Читать книгу Coming Home to Wishington Bay - Maxine Morrey - Страница 11

In the past, my brother and his wife had made a variety of attempts to set me up on dates. Clearly, they considered my ability to choose men with about the same level of disillusionment as I did myself. Unfortunately, their choices for me also often left something to be desired, so perhaps it was a family trait. Although, thinking about it, Gigi had managed to choose a pretty wonderful man for herself, and Mum couldn’t have picked anyone who would have worshipped her more. Then there was Ned, my brother, who had a gorgeous, funny and very loving wife whom I adored. OK then, so it was just me with the crappy taste. Good to know.

They hadn’t specifically said they were setting me up with anyone this time. They never did. A friend just always ‘happened’ to be free so they’d ‘invited him along’. I’m pretty sure they knew I didn’t believe a word of it but they continued to try. Which was sweet of them but I really had no interest in meeting anyone. By now I was completely fed up with my inability to find a decent man so it just seemed like the best plan was not to bother even attempting it.

I’d come to this decision when my last relationship had ended spectacularly badly around eighteen months ago after I’d found out my boyfriend was ‘technically’ still seeing someone else. This revelation came about when his ‘technical’ other girlfriend walked in to the restaurant where the company Christmas do was being held. It wasn’t pretty. I’d walked out, head held high, and hadn’t crumpled until I was safe within the walls of my own flat.

But the whole thing had hurt like hell because he’d been so wonderfully handsome and charming, and I’d really, really liked him. I’d trusted him and let him into my heart. It was something I’d been so careful about before but Paul had said all the right words, done all the right things, and I’d believed him. The error of that particular judgement had been painful in its proving and I had absolutely no intention of making a similar mistake ever again.

‘Four place settings,’ I said, unable to keep the sigh out of my voice as I picked up a fork from the table and began twirling it in my fingers.

‘Yeah. We’ve got a friend coming. I hope that’s all right,’ Ned said, concentrating on the deliciousness in the pan in front of him on the stove.

‘A friend,’ I said, putting the fork back and wandering over to where my brother was adding a touch more seasoning to the food.

‘Try that,’ he said, handing me the spoon. I did. It was, as always, beyond yummy. I made noises to this effect and Ned smiled. Glancing at me, he caught something in my expression. ‘Oh! No! No, I promise this time, it’s most definitely not a set-up. I’m pretty sure you’re not his type anyway. His last girlfriend was an absolute stunner.’ My brother was, as always, the epitome of tact. I whacked the spoon on his forearm.

‘Oww! What was that for?’

‘I imagine it was because you just insinuated that your sister isn’t beautiful.’ Carrie came into the kitchen, smiling, and gave me a big hug, her posture a little awkward as the large bump that was my niece or nephew came between us. ‘Which she totally is,’ she finished.

Ned shrugged his shoulders and went back to stirring the food.

‘But he’s right on the other part. This isn’t a set-up. We had this planned before we knew you were coming down. It really is just four people having dinner. We kind of decided that maybe we weren’t so great at matchmaking after the last incident.’

‘Whatever gave you that idea?’ I asked, an innocent look on my face.

Carrie grinned. ‘Oh God, I know it was bad. But he seemed so normal and nice!’

‘He was. Sort of,’ I conceded. ‘He just was very, very … enthusiastic about his farm,’ I said, trying to find the right words. ‘More specifically the recipe for the manure that went into the muck spreader.’

Carrie and Ned’s last attempt to set me up had been with a local farmer they’d met through the restaurant when he became one of their new organic suppliers. He was, as Carrie said, very nice but he had also, apparently, spent a long time perfecting the perfect recipe for poop and then spent what felt like an even longer time telling me about it – over dinner.

Unfortunately, I did such a good job of being polite that he seemed to believe I was genuinely interested and insisted on driving me over to the farm to show me first hand. I really, really didn’t want to go but, apart from the manure obsession, he was a sweet man, and I didn’t want to hurt his feelings or sour the working relationship between him and my brother’s restaurant. Ned and Carrie had looked at me helplessly as I’d searched for an excuse in my momentarily blank brain. None of us had come up with one.

It had taken me over a fortnight to get the smell out of my nostrils and had at the same time proved to everyone for future information that I most definitely wasn’t cut out to be a farmer’s wife. It was at least a week before I could even look at chocolate cake again but, as I wasn’t a quitter, I’d forced myself to beat that particular problem.

The experience, however, had at last apparently confirmed to my brother and sister-in-law that they weren’t natural matchmakers. So at least something good had come of it. Even though they still owed me for a once-beautiful and hideously expensive pair of shoes that didn’t survive the ordeal.

Carrie and I sat for a few minutes chatting, as we flicked through a fashion magazine and Carrie sighed at all the tiny waists.

‘Look at them!’ she cried.

‘Hon, they’re not home to a small human at the moment. You are.’

