Page 108 of The Romance Library

‘So do you normally do something with your brothers? Is that why one of them called?’

‘Sometimes we all get together. But it’s rare these days because we’re always in different parts of the world. We’ve spoken so many times about going to one of her favourite places and spending the day there, but it’s never happened. It almost happened once, but then it rained, so we called it off.’

‘Where was her favourite place?’

‘Mum loved parks. She used to take us to Kensington Gardens a lot. And Hyde Park. I have many fond memories of standing by the lakes there, watching the ducks or playing with my brothers. They were too young to recall those days, especially Ben, the youngest. But somehow, I remember it clearly.’

‘Probably because it made you so happy.’

‘Yes. Anyway, tomorrow I’ll work as normal and maybe we’ll all do a video call in the evening and raise a glass to her. It’s hard because we’re all on different time zones. Ben’s in LA, and last time we spoke, Tom was somewhere in Europe. Italy, I think.’

‘That’s one of the great things about technology. Even though you’re miles apart, you can still connect easily. Well, if you need anything tomorrow, even just to talk, then let me know.’

‘Thanks. I appreciate it.’

I might take her up on her offer. I loved that I was close enough with my brothers that we were still able to talk about Mum. One of my biggest fears was forgetting little details about her. I always wanted to remember her voice, her sweet floral scent and the softness of her skin. With every year that passed, everything faded a little and I wanted to keep her memory alive.

My father didn’t. He acted as if she’d never existed, which was another thing we clashed on.

Just as my mind wandered to when I was only eleven and he told me I should remove the photo of Mum that I kept on display in my bedroom, Candace arrived at the table with our food. I was glad of the distraction. Thinking about my father’s coldness always made me angry.

As I took the first bite of fish, I closed my eyes. Everything was just as delicious as the first time.

This might not be a Michelin-starred restaurant, but the quality was exceptional. The fish was incredibly fresh and the chips were fried to perfection. It didn’t take long for me and Jess to polish off every crumb on our plates.

Once we’d finished, the restaurant had quietened down, and after clearing our plates, Candace came over for a chat.

‘So how are your presentations going?’ She pulled up a chair.

‘Good,’ I replied.

‘Okay, I hope,’ Jess added. ‘Any advice on how we can impress Edwin?’

I liked how Jess used the word we. It made us sound like we were working on the presentation as a team rather than competing against each other.

‘Hmmm.’ Candace paused like she was choosing her words carefully. ‘Like everyone here, Edwin loves this town. But the school is extra special to him. It’s more than just a building. It’s been part of his family for generations. His parents taught there, and so did his grandparents. Edwin went to school there as a boy and went on to teach at Seaview High too. There’s a lot of legacy there, so whatever your plans are, keep that in mind.’

I swallowed hard. I hadn’t realised that Edwin’s ties to the school ran that deep. No wonder he’d been reluctant to sell for so many years.

The legacy of the building didn’t fit well with our plans for the land. If Edwin had a strong emotional connection to it, he wouldn’t want it to be torn down. It was part of the local history and I understood that. But there was no way we could build our apartments without demolishing everything first.

‘Why did the school close?’ Jess asked. I already knew the answer from my research, but I let Candace speak.

‘There wasn’t enough demand. A new school opened up about fifteen years ago with more modern facilities and they didn’t need two schools in such a small town. Once people are in their twenties, they head off to London or other towns and cities and make a life there, so there aren’t many youngsters or young families here anymore.’

Jessica nodded.

It was a shame because this town had a lot of potential. I’d certainly enjoyed my time here.

We chatted more, then once I’d settled the bill, Jess and I headed back to the B&B and straight to my room.

As soon as we’d locked the door, it didn’t take long for our clothes to fly off. I couldn’t get enough of this woman.

Once we’d cleaned up, we slipped under the duvet.

‘Book time?’ I suggested.

‘Yes!’ Jess beamed. ‘Shall I get my paperback?’

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