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‘Everything.’ Matt sat.

‘Ah, easy to fix then.’ She rested her cheek on her hand. ‘Come on, spill.’

‘Holding it together is killing me. I’m not sure I can do it.’

‘I presume this is about Trev and Zennor?’

‘Of course. I feel as if we’re making progress. We’re not at each other’s throats and sometimes I think she’s forgiven me and we’re growing closer—’ He hesitated, remembering that kiss again. Not that he would ever reveal that to Sybil. ‘Keeping all these secrets doesn’t feel right – for anyone.’

Sybil sat back with an exasperated sigh. ‘You always have to save people, Matt. That’s your problem. You can’t. Sometimes you must let them make their own mistakes.’

He leaned forward. ‘But what if it’s too late to stop them walking off a cliff?’

‘I suppose it depends on the cliff and how badly they want to walk off it. And,’ Sybil added sadly, ‘you have to be absolutely certain that walking off the cliff will do them harm.’

‘How could it possibly not where Trev’s concerned?’

Sybil gave a brief, sad smile. ‘Then you need to trust her to make the right decision. Her own decision. But you know that by now, don’t you?’

He shook his head in frustration. ‘I’m not sure about anything these days.’

Sybil blew out a breath. ‘Then you’ve definitely come a long way since your youth.’

‘Yeah.’ Matt was about to reveal that Trev had visited him but stopped himself.

‘Do you honestly believe there’s a realistic prospect of Zennor getting back with Trev?’ Sybil asked, sounding incredulous.

‘No. No … I don’t know. I’d have ruled it out at one time but lately, she thinks he’s reformed. She thinks he’s a “new man”.’ He bracketed the words with a sneer. ‘I can’t say she wouldn’t and that’s what’s eating me up.’

‘And do you think there’s a realistic chance of her getting back with you?’

He scoffed. ‘No, no … but I want her to and – sometimes, lately, I have begun to think that we might have a chance. Especially if Trev hadn’t come back on the scene.’

‘Why would he affect your chances?’

‘Because he reminds her of what happened the last time the two of us got involved in her life and it scares her. She doesn’t want to be hurt again and yet …’ Matt was drawn back to that scene in the café.

‘And yet what?’ Sybil said.

‘I don’t know.’

She leaned in and patted his arm. ‘I can’t say what’s going to happen but I know you still harbour a real hope where Zennor’s concerned. That’s really what’s eating you up, isn’t it?’

Matt nodded slowly, his heart sinking. ‘And we both know it’s the hope that kills you.’

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

At the end of the week, Zennor had a call from Trev. He opened by telling her that Ginny and Kate had messaged him to thank him and Zennor for their help and to say they were fine. Trev had invited them for a complimentary cream tea at the hotel.

‘That’s nice. Kind of you too.’

‘It’s nothing,’ he said before adding that he’d rebooked the pianist for a regular slot at the St Piran’s. ‘I’d also like to meet up to chat about something else,’ he said. ‘Something that’s not business related.’

‘Where? Here at the office or at the hotel?’ she said warily.

‘I was actually thinking somewhere neutral where we can have a proper talk.’

The “chat” had morphed into a “proper talk”. Her skin prickled as her instincts were proved right.