Page 83 of The Key to the Last House Before the Sea

‘And does Nessa think it was me who told you she wasn’t here?’

His father shrugged. ‘You’d know that you can’t keep things from me if you weren’t so befuddled by that woman.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘You were here with her that night, and I saw the way you looked at her. You’ve fallen for Ms Paulson, haven’t you? All that time here together with the waves crashing outside. Oh, Gabriel.’ He whistled through his teeth. ‘I didn’t think you’d be taken in by a woman like that.’

‘A woman like what?’ demanded Gabriel, experiencing a red-hot rush of anger.

‘A single parent from the back end of beyond with a ludicrous dream to do up this place and live here happily ever after.’

‘We all need dreams.’

‘Exactly.’ Billy spread his arms wide. ‘And that’s what we’ll build here, together. Dream homes for tired executives who’ll pay an arm and a leg for an amazing view.’

‘Not everything comes down to money.’

His father’s jaw dropped as if Gabriel had swung a punch at it. ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ he barked. ‘Of course everything comes down to money.’

‘Even when it means doing the wrong thing?’

His father shook his head. ‘I sometimes wonder if you’re really cut out to take over the business.’

‘So do I,’ said Gabriel quietly. He looked out of the window at the waves that rolled endlessly towards the shore. Was he really going to do it? Really going to say it? He took a deep breath. ‘I don’t think I fit with the business if this is how it operates.’

‘It operates just fine and I won’t be changing a thing.’

‘Then perhaps it’s time for me to move on.’

His father laughed. ‘Move on? It’s a family business, Gabriel, and you’ll take over when I eventually retire. You’ll benefit from my hard work that you find so distasteful.’

‘But what if I don’t want to take over when you retire?’

His father opened and closed his mouth.

‘What if my heart isn’t in property development and I’d rather be doing something else?’

‘Something else like art?’ Billy picked up his painting and waved it at him. ‘Be realistic, for goodness’ sake. Are you really going to become a starving artist, living in a Devon garret?’

‘No, I’m not. I’m under no illusion that I can make a living from selling my art. It’s a hobby. But what about displaying and selling other people’s art?’

‘A shop?’ Billy snorted in disbelief. ‘You want to give up the chance of running my property empire to run a shop?’

His father’s derision was expected but it still hurt. Gabriel felt his shoulders drop. ‘James is far more suited to the business. I know that and so do you.’

Billy continued, as though his son hadn’t said a word. ‘So what’s the plan? You’ll open a shop in Heaven’s Cove and move in somewhere with Ms Paulson and her kid and become an instant happy family?’

Gabriel shook his head. ‘She won’t want me. You’re going to destroy this cottage and lost community that means so much to her. And whatever I say, she’ll think it was me who told you she left in the night. But spending time here in this isolated place, away from all the stresses of normal life, has given me time to think.’

‘There’s nothing so dangerous as thinking too much,’ said his father, visibly angry now. ‘You’re tired after staying in this place for a month. You’re not thinking straight.’

‘Or perhaps I’m thinking straight for the first time in a long time.’

An emotion flitted across Billy’s face. Was it fear? Gabriel had never known his father to be frightened of anything.

Billy carefully placed the painting back on the windowsill. Then he gave Gabriel a tight smile.

‘I realise the past few weeks haven’t been easy for you, being away from the office and stuck here. Why don’t you take a week off? Go away and lie on a tropical beach somewhere to clear your head and come to your senses.’

---