Page 47 of Ask Another Day

Remaining polite was proving to be a struggle, when all she really wanted to do was cause him as much offence as possible.

‘Oh. Oh. OK. No need to be so grumpy about it, Holly. A smile wouldn’t hurt, you know.’

Holly’s nails dug into her palms as she curled her lips up in, what no doubt, resembled a hideous smirk.

‘There now, that feels better, doesn’t it?’ Shaun said before turning back to his easel.

Rose saved Shaun from physical harm as she stepped between them and helped Holly to the tiny toilets off from the main hall.

‘I am so sorry,’ she hissed out, as soon as the door shut behind them.

‘You bloody well should be. What were you thinking?’

‘He is pretty good looking and single - that’s what I was thinking. He honestly wasn’t such a knob when I met him at the class. And I swear I knew nothing about Derek. We usually work from photographs of things we’d like to paint.’

‘I’m going home, and your penance is to explain my sudden absence to Shaun.’

Rose’s nod of agreement was immediate and forceful. ‘Totally. I really am sorry, Holly. Next month will be so much better. I promise.’

*

By the time Holly had made it back to the pub, she was exhausted. Her walk to the painting class had been the furthest she’d walked since the accident. Lucy’s face behind the bar with a glass of wine ready for her, was a welcome sight.

‘Rose messaged you might need this,’ Lucy said as she pushed the wine glass towards her.

‘This goes a little way in making up for that date.’

As the cool crisp wine passed Holly’s lips, she sighed and sagged down to rest her arms on the bar.

‘That bad?’

‘You can see my face, right?’

‘I didn’t want to draw attention to it.’ Lucy’s eyes pinched as she looked sympathetically at Holly from across the bar.

‘Blue paint splattered across my face is pretty hard to ignore,’ and because if she didn’t laugh, she’d likely cry, she gave in to the giggles that wanted to escape.

‘I’m dreading it,’ Lucy suddenly admitted.

‘What?’

‘Getting back out there.’

Now Holly was on the same page, she sat up straighter. Living together at the pub had brought them closer, but Lucy hadn’t spoken about what was happening with her divorce - not since that morning when she’d offered to move in, and Holly was trying not to pry.

‘So has Tony agreed to the divorce?’

‘He’s dragging his feet.’ Lucy sighed.

‘But it’s definitely over - for you at least?’

‘When I arrived back in the Bay, I really hoped we’d be able to make it work. But we’re different people now and although it kills me I’m hurting him - he deserves to be with someone who truly loves him.’

‘It’s brave, Lucy. To make a hard decision like that.’

‘It feels mean.’

‘Sure, it will now. But in a few months, I’m sure things will be better.’