Carrie gave another sigh. ‘There is that. Good point.’ She stroked her bump and smiled. I couldn’t help smiling along with her. For all her griping about the models, Carrie was exactly where she wanted to be. She and Ned had been trying for a baby for a while before it had actually happened, and they were incredibly excited about this new addition to the family. As was I. I couldn’t wait to be an auntie, and already had a tonne of boxes and bags of stuff that I just hadn’t been able to resist when I’d mooched around in town or on holidays. It was all stored back at the flat for now. I’d drive back up and get it when the baby arrived later this summer.

Talking of new additions … I looked down at the small dog who had just wandered into the kitchen. His walk was a little wonky but his face was adorably cute in a mishmash of breeds way. From the looks of him, he was mostly sausage dog but clearly someone wanted to mix it up a bit and his legs were slightly overlong for the breed as was his tail.

‘You got a dog?’ I asked.

‘No, it’s our friend’s. He’s collecting him tonight. We doggysit for him sometimes so that Bryan isn’t on his own too long.’

‘Bryan.’

‘Yes, with a Y.’

‘Of course. Is he drunk?’

‘What?’

‘He’s kind of wobbly.’

‘Oh! No, he had a little operation today, so he’s still a bit dozy from the anaesthetic. It’ll wear off soon and he’ll be back to normal.’

‘He’s all right though?’ I said, bending down and stroking the dog who was now sat slightly haphazardly in front of me.

‘Yes, he’s fine. Just a bit tired. He’ll be right as rain tomorrow.’

Carrie had been head veterinary nurse at the local practice for years now. It had an excellent reputation and people travelled miles to bring their animals to the village practice, thanks to the expertise and care it offered. I knelt on the floor and tickled the dog’s chin and he wobbled up closer, put his front paws on my knee and looked up at me, expectantly. I took the bait and lifted him gently onto my lap where he curled up and promptly fell asleep. Ned looked over from where he was preparing dessert and laughed.

‘You’re such a sucker.’

My brother’s compliments were almost as big a draw for my visits as his incredible cooking.

‘To be fair, he’s pretty good at emotional manipulation.’ A deep, accented voice drifted in from the back door to the kitchen.

‘Gabe!’ Carrie waddled over and got swept up in a big hug.

‘How are you both?’ he asked, gently touching the bump. I watched from the corner of my eye, seeing immediately how at ease he would put his patients. Yes, OK. So maybe he was a doctor after all.

‘We’re fine. Really good actually.’ Carrie beamed. Being pregnant suited her. She looked all glowy and serene. I was pretty sure that wasn’t a look I could pull off. I’d probably just end up sweaty and agitated.

‘I’m fine too!’ Ned called in a mock huff from the other side of the kitchen. Gabe did that way-too-good laugh again and walked across to where my brother was now opening two bottles of beer. Gabe wrapped an arm around his shoulders and gave a big squeeze.

‘Aww, no need to get jealous, mate. I still love you too!’

Ned pulled a face and thrust a beer at his mate. They clinked bottles and downed a good proportion each.

Gabe put his bottle on the worktop and walked over to where I was sat. Crouching down, he smiled at me. ‘Hello again.’

‘Oh, you’ve met then?’ Carrie asked. ‘We weren’t sure if you’d have bumped into one another yet or not.’

‘Yeah. There was definitely some bumping going on.’ Gabe laughed. Then stopped as three pairs of eyes looked at him, mine wider than the rest, and he suddenly realised how his statement had sounded. ‘Not like that! I fell off a ladder when Holly pulled the blind of the window I was painting. We … kind of made each other jump. And then she spent the rest of the day accusing me of being a burglar.’ He grinned at me and I pulled a face.

‘Oh God, Holly. You’re not still freaking about that break-in, are you?’ Ned asked.

I looked up at my brother and opened my mouth to respond, glancing at Carrie as I did so. She just rolled her eyes and shook her head. I took her advice, not wanting to sour the evening by bickering with him. I knew it was hard for him to understand the feeling of violation and insecurity the burglary had left me with. Something that Gabe had seemed to understand straight away. Ned had always been the most laid-back of the two of us. He’d made his life down here, rather than up in London as I had, and sometimes I wondered if that hadn’t been a major factor in the way we dealt with things.

I turned my attention back to Gabe. ‘Hot date fall through?’ I teased.

‘Unfortunately. Luckily, I had this as backup.’ He grinned.

‘If that’s true, and we are merely “backup” I will be hiding whole chillies in your pudding,’ Carrie informed him, the sweetest of smiles on her face. ‘Just so you know.’

Gabe laughed and leant over to stroke the little dog with the back of his hand. As he did, I got a waft of an aftershave that smelled delicious.

‘Is the little bloke all right, then?’ he asked, his brow creasing slightly as he studied the sleeping dog.

Carrie took a seat at the table and watched us. ‘Yes. Everything went well. Probably best if he doesn’t go charging through any meadows for a bit though.’

‘What was it? In his ear, I mean?’

‘Oh, just a grass seed. Not huge but enough to cause him discomfort. He’s fine now. He was a bit wobbly from the sedation before he found a new bed on Holly’s lap, so he just needs to sleep it off.’

‘Thanks for taking care of it all, Carrie. I really appreciate it.’

