Independent Jenny by Sarah Louise Smith Page B

Guy used to write to each other.”
    “Oh yeah, of course. You two were mad for each other.”
    Hayley smiled and blushed.
    “They sure were,” I said, giving a nervous giggle. Hayley’s anxiety was rubbing off on me.
    “Guy was devastated when we moved up here. Talked about you all the time for months. Moped around he did, drove us all crazy.”
    “Really?” Hayley asked, smiling from ear to ear.
    “Yeah. He should be back in a minute, just walked down to chat to the lad who works for him. I don’t live here anymore, but I’m staying with him for a while.”
    I nodded. Troubles at home? Maybe we had something in common. I could see us bitching about our partners while re-igniting our past. I bet he was better in bed now than he was back then.
    Holy cow, what was the matter with me? The prospect of being single seemed to mean I had an infatuation for every handsome man I met. Even a married one. I felt myself blush.
    “It’d be great to see him, if you don’t mind us waiting?” Hayley asked.
    “Sure. Want to come in for a cuppa?”
    He led the way into the house, which was very obviously lacking a female touch. Old flowery wallpaper was peeling away in the corners, surrounding battered furniture, newspapers, letters, and all manner of other clutter on every surface.
    “Excuse the mess. Guy doesn’t have much time for housework, I guess.”
    He led us through to the kitchen and gestured for us to sit at a big oak dining table while he made some tea.
    “So you like Skye?”
    “I love it,” I said as Hayley went into frozen nervous shock. I kicked her under the table.
    “Yeah, it’s lovely,” Hayley said. I watched her take a deep breath.
    “So where do you live these days?”
    “Bath. We both live in Bath. How about you?”
    “Glasgow. Just moved there recently, I’ve been in Edinburgh since uni.”
    “What do you do? For a living, I mean?” Hayley suddenly came back to life, thankfully.
    “I’m a vet.”
    “Just like you planned. Congratulations,” I said, smiling. He gave me a warm smile back.
    “Thank you. Glad you remember. What do you do, Jenny?”
    “I’m a photographer.”
    “You were always good at taking photos, if I remember,” he said and I felt myself blush again.
    “She’s awesome,” Hayley said proudly. “She’s even had some photos in magazines.”
    “Wow, that’s fantastic,” Will smiled at me.
    “Thanks, Hayley,” I said, glad she was relaxing a bit.
    “And what do you do, Hayley?”
    She answered him and I wondered how much small talk we could get through before an awkward silence descended. Surely not much.
    “How’re you’re parents? Are they around?” Hayley asked.
    “Dad died a few years back,” Will told us.
    “Sorry to hear that,” I said, accepting my cup of tea.
    “I always liked your dad,” Hayley said, taking hers. What a lie. She called him all the names under the sun when he announced he was moving his family, and the love of her young life, so far away.
    “Thanks, that’s nice.”
    “Where’s your mum?” she asked. She’d got on well with her, I remember.
    “She lives with my Aunt these days, back down south.”
    Just as Will was pouring out his own tea, we heard the front door open and Hayley sat bolt upright.
    Guy hadn’t changed as much as his brother. He was a bit broader, a bit more manly, but he still looked like just a slightly older version of the same person that Hayley had been in love with. Darn it.
    I looked from his face to hers and watched her fall in love with him again within the space of a millisecond, and knew we shouldn’t have come. Poor Kieran.
    “Hayley?”
    He sounded even more Scottish than Will.
    “Hello!” Hayley stood up and went over to him. They stood for a minute, a few inches apart, looking at each other. I glanced at Will. He watched them, frowning. He glanced at me and smiled. I raised my eyebrows and smiled back. Man, he was gorgeous. I bet he never cheated on his wife, lucky lady.
    Hayley threw