Page 94 of The Winter of Second Chances
‘Just popped in to see Alfred.’ John nodded back towards the cave. He was wearing green wellingtons over his jeans and a cream Aran-knit jumper. As he got closer, Annie could see the beginnings of a beard.
‘Whatareyou doing?’ John asked when he reached her.
‘What areyoudoing?’ she countered.
‘I told you, I’ve been to see Alfred.’
‘I didn’t know Alfred took house calls.’
‘Have you ever tried?’
‘Once,’ said Annie. ‘He chased me out.’
John laughed heartily at that.
‘Sounds about right,’ he said. ‘Now you. What’s all this?’ he pointed to her basket.
‘Positivity pebbles,’ said Annie.
‘What?’
‘Positivity pebbles. I’ll leave these in the basket on the bench by the window, with some non-toxic paint pens, and people can write nice messages on them and bury them on the beach for someone to find.’
‘Messages like what?’
‘Like...’ Annie looked to the sky for inspiration. ‘Like,have a great day, oryou are special, orsent with love, or’ – she thought back to that day in Tunbridge Wells and the pebble she had found just before she saw the ad in the paper – ‘oreverything is going to be all right...the kind of thing that will put a smile on someone’s face when they find it.’
‘Why?’
‘Why not? Think of it as random words of kindness.’
John frowned at her in a curious way, as though she were a mathematical equation to be solved.
‘I like it,’ he said. ‘What a great idea.’
‘Not mine, I’m afraid. But I found one, not so long ago when I really needed a friend, and it was just what I needed at that moment.’
‘You had a pebble for a friend?’
‘Beggars can’t be choosers.’
She looked up at John and he suddenly swooped down and kissed her lightly. It was the briefest brush against her lips, but it still made her breath catch. He took a step back, embarrassed.
‘Sorry about that,’ he said. ‘I just suddenly. It was just...you looked so wistful. I suppose I just wanted to let you know that you have a friend, if you ever need one. And I think you’re lovely. Despite often behaving to the contrary. And I think that maybe someone made you feel like you weren’t lovely and he shouldn’t have. But anyway. There we are. And I know it’s way too complicated for anything to happen between us at the moment, but still, you’re lovely.’
Annie could hardly breathe.
‘I...’
‘Annie! Customers!’ Gemma was out on the patio, with her hands making a trumpet over her mouth.
‘I’ve got to get back,’ said Annie.
‘Here,’ John said, taking the basket off her arm. ‘You go. I’ll hunt out positivity pebbles.’
‘Thanks,’ Annie called back as she ran, slipping on the stones towards the cafe. And then, quite without realising what she was doing, she found herself running back towards John. Running on shifting pebbles isn’t easy, it’s like running through porridge, and there is no way to be graceful about it. She reached him, breathless and in danger of turning an ankle, and went up on tiptoe to kiss him on the lips.
‘I think you’re lovely too,’ she gasped. She hoped she didn’t faint from the exercise. ‘Even though you might sell my home and business from underneath me. But there we are. I think you’re lovely all the same.’