‘You’re welcome.’

‘Dinner will be ready in a minute,’ Ned called.

‘Can I bring his bed in here?’ Gabe looked at Carrie.

‘Of course, it’s just in the living room.’

He quickly rose and hurried out, returning a moment later with a soft bed in one hand and an oversized stuffed toy prawn sporting a slightly surprised expression in the other. He put the bed down against the wall, in sight of the table, and then crouched down in front of me.

‘Do you mind if I …’

‘No, of course not.’ As awkward as I suddenly felt at Gabe’s hands brushing my thighs during the action of scooping up the little pup, I was as disinclined as he was to wake the patient. I quickly dismissed what else I felt at the touch and concentrated instead on watching as Gabe moved and laid Bryan gently in the bed. The dog dozily opened his eyes and looked at his master. A tired little tongue poked out of the side of his mouth and gave a lick to Gabe’s hand before the dog drifted off again. Gabe rubbed his pet’s head gently before tucking the prawn in next to his paws.

‘Here’s Petey, mate,’ he said quietly.

Bryan stretched and put one paw over the toy, dragging it closer. I smiled at the scene.

‘He loves that prawn.’

‘So I see.’

‘My parents sent it over from home when I first showed them a picture of Bryan.’

‘Gabe rescued Bryan last winter,’ Carrie said, waddling over. ‘He found him wandering the streets in the city, shivering with cold, and brought him back to the practice for us to check him over. He wasn’t in good shape but Gabe said if we could save him, he’d give him a home.’

I glanced over to where Gabe was now intent on not looking at us.

‘Need any help over there, Ned?’ he asked and headed off, his long legs crossing the room in a few strides. Within moments, the expression that had clouded his face cleared as he laughed with my brother.

Carrie lowered her voice. ‘We didn’t have a lot of hope for Bryan when he was brought in. He’d obviously been out on the streets for some time, fending for himself. We don’t know his history but he had a nasty wound on his neck that wasn’t healing, possibly from a collar or rope that had cut in. He’s the sweetest-natured dog too, poor little thing. It was difficult to know what to do for the best. His fur was gone in places with a skin infection and he had an abscess in his mouth. He was only young and in such a state, it was heartbreaking.’

I looked at the dog sleeping peacefully with his cuddle companion, surrounded by love and comfort, and my eyes filled with tears.

Carrie saw and gave me a squeeze.

‘Stupid,’ I said, quietly.

‘Not at all,’ she reassured me. ‘Believe me, we were all in tears.’ She surreptitiously nodded at the big, macho guy now lounging against her worktop.

‘Really?’ I whispered.

‘Really. He walked in with this mangy little dog wrapped in a jumper and stuffed down the front of his bike suit and begged us to save him. We told him that even if we could, it might be expensive, depending on what we found, but he just waved it away. I mean, I know he’s a doctor so he’s not short of a few bob, but still. He’d just picked this dog off the street and he was prepared to do anything to save him.’

‘I’m glad he found him.’

‘Me too. I don’t think the poor little thing would have lasted many more days to be honest.’

I looked at the puppy and got another wash of tears.

‘Will you stop doing that?’ I hissed at her.

She grinned.

‘OK, everybody ready?’ Ned asked.

We both looked up ready to acknowledge him when Ned spoke again. ‘Why are you crying?’

Not content with finishing top of his class in ‘Tact’, my brother had also majored in ‘Subtlety’.

‘I am not crying!’ I said. ‘It’s the onions.’

‘The onions went in two hours ago. You weren’t even here.’

‘She was upset about Bryan’s history,’ Carrie stated.

I looked at her.

‘What?’ she whispered. ‘You were!’

‘I don’t need them to know that!’ I whispered back.

‘Why not?’

‘You know we can still hear you, right?’ Ned asked, a puzzled look on his face.

I risked a quick look at Gabe, but he had his head down.

‘Didn’t you say something about dinner?’ I asked, changing the subject.

* * *

Dinner was, as always when my brother cooked, delicious. Chicken that melted in your mouth, Dauphinoise potatoes that were so creamy and light – I’d definitely be asking him for his secret – accompanied by vegetables plucked from their own garden a couple of hours previously. It smelled heavenly and tasted even better.

‘Fantastic, mate. As always. Thanks,’ Gabe said, sitting back in his seat.

‘You’re very welcome. Anything to keep our own private obstetrician happy.’

‘Oh, Ned, stop fussing.’ Carrie laughed, taking her husband’s hand. ‘Everything’s fine. We just saw the nurse this morning!’

‘I know. I’m just saying. It helps to know people. That’s all.’

‘I feel so used.’ Gabe affected a mock-distressed look, but laughter danced in his eyes.

‘What? You didn’t think we actually liked you, did you?’

Gabe crossed his arms, both hands resting on his heart. ‘I could only hope.’

