‘The Lakehouse.’
‘Very classy,’ added Pippa, raising an eyebrow.
‘I have no idea what to wear.’
‘We can sort out your wardrobe after we’ve finished these.’
‘Irene said that Arthur wants to treat us all. I’m just hoping I feel better after I’ve had a shower. At the moment, my head feels like it’s not attached to the rest of my body and I’m feeling a little blurgh.’
‘I can tell. You’ll feel better after you’ve had something to eat. Did you contact Noah at all?’
Elle shook her head. ‘I think the moment may have passed. Last night was a disaster and he left with a gorgeous girl.’
‘It was definitely a catastrophic sequence of events,’ Pippa agreed.
‘Maybe it’s the universe’s way of telling me it’s not meant to be. I’m just going to concentrate on today and meeting Irene’s new man,’ she said, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to shake thoughts of Noah from her mind. ‘What shall I go for? Jeans, dress or a skirt?’
Pippa glanced up towards the kitchen window. ‘Blue sky and barely a cloud. What a difference from last night. It’s still chilly out there though. How about that lovely floral dress you have with your navy cardigan and ballet slippers? That would be perfect.’
‘Yes, I think you might be right,’ replied Elle, picturing the outfit in her mind.
‘I’ll wash these up – you go and jump in the shower.’
‘Thanks.’ Elle handed Pippa her empty plate then climbed back up the stairs towards the bathroom.
* * *
Early in the afternoon Elle walked on to the wooden jetty outside The Little Blue Boathouse. The bright-yellow water taxi bobbed in the water with its engine humming. Stepping on board, she waved at Roman, the chief skipper of the boat. He flashed a warm smile then tipped his cap in acknowledgement. Once all the passengers were on board, Roman began to steer the boat slowly away from the jetty and as soon as they were in the open water, he began to pick up speed. Elle knew Irene was already waiting in the restaurant along with Arthur, and Jessica was due to arrive soon after.
She watched the view sail past, everything looking picture perfect: the sweeping bays and sand dunes, gulls hovering over the white cliffs, and Heartcross Mountain reaching for the sky. The boat eventually bumped gently against the wooden jetty where it bobbed in the water. The Lakehouse was absolutely breathtaking, the perfect place for lunch.
The inside of the restaurant was just as breathtaking as the outside, with its shimmering central dining bar and signature large windows overlooking the bay. There was striking art hanging on the wall and an ebony baby grand piano positioned in the far corner of the dining room.
Elle spotted Irene sitting with Arthur and gave her a wave as the waiter showed her to the table.
Immediately Arthur stood up and extended his hand. ‘Pleased to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.’
‘Elle, Arthur, Arthur, Elle,’ Irene introduced them.
‘It’s lovely to meet you too. This is the first time I’ve been here. It’s just gorgeous, isn’t it?’ Elle sat down at the table.
‘Jessica won’t be long – she’s just texted,’ Irene said, picking up the bottle of wine. ‘She’s on the next river taxi. Would you like a glass?’
Elle placed her hand over her glass knowing she couldn’t face another drop of alcohol. ‘Just water for me, thank you.’
‘Have a look over the menu. I’m having trouble choosing, there’s so many options jumping out at me,’ Irene said as she passed a menu to Elle.
‘Thank you. Arthur, tell me about you. You met at the walking club, I understand? I want to hear all about it.’
Arthur shared the story of how he and Irene had bonded when they hiked over Heartcross Mountain.
‘It so strange that I’ve lived surrounded by all this beautiful scenery and yet it was the first time I’d hiked to the top of the mountain,’ Irene mused.
‘It’s on my to-do list,’ shared Elle. ‘I look at it every day from the library window and think the very same.’
‘You must – and here’s Jessica now.’ Arthur waved towards the door of the restaurant and stood up with a wide smile on his face.
Elle swung a look towards the door of the restaurant and her eyes widened as she recognised Jessica. She was the girl who had picked up Noah outside the library last night!
