Page 81 of My Kind of Happy

‘And then it was over,’ she said flatly. ‘We had it all planned. We were going to be together but disaster struck.’

‘Oh no!’ Lucas bit his lip. He joined us at the counter and folded his arms.

She leaned forward and I caught the smell of marrowbone and rawhide dog chews on her clothes. ‘Dementia.’

My heart melted for her. ‘I’m sorry, Biddy. Did he … did he forget you?’

‘Never,’ she said stoutly. ‘We could never forget each other, I’m sure of that. It was his wife who got dementia. She was a horrible bully. He came into my pet shop to see if I knew of anyone selling a kitten. He’d wanted someone to love, he’d said. Poor soul; I’ve kept chickens all my life and I’d never met anyone as henpecked as Nigel.’

‘She sounds awful,’ said Lucas crossly.

‘I’ve never told anyone his name. And then whoosh, out it comes.’ Biddy slapped a hand over her mouth, looking horrified.

I tapped the side of my nose. ‘Don’t think any more about it. Florists are the best keepers of secrets. I won’t say a word.’

Lucas mimed zipping his lips. ‘Ditto.’

Biddy blew out a shaky breath. ‘Thank you. I know falling in love with a married man was wrong. It started off innocently enough and it took us both by surprise: I’d been single since a messy divorce and I was lonely and he was in a lonely marriage. We became friends and then one day out of the blue, Nina came round with the most beautiful flowers for me. The card said just ‘from an admirer’ but I knew it was him. And from then on …’ She blushed daintily. ‘Our romance blossomed. Happiest time of my life. Right up until she got ill.’

‘Have you never been tempted to look him up, see how he is?’ I asked.

She shook her head fervently. ‘No. Wouldn’t be fair. We made a clean break. He’d never leave her when she needed him. No matter how hard it was to live with her once she became ill. He’d never have forgiven himself.’

‘He sounds like a dreamboat.’ Lucas looked misty-eyed.

‘He was.’ Biddy reached into her pocket and fished out a tissue. ‘But he was a married dreamboat and we were destined never to be together. Thank you for listening, both of you. But now, I’d better get back to the shop.’

With promises not to breathe a word to anyone, we waved her off and as she reached the door with her two bunches of flowers, Juliet, one of Rosie’s staff appeared with two coffees in takeaway cups.

‘Oh,’ she said, looking at the three of us in disappointment. ‘Is that sexy man-mountain of yours not here any more?’

‘Sadly not,’ I said, donating Sam’s coffee to Lucas. ‘But then he was never mine in the first place.’

And unless Pandora threw him out again, he was never likely to be either. Like Biddy’s admirer, he was a married dreamboat, I thought glumly.

‘My turn to tell a story!’ Lucas piped up, taking a slurp at the coffee.

‘I’d better not stop to listen,’ said Juliet, promptly pausing to give Scamp some fuss. ‘We’re snowed under next door, hence taking so long with the coffees.’

Lucas pouted as Juliet marched back to the café.

I put my arm around his shoulder. ‘I’m still listening, go on.’

‘OK.’ He brightened and gave a little shimmy. ‘So this guy comes into the gift shop earlier and buys twelve cards with I love you on the front, all different. He’s going to write a message to his girlfriend in each one, leaving clues on where to find the next card.’

‘Like a treasure hunt?’

‘Exactly!’ He nodded with enthusiasm. ‘And in the final card, he’s going to ask her to marry him! How romantic is that?’

‘Very,’ I agreed.

‘I suggested hiding the ring in one of the café’s handmade truffles, they do a heart-shaped one. He’s in there now buying them, you’ll see him come out in a minute. Oh, there he is!’

I looked out of the shop window to see a man with blond hair tied back in a ponytail and wearing a leather jacket head away from us.

Lucas ran to the door. ‘Cooee!’

The man turned around and held up his parcel. ‘Thanks for your help!’