Sam folded her arms and scowled at him. ‘I’m not Kitty’s jailer. I can hardly stop a grown woman from going to meet her ex, can I?’ Having made her point, she continued tipping crumb-laden paper plates into another rubbish bag. ‘Anyway, she arranged the meeting to get him out of here. She seemed worried he might cause a scene.’
Nick experienced a rush of fury. Her ex had been here, at the school summer fair of all places, and he’d been too busy being hit by damp sponges to notice. Why hadn’t Kitty come to him for help? Why hadn’t he been more observant? ‘Where is Kitty right now?’ he demanded.
Sam sighed and folded her arms. ‘She went to meet him, and before you have a go at me again, I told her it was a terrible idea.’ She shrugged. ‘She said hearing him out was the only way to get rid of him.’
‘Where were they meeting?’
‘I’m not sure I should tell you,’ said Sam, tying the rubbish bag and tossing it next to the first one.
‘Why not?’ Now Nick folded his arms.
‘Because you might do something stupid, like charging in to rescue her.’ Sam placed her hands on her hips. ‘She’s a grown woman. She can take care of herself.’
‘Can she? She married the guy after all. I’m not sure we can rely on her judgment.’
‘Whatever Kitty was like before, the woman we see here in Saffron Bay is strong-minded and nobody’s punch bag.’
‘That’s true, except her ex-husband is a manipulative bastard.’ He adopted his best wheedling tone. ‘Please, Sam, I won’t go rushing in. I’ll watch from a distance until I’m sure she’s alright. Kitty’s done so much for me, I owe it to her to keep her safe.’
‘Fine,’ said Sam, and Nick breathed out his relief. ‘They’re at The Ship. I’m guessing you want me to watch Emily?’
Emily! Nick’s worry over Kitty had made him forget his daughter. ‘Would you mind? I won’t be gone long. She’s playing with her friends, so shouldn’t cause you any bother.’
‘When does she ever cause anyone any bother?’ asked Sam with a smile. She shook her head and handed Nick the bags of rubbish. ‘Put those in the bin on your way out and we have a deal.’
‘Cheers, Sam. I won’t be long.’
Nick ran to Emily to tell her Sam was in charge, then sprinted across the school field. As he walked through the village, he looked around him, not wanting to bump into Kitty. If she discovered what he was up to, she’d send him packing in a heartbeat.
The Ship came into view, and it wasn’t hard to spot Kitty’s former husband. He stood by one of the outdoor tables, a bucket with a champagne bottle and two glasses ready and waiting. Six foot, with thick dark brown hair greying at the temples, he cut a handsome figure in a suit far too smart for Saffron Bay. He stuck out like a sore thumb, seemingly happy to be the subject of holidaymakers’ stares, especially the female ones.
Nick hesitated. If James had been following Kitty while Nick was with her, the bastard might recognise him. He kept his head down, circled behind the celebratory table and slipped inside the pub without James spotting him, securing a table near the window. The friendly gloom of the bar, even on this hot sunny day, assured Nick he could lurk there without either Kitty or James seeing him. He hung his coat on a chair and went to the bar. He returned with a pint of beer and waited.
It didn’t take long for Nick to get the measure of James. To the untrained eye, it might appear as though James was scrolling through his phone. To Nick, the way the man licked his thumb and slicked down his eyebrows was a dead giveaway. After all, in a life pre-Emily, Nick too had used his phone camerato check his appearance. Occasionally, he’d even fabricated a conversation as if on FaceTime to a friend.
James’s vanity grated. The last thing Nick wanted was to see his own self-absorption reflected in the husband who’d shattered Kitty’s heart and soul into tiny pieces.
Kitty appeared, and Nick sucked in a breath. Her steps were uncertain, her fingers stroked her throat as though she was struggling for air, and her body twisted as though she wanted to run away. He willed her to do just that, his heart sinking when she sat at the table opposite James. Nick’s hand gripped his pint glass so tight his fingers ached. What if Kitty gave the manipulative bum another chance? What if part of her missed her old life? What if she still loved James, despite all he’d put her through?
Emotion welled in Nick’s chest, and the beer in his glass spilled as realisation dawned. He wasn’t here to protect a friend. He wasn’t here as a good neighbour. He was here to protect the woman he loved. Kitty Brown had stolen his heart, and as Nick watched her through the window, he knew he was in trouble. Because nothing in the world would stop him loving her, even if it broke his heart.
Chapter 52
Kitty spotted James sitting at a table with views across the beach. He lounged in his chair, his legs spread wide as though he was the master of the world. Kitty paused, wondering if she could run home and pretend none of this was happening. Her body flexed, she was ready to bolt when James waved and fixed her with a smile she had once upon a time fallen for. He pointed to a bottle of champagne sitting in an ice bucket, two glasses beside it.
Although the hotel terrace wasn’t crowded, there were enough occupied tables for Kitty to wish she hadn’t picked such a public place for this reunion. She licked her dry lips. It was done now, and she had to see it through.
With a curt nod, she walked to the table and sat down. Even the view couldn’t calm her on this occasion, despite the sea glittering like a jeweller’s counter beneath the afternoon sun. The turquoise beneath the shimmer looked more Caribbean than Cornwall. Shades of paradise that felt more like hell in James’s company.
James kept the smile going while he made a great show of opening the champagne, the cork flying over the balustrade to the beach below. He grinned at Kitty, filled two glasses, and handed one to her. She kept her own hands clasped tightly in her lap, and with a small shrug, James set her glass in front of her.
‘Suit yourself,’ he said. ‘It’s the best champagne this backwater of a place could offer.’
He lifted his own glass, tilted it in her direction, and with a ‘cheers’, took his first sip.
‘I’m not sure why you’re celebrating,’ said Kitty, working hard on keeping her voice level and pushing away the shake that threatened to derail her speech.
‘Aren’t I allowed to celebrate seeing you for the first time in months? I love you, Catherine. I thought you understood that.’
