Page 88 of The Sisters at the Last House Before the Sea

‘Sure. Give me three of those lurid Santa cupcakes.’ Sean pushed three cakes covered in bright red icing into a bag and Caitlin handed over a five-pound note. ‘Keep the change.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Of course. I wish I could donate more but you know how things are with me at the moment. Speaking of which’ – she cleared her throat – ‘thanks for being so understanding yesterday, when we talked.’

‘You’re welcome. What are friends for?’

‘You’re far more forgiving than I expected.’

He shrugged. ‘It was a long time ago, Cait, and now we’ve cleared the air it’s water under the bridge.’

‘Thanks. I told Isla, by the way.’

‘Yeah? And how did that go?’

Caitlin grinned. ‘It was good, actually. I feel lighter for telling her and facing up to the truth. I feel better being here, in Heaven’s Cove.’

‘Perhaps you should stay, then,’ said Sean, smoothing out creases in his pile of paper bags.

‘I sometimes wish I could,’ said Caitlin, realising that it was partly true. There was something about this village, some magic that was starting to ease the knots in her muscles and the emotional tangles in her brain.

‘So why don’t you?’ Sean caught her eye and time seemed to stand still in spite of the festive hubbub all around them.

‘I just can’t,’ said Caitlin, and time moved on once more. A small girl ran past, squealing and leaving a trail of pink candy floss. ‘I might be able to help you, though,’ she added, an idea coming to her. ‘If you need any support with applying to charities and other organisations for grants? One of my jobs was in a fundraising department so I’m up to speed with making fundraising applications.’

‘I know Gavin’s applied for a few grants but we’re muddling through, so if you could help, that would be great.’

‘It’s the least I can do. Let me have any paperwork and I can start looking into it before I, um…’

‘Before you leave?’

When Caitlin nodded, Sean selected a cake from the array in front of him.

‘Here, have a Rudolph cupcake on the house, as thanks in advance for your fundraising expertise.’

He pushed the reindeer cake into a bag and handed it over. His hand brushing hers felt like sparks of electricity against her skin.

‘Payment in sugar is always appreciated,’ joked Caitlin, feeling flustered. ‘Anyway, I’d better get back to Rose Cottage or Isla will be sending out a search party.’

‘I’ll get Gavin to drop in the paperwork,’ said Sean, turning to serve a customer who was pointing at the cakes she wanted. ‘Maybe I’ll see you around before you leave, Cait.’

‘Yeah, maybe,’ said Caitlin jauntily, keeping it light while feeling anything but.

She walked off without looking back because that was the only way to safeguard her heart.

34

ISLA

Isla shifted from foot to foot outside Driftwood House, psyching herself up to knock on the door. She hadn’t slept well last night, after visiting Connie had led to dreams of scary women with wild, white hair striding across Dartmoor. And her swift walk up the cliff this morning had puffed her out.

She leaned over to catch her breath. Ben’s hire car was parked at the top of the potholed road, which meant he was still here. But what if he’d rather not see her after that awkward encounter in the kitchen? He’d not been in touch at all and perhaps it was best if he disappeared from her life without any further contact.

She straightened up, paralysed with indecision. Knock on the door or not? Say goodbye, even though things had got awkward between them, or send him an impersonal ‘thanks for your help’ email once he was back in America?

‘Are you looking for me?’ said a deep voice behind her. A deep voice with an American accent.

She swung round, feeling flustered. Ben was standing there in his jacket and hiking boots, his dark-brown hair tousled by the breeze.

---