Page 21 of The Island Girls

They ordered two glasses of wine from the bar and sat on the wide patio in the sunshine that had finally burned through the clouds.

‘So that’s Brownsea Island, just inside the harbour there?’ he asked, pointing towards the castle that faced them and out in the channel.

‘Yes, and just beyond the slipway to the chain ferry, at that jetty you can see, there’s another ferry that takes this shorter route to the island. That’s where most of the staff on the island catch the ferry,’ she said.

‘But you prefer the other ferry?’ he asked, intrigued.

‘They all have cars that they park here, and theEnterprise– that’s the name of this ferry – is a much faster boat as the distance is so short. But as I don’t have a car, and most of what I need to do is in Poole town centre, theIsland Maidferry to the quay suits me best. The only downside is that the last one of those runs at half past four in the afternoon,’ she explained.

‘And what happens if you miss that? Do you get stranded on the quay?’

‘Hopefully not! There’s another boat, run by the castle, called theCastello, which is bookable by castle guests and island residents like me. In the summer, it goes to and from Poole Quay several times a day. And I could always catch a bus or even a taxi round here and get on theEnterprise, which goes until late at night in the summer.’

Just then, a waiter walked by, his arms laden with plates full of divine-looking dishes of culinary creations.

‘The food here smells wonderful. It will be one o’clock soon. Shall we ask for a menu?’ Paul asked, looking around for a free waiter.

‘It’s a bit expensive actually, and I think you have to book for a meal,’ Rebekah said hesitantly.

‘Rebekah: I owe you for my night of unplanned accommodation on your most comfortable settee, the amazing meal you gave me when I arrived in the middle of the night,andthe perfect omelette you cooked me this morning, not to mention the tour-guiding so far today.’ He held up his hand with mock severity to stop the protestations she was about to emit. ‘Please, it would be my privilege to buy you lunch. May I?’ he asked her as he caught the eye of a waiter, who brought them each a menu.

Rebekah smiled her thanks and marvelled at how differently this day was turning out from her usual Saturday plans: a visit to the library to change her books, a quick dash around Sainsbury’s, a treat of fish and chips on the quay and then the ferry ride home to Brownsea and Rose Cottage. As she sipped her wine, ordered a luscious meal, and watched Paul watching the boats coming and going through the harbour entrance, she decided one thing: it was time to stop expecting anything to be normal, ever again.

Lunch turned into coffee and somehow time seemed to stay still, while they’d been sitting there for well over two hours together, talking, eating, laughing. Rebekah glanced at her watch as she noticed the waiters seemed to be clearing up around them as all the other lunch guests had left.

‘Heck, look at the time! We’d best get a move on if I’m going to get my groceries bought and make it onto that ferry home. And don’t you have work to do?’ she asked him, feeling a little panicky at how dependent she now realised she was on Paul to drive her back into Poole.

Paul studied his watch and seemed to be mulling something over. Rebekah saw him glance towards Brownsea and westward to where she’d pointed out Studland earlier.

‘You’ll never make it, not comfortably, anyway,’ he finally said, resting back in his chair and folding his arms decisively.

‘What? Why not?’ Rebekah cried, noticing the higher pitch in her own voice.

‘We have a half an hour walk back to the hotel, then once we get into Poole, you won’t have enough time to shop and do all your errands and still get back to the quay by half past four,’ he explained.

‘Oh, it’s okay – I really don’t need much and I’m quite good at flying around Sainsbury’s in a hurry,’ she spoke quickly, beginning to feel a little breathless now.

‘And your library books?’ he asked with an arch to his eyebrows that told her he was enjoying this. She had forgotten that she’d left them in his car.

‘Ah, yes, I forgot about those. Oh, damn it. I really did want to change them,’ she mused, biting her lip as she thought about it.

‘I tell you what,’ said Paul, folding his arms and leaning them on the table as he bent closer to Rebekah. ‘Let’s say we forget all about trying to make it in time for that early ferry. I’ll help you get your errands done, and then we can spend the evening together. Have dinner somewhere. Perhaps even take a drive out to this castle and its village you think I should see. It will be light until nearly ten o’clock tonight. Then you can take the later ferry from here on the – what did you call it – theEnterprise? – and still get home to bed in Rose Cottage before you turn into a pumpkin.’

Rebekah realised she was staring at him with her jaw hanging open. His eyes were studying her face and she felt her lips tingle when his gaze lingered on her mouth, which she shut with a snap. Everything he had suggested sounded perfectlyreasonable. And wonderful. But she had only met him fifteen hours previously. And was there something just a bit too close and personal about him wanting to spend so much time with her when he’d only just met her? What if he had that strange controlling gene she’d only seen too late in Andy?

She could just decline his lovely offer, ask to be dropped at the supermarket and let him drive away, never to see him again. Or, she could take a deep plunge and trust him. She felt the weight of two possible and polar opposite outcomes teetering in the balance, and took a deep breath before replying.

‘You know, for someone whose Friday evening plans went so incredibly awry, your ideas for Saturday evening are pretty spectacular, Paul. Count me in,’ she said with a smile, realising this was probably the most daring and trusting thing she’d ever said to a man before – particularly one she found incredibly attractive. There. She’d admitted it. He was divine to look at, and he had an easy way to him that made her feel like she’d known him for months rather than hours. She was loving every minute in his company.

‘But we should still head off now, I think. These waiters are wanting a break before their dinner rush starts,’ she said looking around the patio where they were the last guests remaining.

Paul went to pay the bill while Rebekah walked over to theEnterprisejetty to explain to the ferryman to expect her on the last ferry of the day at 11p.m., if he didn’t see her any earlier.

‘Rightio, Bek,’ said the boat’s captain, who had always shortened her name without checking whether or not she approved – she didn’t. ‘And if you don’t turn up for the eleven o’clock, what should we do? Don’t want you stranded here, love,’ he said, and Rebekah noticed that he was looking over her shoulder with a frown. She turned to see Paul approaching, tucking his wallet into his back pocket.

‘It’s all right, Bob, I’m sure I’ll be here by eleven. And if I’m not going to make it, I’ll let you know,’ she assured him.

‘Let’s take the road way back to the hotel, shall we?’ Rebekah suggested to Paul as they walked away from the ferry jetty. ‘It runs all along the peninsula on the inside, so I’ll be able to show you more of the harbour that way.’

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