‘Picked it up this morning from Puffin Pantry. They were selling off their old sets as they have new ones outside on the street.’
‘It looks pretty and new to me.’
Pete poured the tea. ‘Have you spoken to Sam since yesterday?’
Verity shook her head. ‘I thought I’d give him some space whilst he comes to terms with everything. How are you feeling about it all?’
‘It was a complete shock to discover your granny was pregnant…’ He hesitated. ‘I know it’s going to sound daft, but she was the only woman I ever truly loved. I honestly hoped she would stay on Puffin Island with me, even if it meant I had to face Joe. If only I could see him one last time to have the conversation. If only my cap hadn’t been in the sea.’
‘I know,’ replied Verity.
‘The one thing I can take away from all this is that she still had our puffin picture. That means a lot to me.’
‘She did, and she hung it in her favourite room in the house.’
‘We bought that picture together on our first date. In fact, we bought two. We sat on the top of the cliff watching the puffins whilst we wrote on the back of them, both wondering what the future was going to hold. We were so full of hope. I still have mine hanging on the landing at the top of the stairs.
‘It’s a funny old world, isn’t it? Every single day I thought about her and hoped she would walk up that cliff path with her curls bouncing off her shoulders and her wide smile smothered in red lipstick. She melted my heart from the very first moment.’
‘Would you like to see a photo of her? I have loads, but there’s a special one I carry with me in my purse.’
‘That would be lovely.’
Verity hot-footed it back to her van and soon returned. ‘It’s one of both of us, sitting in the garden.’
Pete took the photograph and his eyes instantly teemed with tears. ‘She’s just as beautiful as I remember.’
‘Do you know what I think?’
Pete looked towards her.
‘I think it was fate that I discovered that postcard.’ Verity looked up at the sky. ‘My reckoning is that she’ll be looking over us right now, glad we’ve met. I needed this, Pete.’
‘This?’
‘This new adventure, a change.’
They both sipped their tea.
‘Did Hetty have a good life? Was she happy?’ asked Pete.
‘She was a jolly granny, always singing and smiling. She taught me how to bake, ride a bike, tie my shoelaces, and she told the best stories about this island. Even though she never mentioned you specifically, out of loyalty to my grandfather, it’s clear she never forgot you, and I think she’ll be very pleased I’ve found my way to this island and applied for a job here. All the upset I’ve been through in the last few months now feels well worth it.’
‘Cooper would be mad not to hire you.’
‘Then all I’ll need to do is find a house. This was definitely fate. I’ve got a good feeling it’s all going to work out somehow.’
‘And is everything okay between you and Sam?’
Verity shrugged. ‘I hope so but I’m trying not to overthink it.’ She felt herself blushing a little, remembering the night they’d spent together. No one had evoked such passion in her before. That night had been playing on a loop in her mind ever since. She hadn’t come on this adventure looking for love, but as Pete had recently said, when you know, you know. And there was something about Sam Wilson that she couldn’t shake off.
‘He’s a good lad and a hard worker, and he has been dealt a rough hand. But he has his grandfather’s spirit and talent.’
‘When I heard him sing in the pub, I honestly thought he was a recording artist.’
‘He has the same tone as his grandfather. It takes me right back to those band days when I hear it.’
‘He’s made it clear he’s only looking for fun.’
