Page 33 of Autumn at the Cornish Garden Café

She bit the inside of her cheek as emotion swelled like a stormy sea inside her. ‘I tried to protect them.’

‘I know you did, and you saved most of them, but a few got wet and dirty. It must have happened when the glass in the door first smashed.’

‘I should have been better prepared.’

‘I think the ferocity of the storm took most people by surprise. And the forecasters were saying it could go either way. Hedging their bets, I guess.’

‘I need to get the glass in the door fixed.’ She sagged as a sense of hopelessness washed over her. This was her fresh start, and it had already been tarnished.

‘We can do that. I’ve boarded it up for now, though.’ He gestured at the front of the shop and she saw he had fitted a board over the window and secured it in place.

‘Thank you so much. When did you do that?’

‘Earlier. When the rain stopped.’

‘You’re amazing, Henry.’

‘I don’t know about that, but I do what I can.’ He stifled a yawn and rubbed at his eyes. ‘I need coffee.’

‘Me too. Come on, then.’

They went out into the street, and Rosa looked around. The morning was pale and damp, the air cold and clammy. The sky was dove grey with layers of clouds and the water in the harbour looked brown and frothy. Debris littered the streets, a combination of leaves, twigs, mud and other things, including a car wing mirror, a sock, and an assortment of feathers. She hoped no birds had been injured and that they had found sufficient shelter during the storm.

Rosa stopped walking and turned to Henry. She took hold of his shoulders and gazed into his eyes. ‘This could have been so much worse. The outcome, I mean.’

He nodded. His Adam’s apple bobbed.

She pulled him closer and moved her hands so they rested on his cheeks, needing to touch him and to feel his warmth. ‘You were out in that storm most of the night. You could have been hurt.’ Her eyes stung at the thought and she rubbed her thumbs over his jaw, his cheeks and slid them into his hair, then she moved to her tiptoes and leant closer to him. When she kissed him, she sighed against him and felt their bodies mould together as if made to fit. As if he was the missing piece of her jigsaw.

Last night, instead of hiding away and making sure that he was OK, Henry had come to her, gone to Christopher and Bobby. He had checked in with both of them and not even thought about his own safety. He had put them first, and she was overwhelmed with gratitude and more. She kissed him hard, enveloped him in her arms, not wanting to ever let him go. No man had ever done something like this for her before and now, here was Henry, everything she had ever imagined in a future life partner, and he was looking out for her. Selflessly. Without judgement. With kindness and affection. Plus, he was hot as hell and she found him irresistible.

When she finally leant back to look at him again, he was smiling, and there was something in his eyes that made her core flutter.

‘What was that for?’ he asked, not taking his eyes off her.

‘I’m just so happy you’re OK. If you’d been hurt, I...’ A tear trickled down her left cheek, and he gently wiped it away with his thumb.

‘I’m fine. I was careful.’ He kissed her. ‘Very careful. And we got through it, sweetheart. Together. Everything will be OK.’

She sighed as she rested her head on his chest, feeling for the first time in a long time that she could trust someone, could lean on him, could believe that he was who he said he was. Henry had told her that everything would be OK and she would choose to believe that because it felt a lot better than worrying that he was trying to deceive her. It felt a lot better than managing alone.

* * *

They walked up to The Garden Café, looking at the damage caused by the storm on the way. The damage consisted primarily of debris and water; fortunately, most buildings and boats remained undamaged. The bookshop was a small, detached building, so it had caught the worst of the wind blowing into the cove and Henry said he suspected the door window must have been loose in its frame to have smashed like that.

At the café, there was some mess in the gardens, but the high hedges and trees that surrounded the gardens had provided a protective barrier, and so the café itself was fine. Inside, they found other villagers who’d come for breakfast after waking to find their power was off.

‘Good morning, lovelies.’ Pearl came from behind the counter and opened her arms. ‘Rosa, I’m so sorry to hear about the damage to the bookshop. If there’s anything we can to do help, just say.’ She hugged Rosa tight and Rosa’s eyes stung.

‘Thank you,’ she murmured against Pearl’s shoulder. ‘That’s very kind. We haven’t finished cleaning up yet so I’m not sure how much damage was done but the window in the door needs replacing.’

‘Well, I know a man who can do that for you!’ Pearl said. ‘Give me a moment.’

Pearl crossed the café and spoke to a group of men wearing overalls, and one of them nodded. When she came back to them, she said, ‘It’s all sorted. Peter will be there later to replace the window and to check the others.’

Rosa swallowed down the question about the cost because it was something she’d have to cover for now, but hoped the insurance would repay it once the claim had processed.

‘And don’t worry, he said it won’t cost a penny.’ Pearl smiled.

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