Ned grinned around his glass and shook his head before taking a sip of his beer. I sat listening, and watching, the interaction – the easy friendship between them all – and felt a tug inside me. Was this something they did regularly? From the look and feel of the laid-back atmosphere, I guessed it was. As they carried on with their teasing, my mind wandered to what I would have been doing right now had I been at home in London. The kitchen clock above the door showed nearly 9 p.m. and I felt the tug again. I knew exactly what I’d be doing. I’d have been sat at my desk, a half-finished ready meal beside me, had I remembered to eat at all, with my head buried in paperwork as the office sat quiet around me.

‘Is that your speciality? Obstetrics?’ I asked as I took the plates Gabe handed me, having insisted on clearing the table and letting Carrie rest. She’d objected, of course, but not for too long. To be honest, I didn’t know a whole lot about being pregnant or babies but I did know from Ned that she was finding things more tiring than she’d hoped.

My brother had fallen head over heels for Carrie the moment he’d seen her and had been known to fuss over her – which although sometimes a little nauseating, depending on my mood, was mostly adorable. And they’d been trying for a baby for nearly two years before this little one appeared, so I totally understood his anxiety.

‘No. I’m actually a little further along that particular road. I’m a paediatrician.’

‘Oh wow. That’s got to be …’

He tilted his head at me as he waited for me to tell him what his career must be. Ned glanced over.

‘She’s amazing with figures but words are not her strong suit. If she cocks up here, take it with a pinch of salt.’

‘Do you mind?’ I said, feeling the blush touch my cheeks. Partly because I suspected Ned was right. While the actual meat of a presentation at work was something I could do with my eyes closed, the presentation itself, that whole speaking in front of people bit, was most definitely not my happy place. The pain in my chest would burn, my limbs would tingle and I’d have to concentrate on remembering to take enough breaths in between the words so as to not start turning blue. I may even have been known to bribe another colleague with a very expensive dinner to take my place on more than one occasion.

‘I’m not that bad,’ I said, turning back to Gabe.

He shrugged. ‘It’s a brother’s job to wind his siblings up. Ned’s a wizard at cooking but it’s nice for him to work on some other skills too.’

Ned wobbled his head in ironic amusement, causing us both to grin.

‘Believe me. He doesn’t really need too much practice at that particular skill. I think he spent the four years before I came along building on that.’

‘Just as well! Right nightmare she turned out to be,’ Ned huffed as he opened the oven to release the most mouth-watering, sweet smell of home-made treacle tart. I moved to take a closer look at the golden, bubbling deliciousness.

‘Luckily, I’m very forgiving.’

‘Actually, she’s not. But she does love food.’ Ned gave me a raised brow as he handed me the plate he’d now transferred the tart to. ‘Although you wouldn’t know it by her diet.’

I gave him a look. ‘I have a very busy schedule!’

‘You have a very unhealthy schedule that results in you barely eating, and when you do it’s rubbish and you’re suffering panic attacks.’ His expression had lost the joviality now. ‘The only time you ever ate properly was when Gigi came up to visit you or you came here.’

‘Oh, pfft,’ I said, trying to laugh it all off and not be mortified that my brother was bringing all of this up right now in front of someone who was, to me at least, pretty much a total stranger.

That someone was now looking at me with what I could immediately see what his ‘concerned doctor’s face’.

‘Panic attacks?’

‘They’re not panic attacks,’ I said, airily, as I put the dish down on the table, and handed the cake slice to Carrie, pleading with my eyes for her to help me out of this conversation. ‘Ned’s exaggerating again. You clearly know what he’s like. It’s nothing.’

‘Well, we were worried when you mentioned this last one. It must have been bad for you to take this sabbatical,’ Carrie added.

Please, ground, open up now.

‘Tell me about them.’ It didn’t sound like a request but there was still no way that was happening.

‘Tart?’ I said, putting a slice in front of Gabe, desperate to change the subject.

A smirk tempted the sides of his mouth. ‘I date but I think that particular label’s a little harsh.’

Ned snorted as he put down the jug of crème Anglaise. ‘And you say I’m tactless.’

I shook my head. ‘You two are as bad as one another,’ I said, drowning my slice of pudding in sauce and forking up a large piece.

Carrie pushed the small jug of cream towards me. I added some to my coffee – a little more than I usually did feeling, with more relief than I’d expected, that I didn’t have to get up at five o’clock tomorrow morning. Years ago, I’d loved my coffee milky, but as I’d worked harder and longer and climbed the financial services corporate ladder, I’d gradually taken my coffee darker and stronger, relying more and more on the kick it gave to help me last through the day. I was only on my first full day in Wishington Bay and I realised I was already two coffees down. Considering how many I’d get through in a day, that wasn’t a great reduction but it also said quite a lot.

I passed the cream to Gabe. ‘So, how long have you been at St Andrew’s Hospital?’

He closed his eyes for a moment, savouring the smell of the freshly roasted coffee before taking a taste. ‘A little over three years now.’

‘Did you come from somewhere else in the country, or straight over from Australia?’

‘Straight from Sydney.’

‘Gosh. That’s quite a leap, isn’t it? I mean from living in a busy city in Australia to a quiet little English seaside village?’

