Summer Of Love. Sophie Pembroke

other’s birthday, or when Gareth was sent to London on work. Not the sort of planned outing that would make it onto the calendar that Gareth’s wife, Della, kept hanging by the kitchen sink.

      ‘Sure,’ Alex said. ‘When were you thinking?’

      ‘Why? You got a frantically busy social life up there in Felinfach already?’

      ‘You live four towns over,’ Alex pointed out. ‘You’re hardly in the metropolis yourself.’

      ‘And I think we should take advantage of us both being stuck out in the sticks by going to the pub. You free tonight?’

      That was more like Gareth. Bored at work and remembering that Alex was now close enough to grab a pint. Alex relaxed a little and let himself enjoy the sun, and the fact he was home again.

      On the other hand… ‘Can’t do tonight. Sorry, mate. I’ve got some… work on tomorrow. Important job. Need to prep this evening.’ He’d have to get used to describing his photography as work. It still felt like too much of an indulgence, at the moment.

      The other end of the line went quiet for a moment. Then Gareth was back, all bluster. ‘Sure, sure. You can take the boy out of the City, but you can’t take the City, and all that. I get it. Maybe another time, yeah?’

      ‘You sure you’re all right?’ Alex asked again, that uncertain concern pricking once more. ‘I mean, I can try and reschedule, if you need –’

      ‘No, no. Just a passing thought. We’ll do it another day. Gotta go now, mate. Still at work myself.’

      ‘Sure. Maybe we can –’ But Gareth had already hung up.

      Unlocking the car door, Alex felt his earlier happy ease fading away. Whatever he said, there was something going on with Gareth. And even if he didn’t want to talk about it today, Alex got the feeling it wouldn’t be going away any time soon.

      He started the engine and let his head press against the headrest for a moment. No point worrying right now. Whatever was going on would surely blow up on him soon enough.

      In the meantime, he had photos to take.

       Chapter Four

      Lily grabbed the glass of wine from the counter the moment Cora had finished pouring it, and took a long gulp, cold and sweet on her tongue.

      ‘Long day at work?’ Cora asked, eyebrows raised. Lily really should be thinking about the calories. She had a wedding dress to fit into, after all. If Cora could ever persuade her to go dress hunting with her.

      Lily shook her head. ‘Good day, actually.’ Another sip of wine. ‘But I stopped by my mother’s on my way here.’

      ‘Oh. In that case…’ Never mind the calories. Any interaction with Evelyn Thomas required wine. Cora topped up Lily’s already full glass. ‘Come on through to the lounge. Rhys will be home in a minute, and dinner’s already simmering away in the oven.’

      Edward should be there, too. But once again, it was just the three of them for dinner. She didn’t like to ask Lily how she felt about her fiancé working too much, any more. Last time, Lily had just shrugged and said, “Gives me time to catch up on other stuff.”

      Things would change once they were married, Cora told herself. And especially once they had kids. Edward and Lily were perfect together. Just like her and Rhys.

      ‘So, what gems did Evelyn have for us today?’ Cora settled into the sofa across from Lily and placed her glass on a coaster on the coffee table. ‘Another comment on why wearing jeans is unladylike, perhaps? Or a complaint about tinted lip gloss?’

      ‘Apparently trashy,’ Lily confirmed. ‘In Evelyn’s little world, anyway. But actually, she was in too much of a rush to criticise fully this evening. Barely got in an eye roll at my shoes.’ Lily waved a hand in the direction of her sparkly purple trainers, abandoned by the corner of the coffee table. Cora tried not to wince at them. Lily had mostly outgrown her eclectic style in the last ten years, but every now and then a hint of it came back to haunt them.

      Edward, she knew, hated those trainers. He’d asked Cora for help accidentally losing them in a charity shop bag once. But friendship trumped style, so Cora had declined.

      ‘Where was she rushing off to?’ Cora asked, folding her legs up under her on the sofa.

      Lily shrugged. ‘No idea. I only stopped by to pick up some of my old stuff. Mum barely managed a hello before she shoved me back out of the door. Said she didn’t have time tonight.’

      ‘Weird.’

      ‘Very,’ Lily agreed.

      What on earth could Evelyn be up to that she didn’t want her daughter to find out about? Cora loved a good mystery, and the idea of Evelyn Thomas having a secret was a particularly juicy one.

      ‘Maybe she had a hot date,’ Cora said, making Lily laugh.

      ‘Can you imagine?’ She shook her head. ‘I’m more worried that she’s suddenly developed an addiction to an online psychic or something.’

      Cora giggled. ‘Maybe she is an online psychic. Something to bring in a little extra cash…’

      The mental image of the immaculately dressed Evelyn Thomas wrapping a tie-dye scarf over her perfectly styled hair, and wrapping a skirt with bells over her suit had Lily spluttering wine over Cora’s sofa.

      ‘Why do you still have stuff at your mum’s anyway?’ Cora asked when Lily had regained some measure of composure.

      Lily shrugged. ‘Just do. Edward doesn’t like a lot of clutter around the cottage. And I have –’

      ‘A lot of clutter,’ Cora finished. ‘I remember. Your room there was an absolute tip.’ Cora had taken to tidying it up a bit when Lily wasn’t looking. She still had no idea how Lily had ever found anything in there.

      ‘My studio still is, when I’m deep into a new project,’

      Cora grinned. ‘Doesn’t surprise me.’

      The front door crashed open, as Rhys forgot about the umbrella stand behind the door again. Cora jumped to her feet to welcome him home and instruct him to lay the table.

      ‘Let me just get changed first,’ he said, and Cora bit down a feeling of irritation. Why couldn’t he stay in his suit for dinner? So much more appropriate when they had guests than jeans and a T-shirt. Even if the guest was only Lily.

      ‘So, how were your days?’ Rhys asked later, spearing a mouthful of salmon and asparagus.

      ‘Busy,’ Cora said. ‘I finalised the timings with the car company, proofread the orders of service – eight errors, by the way – and spoke with the seamstress about adding some little satin flowers to the younger bridesmaid’s shoes. Oh, and I’ve spoken with the florist about the table centrepieces, but I’m still not a hundred percent sure about the foliage. I might get her to make up some more samples before I commit.’

      ‘Is it that important?’ Rhys barely looked up as he spoke. ‘I mean, they’re just flowers.’

      ‘They’re what our guests will be looking at for the entire meal,’ Cora said. ‘They’re important.’

      Rhys gave her a grin. ‘Well, I know I’ll only have eyes for you.’

      Cora couldn’t help but smile back. He might not have much interest in the details of their wedding, but at least he could be counted on to say the right thing, now and then.

      ‘What about you, Lily?’ Rhys turned to their guest, topping up her wine glass again.

      Lily shrugged. ‘Same old. Oh, but I did have lunch with Alex.’

      ‘My Alex?’ Cora frowned. ‘What was he doing up at the Mill?’

      Lily’s