I give myself a stern talking-to, because I have no reason to be nervous. It’s not like I’m his fiancée, or pretending to be her new mum. She’s not a little girl, and this isn’t anything to worry about… except, I am worried. What if she hates me?
I stay outside the shop, and the man Shannon is with walks towards me. He’s tall and thin, with sandy blond hair and a nicesmile. He’s holding his bike helmet under his arm, and slipping off a leather jacket to reveal a Muppets T-shirt.
‘Hello there,’ he says, his voice sounding much like the locals’. ‘You must be Kate.’
‘I am! How did you know that?’
‘I just had a feeling. A sixth sense. The universe told me. Plus, Shannon showed me a photo.’
I laugh, and feel more at ease. ‘So you’ll be Drew then?’
‘Aye. I’m originally from Inverness, which is a bit further around the coast. Couldn’t believe it when Shannon told me where her dad was staying.’
‘Another sign from the universe?’
‘I can’t rule it out,’ he says thoughtfully, rubbing his wispy beard. ‘Chatty thing, the universe. Here they come. Protect me if he gets his knuckle-dusters out, okay?’
As Brody strides towards us, I can totally see where he’s coming from. Big, brawny, eyes that take in everything, a serious look on his face as he approaches. Drew doesn’t tremble or pass out or cry for his mummy, which I admire.
‘Nice to meet you, Mr Quinn,’ Drew says, holding out his hand to shake. Brody’s expression gives nothing away, and there’s a slight pause before he grasps his fingers, so firmly that I see Drew wince. Shannon spoils her father’s image by whacking him on the shoulder, and saying: ‘Give it a break, Dad! I’ve already told him you’re a pussycat really!’
‘For you, baby, yes – the rest of the world gets the mountain lion.’
I laugh out loud at that, and he glares at me. ‘Sorry!’ I hastily add. ‘It’s just funny, that’s all! Very visual!’
Shannon grins at me and says: ‘I see you’ve already got the size of him, Kate. It’s so lovely to meet you.’
She wraps me in a hug, and all my nerves evaporate. I cling on to her for maybe a little too long, and then we all go inside,where Moira is holding court. I spot Joanne, who is in the back staring at one of the photos of Robbie, away from the hubbub. It’s impossible to figure out what she’s feeling.
‘He should be here,’ I say gently as I join her. ‘From everything I’ve heard, he should be here.’
‘Aye, hen, he should. She’s a stubborn old goat when she wants to be. She’s been so low, for so long… I suppose we both have. Too much loss, and not enough gain. She’s changed since you’ve been here though. She wakes up with something to look forward to, and I cannae thank you enough. That crazy scheme of theirs, the cards they sent out… I thought it was stuff and nonsense. The strange thing is, the purpose of it was to give hope to others. It ended up being the other way around.’
By Joanne’s standards, this is an emotional outpouring, and I place a hand on her bony shoulder. ‘It’s helped us too, it really has. So, back to Robbie…’
She looks at me, her eyes narrowed and sharp. ‘You sound like you have something in mind, Kate. Would I be wrong?’
‘No. I was thinking, though, should someone get in touch with him? Tell him what happened? She’s not feeling as bad now, after all.’
‘Aye. Maybe someone should. But that someone willnae be me. She’d have my guts for garters. But if someone else was to contact him…’
‘Someone who would be leaving, and didn’t have to live with her wrath?’
‘That kind of someone, yes. Well, they’d maybe figure out that the name of his company is on the shirt he’s wearing on the photos in the cottage. And they’d maybe guess that he still worked for them. Now, that’s all I’ll say on the subject…’
I accept the information, storing it away for when the time is right, and follow her back out into the shop. Brody is on the till, looking harassed, and the place is bustling. I think, not forthe first time, that if circumstances were different, this could be even more of a gem – with a bit of rethinking, a bit of work on the other rooms, it could host events, author visits, even have a gallery for local artists. Moira seems resigned to selling, though, and really it’s none of my business.
Just like Robbie. Although I’m not convinced I can leave that one alone. Maybe I’ll set the wheels in motion, then run away before Moira can kill me.
Shannon catches my eyes, and waves me over. She’s so pretty, with her long blonde hair and dimpled smile. Attractive as I find Brody, I’m glad she inherited her mother’s looks in every way apart from those piercing blue eyes. It feels strange to think of Sandy, who was so important in both of their lives, and who I’ll never get to meet.
‘Walk with me?’ she asks. ‘I’ve heard so much about this place, I’d love to see it for myself.’
My eyes flicker to her dad, and she adds: ‘He’ll be fine. He’s better when he’s busy, as I’m sure you’ve figured out.’
We head onto the beach, and she takes her trainers off to walk barefoot in the sand. The sunlight bounces off the waves, and the little rocky islands in the distance look magical. The birds soar overhead, streaks of white against the blue, and it feels like Bonnie Bay is putting on a show for her.
‘Is it always like this?’ she asks, bending down to pick up a shell.