He grinned and I tried not to notice. At least not in all the places my body was trying to get me to notice.

‘It was kind of a culture shock, that’s for sure. I stayed with a mate for a few weeks when I got here and had been looking at places in the city when I heard from one of the guys I’d been surfing with that there was a place for rent right on the beach. I wasn’t sure if that might be a bit quiet for me, but the thought of waking up and hearing the sea each morning did kind of have an appeal. Anyway, I decided I could take a look and then at least I’d know.’

‘And now, here you are!’ Carrie smiled.

‘Here I am. Gigi was one hell of a real estate agent.’

‘Are you pleased you took a look, even though it wasn’t where you’d considered living?’

‘Definitely. And with Gigi next door … well, to be honest, I’d been wondering if I’d done the right thing coming over here. I’d left my family and friends behind, and although I knew a couple of people over here and was gradually getting to know people through work, honestly? I was pretty damn homesick. Meeting Gigi that day … it was kind of … well, it just took all that away. Suddenly I felt right at home.’

‘She always did have a great talent for making people feel welcome.’ Carrie smiled, covering Ned’s hand with her own.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak for a moment or two, instead pouring myself another coffee that, surprisingly, I didn’t really want, just to have something to do with my hands.

‘So, you said you were in paediatrics?’

Gabe smiled. ‘I did.’

‘And we’re all still waiting to hear what you thought about that,’ Ned kindly reminded everyone. ‘You stopped mid sentence.’

I shook my head. ‘I’m still convinced they brought the wrong baby home from the hospital when they got him.’

Ned grinned at me. I might have been more convinced of this if we didn’t look quite so alike. Same ebony hair, same deep blue eyes that showed gold flecks when the sun shone and same wide smile that on Ned looked like a film star, but on me, I’d always considered a little too … well, for want of a better word – gobby. Either way, I was pretty sure he really was my brother and despite his habitual lack of tact, I wouldn’t swap him for anything. Not that I’d tell him that, of course. Though, somehow, I think he was already clued in. He’d got a lot smarter since meeting Carrie.

‘OK,’ I said looking at Gabe, feeling slightly braver now, which may have had something to do with that second glass of wine.

‘I was going to say that paediatrics must be very rewarding – but I can also imagine how … challenging it might be at times.’

‘You’re right,’ Gabe agreed, thankfully taking the spotlight off me. ‘I love what I do. I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I was little. I think, initially, I was attracted by the toys. My grandad was a doctor in a small town and he’d always have his kit on him. Obviously most of it was out of bounds for me, but it fascinated me that there was this bag full of magic things to help people feel better.’ His gaze flicked up to my face. ‘Stupid, huh?’

‘Totally,’ Ned answered.

I gave him a glare and Gabe chuckled.

‘Not at all. I think it’s a lovely story,’ I said, looking pointedly at my brother. ‘Go on.’

‘Well, he did let me play with his stethoscope. I’d just go around trying to listen to everyone’s heartbeat and every time I heard one, it kind of blew my mind. I think the seed for training as a doctor was planted the first time I ever used that. And then, of course, I found out about the Royal Flying Doctor Service and that sounded like the perfect combination of adventure and helping people.’

‘That’s such a lovely story.’

‘Thanks.’ He smiled.

Ned made a retching sound and got a kick from Carrie for his troubles.

‘What?’ he asked, rubbing his shin.

‘You!’ she said, calmly. ‘You’re being rude.’

‘I’m not. Gabe knows I’m just kidding.’

By the look of the grin on Gabe’s face, it appeared my brother was right.

‘I’m just not sure how I feel about him practising his smooth chat-up spiel on my sister.’

I did my best to stop the mouthful of coffee I’d just taken from coming out of my nose and forced it to take its usual path down my throat. Carrie gave me a concerned look and patted me on the back as I swallowed and gave a cough. Ned got a kick on the other shin.

‘You all right?’ Gabe asked.

I nodded. ‘Yes, just went down the wrong way.’

Ned opened his mouth.

‘You say one more thing and I’m not going to do any of your finances for the next five years!’

Ned closed his mouth.

‘Well, I think I’d better start heading back. All this sea air is making me a bit tired.’

‘And perhaps your workaholic lifestyle’s catching up with you a little?’

‘This from the woman who worked day and night, literally, to get a restaurant up and running,’ I said, grabbing the wrap I’d brought with me and draping it around my shoulders.

‘That is true. But if I remember, you’d also taken time off to come and help us out and the difference is that we’ve now found a balance and make sure we have days off and time away. You, my dear one, have not.’

I faffed with my wrap a bit as I tried to extricate myself from the conversation that had just turned round and bitten me on the bum.

‘I don’t think a workaholic just takes the whole summer off, which is what I’m now doing,’ I said, pleased with my return.

‘No.’ Ned came to stand beside his wife. ‘A workaholic is forced to take the whole summer off because she collapses in her boss’s office and is on the verge of being carted off to A & E.’

‘Ugh! You two are so dramatic. Good job I love you. Thank you for the food and I’ll see you soon.’

