I realised what a mess I was making of the knot I was trying to tie, and then realised what he was saying. With Cash caught, Zoey and I no longer needed to pretend to be a couple.
I walked over to his cottage in a daze, not sure how I was going to stop the words from tumbling out of my mouth.
I love you. This is real. I want to be with you forever. Please don’t leave Puffin Bay. I love you.
Zoey was wrestling one of Thane’s foster kittens from the top of the Christmas tree, the twins replacing decorations that said cat had managed to dislodge. Fleur was sipping a coffee and looked remarkably serene.
“Welcome to the disaster zone.” She gave me a nod.
“You’ve been saying that for twelve years.” I glanced at Seren who was standing on a table to reach the top of the too high tree. She was a health and safety nightmare, which meant she’d probably get down unscathed.
“That’s because she had us twelve years ago.” Seren sprung down with the grace and accuracy of a ballerina. “But we’re the best thing to ever happen to you, aren’t we, Mum?”
Fleur continued to look unflustered. “You are when you’re at school or on a boat.”
Zoey came over to me, cuddling the kitten. “I think I’m going to adopt this one and her sister.”
I wasn’t surprised. She liked animals and she’d always wanted a pet, especially because her mother hadn’t let her have one as a child and she’d been away touring too much since being an adult.
Did that mean she definitely would be staying in Puffin Bay?
Fleur coughed and pulled Seren in for a hug that Seren wasn’t appreciative about. “Let’s go to Amelie’s for cake. Flora, find your brother and tell him there’s ice cream in it if he puts actual clothes on.”
“Can I have the lime and coconut cake with salted caramel ice cream?” Flora’s words were almost garbled with enthusiasm.
“You can have whatever you want as long as you clean up your own vomit afterwards.”
The twins legged it, on a joint mission to clothe their younger brother who preferred to live in a semi-naked state.
“And that is how you parent. I’m going to leave you two to it.” She swung out of the room and bellowed something to her offspring which involved more bribery.
“You know about Peter Cash?” Zoey still had hold of the kitten when she got to me, putting her forehead on my shoulder.
I wrapped my arms around her, careful not to squash the kitten. “Thane told me as soon as I docked. My phone’s in the car.”
“No surprises there.” Her face was beaming. “He’s away. I don’t have to worry about him getting to me anymore.”
“You don’t. Looks like Roe and his team did their job.”
She nodded. “With bells on. They managed to pull together additional evidence for the police so he’ll go away for longer. No bail. No access to anything online. I feel free again.”
“You can do whatever you want to do without worrying about him.” The kitten scrambled up my chest and onto my shoulder. Its claws were surprisingly sharp.
She froze, scooping the kitten off me before it fell and putting it on the floor. Then her arms were around me. “You know I’m staying here and entering a bidding war with you for that house?”
My laugh was born of relief. “I wondered if Cash not being around would make you change your mind about what you want to do.”
“No. If I could do things despite my mother, I could do things despite Cash. I’m staying here, in Puffin Bay, as planned.”
“You don’t need a fake relationship anymore.”
“I don’t think I’ve had a fake relationship for weeks. Have you?” Her hands went to her hips, her whole gaze challenging me.
“I don’t think it’s ever been a fake relationship. We might need to make it public though, with our friends here.” Because that was what had slowly gotten around the rumour mill, that could, when necessary, keep a secret just within the town.
“I think they know, Cay. I don’t think they thought it was fake to begin with. Fleur’s been saying that all along.”
“Saying what?” I was somewhat oblivious to gossip or speculation sometimes.
