Page 53 of The Key to the Last House Before the Sea

NESSA

Nessa opened the door to Gabriel. ‘Hello. I’m still here.’ She flashed him a brief smile. ‘Do you think you could come in for a moment?’

Gabriel squinted in the early morning light, suspicion etched across his face.

She couldn’t blame him. She’d been in the cottage for a week now and hadn’t let him over the threshold once. But something had shifted on his birthday.

‘You want me to come in?’ he asked in his quiet, deep voice.

‘Yes, if you don’t mind. I’ve got something to show you.’

Nessa groaned quietly. That didn’t sound right. Actually, none of this felt right and she had a horrible feeling she was about to overstep the mark. But it was too late. Gabriel had walked into the cottage and was standing there with his arms folded.

‘You’ve whitewashed the walls,’ he said, looking around him.

‘That’s right.’

Nessa stepped over the paint pots in the middle of the floor. She’d also had the chimney swept so she could light a fire and Sam from the village had kindly checked the roof and made a few repairs. But that wasn’t why she’d invited Gabriel inside.

He walked to the mosaic above the fireplace and ran his fingers across it. ‘Painting the walls has made your great-grandmother’s artwork even more prominent.’ He peered at it more closely. ‘The small stones she’s used are unusual. Do you know where she got them?’

‘As far as I know, she used materials she found locally.’

‘That’s interesting.’

Gabriel leaned in for a better look while Nessa wandered over to a blanket-covered heap in the corner of the room.

‘Actually, art is the reason why I invited you inside.’

When he looked up, she pulled away the blanket that was covering her gran’s painting paraphernalia.

‘What do you think?’

‘Wow.’ Gabriel walked over and stooped down. He began to leaf through the bare canvases and examine the oil paints, and the wooden easel that was splattered with rainbow splodges of colour. ‘I didn’t realise you had all of this.’

‘It belonged to my gran and it seems a shame for it to stay shoved into boxes if it can be used.’ Nessa swallowed. ‘I thought maybe you might like to use it?’

When Gabriel glanced up at her, Nessa continued quickly. ‘You don’t have to, obviously. But you like painting – well, you’ve liked it in the past – and I’m sure you could find some time while you’re stuck in Heaven’s Cove. Think of it as a belated birthday present. Anyway, if it’s a daft idea, just ignore it.’

She picked up a paint pot and put it on the windowsill, just for something to do, because Gabriel was still staring at her.

Why on earth had she said that about a belated birthday present? A terrible thought struck her. What if he assumed it was a bribe to make him change his mind about the Ghost Village?

Nessa went hot and cold before realising he was unlikely to assume any such thing. It would take more than a motley assortment of ancient paints and canvases to bribe a successful businessman.

He’ll just think I’m being strange again and making a fool of myself, thought Nessa.Though that really didn’t help.

‘Don’t worry about it,’ she said, standing in the doorway and feeling the breeze from the sea on her back. ‘It was a stupid idea.’

‘No.’ Gabriel got to his feet, frowning slightly. ‘It wasn’t stupid at all. In fact, it was really thoughtful.’

When his eyes locked on to Nessa’s, she couldn’t look away. Gabriel didn’t seem so much like a fusty corporate businessman this morning. He was still wearing his stupid suit – minus his tie – but there was stubble on his chin and his dark fringe was flopping across his forehead. There was a definite hint of grunge going on.

The faint wash of the sea and the screeching of gulls faded away.

Nessa was the first to break eye contact. ‘If you’re interested in it, you can leave it here until you want to use it. I don’t suppose Rosie wants it back, cluttering up Driftwood House. Anyway, that was all.’

She moved away from the door and, to her relief, he stepped past her, out into the fresh air. The last few minutes had been more awkward than she’d anticipated.

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