He shakes his head. ‘It was a one-way ticket, I came back to make it right, to be with you if you wanted me, but I was too late.’ His voice is low now. ‘I could understand that you didn’t want to see me that day, so I hung around, I kept trying. When I finally understood that you wanted nothing more to do with me, because I wasn’t there in the right way when you actually needed me, there was really nothing to stick around for. They let me go back to the States again. I’m sorry I got it so wrong.’
So he was there for me all along, but I just didn’t know it. ‘It’s so tragic it’s almost funny.’
He sighs again. ‘As a hopeless guy I was working towards the nine-month due date. I had no idea those early weeks would be so rough or so lonely for you.’
‘Oh frig. I’m sorry.’ There’s nothing more I can say. I cut him off because I thought I was on my own. My heart is bleeding for him for the lengths he went to, all for nothing, and for me, because I had no idea. ‘We both got this so wrong.’
He raises his eyebrows. ‘You went on to achieve everything you deserved. That’s all that really matters.’
I’m trying to let my brain take it in. I’m not looking at the biggest wimper-outer in the world. It’s just that somehow he didn’t say the right words at the right time. And in my turn, I failed to understand him.
‘Thank you for explaining.’
There’s a buzz in my pocket, and as I pull out my phone I mouth, ‘It’s my agent’ at Ross as I accept the call.
He gives a grimace. ‘What was I saying about achievements? You’re the only person I know with one of those.’
‘Martha!’ My stomach’s plummeting for a second time. A call from her this soon can only mean one thing – they don’t want the book.
She’s sounds irate. ‘At last, Cressy, I’ve been trying to get you all afternoon.’
‘Sorry, the network’s patchy here.’ If I tell her I’ve had my phone switched off she might explode.
‘The news is so much better than last time we talked – the publishers love the book you’ve sent so much that they’re offering you a new contract for two books, and this time they won’t be backing out. Are you up for that?’
My mouth’s dropped open, I’m nodding furiously, but nothing’s coming out.
Ross chips in. ‘She says, yes, Martha! Yes, please!’
I’m biting my lip, and suddenly it’s like a dam of emotion has burst, and there are tears streaming down my cheeks. ‘But why?’
She snaps straight back. ‘Because you’ve written an amazing recipe book, Cressy.’ She pauses for a second. ‘You do know you’ve gone viral?’
I gulp back a sob, and scrape the water away from under my eyelashes. ‘With Walter and the buns on strings?’
‘No, nothing to do with Walter, this is you pashing the face off that gorgeous man you usually plaster in icing.’
‘For frig sake!’ I let out a groan. ‘Surely not?’
‘It got you noticed, that’s what matters. An advancethissize on the back ofonekiss – don’t knock it!’ She doesn’t pause for breath. ‘Congratulations, the contract is digital, I’ll send it over now for you to look over. Sign right away and we’ll get them tied in.’
And then she’s gone as fast as she appeared.
Ross stares at me. ‘That’s another good thing about this location, it’s got signal.’ He hands me a hanky. ‘I couldn’t help overhearing. Well done for that, great to see you back at the top again.’
There’s one very urgent question I have to ask. ‘Did you know about the clip?’ I had no idea thatparticularone had been uploaded. There’s another point too. ‘Whatever she says, it wasn’t a kiss. You were there, you can back me up on that, can’t you?’
As I scrub his hanky under my eyes and sniff away my tears, his lips part as he takes a breath to reply. Then, as I see his expression falter and he hesitates, there’s a long, low rumble in the distance. ‘What was that?’
He glances up at the sky. ‘That was another thing I came to tell you. There are storms on the way.’
‘But the sun was out a minute ago.’
He shrugs and gives a nod towards the coast. ‘The Cornish weather is renowned for being mercurial. It’s black over Oyster Point – the storm’s coming from there.’
As I follow his gaze towards the darkness in that direction and pull my cardi around me against a sudden gust, I can see he’s right. The rain is already blowing towards us in squalls over the fields, and we hear its rattle on the ground before it hits us. Then a huge drop of water splashes a dark stain down the front of my dress, then another lands on my cheek.
Ross has already pulled Diesel and me through into the next field and slams the gate behind us. The clouds above us are smoky purple, the daylight darkens and, as a thunderclap crashes over our heads, Diesel lets out a yelp. Ross yells over the sudden rush of air that’s flattening the grass. ‘Run for the yard! We’ll shelter in the barn.’
