Fern thanked the women before heading towards the cliff-top path via the sand dunes, which were covered with wild grass swaying in the breeze. She climbed steadily, the sound of the waves becoming more distant. At the top of the hill, a quaint cottage came into view. It was beautiful and looked straight out of a storybook, with whitewashed walls and a thatched roof. Wildflowers spilled over the garden wall, a riot of colour against the deep green grass.
Then she spotted him. Daniel was sitting on a weathered wooden bench, just near the cottage, looking out to sea.
It wasn’t just him that stole her breath away, it was the thousands of puffins dotting the cliffs and wandering in and out of their burrows. She had never seen one before, and now they were everywhere. Their little orange feet, their bright beaks, the way they bobbed and waddled– it was mesmerising. The sheer number of them, nesting and gliding effortlessly over the waves, was unlike anything she had ever seen before. It was a world away from the chaos of London, the deadlines, the constant drive to get ahead. For a moment, she simply stood there, taking it all in.
Daniel must have sensed someone was there as he looked over his shoulder. His expression was unreadable at first, and for a moment, she thought he might turn away. But he didn’t. He simply watched as she made her way over and slid onto the bench beside him. For a second neither of them spoke; they listened instead to the distant sound of the waves crashing below, felt the breeze blowing through their hair. She took a deep breath. ‘I’m sorry.’
Daniel didn’t respond right away, but he didn’t move either.
Fern swallowed, summoning the nerve to continue.
‘I was wrong about everything. I should have considered how you felt before I barged in, acting like I had it all figured out. The truth is… I’ve never been in a situation like this before. I’ve never inherited a shop, or met anyone like you.’
That got his attention. He turned slightly, his eyes locking onto hers. ‘What do you mean, “anyone like” me?’
‘Someone who genuinely cares about people, community, doing the right thing, and isn’t motivated by money.’ She gave a shaky laugh and shook her head. ‘Which, honestly, scares the hell out of me. I didn’t come to Puffin Island expecting anything, or anyone. It was supposed to be a quick visit to get the shop ready for sale, before going straight back to London.’
He raised an eyebrow.
‘There’s a small part of me that’s afraid,’ she admitted quietly. ‘Afraid of this place, of what it’s starting to mean to me, and afraid of you. Because…’ She hesitated. ‘After speaking with Edgar, I’ve realised that Matilda left me this place for a reason. I just don’t know what that is yet.
‘This island is all about people and what they mean to each other. You wouldn’t get anyone in the apartment block where I live nipping in with a home-baked lemon drizzle to welcome you. You’d get a grunt of a hello in the lift if you were lucky. I’ve never really had that in my life. In my industry, people use each other for what they can get out of the relationship. Friendships are superficial.’ The thought of Ella popped into her head. Though she’d been a constant in Fern’s life since childhood, lately she’d found herself wondering if they were slowly becoming different versions of themselves, shifting in ways neither of them was ready to acknowledge. Ella was still chasing the nights out and cheap thrills, whereas Fern could see a different future for herself, one that was a bit calmer, a bit quieter, and perhaps even had more… puffins?
‘Whatever is going on between us, it’s started to matter more to me than I’m ready to admit. I’m not used to anything that even resembles a real relationship.’
Daniel’s expression softened.
‘This isn’t going to sound great,’ she went on, ‘and I’m not proud of it, but in London everything moves fast, including relationships, if you can even call them that. My focus has always been my career. The men I’ve been with were… convenient. The kind who don’t ask for commitment. Sometimes I didn’t even ask for their names. It was easier that way. Detached. Safe.’
She glanced up, meeting his eyes. ‘I’ve made a habit of keeping my distance from anything real.’
Daniel’s voice was low when he finally spoke. ‘Isn’t that a little sad?’ he asked. ‘Don’t you think you deserve more?’
It was such a simple question, but it struck her like a blow. She looked away, blinking back the tears, pretending to focus on the puffins even though they were a blur. ‘I don’t know,’ she said finally. ‘I think, somewhere along the line, I convinced myself that I didn’t. That wanting more never worked out and was maybe even selfish. I’ve always wanted to be an editor, to rise to the top, but the hours, the time and commitment needed, wouldn’t leave any space for anyone else, and that’s why I learned to keep things light. Flirt, smile, walk away before anyone got too close. That way, no one could hurt me. No expectations, no messy feelings, no heartbreak, and I could focus on making my work a huge success.’
Daniel listened in silence.
‘I was good at it,’ she continued, laughing softly. ‘I became the kind of person who was always in control. Who didn’t needanything real. But then I came here, and suddenly everything I thought I knew about myself started shifting.’ Her eyes found his again. ‘You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met, Daniel. And that terrifies me because I don’t know how to be the kind of person who opens up. Who stays. Who tries.’
‘You don’t have to have it all figured out,’ he said gently. ‘You just need to be open to change and vulnerability.’
A tear slipped down Fern’s cheek before she could stop it and she wiped it away with the back of her hand. ‘I really don’t want to fall out with you.’
Daniel slid his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in close. She didn’t hesitate to lean into him. Wrapped up in his warmth, she felt a million miles away from her life in London.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. ‘Sorry,’ she said.
‘Go ahead. I don’t mind.’
She whipped her phone from her pocket and glanced at the screen. Ella.
‘It can wait.’
She knew exactly what the message would say.When are you coming home? There’s another party to attend.
But Fern wasn’t ready to answer that question just yet.
For now, she just wanted to sit here, beside Daniel, wrapped in his arms, savouring the moment and watching the puffins as they surfed the cliff-top breeze.
