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‘He won’t hear it from me. Tomorrow, I promise you, I am going to tell him it’s over for good.’

Jess choked back a sob. ‘Don’t do it for me. Do it for him and – do it for you. Because I may be in love with Ned but I bloody love you too, and this is ripping me apart.’

Her eyes brimmed with tears. Katie’s heart lurched. How she hated herself for having inflicted pain on Ned and Jess, however unwittingly.

‘I love you too. I don’t want to ever hurt you or anyone.’

‘What will you do about Arlo?’ she asked. ‘Because you really do like him, don’t you? Your eyes light up when he walks in a room and he keeps trying not to look at you and failing.’

‘Is it that obvious?’

Jess nodded. ‘If I’ve noticed, I bet the others have too.’

Katie covered her face with her hands. ‘Oh God. I never meant for this to happen. I didn’t come looking for an Arlo. He definitely isn’t looking for me, and yet I can’t unknow him now that he’s walked into my life.’

‘So what will you do about it?’

Katie knew no one should make a life-changing decision based on knowing someone for nine days, especially when you knew almost nothing about them.

‘I’m not going to do anything about Arlo,’ she said. ‘Because I’m afraid that if I do say anything, I’ll hurt someone again.’

‘Sometimes doing nothing can be the most painful thing of all,’ Jess said. ‘Sorry, I’m not being helpful, am I?’

‘In this case, that’s not your responsibility. I keep thinking it would have been better if we’d never come to stay at the Island House.’

‘Don’t say that. If we hadn’t come, and hadn’t had this conversation, we’d have kept on in the same old way, drifting and lying and pretending.’ Jess hugged her.

There was something else too. She didn’t feel betrayed or jealous that Jess had been in love with Ned all this time. Surely, if she still loved Ned, she would feel all those things – yet she didn’t.

‘I’m glad you told me. Truly I am,’ she said, batting away her own tears.

Jess laughed. ‘How the hell will we explain our snotty noses to Wanda and Athene? Or fool them into thinking everything is hunky-dory?’

Katie smiled, although her heart was aching. ‘I don’t know but we’ll get through it somehow – together, like we always have.’

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

The following day, Arlo called at the house to take everyone to the mainland. Wanda was off on a ramble, and Jess and Athene had decided to go to the Wordsworth House Christmas display before it closed for the season.

Katie had messaged Ned the previous evening and told the others she needed some time to herself. However, as she’d accompanied them over to the mainland on the boat, they must all have guessed where she was going.

While Athene went ahead to her car, Jess lingered. ‘Katie. Will you be all right?’

‘Yes, I think so,’ Katie said, although she felt the sky had settled on her.

‘It’s not my business to ask, of course, but I care about you both. You do know that?’

Katie gave her a brief hug. ‘Of course I do and you’re my best friend. I promise I’ll let you know how I – we – get on, but you’re right: it’s time I put an end to this once and for all.’

After a moment’s hesitation, Jess nodded and walked away to the car park.

Katie needed a few moments before she went to the Bothy. Arlo, who had stayed on the launch, stepped on to the jetty and joined her. He must know she was going to see Ned.

‘Everything OK?’ he asked.

‘About as OK as it can be.’

He nodded. ‘Well, you know where I am if you need me.’ He held her gaze steadily. ‘Whatever happens, I’m here.’