Page 34 of The Sisters at the Last House Before the Sea

‘That’s good to know.’ Paul glanced down at Isla’s mug. ‘What on earth are you drinking, sweetheart? I thought we were on a health kick and that doesn’t look terribly healthy to me.’

‘It’s just a hot chocolate to warm me up. It’s freezing out there.’ Isla shifted in her seat. She remembered Paul talking about eating more healthily but she didn’t remember saying that she would join him.

‘We don’t want you getting chunky, do we?’ Paul laughed again and gave Isla’s shoulder a squeeze. ‘What is it they say? A minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips?’

‘Something like that.’ Isla gave a wan smile and glanced around her. Some young mums at the next table had stopped talking and were staring.

‘Anyway.’ Paul sniffed. ‘I’d better be getting back to work. My business won’t run itself, more’s the pity. It was lovely to meet you, Ben, and I wish you safe travels.’

‘You, too.’ Ben picked up his coffee and took a large gulp.

‘I’ll see you later then, sweetheart.’ Paul leaned down, put his palm on the back of Isla’s head and pulled her towards him. Then he kissed her hard on the mouth for longer than felt seemly in the middle of The Heavenly Tea Shop, released her and swept out of the café.

Isla watched him go, feeling agitated. She’d been enjoying listening to Ben’s tales of his travels. But she couldn’t help feeling as if she’d been doing something wrong.

Ben looked at Isla as the mums on the next table giggled and went back to their babies and coffees.

‘So that’s Paul,’ he said, after a while. ‘Does he always talk to you like that?’

‘Like what?’

‘Like…’ Ben flapped his hand at the door through which Paul had just left. ‘That!’

Isla knew Americans had a reputation for being upfront but she felt offended by Ben’s question – and slightly ashamed that she’d let Paul embarrass her, without any comeback. But it wasn’t any of Ben’s business when he hardly knew her or Paul, and he’d be heading off tomorrow anyway and she’d never see him again.

‘Paul’s fine,’ she said quietly, so the mums nearby wouldn’t hear. ‘He can be a little over-protective at times but that’s because he’s always looking out for me. He has my best interests at heart.’

‘If you say so.’

‘I do say so.’

When there was a frosty silence between them, Ben drained his coffee cup and nodded at Isla’s mug. ‘Are you going to drink that hot chocolate?’

Isla pushed it away from her. ‘I don’t think so. It’s a bit sickly for me.’

‘Right. Well, let me get the check. I’m paying.’ He waved away Isla’s protestations. ‘It’s the least I can do after you’ve shown me round. And then I’d better let you get on with your day. I’m sure you have lots you’d rather be doing.’

Isla nodded mutely, although listening to tales of Peru was far more fun than trying to avoid Caitlin, who was still in her bad books, and Maisie, whose teenager quips could be trying.

After paying, Isla and Ben stood in the narrow street, outside the café. Ben pulled up the collar of his jacket against the icy wind blowing in off the sea.

‘Well, thanks again,’ he said in his gravelly New York accent.

‘You’re welcome, and I hope your mum will like the photos of Heaven’s Cove.’

‘I’m sure she will. And good luck with finding out more about Edith who died from a broken heart.’

Isla nodded, not sure if Ben was being facetious.

She watched as he walked off, taking long, loping strides on the cobbles. So that was that. Her eyes widened when he suddenly turned and marched back towards her.

‘If you want to trek the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, you should,’ he said. ‘With or without your boyfriend.’

And with that, he turned and marched off again.

16

MAISIE

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