One Summer in Cornwall Karen King (positive books to read TXT) 📖

see her. They’d really bonded now; Buddy was part of her life.

‘I don’t know where we’re going to live, Buddy,’ she said. ‘But I’ll find somewhere nice and cosy, just for the two of us.’

She felt happier now, determined not to mope over Marcus. She had so much going for her. Thanks to Uncle Albert, she had enough money to get herself a nice home, her redundancy money had finally arrived in her bank account too, so she had plenty to live on for a while. She should be happy, not crying like a lovesick schoolgirl!

Jonathan phoned a little later to let her know the Bryants, the people who were buying the cottage, would like to pop in for another look around to check if there was anything urgent they needed to do as they were intending to let the cottage out this summer. ‘They’re trying to push the sale through by the end of July so that they can let it out in August and September and then refurbish during the winter months,’ he said.

‘That’s fine,’ she told him. She had to face facts. She couldn’t stay in the cottage, much as she loved it, and Marcus didn’t love her even though she loved him. Time to pull on her big-girl pants and move on.

She made herself another coffee and sat down with a notebook and pen to write down the pros and cons of her options, reminding herself that she was lucky to have options to choose from:

Rent a place in Port Medden

Pros

I love it and already have contacts for my photography business.

Cons

Living in the same village as Marcus and would probably keep bumping into him.

Business might be slow in the winter. It might be too quiet in the winter so I could find it boring.

Go over to France

Pros

It would be good to spend some time with Dad and my stepfamily.

Cons

Don’t want to live over there so would still have to sort out a home when I came back. And what would I do with Buddy?

Go over to Portugal

Pros

Good to see Mum.

Cons

The same as going over to France.

Go to a completely new area

Pros

It would be a fresh new start.

Cons

I wouldn’t know anyone and don’t fancy starting right from scratch.

Move back to Bristol

Pros

I like and know Bristol. Mali and Lou are there. I could stay with them for a couple of weeks until I find a house to rent. I have contacts there and should be able to get work easily.

Cons

It isn’t Port Medden.

She sipped her coffee as she studied the list. Then she made up her mind.

‘We’re going back to Bristol, Buddy,’ she said. She picked up the phone to call Mali.

Mali almost whooped with delight.

‘Of course you can stay with us for as long as you want!’ she said.

‘Thank you. Hopefully I’ll find somewhere to rent quickly. And I’m sorry but the buyers want the sale to go through by the end of July so it means you and Lou won’t be able to come down again for a holiday.’

‘Don’t you worry about that. Having you with us will be like a holiday. We can help you look for your new house, and settle in. It’ll be fun.’

Mali was right. It was going to be fun, Hattie thought. This was a whole new chapter of her life. She’d soon forget Marcus and Port Medden once she was settled back in Bristol again.

Chapter Forty-One

The week whizzed by. The Bryants came to check over the cottage again on Thursday morning. ‘You will leave it empty, won’t you?’ Mrs Bryant asked Hattie. ‘We’ll need to clean it all out and get some new furniture in before we let it.’

Hattie felt her heart sink. She hadn’t thought about that. Of course they’d expect the cottage to be empty. ‘Yes, unless there is anything you want me to leave?’

Mrs Bryant shook her head. ‘No, it’s all a bit . . . worn and dated.’

She was right, it was, Hattie acknowledged. Although, personally, she found the old sofa very comfy, and it looked cosy with the white throw she’d put over it. She loved the dresser too, with all of Uncle Albert’s bits and pieces in it. The Bryants wanted it as a holiday let, she reminded herself.

‘How soon can we push the sale through?’ Mr Bryant asked Jonathan.

‘Can we take some photos so we can show people?’ Mrs Bryant asked. ‘We’ve already got a couple who want to book August, and two more interested. There’s someone who wants the last week in July too. I don’t suppose we could get the sale through by the middle of July, could we, to give us time to tidy up and get new furniture in?’

That was only two weeks away! Hattie thought in panic.

‘I don’t think that’s feasible. I’ll check with my solicitor,’ Hattie told them.

When she checked with her solicitor he said that three weeks was more feasible, so they settled on exchanging contracts on the Monday that week and completing on the Wednesday.

‘We’ll need your dad to come over and sign the papers for the exchange,’ the solicitor said. ‘I’ll email him and let him know but I’m sure you’ll be speaking to him.’

‘I’ll ring him this morning,’ Hattie said.

‘That’s great love,’ said her dad when she called him to tell him the news. ‘I’ll drive over in case there’s anything I want to take back. Is it okay if I stay for the weekend?’

‘Of course, it’s your cottage too.’ She’d be glad of the company and was looking forward to spending some time with her dad.

‘I don’t suppose I can persuade you to come back with me?’

‘I’m going back to Bristol, Dad. Mali’s putting me up until I find a place of my own. But I will come and see you soon, I promise.’

She decided to spend the afternoon sorting out the cupboards in the dresser. She guessed they held a lot of Uncle Albert’s personal things; she’d put anything she thought her dad might like in a box to