could think of to say, it either sounded contrived or rude, or worse - both! Just as he felt the waters closing over above his head he spied a life raft
“So why wasn’t the prince so charming in the end?” he asked. Katie jumped out of her solitary thoughts with a start.
“Sorry?”
“You said, when you were the princess that the prince came to rescue you - but that it wasn’t worth the bother or something like that.”
“Oh you know” Katie tried to laugh it off “Prince Charming, all talk, no substance. Shiny hair, empty brain - never like the story.”
“What happened? How did your prince become charmless?” Ben persisted and he watched as Katie fought with herself as to whether to share the story of her humiliation or to bat on with the faux humour and keep the conversation light
“It’s not a pretty story” she answered eventually “I don’t come out of it very well either.”
“Hey - we’ve all made mistakes” Ben replied sympathetically,
“Oh and talking about them cleanses the soul, cleans the slate - helps me to ’move on’” Katie said, not a little sarcastically.
“Well possibly” Ben replied “but I was thinking it might just give me a good laugh” he paused, then smiled and Katie smiled back. So she told him, the whole sorry tale about Marcus and their unhappy demise.
“So” Katie concluded “did it give you a laugh”
“Well, it’s not exactly a jaw breaker, no - but at least I understand why you’re back in Laxley Heath. A bit of respite from a cruel world.”
“Yes that, and the broken hip and mild concussion!”
“Well that was just- Ummm- ‘convenient’” Ben plucked the word out carefully.
“I wouldn’t let Mo hear you call it that” Katie laughed “she thinks it’s anything but convenient.”
“But she’s still glad you’re around - she missed you a lot .” Katie was just about to enquire how Ben knew Mo missed her granddaughter when he stood up to greet someone who had just entered the pub.
“Stew, Stew mate over here” An extremely tall, almost lanky, and angular man strode over to them
“Ben, hi, how are you?” They shook hands and Ben introduced Stewart to Katie.
“My cue to leave I think. I know you have business to discuss.” Katie stood up as she spoke.
“There’s no need really” Ben answered, “it’s nothing covert - is it?” he asked Stew, realising he didn’t actually know what it was about.
“No, nothing covert - just a possible opportunity” Stew confirmed
“Well as intriguing as that may be, I’ve just seen Tamsin appear with her yoga class - so I’ll make myself scarce and go learn a few chants or possibly a few new positions.” Katie coloured immediately the words were out, double entendres and risqué talk were not her thing. She scuttled over to the bar where Tamsin’s crowd soon welcomed her and to her relief were actually discussing last night’s reality TV show to which she was able to add plenty to the conversation, having sat through every episode. Ben and Stewart both gamely resisted the urge to laugh at Katie’s less than graceful exit and turned to the business in hand.
“So Stew - what’s on the table?” Ben set the ball rolling.
“Well then” Stew continued “I might have the perfect job for you.” Ben felt his stomach tighten, BW needed a break, maybe at last they were going to get one.
“Go on then” Ben prompted
“Well it’s a renovation, but it’s two rows of derelict terraced housing, going for a song because they’re at the wrong end of the town, but I happen to know that a lot of the derelict commercial buildings around them are going to be pulled down and a new commercial and residential cosmopolitan precinct built with bars, cafes and apartments, which should make twenty newly renovated town houses in an up and coming area extremely desirable. But the plans for the
“So why wasn’t the prince so charming in the end?” he asked. Katie jumped out of her solitary thoughts with a start.
“Sorry?”
“You said, when you were the princess that the prince came to rescue you - but that it wasn’t worth the bother or something like that.”
“Oh you know” Katie tried to laugh it off “Prince Charming, all talk, no substance. Shiny hair, empty brain - never like the story.”
“What happened? How did your prince become charmless?” Ben persisted and he watched as Katie fought with herself as to whether to share the story of her humiliation or to bat on with the faux humour and keep the conversation light
“It’s not a pretty story” she answered eventually “I don’t come out of it very well either.”
“Hey - we’ve all made mistakes” Ben replied sympathetically,
“Oh and talking about them cleanses the soul, cleans the slate - helps me to ’move on’” Katie said, not a little sarcastically.
“Well possibly” Ben replied “but I was thinking it might just give me a good laugh” he paused, then smiled and Katie smiled back. So she told him, the whole sorry tale about Marcus and their unhappy demise.
“So” Katie concluded “did it give you a laugh”
“Well, it’s not exactly a jaw breaker, no - but at least I understand why you’re back in Laxley Heath. A bit of respite from a cruel world.”
“Yes that, and the broken hip and mild concussion!”
“Well that was just- Ummm- ‘convenient’” Ben plucked the word out carefully.
“I wouldn’t let Mo hear you call it that” Katie laughed “she thinks it’s anything but convenient.”
“But she’s still glad you’re around - she missed you a lot .” Katie was just about to enquire how Ben knew Mo missed her granddaughter when he stood up to greet someone who had just entered the pub.
“Stew, Stew mate over here” An extremely tall, almost lanky, and angular man strode over to them
“Ben, hi, how are you?” They shook hands and Ben introduced Stewart to Katie.
“My cue to leave I think. I know you have business to discuss.” Katie stood up as she spoke.
“There’s no need really” Ben answered, “it’s nothing covert - is it?” he asked Stew, realising he didn’t actually know what it was about.
“No, nothing covert - just a possible opportunity” Stew confirmed
“Well as intriguing as that may be, I’ve just seen Tamsin appear with her yoga class - so I’ll make myself scarce and go learn a few chants or possibly a few new positions.” Katie coloured immediately the words were out, double entendres and risqué talk were not her thing. She scuttled over to the bar where Tamsin’s crowd soon welcomed her and to her relief were actually discussing last night’s reality TV show to which she was able to add plenty to the conversation, having sat through every episode. Ben and Stewart both gamely resisted the urge to laugh at Katie’s less than graceful exit and turned to the business in hand.
“So Stew - what’s on the table?” Ben set the ball rolling.
“Well then” Stew continued “I might have the perfect job for you.” Ben felt his stomach tighten, BW needed a break, maybe at last they were going to get one.
“Go on then” Ben prompted
“Well it’s a renovation, but it’s two rows of derelict terraced housing, going for a song because they’re at the wrong end of the town, but I happen to know that a lot of the derelict commercial buildings around them are going to be pulled down and a new commercial and residential cosmopolitan precinct built with bars, cafes and apartments, which should make twenty newly renovated town houses in an up and coming area extremely desirable. But the plans for the
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