On a whim, she stood up and wrote:
I love Will
in large letters on the sand. She watched as the water crept in, slowly encroaching on the words to carry her secret away and erase it for ever. That was the end of it, she told herself.
‘Kate?’
She almost jumped out of her skin when she heard him behind her. Her eyes darted back to the sand, and she was relieved to see that the tide had washed away her idiotic doodle.
‘Will!’ She turned to him.
‘I’m just packing up the car – I’ve got to get back to Dublin early. Do you two want a lift?’
‘Oh no, thanks. We’ll go later with Mum and Dad.’
‘Okay.’
‘Will, I’ve been thinking about the job offer…’
‘Yes?’ He smiled hopefully.
‘Um, I’m afraid I’ll have to say no,’ she said, scuffing the sand with her foot, feeling ungrateful.
‘Oh, that’s a pity.’ He seemed genuinely disappointed.
‘Thanks for the offer, though.’
‘No problem. Well, I’ll see you at the house.’
He started to walk back up the beach. As Kate watched him go, she realised her heart was pounding, though she didn’t know why. Suddenly she felt anxious. Hardly knowing what she was doing, but unable to stop herself, she ran after him. ‘Will—!’ she called, when she had almost caught up. ‘Can I change my mind?’ she panted, shielding her eyes from the sun.
‘Sorry?’
‘The job in Tuscany – can I change my mind?’
A slow smile spread across his features. ‘Of course. That’s brilliant!’
Kate smiled back at him and, as the wind whipped through her hair, tying it into knots, she felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her.
‘Give me a call when you get to Dublin,’ he said, then headed for the house.
As she watched his retreating back, Kate tried not to think too hard about why she suddenly felt so happy.
7
Two weeks later, on a Friday afternoon in July, Kate arrived at Pisa Airport. Emerging into the arrivals hall, she pushed her luggage-laden trolley slowly, eyes scanning the crowd at the barrier. She heard her name called and spotted Louise, Will’s assistant, waving to her from among the crowd.
‘Hi, Kate,’ Louise said. ‘Did you have a good flight?’
‘Oh yes! It was lovely – I’d never flown first class before.’
‘Nice, isn’t it?’ Louise led the way to the exit, helping Kate to manoeuvre the trolley.
Louise was a long-limbed, angular girl, not conventionally pretty but attractive in an offbeat way, with a wide mouth and a long mane of wavy fair hair that reached almost to her waist. Casually dressed in a body-hugging white T-shirt, jeans, trainers and wraparound shades, she was the consummate rock-chick.
‘I’m glad to see you travelled light,’ she commented, eyeing Kate’s trolley as they went to the exit.
‘I know.’ Kate winced. ‘I’m sure I don’t need half of it but?—’
