Marty is still watching us and her face is becoming more perplexed by the minute.
‘How was your drive last night?’ Charlie asks her politely, settling down beside me.
I sit April on my knee and entertain her while Charlie and Marty make courteous small talk.
The view from up here is stunning. The tide is so far out that the sand bank down below in the bay is enormous. It looks like you could almost walk across to Daymer Bay Beach on the other side of the Camel River, but I’m sure the water is deeper than it looks. There’s lush green coast over there, and a big white house surrounded by trees. I wonder who lives in it.
‘What have you got planned for the rest of the day?’ Charlie shifts his body so he’s facing me.
‘I think it might have to be Rick Stein’s tonight. You up for that?’ I ask Marty.
‘Sure,’ she replies, nodding.
‘Maybe we could eat along the Camel Trail and watch the tide come in.’
‘Have you been to the beach at Padstow yet?’ Charlie asks.
‘I haven’t, actually. Is it nice?’
‘It’s great. You could take a bottle and watch the sunset. Your fish and chips might be a bit cold by the time you arrive, though. It’s about a fifteen-minute walk.’
‘How do you get there?’
‘You head up the hill past the harbour.’
‘I love the sound of that. Will you guys join us?’ I ask him hopefully, pressing April’s nose and making a ‘beep’ sound. She giggles.
‘Uh, no, we could probably do with a quiet one.’
I try not to show how flat his response makes me feel.
April takes her hat off, but I tell her no, pulling it firmly back into place. The sun is beating down with unusual force today.
‘Do you think we should drag that umbrella over and put it up?’ I ask Charlie, spying a huge one on a heavy-looking base a few metres away.
‘She’s got loads of sunscreen on,’ he replies. ‘But I will do if we’re here for much longer.’
The sun’s rays are making his dark-blond hair look more golden than usual. It’s lightened in colour since the start of the summer.
The waitress appears with our cream teas, so we all get stuck in.
‘Okay, what wasthat?’ Marty demands to know as soon as we’re back in her car.
‘What was what?’ I ask innocently.
‘You. Him. The baby.’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘You were like a proper little family!’ she exclaims.
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ I berate her, pointing at the ignition.Come on, let’s go.
‘I’m not having a dig,’ she says. ‘He’s gorgeous. April’s sweet, too.’
‘Oh, stop,’ I wave her away nervily as she starts up the car. ‘Don’t make it into something it’s not. I like him. A lot.’
‘That much is obvious.’
