Page 34 of Summer at the Cornish Garden Café

‘I am actually.’

‘I’ll make us some breakfast.’ He turned around and grabbed his phone off the bedside table. ‘I have time.’

‘Oh, sorry. Do you have plans?’

‘I’m working up at the rescue sanctuary again today.’

‘Of course.’ She nodded. ‘I’d forgotten.’

‘We have time to eat though.’ He leant over and kissed her forehead then got out of bed. He was wearing sleep shorts anda T-shirt, so he pulled joggers on over the shorts and grabbed a hoodie. ‘Avocado toast OK?’

‘Perfect.’ She lay back down and stretched out and Thomas paused for a moment and gazed at her. She was so beautiful he could look at her all day long. Especially when she was in his bed. But he wasn’t ready for anything other than cuddling. His confidence had taken such a knock that he couldn’t let himself be that vulnerable. Not yet anyway. And Lena had told him she felt the same way about waiting to see how things went and getting to know each other better. They were, it seemed, on the same page. Anyone could have sex, but Thomas had never wanted to be like that. For him, intimacy was an enhancement to a relationship not the only part of it that mattered.

Downstairs, Fifi greeted him enthusiastically, then he opened the bifold doors for her to go out, filled her bowl with food and set about making breakfast and coffee. He hummed as he worked, a sense of contentment warming him. Being held through the night had been comforting and the endorphins must have had a positive effect because he felt really good this morning. Thomas didn’t mind living alone but there was something nice about having company and knowing that there was someone else in the cottage.

When the toast was done, he put the pot of coffee and mugs on the kitchen table then called Lena. She arrived in the kitchen with her hair like a red halo around her head, a soft blush in her cheeks and a light in her eyes that he’d seen in his own in the bathroom mirror. The connection they had was clearly good for both of them.

They’d just sat down to eat when there was a knock at the front door, the sound of a key being inserted into the lock and then, ‘Thomas? It’s only me.’

Thomas met Lena’s eyes, and her mouth dropped open in surprise.

‘It’s Marnie,’ he said. ‘She has her own key.’

‘I gathered that. How are we going to explain this?’ Lena’s eyes were so wide that Thomas couldn’t help himself and he laughed.

‘We’re adults. We don’t have to explain anything.’ He gave her hand a squeeze.

‘Thomas, I brought some fresh bread that Bligh made this morning and—’ Marnie froze in the kitchen doorway as she took in the sight before her. ‘Oh…Hello. I didn’t know you had company.’

Her wide smile told Thomas that his sister was delighted.

‘Marnie.’ He gave a nod. ‘This is…’

‘I know, I know!’ She waved a hand and came to the table. ‘Hello, Lena. Lovely to see you.’ She put the bread on the table, pulled out a chair and sat down heavily, holding her bump as if it might fall off. ‘Oh, that’s better.’

‘Are you all right?’ he asked.

‘Yes, fine. Bligh’s at home so I said I’d walk over here with the bread and get some exercise. My body aches so much at the moment that I can’t get comfy at night, so I like to walk it off when I get up. Honestly, I’ll be glad when this little one is out in the world.’ She spoke mainly to Lena as if she couldn’t take her eyes off her. ‘So, you stayed over did you?’

‘Marnie!’ Thomas warned.

She turned to him and took his hand. ‘Stop stressing, Thomas. It’s fine if you had a sleepover. Lovely, in fact. You know,it’s been a long time since Thomas has shown any interest in anyone. I’m so happy to see you two getting along so well. It’s made my day.’ Her eyes strayed to Thomas’ plate. ‘Is that avocado toast?’

He smiled then slid the plate over to her. ‘Do you want a herbal tea?’

‘Mint would be grand, thanks.’

He made tea while Marnie ate his breakfast. Marnie and Lena chatted about Marnie’s pregnancy and Lena’s writing, about what she thought of Porthpenny and what her summer plans were. He made himself a piece of toast that he ate while standing and Fifi sat at his feet gazing hopefully at him until he gave her a small piece.

When he took the tea to the table, Marnie stood up and said, ‘That was delicious, thanks. And now I need the loo. Again.’ She rolled her eyes then left the kitchen and Thomas looked over at Lena.

‘I’m so sorry about that. Marnie is lovely but she can be a bit of a bloodhound.’

‘She’d have been a good journalist,’ Lena said with a smile.

‘That’s very true,’ he agreed. ‘But she means well.’

‘It’s fine, honestly. She clearly cares about you and wants you to be happy and that’s a good thing.’

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