‘I suppose it’s the yearning for something exciting and different to what we know.’
Brodie turned to look at her briefly. ‘I know I couldn’t wait to move to England and experience the thrill of the Underground, all the noise and hustle and bustle only to end up in Devon. I loved it there but it wasn’t too unlike living in this place.’
Lettie wasn’t so sure about the Underground being remotely thrilling. All it had ever been to her was a way to get from A to B without getting wet when it was raining. A necessity but not at all exciting. ‘I did hanker after the nightlife in London before I moved there,’ she admitted thinking back to when she was younger and how the urge to move to London had filled her every waking thought. ‘And if I’m honest, I enjoyed having places to go for food whenever the mood took me, discovering shops and cosy pubs down back streets that were hundreds of years old, that sort of thing.’
‘And now?’
She smiled. ‘Now, if I want to go somewhere with a bit of history, I go to one of the older parish pubs, but I haven’t done that yet apart from the other night. I haven’t felt the need, or had the energy,’ she said realising it for the first time. ‘Although I did enjoy the few drinks I’ve had at The Plough recently.’
She noticed Brodie stiffen and realised he assumed she was referring to her evenings with Joe. Not sure where their relationship was going, or what it was, she didn’t want Brodie to get the wrong idea about them.
‘Of course, I saw you at the pub recently, didn’t I?’
His voice was chilled as he turned off down towards the beach. Brodie parked the car and the two of them got out, taking each of their dogs with them down the cobbled slipway to the beach. Once they were on the sand, Brodie looked left, then right.
‘Which way shall we go?’
She breathed in the cool salty air, looking first to the left at the longer expanse of beach, then to the right. Seeing a small group of people walking to their right, she pointed left, wanting to walk for as long as possible with him.
‘There are fewer people that way. It’ll be less distracting for these two.’
‘Looks like rain is coming towards us across the Channel.’ Brodie pointed out to sea where Lettie saw a steel grey band of clouds looming ominously between them and Guernsey.
She didn’t like the look of the sky or the different look of the sea where the rain was falling. ‘How long do you think we have before it reaches us?’
‘Probably half an hour,’ he replied thoughtfully. ‘Maybe slightly less but enough time for a bit of a walk anyway.’
‘We’d better get a move on then.’
They began walking, each lost in their own thoughts as the dogs trotted along in front of them, leading the way.
‘Gosh, it’s windier down here than I expected,’ Lettie said trying to tuck a flyaway strand of hair behind her ear but giving up when it kept escaping and whipping in front of her nose.
‘I meant to reply to your question.’
Lettie wasn’t sure what question Brodie was referring to, then recalled her mentioning them seeing each other in the pub. ‘I wasn’t sure you heard me,’ she fibbed, wanting to let him off the hook in case he didn’t wish to continue with the subject.
‘I did, then I was distracted by driving.’ He turned to look at herslowing his pace. ‘I remember seeing you and feeling envious that Joe was the one out with you.’
Surprised by his admission, Lettie forgot to make the next step and stood still, watching him take a couple more paces before realising she had stopped and turning back to her.
‘You OK?’
‘Er, yes. I hadn’t expected you to say that.’
He gazed down at his feet for a moment before looking her in the eye. ‘I probably shouldn’t have admitted as much, but it’s true.’
Lettie’s breath caught in her throat. She’d never experienced such honesty from a man and was taken aback to hear someone she found as attractive as Brodie admitting he liked her. Her spirits soared and she struggled to contain her reaction.
‘I see.’ It was the best she could do if she wasn’t going to show herself up.
Brodie reached out his hand waiting for her to take it. ‘Do you mind me admitting my feelings towards you?’ He looked away in the direction they were walking. ‘I’d hate to think I’d spooked you by doing so.’
She took his hand and cleared her throat, trying to gather herself. ‘No, I’m just surprised you feel that way.’ She didn’t add that after being kissed by him on two occasions in her life with neither occasion leading to anything romantic, she had presumed he wasn’t interested in anything serious.
He pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. ‘Would you mind me asking how you feel about me?’
‘I like you, Brodie,’ she said honestly. She saw him smile, and added, ‘Quite a lot.’
