Kat recalled the mess on the kitchen table, the ruffled state of his hair when she’d arrived home. ‘Is it something I can help you with?’
‘Don’t worry about it for now, go on with what you were saying.’
It was strange to be so open about something she’d kept mostly to herself for so long. The other girls knew, of course, but they’d always trusted each other with their secrets. She’d carried the shame of her mother’s behaviour, even when she’d been too young to do anything about it. It was her mum doing these awful things. Cheating and lying and messing up other relationships because she had this uncontrollable need to… what? Did she truly think it was love she was getting? Or was it, as her dad had said, just some sick way of testing his feelings? Whatever it was, it was an ugly thing and Kat was tired of carrying the guilt of it around like some dirty little secret. ‘The first time I was awareof it was when I was thirteen and Mum signed up for evening classes. She wanted to learn French so she could help me with my homework, or so she said. I believed her too, until I found out Mr Dudley taught at the college as well as at our school.’
‘Studley Dudley? The hottest teacher at Port Petroc High?’ Harry’s expression had turned horrified. ‘You’re not telling me…?’
Kat nodded. ‘My dad found out and reported him to the school. That’s why he left just after the Easter holidays.’
Harry shook his head as though he couldn’t believe what she was saying. ‘How have I never heard about this before?’
She laughed but it wasn’t a pretty sound. ‘It’s not exactly something I’ve wanted to boast about. Though it’s happened often enough. I reckon my mum’s behaviour is one of the worst-kept secrets in Halfmoon Quay. You know she made a pass at your Uncle Ryan once?’
Harry covered his face in his hands. ‘Oh, God! Your best friend’s dad?’ He peeked at her through his fingers. ‘Does Chloe know?’
‘She’s the one who told me, having overheard your aunt and uncle talking about it one night. That’s when I told her and the other girls about Mr Dudley. Dad had to get someone else in to finish the kitchen because your uncle refused to set foot back in our house.’
‘Kitty, I had no idea. You poor thing.’ Harry reached out and tugged her into his arms and this time she let herself surrender into the comforting heat of him. It felt so good to be held, to know she’d been right to trust him with this ugliest of secrets. She wrapped her arms around his waist and they stood there in silence until Harry’s lips brushed her temple in a ghost of a kiss and he released her. He nudged the crate with his foot. ‘I’m going to need some more plates, aren’t I?’
It didn’t take them long to sweep up the mess in the yard. Kat followed Harry up the stairs and into the kitchen. He didn’t even look at the papers strewn across the table, making a beeline instead for the fridge. ‘I think we deserve a snack, don’t you?’ he asked, though he was already pulling out ingredients and stacking them on the side.
‘I could eat,’ Kat agreed. She’d grabbed an oat and raisin muffin that morning for breakfast – one of the few staples that had escaped the Valentine treatment – but hadn’t really thought about lunch as she’d been too excited at the unexpected time off and the chance to write. Her mind drifted back to the story she’d been writing and she had to turn away and stare out the window until she was sure her blushes had faded. Harry had proven amostinspirational source for her hero.
She risked a glance back at him but he was absorbed in slicing a large ciabatta loaf into diagonal pieces. He certainly had the looks for it. And the personality as well. There was an inherent kindness to him she found deeply attractive, not to mention his ability to deliver the most knee-trembling of kisses. Six weeks had passed since New Year’s Eve and the memory of the two of them on the beach was as fresh and clear as if it had happened only yesterday. Needing a distraction from her wayward thoughts, Kat started tidying up the table, telling herself they’d need to clear it for whatever Harry was cooking but really she was intensely curious as to what it was that had him so stressed out he’d gone on a smashing spree.
She stacked the paint charts in a neat pile and set them to one side, noting several of them had crosses marked against particular shades. The catalogue had a number of dog-eared pages and she was careful not to disturb any of those as she closed the cover and added it to the pile. The paperwork was a mix of hand-drawn sketches, spreadsheets and a multi-page document headed ‘Business Plan’, with lots of blank sections init. Kat flicked through but there was very little detail other than a couple of scrawled sentences in the first box. It had been a long time since she’d seen his writing, but she knew it was Harry’s because the spelling was atrocious and several of the words were indecipherable. He was clearly having a nightmare, but how to get him to talk about it?
Putting it aside, she turned to the sketches and studied them. ‘How are things going with the cookery school plans?’ she asked, keeping her tone as casual as possible.
‘Don’t ask.’ There was a slight stiffness to Harry’s voice and Kat immediately tidied up the stack of paper and set it on top of the catalogue.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,’ she said, walking over to where he was busy grating cheese from a thick block into a bowl. ‘What are you making for us?’
‘Tomato and herb rarebit.’ He flicked her a quick sideways glance. ‘Otherwise known as fancy cheese on toast.’
She laughed. ‘Oh, I love cheese on toast – fancy or otherwise. Is there anything I can do to help?’
He shook his head. ‘You can make us a cup of tea if you like, but maybe wait until I’ve got everything under the grill.’
‘That I can definitely do.’ She leaned across and touched his arm gently, wanting his full attention on her for a moment. ‘Hey,’ she said when he set down the grater and looked at her. ‘You can tell me to mind my own business, but if the plans for the school are stressing you out, I’m happy to listen.’
23
Harry brushed the last bits of cheese off the grater into the bowl and began mixing the ingredients together. It was easier to focus on that rather than Kat’s curious expression. ‘I’m sure you’ve got better things to do than listen to me complaining.’
‘Nothing that springs to mind. What made you decide to leave the restaurant, anyway? Wow, I thought you loved working for Russ.’
‘I do.’ Harry opened the top door on the oven and switched on the grill. He placed the slices of ciabatta on the tray and popped them in to brown for a couple of minutes. With nothing else to do right then, he made himself turn and face her. ‘He’s been amazing, a real lifesaver for me, but I feel like it’s time for a new challenge. I don’t want to run my own restaurant kitchen, it’s too high pressured for me, and honestly the thing I love most is bringing new talent in and helping them learn the ropes.’
Her smile was soft and sweet. ‘That must be so rewarding.’
She really got it. Harry didn’t know why it mattered so much to him, but he was delighted she understood. ‘Yeah, it is. I figured I could run regular cookery retreats for paying guests and use that to fund training places for local kids. The restaurantis always over-subscribed when a job in the kitchens opens up so I know there’s a demand for it. Plus there’s a couple of the juniors who I think are ready to take a step up. If I stay where I am then there’s no progression route for them and they’d have to leave the village.’ The way Carmel and others had had to do.
‘And what does Russ think? I presume you’ve told him, or is this all still on the hush-hush?’
Harry gave a small laugh. ‘He’s the one to blame for my paperwork woes. He wants me to put a proper pitch together and if I can sell him on the numbers he might even become an investor.’
Kat glanced over her shoulder towards the table. ‘Impressing him must mean a lot to you.’