The strength of Ned’s hug told me that, despite all the teasing, he was worried about me, and I felt a shot of guilt sear through me. He had enough to think about with running his own business and his first child on the way.

‘I’m fine. Honestly,’ I said, trying to put as much reassurance into my voice as possible.

Ned gave me a nod but I could tell he wasn’t anywhere near convinced.

‘Night, Carrie,’ I said, giving her a hug. ‘Night, Bump. Sleep well and don’t keep your mum up with your fidgeting.’

‘Do you mind if I walk with you?’ Gabe asked.

‘No, of course not, but please don’t feel you have to leave early because of me.’

‘No, I need to get Bryan home and get some rest too. I’ve got a double shift tomorrow.’

I screwed up my nose.

‘Yeah, I know,’ he replied. ‘I just need to grab Bryan and his stuff.’

Two minutes later, we were all ready to go. Gabe had shrugged on a light jacket and zipped it up, before tucking Bryan in the front. Ned handed him the squashy dog bed and gave me Petey the Prawn.

Ned and Carrie lived along the crescent of the bay from Gigi’s house but you could walk all the way there and back along the beach, rather than through the village if you wanted, which was what Gabe and I chose to do tonight. The moon was half full and bright, easily giving off enough light to see where we were going as it shone down and reflected in the expanse of dark water to our right. Even when the tide was in, Wishington Bay’s beach was wide and sandy. After a few steps, I bent and quickly removed my sandals, hooking the straps over the fingers of my free hand.

‘Good, huh?’ Gabe laughed.

I hadn’t realised the sigh of contentment I’d made at the sensation of the soft, cool sand between my toes as I walked had actually made it from my mind and out of my mouth.

‘Yes … sorry. That wasn’t meant to be out loud.’

‘Why not?’ Even in the half-light from the moon, I could see Gabe’s quizzical look.

‘I …’ Honestly, I didn’t know why not. I’d just got so used to keeping stuff to myself, especially since Gigi had gone, that even this slight, momentary display of feeling suddenly made me feel a little exposed.

‘Just relax, Holly. And if what I heard tonight is anything to go by, it sounds like that’s something you could do with.’

I flapped a hand, complete with toy prawn, dismissing the comment. ‘You shouldn’t listen to half of what Ned tells you. Seriously.’

‘So, you haven’t been doing long hours for years?’

‘Well … I suppose sometimes my hours have been quite long. But, you of all people know that long hours can often be part of the job. You said yourself you’ve got a double shift tomorrow.’

He gave me a look that somehow said both ‘touché’ and ‘that’s not the same thing and you and I both know it’. But to his credit, he let it pass.

‘But you have had panic attacks?’

I gave Petey another flap. ‘I’m not sure you’d call them panic attacks and really there’s only been a few. I was just particularly stressed a couple of times and got a bit overwrought. I’m fine, now. Honest. Ned’s just been getting phantom hormones since Carrie got pregnant and working himself up about it.’

‘Or he could be aware that since Gigi is no longer here to keep an eye on you, you’re not taking care of yourself in the way you should.’

I let out a sigh, and this time I knew for sure it was out loud.

‘Look,’ he said, ‘I’m sorry if I’m overstepping my boundaries. Maybe right now you’re wishing that I’d either brained myself this morning or that we had stayed mad at each other because either way you wouldn’t be getting what you, I imagine, to consider to be a grilling.’

‘No. I don’t wish either of those things. Especially not the first. I’ve got enough to do in that house without trying to get blood out of the deck too.’

Moonlight caught his smile, his teeth showing bright in the celestial glow. ‘It’s just that I’ve been doing this job a long time now, and I’ve got pretty good at reading people. I’ve also known Ned and Carrie pretty much since the first night I moved here, as Gigi was eager for me to meet some new people and make friends. Between all of that, I can usually tell when people are worried about something, no matter how well they try to hide it. And your brother’s worried about you. More than I think you realise.’

I ran a hand over my hair and pushed it back over my shoulder from where the softest of sea breezes had blown it forward.

‘I don’t really know what anyone wants me to say! I’ve taken the time off and I’m here, aren’t I? I’ve got a whole summer’s worth of relaxation time ahead of me, so everyone can just stop worrying now.’

‘So, you’re not planning to just sort the house super quick so that that you can get it sold and get yourself back up to London as soon as possible?’

Even in the low moonlight, I was pretty sure Gabe could see my guilty blush.

‘Yeah. That’s what I thought. Is your boss actually going to let you back that quick?’

‘I don’t know. I’ll have at least taken some time off by then, and shown willing, so I don’t see why not.’

Gabe smirked. ‘I think “shown willing” is pushing the description a little far from what Ned said tonight.’

I shook my head. ‘My brother, as I’m sure you’re already aware if you’ve known him for as long as you have, says a lot of things. Quite a large percentage of which can easily be ignored. For example,’ I carried on, just in case Gabe had plans to circle back to those panic attacks, ‘about how you were practising your … what was it … “smooth chat-up spiel” on me earlier.’

This time it was Gabe’s turn to colour a little – and it was kind of adorable.

