Page 15 of Mistletoe Kisses at Cwtch Cove

They strolled through the streets of Tenby arm in arm, admiring the old houses, quaint pubs and shops, heading in the direction of the Harbour Beach. When they reached the seafront, the tide was out but the sand was damp and dark, gritty beneath their feet. They made their way along the beach and Jack breathed deeply of the briny air, gazing out across the expanse of water at the misty horizon.

‘I do love this beach,’ his mum said. ‘I have such good memories of time spent here with you and your dad.’

Jack’s parents had brought him to Tenby many times when he was younger and even though it wasn’t far from Cwtch Cove, it had always felt like a very different location. As a teenager, he’d liked to read about the fascinating history of the place.

‘We had lovely times here and in Saundersfoot. Wales has some amazing beaches. And, of course, it was always nice to visit Diane.’ His mum stopped walking and sighed. ‘Poor Diane. I can’t believe she’s been gone for sixteen years.’

Jack wrapped an arm around his mum’s shoulders. Diane had been her best friend and they’d been very close.

‘Do you know that’s why I visit Rosemary?’ His mum peered up at him and his heart squeezed at the pain in her blue eyes.

‘Because of Diane?’

‘Yes. She comes to talk to me. She said she was expecting me today. It’s quite strange, isn’t it?’

He raised his eyebrows.

‘She’s happier now than she was in life because she missed her fella so much. They’re together again which is what she wanted, so it helps me knowing that she’s happier.’

‘That makes sense.’

‘I swear the breast cancer that took her was caused by her pain for him. Losing him in the Falklands War like that broke her heart and do you know, she never had another relationship? She refused to even open her heart to the possibility. I told her so many times that her soldier, Mason, would’ve been happy for her to live and to love again, but she wouldn’t let herself so much as look at another man. It was terribly sad, such a waste of the love she had to give. She was only in her twenties when she lost him and that’s incredibly young.’

‘That’s very sad,’ Jack said. ‘I remember Diane being kind and making the best Welsh cakes I’ve ever tasted.’

‘Oh yes… her Welsh cakes were divine. I’ve never been able to get them quite right. Mine are always too dry but hers… They were simply delicious.’

‘Shall we head up to town and see if we can get a coffee?’ Jack asked, turning and looking up at the pastel coloured buildings that provided such a pretty backdrop to the beach.

‘That sounds good.’ His mum hooked her arm through his. ‘Jack… I know I’ve said it before, but I have to say it again. I worry about you. I don’t want you wasting time like Diane did. None of us know what’s around the corner and we need to grab happiness while we can.’

He groaned. ‘Does this have to do with Rosemary’s comment about mistletoe?’

‘It does, darling. She said that you’ll have the chance to find love under the mistletoe this Christmas but that you have to open yourself to the opportunity or the magic of it won’t work. You must lower your guard, open your heart and let yourself feel again.’

‘Magic? I didn’t think psychics were about magic.’ He rubbed his free hand across his forehead.

‘I mean the magic of Christmas.’ She tutted. ‘Look at you putting obstacles in the way already. It’s about letting go of fear and trusting someone else.’

‘Mum, I—’

‘Jack! Listen to me,’ she cut him off. ‘Rosemary said that a woman has come to Cwtch Cove. A very special woman and there’s already a spark between you.’

‘What? Who?’ Jack laughed but his mind filled with visions of Lucy Chenery. Her smile. Her beautiful face. The way his breath caught when he looked at her.

‘You’ll know when you kiss her under the mistletoe.’

‘That’s pretty vague, Mum. Who exactly are we talking about?’

‘You’re mocking me, Jack, and that’s not like you. It’s because you’re feeling defensive, isn’t it?’

He stopped walking and held up his hands. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t mean to seem like I’m mocking you and yes, you’re right, I’m feeling defensive. You know that what happened with Kelly left scars. It’s incredibly hard to get past that.’

His mum nodded slowly. ‘I do know that. I also know that time waits for no one. Your dad and I; we’d have liked to have had another child after you. I always imagined having two children. Sadly, it never happened. I’d have felt better if you had a sibling though, someone to be there with you when your dad and I go.’

‘Mum! Don’t talk about stuff like that.’

She raised her eyebrows. ‘Jack, you’re a paramedic. You see life and death every day and know better than anyone that we can go at any time. You don’t have a brother or sister and I wish you did but you can create a family of your own. It would give me such peace in my heart to know you had a partner, possibly some babies.’

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