‘You’re off, then?’ Mark put his hands in his pockets.
‘Tomorrow, or the day after. We’re coming back for the sponsored swim, though,’ Fee added.
‘Oh, right. I saw the posters in the village.’
‘It’s going to be great! You should come.’ Fee smiled. ‘I bet all the girls in Magpie Cove would pay to see Mark Gardner with his top off.’ She gave Mark a playful tap on the arm.
He blushed, and looked away. ‘Dunno about that,’ he muttered.
Fee’s phone rang, and she fished it out of her pocket. ‘Sorry. I’ve got to take this.’ She gave them both a little wave. ‘Talk among yourselves.’
‘You sure you’re okay?’ Mark had a pen in his top pocket, and he took it out and turned it over in his hands. ‘You sound a bit hoarse.’
‘I’m okay. I have to check in with the doctor when I get back to London. They have to keep an eye on us for a bit in case we have heart problems. They don’t think we will, but it can happen. Are the kids okay?’
‘They’ll be all right. Kids are resilient.’
‘Yes, they are,’ Ellie replied. There was a silence.
‘You won’t be here for the hearing, then. Jamey goes to court next week,’ Mark added.
‘No. I’ve got to go back to work. But I’ll stay in touch with Jamey, and with Clare and Rowland. They’ll let me know what’s happening. Honestly, after what Darren did last week, I don’t think Jamey has to worry that they won’t make the restraining order permanent. He might get a custodial sentence. He should, at any rate.’
‘Yeah. I hope he doesn’t get to see the kids ever again. Anyway. Thank you. Again. For everything.’
‘You’re welcome.’ Ellie gazed up into Mark’s deep blue eyes. He gazed back at her with an unreadable expression on his face. For a moment, Ellie thought he was going to say something, but he cleared his throat and looked away.
‘Oh my bleddyNora!’ Fee screamed, followed by an intense coughing fit. She’d wandered to the edge of the garage courtyard and had been talking animatedly on the phone. ‘You’ll never guess. I only went and got that lecturing job at Exeter University! I forgot all about it, what with all the drama.’
‘What? Oh my goodness, Fee! That’s amazing!’ Ellie hugged her friend, who was jumping up and down with excitement. ‘Hey. Mind my toes.’
Fee hugged Mark too, who looked taken aback but pleased.
‘Gracious. Pure steel under baby soft skin,’ she exclaimed as she stepped back. ‘Almost enough to turn a girl. Ellie! What do you think?’
‘I think it’s a big change, but you should go with your heart,’ Ellie said. ‘What’s your instinct about it?’
‘Oh, gawd. I think I want it.’ Fee made a face. ‘Do you hate me?’
‘I could never hate you!’ Ellie laughed.
‘Congratulations!’ Mark grinned. ‘You not going back with Ellie, then?’
‘Oh, I’ll go back. The job doesn’t start until September, and I have to respond formally with a yes or no. I said I’d let them know within a week.’ Fee twirled around. ‘Argh! Exciting! I’d have to pack up my flat in London. Or let it out, I don’t know. There’s so much to think about!’
‘I didn’t know you were so excited about it.’ Ellie was happy for Fee, but the thought of not having her in London made her sad. She’d hardly see Fee if she was in Exeter.
‘I didn’t think I had much of a chance, not having any university experience.’ Fee danced on the spot. ‘And we just really ended up having a chat when I went in. I didn’t think much more of it. But, yeah. I really liked the idea of it all along.’
‘Well. On that bombshell, I guess we should be going.’ Ellie looked around at the garage. ‘We can talk about it on the way home. Look at you. You’re as giddy as a goat.’
‘That is such a Cornish phrase. You’ve been here too long.’ Fee planted a kiss on Mark’s cheek. ‘Mark Gardner, take care of yourself and your family. Don’t be a stranger. Come and see us in London or something.’
‘Right you are.’ He handed Ellie Marilyn’s keys. ‘That’s that, then,’ he muttered. ‘Pleasure knowing you, Ellie,’ he added, in a husky voice, and turned away.
Ellie felt an unexpected pull of regret in her chest, like she was losing something she had never quite had – something special, that was meant for her. But Mark Gardner had just been a passing acquaintance in this unexpected episode of her life: life was about to go back to normal, and soon, Magpie Cove would just be a memory.
That was all it was.
‘And you,’ she said, quietly.