‘I really wasn’t, you know.’

Somewhere deep inside, I felt a surprising stab of disappointment. ‘No.’ I laughed it off. ‘I know that. I was just using it as an example of one of the many dopey things that emanates from my brother’s mouth from time to time.’

‘Right.’

We walked on in silence for a little way, the only sound around us being the soft whoosh of the waves as they caressed the sand before pulling back out.

‘Not that I wouldn’t practise on you.’

I looked up.

‘I mean, not that anyone would want to just practise on you, because that sort of implies they’re looking for something … someone a bit …’

‘Gabe?’

‘Yes?’

‘It’s probably best if you quit while you’re ahead.’

‘Yep. I think you’re probably right.’ His laugh was soft in the quiet of the night, but after a few minutes he spoke again. ‘Ned just likes teasing me about stuff like that precisely because it’s not really something I do.’

‘Chat women up?’

‘Chat anyone up,’ he said, apparently clarifying things for me, just in case.

‘You mean women just fall at your feet naturally?’ I was teasing, but even when I thought he was a burglar and then threatening to report me for squatting in my own house, I could still totally see how that could happen.

‘Ha! Yeah, I wish.’

Be careful what you wish for there, Gabe …

‘It’s just finding the time.’

‘Too much surfing?’

‘Too much working. And then, when I’m not, you’re right, I want to get in the surf because I don’t know when the next opportunity will be.’

I stopped walking and two steps later, Gabe realised and also stopped. In the front of his jacket, Bryan shuffled a little and carried on snoozing.

‘Wait, so after an evening of everyone giving me grief about how I was a workaholic, you’re standing there telling me you’re one too? Isn’t that just a little hypocritical?’

‘I do work a lot, but that’s not necessarily being a workaholic.’

‘Are you though?’

He shifted his weight as he looked down at me. Now I’d taken my sandals off, he was back to having a good twelve inches’ height advantage over me.

‘Probably.’

‘Hmm.’

‘Gigi tell you that?’

‘No. I’m getting that information straight from the horse’s mouth. Gigi was always too busy telling me how gorgeous and wonderful you were.’

Gabe shook his head. ‘Funnily enough she told me the same about you.’

‘Oh God, did she really?’

‘Uh-huh.’

‘Well, that’s not embarrassing at all.’

‘Don’t worry about it.’

There was something in the way he said it … I knew that he was saying it to make me feel better, less embarrassed about the fact my grandmother had clearly been trying to set us up since the poor man had moved in, but still … Was it stupid that I wished he’d followed it up with something about her at least telling the truth? I gave myself a mental shake.

Yes, Holly, it was stupid. Clearly good food, fresh air and moonlight were playing havoc with my normally fairly sensible reasoning system. A good night’s sleep – something I had definitely been short of for far longer than I cared to remember – would help me sort this out. The novelty of a relaxed evening and an easy stroll with a good-looking man and a cute dog was just something my system wasn’t used to processing. God knew it had been far too long since any one of those things had been part of my life, let alone all of them together in one night.

Besides, what was I even doing thinking of anything that had a hint of romance about it? I’d broken my own rules about that once before and been severely burned for my troubles. There was certainly no wish to ever repeat that particular experience. My grandmother, however, had been a romantic through and through, and my views on relationships were the one thing we disagreed on.

When I’d started dating Paul, and she could see I’d begun to get serious about things, she’d been thrilled. Her thrill had lessened a little when she actually met him but when I’d questioned her about it, she’d just told me that it was something she couldn’t put her finger on. I had been so excited for Paul and Gigi to meet that I was heartbroken to find out she hadn’t liked him as much as I’d hoped. All the time he was there, she’d been perfect and gracious, but then her career on the stage had taught her well about how to put on a smile, even if you didn’t feel like it.

I sighed as I remembered the argument we’d had once I’d realised it had all been an act with Paul, and then I’d become even angrier when she hadn’t been able to explain why she didn’t like him. I couldn’t understand it. After all her words about how love was so special and that continuing my stance on absolutely refusing to even consider the sort of relationship she and Grandpa, and that my parents had had meant that I was doing myself and my heart the biggest disservice possible. But when I finally gave in and opened my heart, it still wasn’t right.

We’d both cried and I’d stormed off back to London. My strop lasted all of a day and by the following evening, I’d been back on Skype to Gigi, hoping that we could make up. She’d apologised too and said that she was sure Paul would grow on her, and it was probably just her natural concern for her granddaughter because she wasn’t sure there would ever be anyone good enough for me. All of which, of course, had made us both cry again.

But, as usual, Gigi had been far more astute than me when it came to love and six months before she died, I’d driven down to Wishington Bay with my heart in shreds. It seemed likely that the reason she hadn’t taken to Paul was because he was a lying, cheating piece of shit who’d decided that just one girlfriend was a little bit too restrictive for him. And I’d had absolutely no idea. I’d, stupidly, thought that despite all my reservations, I had actually found what my relatives had managed to – the love and support of a partner with whom I could see myself spending the rest of my life.

