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“I’ll meet you out there.”

Lucy got wrapped up and pulled on her wellies again and they returned to the garden.

“I’ve honestly just cut back a bit and removed some dead stuff,” Dylan explained when she joined him.

“Yeah, I can see that,” Lucy admitted.

“It was a mess when you came out though.”

“Just a bit.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be taking all the rubbish to the recycling centre.”

“You’re going to shove all that into your beloved Audi?” Lucy teased, gesturing to the large pile of garden waste Dylan had formed.

“Of course not,” Dylan scoffed. “I’ll borrow Michael’s estate. The boot of that thing’s already a disaster.” Lucy couldn’t help laughing.

“It’s much more spacious out here now,” she conceded.

“Yeah, we should be able to fit in a fair few tables. How many do you think we should order?”

“I don’t order in the furniture for the coffee shop,” Lucy explained. “I’ll get my mum and dad to start looking out for suitable tables and chairs, and I’ll check out antiques shops and boot sales. It’s not the most efficient way to do things, I know—”

“But it’s one of the things that makes the First Sip individual. I get it,” Dylan said.

He was rewarded with a smile.

“If you want to cut back some more, I can rake up,” Lucy offered. “You’re right, we should make the most of the good weather.”

“OK,” said Dylan, “but put some gardening gloves on, there are some nettles and brambles about.”

They worked companionably for a couple of hours until they decided food was essential and Lucy convinced Dylan to get the toasted sandwich maker out again, peace firmly restored.

Chapter 16

Lucy had to admit to herself that, aside from her wobble on Sunday, living with Dylan was working out rather well. He looked after her without making her feel like she was being stifled. He was a little bit bossy, but she accepted that everything he suggested was in her best interest, and the best interest of their baby, so she went along with about half of what he came up with. One of those things was the walk every day after she closed up the coffee shop, which he continued to accompany her on. This daily exercise was considered mandatory, even on days when he went to the gym as well or the weather wasn’t exactly pleasant, such as today.

Dylan had been working in the sitting room upstairs on Monday afternoon because he had some video calls he’d needed to make, though he’d come down to help with the lunchtime busyness and to make sure that Lucy ate something and sat down when she was able. The weather had been appalling all day, but neither of them had mentioned it, other than Dylan mopping the floor where muddy footprints had been traipsed in and then fussing about drying it properly so Lucy didn’t slip. He didn’t seem nearly as concerned about the customers. When he didn’t come down at four as she was closing up, Lucy thought she’d possibly got out of her walk. It was absolutely pouring with rain still, and the high winds meant there really wasn’t any point to using an umbrella; she’d watched several people have theirs turned inside out through the window.

A lot of the tidying up had already been done, and she took her time finishing off. They could maybe watch another episode of Downton Abbey or two this evening.

She heard the door to the flat upstairs open and turned round to see Dylan. He had his shoes and coat on. Things were not looking good.

She was going to need to stand strong.

“Are you off for a walk?” she said, not making eye contact and continuing to sweep the floor.

“We’re going for a walk,” he said.

“It’s raining,” Lucy replied. She put the broom back in its cupboard and took out the dustpan and brush. The key was to remain nonchalant. Dylan walked over and gently removed them from her hands before bending down and collecting up the rubbish for her.

“You’re not going to melt in a bit of rain,” Dylan said. “And you and the baby need to be getting gentle exercise every day.”

“Dylan, it’s cold and windy and wet outside.”

“But when you come back, you can hop in a hot shower.”

Lucy’s face told him that his powers of persuasion were sadly lacking.