She laughed.
‘What?’
‘I was just picturing the Torel family sitting around the baby, gazing at her and swapping thoughts on how clever she is, how pretty and what brilliant career Isla is going to have when she grows up.’
Joe smiled at the thought and wondered if anyone other than her gran had ever done that with Skye when she was small. He doubted it. From what he had picked up, her mum hadn’t seemed the type to do that. He thought of Carlos and the terrible misunderstanding that had shaped both Skye’s life and those of her parents. It was all so sad and, worst of all, needless.
The thought of Carlos gave him an idea. ‘I’ve thought of something.’
‘Go on,’ she said, looking intrigued. ‘What is it?’
‘If you’re leaving soon then we should contact Carlos and arrange to meet him for supper somewhere. What do you think?’
‘Why have you suddenly thought of my father?’
‘I just want to help you make the most of your time left here.’
‘That’s sweet of you. Thanks, Joe. I really should make the most of having him nearby.’
‘Great. When would you like to do it?’
‘I suppose I could see if he’s free tonight.’ She gave a nod. ‘I could tell him about the Torels’ early return from their cruise and the baby. Oh, and also about my plans to leave the island soon. I could talk to him about arranging meeting up with him and Gran at some point in the future too.’
‘Good idea.’ He watched in silence as she withdrew her phone from her back pocket.
The call on loudspeaker, Joe listened as the phone barely rang before Carlos answered her call. ‘I was hoping to hear from you.’ Skye looked at Joe. ‘I’ve got Joe standing with me,’ she explained. ‘We wondered if you were free for supper tonight?’
‘Hello, Joe,’ Carlos said. ‘I’m glad my daughter is going to bring you along with her. It will be nice to see you again. As it will be you, Skye,’ he said cheerfully.
Skye laughed. ‘I’m glad to hear it.’
They arranged to meet up at seven-thirty at one of the restaurants in St Brelade’s Bay.
‘Would you mind if I bring Sandra along with me?’ Carlos asked.
Joe’s eyes immediately met Skye’s. She seemed as surprised as he was. Joe pulled a face.Interesting, he mouthed feeling a bubble of excitement expand in his stomach.
‘That would be lovely,’ Skye said. Final arrangements made, Skye ended the call, her hand holding the phone dropping to her side. ‘I wonder if the pair of them have seen much of each other?’
‘I was thinking the same thing,’ he admitted. ‘Wouldn’t that be brilliant, if they have been?’ She frowned thoughtfully. ‘Would you mind?’ Joe wasn’t sure if the idea might offend Skye in some way, especially now knowing the reason behind Annie getting the wrong idea and running from the island and everything that had happened afterwards.
She thought about his question. ‘No. It’s not as if Mum is still around to mind. They both seem lovely people and despite their families I did sense a sadness about each of them. A loneliness maybe. Didn’t you?’
Joe nodded. ‘I did.’ He frowned. ‘We’re getting a little ahead of ourselves. Carlos probably thought it a pleasant gesture to invite Sandra out with the pair of us.’
‘Possibly, or,’ she added thoughtfully, ‘maybe there is something between them now?’
Whatever it was, he sensed they would find out much more when they met up with Carlos and Sandra that evening. ‘We won’t have much longer to wait, I hope.’
46
SKYE
It was surreal sitting across the table from her father and her mother’s best friend again. It was also a relief to have a distraction from her sadness about having to leave Joe soon. Skye focused on making the most of her evening and tried to imagine all the things these people could tell her about Annie and supposed they knew her better in many ways than she had done. It was an odd thought, but nonetheless one that gave her hope that she might be able to learn much more than she ever imagined.
Throughout their first and second courses, Joe had been great at keeping the conversation going, but she sensed that each of them were unsure how deep to take the topics. It wasn’t as if any of them knew each other all that well. She didn’t even know Joe all that well, she realised, only the side of him she had spent time with at the farm for the past few weeks. Maybe that was all she needed to know about him: that he was kind, generous of spirit and honest.
She felt Joe’s hand on her leg when Carlos became lost in a conversation about his sons and gave her a knowing look. It took a few seconds for her to understand Joe’s meaning behind it. Then it dawned on her he didn’t want her to miss that opportunity to delve more into Carlos’s and Sandra’s lives when they knew her mother. Joe was right. It was now or possibly never because who knew what would happen once she left the island.
