Nick frowned. Even though he was partially hidden by cardboard, Nick could tell the man was male-model handsome. His cheeks flushed with jealousy. The only thing he himself had going for him was his looks, and it was hard to ignore the feeling he was about to be usurped in that department.
‘I’m Steve’s nephew.’ Tom peeked around the box, grinning. ‘He invited me down here for a week by the seaside, but he got me here under false pretences. I’ve not stopped working from the moment I arrived.’
As Tom chuckled to himself, Nick experienced a pang of annoyance. Handsomeandnice. Some blokes had it all. ‘Pleased to meet you, Tom.’ Nick kept his tone measured. ‘So you’re here on holiday?’
‘Yeah, I work in investment banking up in London. It’s rare to get a week off, and I don’t get to come down to Saffron Bay as much as I’d like. Family’s important, so I wanted to make the effort.’ He set the box down and stretched his back. ‘Now, if I’d known I’d be lugging around boxes of fishing gear…’ Tom laughed, like a man who didn’t have a care in the world.
Nick’s sudden and totally irrational thought was how much Kitty would like Tom, and how desperately he wished their paths wouldn’t cross. The thought shocked him. He must be tired and strung out; that was the only explanation. It didn’t matter to him who Kitty did or didn’t like. It didn’t matter to him at all.
‘Never mind Tom here,’ said Steve, stepping out from behind the boxes. ‘Who’s this young lady?’
Nick looked down to where Steve was pointing, surprised to find Emily beside him. For a moment, he’d forgotten all about her. One blissful moment when the biggest thing he had to worry about was coming second in the looks department to ayoung pretender. One moment when he’d been able to forget the dramatic turn his life had taken. ‘This is Emily,’ Nick muttered. ‘She’s staying with me for a few days.’
‘Lovely to meet you, Emily,’ said Steve. He looked from Emily to Nick. His eyes widened.
Nick ignored Steve’s dawning realisation and took Emily’s hand in his. ‘We’ll have a little browse if that’s alright.’
‘Of course. Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?’
‘Emily enjoys drawing and crafts, if you have anything along those lines.’
‘Tom, can you show Nick to the craft section and I’ll carry on unpacking these boxes?’
‘Sure thing. It’s this way, guys.’
Nick followed Tom through the shop to a dark corner where a stand held all manner of pens, glues, and colourful items Nick had no idea what to do with.
‘So, Emily,’ said Tom, crouching down in front of her, ‘can you think of anything to do with this?’ He pulled a bright pink feather from behind her ear, and Emily giggled. ‘Or what about this?’
This time, a pack of colourful sticks was whisked like magic from behind Emily’s back. Emily began a stream of chatter, telling Tom all about her recent drawings and craft projects, and Nick realised he was grinding his teeth.
Tom had an easy way with Emily that he could only dream of. It wasn’t fair. Some men got everything, looks, talent, money, while others, like him, were left awkward and trailing in their wake. Why couldn’t he make Emily laugh, and chat to her like she was another human being? What was it about Tom that made her smile and come to life, whereas he could only draw out occasional moments of joy?
By the time Tom had finished showing off, Emily’s arms were laden with colourful art supplies. Nick dreaded to think howmuch it would all cost. As Tom and Emily chatted all the way to the till, Nick tried to remember the latest balance of his bank account. Before he had a chance to suggest Emily reduce her haul, Tom was ringing everything through the till.
‘That comes to a grand total of thirty pounds and fifty-six pence,’ he said.
‘Right.’ Nick pulled a bank card from his wallet and held it to the card machine. His heart sank at the sound of a familiar beeping.
‘Sorry, mate, there seems to be a problem with your card.’
Don’t call me mate, said Nick to himself. Out loud, he said, ‘The chip and pin is dodgy on that one. Let’s try this card.’ He tapped the second card and felt heat rise to his cheeks as Tom screwed up his face in sympathy.
‘Sorry again, mate.’
Nick hid his blush by rummaging around in his wallet until he found what he was looking for. He discreetly pulled off theonly to be used in home emergenciessticker his dad had placed on the credit card, and held it up to the machine. When the payment went through, there was no relief. Rather, the weight of failure weighed Nick down so heavily he could barely breathe.
As they left the shop and began walking home, Emily wouldn’t shut up about Tom. Clearly his magnetism attracted all ages, and as she prattled on, Nick decided he hated Tom with his good looks and bags of investment banking cash. Tears of self-pity burned in his eyes. Tom was everything he’d wanted to be, everything he should have been. Even his daughter could see it plain as day. Tom was a success; Nick was a failure.
Emily skipped along the pavement, Nick struggling to keep up. His steps were leaden, his limbs slowed by resentment and disgust at his ridiculous excuse for a life. The sooner Carla came to collect Emily, the better. His daughter deserved more than he could offer, and he’d tell Carla as much the next time they spoke.
Chapter 17
This is a bad idea, thought Kitty as she climbed the hill towards Alice’s house. She was meant to be keeping her head down in Saffron Bay, not plonking herself right in the middle of an existing friendship group. Before she could change her mind and walk home, someone called her name. She turned to see Emily barrelling along the road towards her. Kitty crouched down, and Emily skidded to a stop in front of her, breathless and smiling.
‘Nick didn’t say you’d be here.’ The little girl gulped back breaths in between huge smiles.
‘I’m not sure he knew I would be.’ Kitty crouched down and murmured, ‘I don’t know anyone else who’ll be here, so maybe we could stick together?’