I was, however, entirely disavowed of this ridiculous belief around eighteen months ago, and as much as I wished that could have happened in the privacy of my apartment or his, the universe had apparently decided that wouldn’t be half so much fun as having it happen in the middle of a Christmas works party for the entire company. Thankfully, both for me and the new dress I’d just spent a fortune on, it was immediately clear to the beautiful, tall and elegant woman who stalked in on towering black patent Louboutins, that her existence was as much a surprise to me as mine had apparently been to hers. Possibly the look of absolute shock and horror I could feel on my face had helped her with that conclusion.

This had, thankfully, resulted in both her screaming, and her aim with a gravy-laden plateful of Christmas dinner, being directed solely at him. As he stood there, covered in food, a roast potato sliding slowly down his expensive lapel, she gave him – and me – the final proverbial kick as she pulled off a large diamond ring from her left hand and slammed it down on the table.

* * *

‘That was a big sigh,’ Gabe commented, turning his head a little towards me as my mind bounced back to the present at his voice.

Oh Lord, I had done that out loud.

‘Anything you want to talk about?’

Most definitely not.

‘Huh? Oh no, it was just a … umm … you know, a contented sigh. Don’t have to get up for work tomorrow, la la la, sort of thing.’ I forced a smile and tried not to focus on how idiotic I probably sounded right at that moment.

Gabe nodded. ‘OK.’ Clearly, he didn’t believe a word but, thankfully, we were now very close to the house so he didn’t have time to pursue it, even if he’d wanted to.

‘Well, night then. I hope Bryan is feeling a bit more perky tomorrow.’

‘Thanks. I’m sure he will be.’

The little dog was now sleepily peering out of the front of Gabe’s jacket, having woken when his master had stopped walking, the cease of the gentle rocking movement stirring him from slumber.

‘Night, night, Bryan,’ I said, giving him a gentle stroke on the top of his silky head. He moved a little, his eyes closing as I did it.

‘You might be here all night now.’ Gabe laughed.

I smiled back, thinking that there were far worse places to be, and not only because of one of the cutest dogs I’d ever met. Quickly, I shoved the additional reasons from my mind and held up Petey the Prawn.

‘Someone will be wanting this for bedtime, I’m guessing.’

‘You’re right. Thanks,’ Gabe said, taking it from me.

‘Right. Well, goodnight then.’

‘Night, Holly. Thanks for the walk back.’

I shrugged. ‘Wouldn’t want you being mugged by a rampant starfish.’

He laughed, the sound clear and deep in the still of the night, sending tingles where there definitely shouldn’t be any right now. ‘Yeah, I’ve heard about those. Thank goodness I don’t have to worry about them anymore now you’re here.’

‘Only for the summer, remember. Then you’re on your own again.’

He nodded, but his head was tipped down towards his dog, so I couldn’t see his expression.

‘Yep. Of course. Goodnight, Holly.’

‘Night, Gabe.’

I climbed the steps up from the beach to my side of the deck, the sound of the waves at my back already soothing me towards sleep. As I got to the top, I turned towards where my neighbour was just disappearing around the side of the house.

‘Gabe?’

He poked his head back around. ‘You all right?’

‘Yes. I was just going to say if you ever need me to watch Bryan when you’re working … or you know, anything, I’d be happy to.’

I could see the smile in the moonlight, but little else of his expression. ‘Thanks, Holly. That’s really kind of you. I do feel kind of bad sometimes asking Carrie and Ned, even though I know Bryan’s a good little mate and no trouble. They have quite a lot going on already.’

‘They clearly love having him, so I don’t think you need to feel bad about it, but I just thought I’d ask. I’m hoping to do a bit more walking while I’m down here and other than that I’ll only be sorting out the house, and I’d be glad of the company.’

I shifted my weight, suddenly feeling awkward.

Gabe took a few steps back towards me. ‘What is it?’

‘Nothing. It’s … silly.’

‘Why don’t I be the judge of that?’ His voice was soft and calming and once again my thoughts drifted back to how comforting that sound could, and likely had been, for many patients in the past.

‘It’s just that … I kind of always wanted a dog. As a child, I mean. But we were never allowed one. My dad just told us it was something else we’d get attached to and then lose in time and that we were just setting ourselves up for heartbreak.’

Less shadowed now, I could see the frown on Gabe’s face. ‘I suppose that is true in a way but if you operated like that all the time, you’d never open yourself to anything or anyone.’

‘I think that was the point.’ Feeling an odd jab of loyalty, I gave a shrug. ‘He had his reasons.’

Gabe didn’t answer.

‘Anyway, I just wanted to say that dog-sitting would be a pleasure. Obviously. I can’t have a dog with the way my life is now either. I mean back in London. So you’d be doing me the favour really.’

‘I think that’s probably pushing it a little bit but it’s a really kind offer, Holly. Thank you. And I may well take you up on it if you’re sure you don’t mind. It’d be nice for Bry to have someone around all the time like that.’

‘Great. OK, then. Night.’

‘Sleep well.’ And with that he was gone.