They stared at each other for a second. ‘I’m surprised you’re even speaking to me after earlier.’
‘Luckily for you, I’m not one for holding grudges.’
‘Which makes my life a lot easier. If it’s okay with you, I think I need a hug. I thought I’d be pushing my luck if I asked Pete for one.’ He stretched his arms wide.
Verity chuckled, stepping into his arms and squeezing him tight. ‘Jimmy will be okay, but you’ll have your work cut out keeping him off that leg.’
Pulling away slowly, she opened the van. ‘Here, grab these.’ She passed him a couple of chairs then brought out a small firepit along with a bag of coal.
Sam popped his head into the van. ‘It’s like the Tardis in here. Did you convert this? It’s like a proper home.’
‘I did. There was blood, sweat, tears and a few war wounds but not as many as those sustained today from the puffins.’ Verity opened the fridge, took out a bottle of wine and passed it to him. ‘It has all the mod cons. This is my shower.’ She held up the pet shower system.
‘Wow, you’re spoiling yourself.’
‘And my camping toilet.’ She pointed.
‘I don’t think I need to see that.’ He grinned. ‘But I’m impressed with this pet shower. How does it work?’ He pushed in the pump.
‘Woah! Don’t do that!’
But it was too late; water had squirted out all over Sam’s socks. Verity quickly thrust the hose outside.
‘It’s actually quite powerful,’ said Sam, thoughtfully.
‘And now your socks are soaked. You get the fire going and I’ll find you a new pair of socks.’
With a smile Sam stepped outside and collected nearby twigs to put in the bottom of the firepit before adding the coals. ‘Any matches?’
‘Yes, I’ll be right there,’ she replied, rummaging through one of the drawers. There they were, exactly what she was looking for. ‘Here, catch,’ she said, standing in the doorway and throwing Sam a box of matches and a pair of long pink fluffy socks, followed by a towel.
Sam cocked an eyebrow. ‘You expect me to wear these? Have you not got anything less…neon?’
‘No one is going to see you, and those are good socks. Better than the wet ones you’re wearing.’
Playfully Sam shook his head and by the time Verity had mopped up the water and joined him outside, his trainers were on a box next to the firepit and his socks draped on a nearby bush. His legs were stretched out and the fluffy pink socks stretched up his calves.
‘They suit you.’ She smiled.
‘They’re pretty good socks, to be fair.’
Verity poured the wine and handed Sam a glass. Sitting watching the sea lapping against the rocks in the distance, Verity chanced a glance at him. ‘You shook Pete’s hand. It was good to see you both being amicable.’
‘He took care of Jimmy, you both did. I would never have got him over to Sea’s End in time. If it wasn’t for the two of you he might not have made it.’
‘But he did.’
Sam paused and took a sideward glance towards Verity. ‘I’ve been thinking about what you said.’
‘What is it I said?’
‘About talking to Pete before the vigil. When you said, surely if something had happened back then, it would have come out by now.’
Verity didn’t interrupt. The islanders had tried to put an end to this feud for years with no breakthrough. Could it actually be possible that Sam was beginning to move on?
‘I know you’re right. Pete will have stories about my grandfather I don’t know, and by not moving on, all those stories and memories will be lost.’
‘What did I do or say that was different compared to Betty or others on the island?’
