The travelling van was parked in a prime position. Verity perched on a rock just in front of it. It was dusk, and in the clear sky one star was shining brighter than the rest. ‘I reckon that’s you, Granny,’ she murmured. ‘And I reckon you’ll be happy I’m here. But what I want to know is what you were doing here.’ Unless Betty could shed any light on the postcard, she might never know.
This time tomorrow she would be in Amsterdam.
Verity was beginning to wonder exactly how she wanted her future to look. Suddenly the thought of going home wasn’t filling her with excitement. She knew she wanted more than the same old same old.
Looking at her phone, she saw a text message from Ava, which she’d missed whilst she’d been in the pub.
Not long until our proper adventure begins.
Verity had counted down the days, crossing them off on the calendar that hung on the kitchen wall, wanting nothing more than to get away from the street and her past. All she’d wanted was to breathe freely and begin to live again, without feeling uncomfortable or worrying when she was going to bump into the new residents at number 50. Today she had found that freedom for the first time in ages.
She inhaled the sea air. Even though she was happy, the night held a feeling of sadness, and Verity knew exactly why. In less than twelve hours, Sam and the island had both cast a magic spell over her, and she couldn’t get either of them out of her thoughts. She didn’t want to leave the island, but tomorrow she would be gone.
ChapterSeven
For the next thirty minutes Verity sat on the rock in front of the van with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She knew she should be trying to get some sleep before her early start but she was wide awake, her mind whirling from her time on the island.
‘It’s a beautiful sight, isn’t it?’
Verity jumped up and spun around.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.’ Sam was standing behind her holding two drinks. ‘Here, one’s for you, hot chocolate. I always get one from the Cosy Kettle on the way home.’
‘I didn’t hear you at all.’
‘You were lost in your own little world there for a moment, I thought you’d be fast asleep by now.’
‘I should be but here I am, wondering what tomorrow will bring.’
‘Clogs and windmills are my guess.’
Verity smiled, taking the hot chocolate from his hand. ‘Thank you, and thank you for paying my bill at the pub, that was a really nice surprise.’
‘I thought it was the least I could do, especially as the start of your day wasn’t as good as the end.’ He pointed to the sky. ‘I caught the sunset when I was walking to the pub. It was stunning tonight, the warm blaze of golden orange stretched far and wide as the sun dipped behind the horizon. I never tire of that view. You’re lucky you got such a clear night tonight despite that dreadful weather this morning.’
‘There are millions of stars. It’s so pretty. Do you want to sit?’
Without hesitation Sam slipped next to her on the rock and stared out over the horizon.
‘Was it a busy night at the restaurant?’ The Sea Glass Restaurant was now in darkness except for the fairy lights trailing the jetty and those entwined around the deck of the boat.
‘It’s always a busy night, it doesn’t matter what time of year it is.’
‘I’m not surprised. You’re a man of many talents – not only the proprietor of such an exquisite-looking restaurant but also a singer-songwriter.’
‘It keeps me sane.’ He smiled warmly at her.
‘Your fan club seems to like it. You’re very popular on this island.’
‘Popular with some, not so popular with others.’ He didn’t look in her direction as he drank his chocolate, instead staring out towards the cliffs.
Verity took a sideward glance at him and studied his face.
‘Why not so popular with some?’ she asked, taking her chance to satisfy her curiosity about Amelia’s comment about Sam earlier, at the bar.
He took a swift glance towards her. ‘You can’t please all of the people all of the time,’ he replied with a shrug. ‘Did you enjoy your evening?’
Verity noticed the swift change of conversation, but she went along with it, sensing it wasn’t something to pursue right now. ‘I did. I’m glad I made the effort to go to the pub. I had a great night. Clemmie and Amelia are so lovely.’
