‘It is. Thank you.’
Without another look in Rhys’s direction she turned and walked away.
34
ZAC
Zac watched Melody speaking with her grandmother while Lettie stood at the sink near Callum, washing her hands, and explained to Lindy all about their encounter with Rhys. Melody looked exhausted.
‘How are you holding up after everything that’s happened?’
‘I feel emotionally drained.’
‘I’m not surprised,’ Lindy said, opening her arms and pulling Melody into a hug. ‘I’m very proud of you for standing up to that beastly man. And proud of the rest of you for forcing him to get on that ferry.’ She rested a hand on Melody’s shoulder. ‘You must feel better knowing he’s definitely left the island now.’
Melody didn’t react immediately and Zac suspected she was unsure about how long it might be before Rhys took another chance and came back to the island.
Wanting to reassure Melody, he said, ‘I think Callum telling Rhys about his friends at both ports should make him think twice before he gets any stupid notion about coming back here again.’
Her shoulders relaxed slightly and he was glad to see his reminder seemed to have helped calm her.
‘That’s true,’ Melody said. ‘Hopefully even Rhys won’t be that silly. I have to admit, it is a huge relief to have stood up to him and then see the back of him.’
No one spoke for a few seconds.
‘Enough of this seriousness,’ Lindy said. ‘It’s a beautiful evening and I’ve decided we’re going to make the most of it and eat outside. You can all help take out crockery, cutlery and everything we need.’
Ten minutes later they were all seated on the terrace and everyone seemed much happier, Zac noticed.
‘This is fun,’ Melody said.
‘Mum likes to make the most of the late summer weather and we tend to have a lot of meals outside.’
‘I don’t blame her,’ Melody said. She looked around her. ‘This is the perfect summer scene.’
Zac had grown up eating outside on this terrace with various groups of his parents’ friends joining them for evenings such as this one. He tried to look at it through her eyes. There were neatly set-up tables and as always, on occasions like this, his father was standing in front of his barbecue, wearing his favourite ‘Cooks Are In Charge’ apron he had bought himself years before, concentrating on turning over steaks and sausages with a huge pair of metal tongs. The smell of cooking made Zac’s stomach rumble and mouth water. ‘I can see what you mean.’
‘Barbecues weren’t really something my family ever tended to do.’ She pointed to the oak posts cemented into the ground on either side of the terrace. ‘I mean, someone has taken the time to string lights across each one.’ She sighed. ‘I’m looking forward to when it’s dark and I can see the full effect. And that,’ she added. ‘Over there.’
Zac gazed across the vast lawn, neatly mowed with huge pine trees that must be hundreds of years old growing in severalplaces, giving much-needed shade. One of them had a huge branch with a swing hanging from it.
‘No doubt that was set up for you and Lettie?’
He thought back to their childhoods – they had been idyllic, he now realised. ‘The original rope has been replaced, but yes, that was for me and Lettie.’
Brodie brought round a tray of drinks and Zac took one for Melody.
‘Fancy a Pimm’s?’
She nodded, taking the glass and thanking Brodie.
‘It’s Mum’s favourite. You can take out the mint and cucumber, if you’d rather not have them in there. You’ll also find slices of lemon, orange—’ Zac thought for a second ‘—and probably a strawberry.’ Zac grinned. ‘It’s more like a fruit salad than a drink when you think about it.’
She laughed. ‘It’s not far off it.’ She took a sip and groaned in delight. ‘Now that is delicious.’
He drank from his glass. She was right – it was delicious.
‘I’ve had quite a few of these over the years but this is the tastiest by far.’
