A Roll in the Hay, стр. 42

Chapter 15

Tess was tempted to ignore the email from Finn, but anything at her work address was visible to any of the other partners.

Besides, a day of looking at horses in need of retirement homes sounded like it could be good for the soul. Even if she was having to do it in the company of the woman who kissed her a couple of weeks ago, and then rejected her in the space of five minutes.

It would have been very cool, not to mention incredibly mature, if Tess could say she hadn’t given that debacle a moment’s thought since. Unfortunately, it had been the one thing she couldn’t stop thinking about. Susannah might present that stuck-up image to the world, but she kissed more beautifully than she had any right to.

Tess stabbed at the phone screen with her thumbs as she replied.

Ok. Just let me know what time to pick up S and we’ll go from there.

Lady Kiss-and-Change-Her-Mind would assume they were going in her car, but Tess was still feeling defensive about hers. It was perfectly capable of doing the job, and if she had to be out for hours with someone who kissed her and then thought better of it, then she was at least going to have home-court advantage. And control over the music.

Turning back to her coffee, Tess shoved her phone back in her pocket and contemplated the carrot cake Joan was putting in the glass display case with the same care and attention as a woman who’d been charged with cleaning the Crown Jewels.

“If you’re going to ask for a slice, do it before I close this case again,” Joan said when she caught Tess staring. “But what you really want is one of these strawberry tarts.” She nodded to the small tray containing six little mountains of juicy strawberries, shining under their sticky-sweet red syrup.

Tess reddened. They looked glorious, and her tummy gurgled in agreement.

“You’re blushing at a cake?” Joan asked as Tess came over to the counter.

“No, it’s just…it’s silly.” Tess shook her head. “‘Strawberry tart’ was just a stupid thing people used to call me in school. No one as witty as teenagers, eh?”

“And were you?” Joan asked, a hint of challenge to the question. “A tart?”

“I think it was supposed to be ironic. Wasn’t exactly dating up a storm back then. Don’t think I knew what a lesbian was, never mind that I was one.”

Joan made a little scoffing noise, but she slid a tart onto a plate for Tess. “This one’s on me.”

“What for? I mean, thank you. But why?” Tess never had learned not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“I heard what you did for Mrs Thompson last week with her cat. Plenty of people would have made her come to the surgery, but she wasn’t fit for that. It was kinder, letting the poor puss go at home.”

Tess nodded. Being able to reach most patients within a few minutes made simple acts of compassion much easier to offer, and the appointments at this practice weren’t crammed back-to-back like they had been in her old surgery. It didn’t hurt that home visits made the worst part of her job a little easier.

“It’s the least I could do. Do you look in on her? I’m worried she’ll be lonely.”

“I do. We look after each other here; you’re getting to see that.” She paused. “I’ll be honest, Dr Robinson. I wasn’t sure about you when you first rocked up to Hayleith. But apart from your poor taste in drinking establishments, you’re settling in nicely.”

Tess wanted to protest that she wasn’t going to another town entirely when the pub was right next to her house, but she knew enough to bite her tongue. “It’s nice to be so welcomed. I can really see myself settling here, especially now that my house has furniture and I actually have all my clothes again.”

“You’d be even more settled if you met a nice young lady. No luck at the Kilted Coo?”

There was a knowing glint in Jean’s eye. For someone who hadn’t even been there, she seemed quite aware that something had gone on.

“No, it was a bit much for me in the end. All that showing off and parading around looking for dates? I ended up going for a walk. I’ll just take this over—”

“Go anywhere nice on your walk? There are some lovely trails around there.” Joan prepared another coffee without Tess having to ask. “You shouldn’t wander off on your own, mind.”

“Oh, I was perfectly safe. And I didn’t say I went alone,” Tess replied, throwing in a little wink for good measure. “I wouldn’t be picking out a hat for the wedding, though, if you catch my drift.”

She expected a witty remark in response, but instead Joan looked straight over her shoulder and said, “Hello there, Lady Karlson. Usual is it?”

Let her be kidding. Let it be an elaborate set-up to confirm a lucky guess. Tess risked turning around, hoping she would see nothing but a half-empty café behind her. She knew as she did that her hope was unfounded, because she could smell that rich, distinctive perfume and expensive shampoo that she got to experience up close by that bench.

Susannah’s expression was inscrutable. She had her wallet in one hand and with the other she was patting Waffles’ head, because of course the big fluffy traitor had come to get attention but didn’t think to alert his devoted owner to anyone else’s presence.

“Just a double espresso today, Joan. To go.”

“I’ll get out of the way,” Tess said. “Waffles, stop bothering people. Sorry, he really doesn’t give you much choice once he