took her hand casually as they strolled along.

"Lunch at the pub again?" he suggested. There it was, that sideways tilt of the head and raise of the eyebrows. A momentary glimpse of darling Carl. Grace smiled and nodded.

"Mmm, great idea."

The path became narrow at this point and they had to walk in single file for a while, Grace in front. She turned her face upwards towards the sun for a moment, enjoying the warmth. The Warmth of the Sun - that was a beautiful song.

"Look where you're going Gracie, you'll end up at the bottom of the cliff!" Ed jolted her out of her reverie. "Come on, dolly daydream!"

They reached the pub, and managed to bag a table outside, sheltered from the wind by the hedge that lined the cliff path.

Ed went inside to buy drinks. She watched him disappear through the pub doorway, glad to be on her own for a moment.

"Hello!" a voice beside her exclaimed. She turned to find Jenny from the office looking at her over the top of the hedge. Snorting and panting sounds from the path indicated that she had Jasper, her little pug, in tow.

"Hi Jen," she said enthusiastically.

"Phew, it's warm isn't it?" Jen pushed her hair back off her forehead. "You here with Ed?"

"Yes, it's beautiful today. And yes, I'm here with Ed. We're just about to order lunch. Join us? "

"Ooh, that sounds like a nice idea...if you don't mind me and Jasper interrupting your date?"

"Don't be daft - of course not," Grace was momentarily perturbed at how little she minded.

"Well, I'll just have a soft drink and then we'd better be on our way." Jen opened the garden gate.

Not the friendliest of dogs, especially with strangers, Jasper went into paroxysms of joy when he saw Grace; he knew her well, as pre-Ed she'd often accompanied Jen on their walks. Despite being a cat person herself, Grace had grown very fond of the snuffly little dog.

Ed arrived at the table with their drinks.

"You remember Jen from the office don't you Ed?"

"Sure do, hello again. And hello you!" Ed sat down and made a fuss of Jasper, who was excitedly leaping up at him. "Here boy, have a drink." He reached down in the close clipped grass and pushed a nearby dog bowl of water nearer.

"So, Ed, is your father's will all sorted now?" Jen asked him. "I hope you'll have a party when you eventually get into that harbour flat of yours!"

She knows as much as I do about his business, thought Grace.

"Pretty much...I think we're on the home straight now. Good job too, the prices your boss charges! At this rate my inheritance will be gone before I get a chance to spend it!"

Jen laughed, a tinkly girly laugh which most definitely was not her usual. She's flirting with him, thought Grace, again, a little troubled that this idea didn't disturb her one bit.

Ed went back into the pub to buy Jen a soft drink and order some lunch. Jen turned to Grace.

"Oh, Grace..you're so lucky to have found him...he's lovely isn't he? Such a gentleman."

"Yes, yes he is." Grace tried to sound enthusiastic.

"So...do you think he may be the one?" Jen probed.