Page 39 of My Summer of Magic Moments

‘And every day it changes: the sea, the sand, the sun or the stormy skies. Even when it pelts with rain …’ He stopped, realizing where his words had led them back to … To that day in the rain. They shared a poignant look, but said nothing.

‘You’re so lucky having a place of your own to come back to whenever you like,’ she said, swiftly moving the conversation on. ‘Somewhere with heating and hot water, no less!’ she quipped.

He nodded. ‘Yeah, this is a great place for a holiday home. My parents chose well. I remember playing in that stream as a kid, building dams. Fishing for crabs and shrimps in the rock pools.’

‘Do your parents still come here?’

He didn’t answer straight away. Oh bugger, she hoped she hadn’t put her foot in it. She could be quite good at that.

‘Mum died a few years back. Ovarian cancer.’ He stared out across the bay.

Well done, Claire – shit. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry.’

‘It’s okay. Dad comes occasionally, sometimes with my brother and his family. But I don’t think it feels the same for him without her.’ He let out a long, slow breath and stared down at his shoes.

Claire was at a loss what to say next. He saved her by standing up.

‘Right, well I’m off to sort the main course. Won’t be a mo.’

So they’d both had hurt and pain in their lives. But she wanted to make the most of tonight. She had a feeling he did as well. Life could roll and punch you, but it could also lift you. Like the flotsam and jetsam at sea, you were tossed about chaotically, but then you somehow made it to shore. And there wasn’t anywhere she’d rather be than this shore right now.

He came back out with a bucket of shellfish that looked a bit like mini lobsters and proceeded to barbecue them over the coals whilst she sat sipping her wine. Life at this moment was pretty good. The smell was delicious, especially when he warmed a frying pan of garlic butter on the barbecue and popped the shellfish into it right at the last. He dished them out into white bowls and served them with a wedge of lemon and some thin slices of the olive bread she had made.

‘Langoustines, madam,’ he announced.

Eating them was gorgeous – messy but finger-lickingly good. Lucky he’d thought of paper napkins.

‘Wow, these are really delicious, thank you. Are they local?’

‘Yes, I picked them up this afternoon just along at the fish merchant in Seahouses.’

She carried on peeling and plumping juicy, garlicky langoustines into her mouth, then mopped up the sauce with her bread. Bowl emptied, she sat back in her garden chair feeling warm, content and full. Ed relaxed too, stretching his legs out in front of him. His jeans clung nicely to his quads beneath. Her mind flitted back to her first ever glimpse of him … of those legs … and more … the early morning swim. She felt the heat of a blush rise up her neck.

They carried on talking and she learnt a little more about his brother and family, who lived just outside Edinburgh too. He didn’t seem quite as closed-off as earlier. And she mentioned her sister Sally and her two boys, and her memories of holidaying here as a child. The sun shifted lower, the pale-blue sky fading to an orange glow, then diffusing to indigo as dusk crept in with the promise of a few early stars. He lit the storm lantern and a couple of tea lights that were on the little wooden table they were sharing. She sighed, feeling utterly content for the first time in ages.

‘Dessert, madam?’

‘Crikey, is there more?’ There might just be a teeny space for something else. ‘What have you got lined up?’

‘Meringues from the local farm shop, with raspberries and cream.’

Lush. ‘Okay, I’m sold.’ She grinned. She hadn’t eaten this much in ages. But her appetite was definitely back – and, looking at his tall, toned physique as he stood to go back into the house, in more ways than one. Oh God, what was she thinking? Especially after the disaster of last time. It was probably the wine sending her brain in weird directions, though she’d only had a couple of glasses. Still, she’d better ease off it a bit.

The meringues were amazing. He was definitely watching her lips as she licked off the crispy sugar crumbs. So she did it again, exaggeratedly, to test his reaction.

His gaze was intense, his pupils darkening within the green.

She started to feel a touch nervous. Or was it anticipation? Perhaps she’d better not tease any more – she’d better be sure exactly what it was she wanted.

‘That was gorgeous, thank you – the whole meal. Amazing.’

‘My pleasure – and you’re very welcome.’ He gave her a wide, disarming smile.

Hah, there was still a tiny morsel of meringue stuck to his bottom lip. She could just lick it off. And then kiss those lips, which would taste of cream and sugar. Oh my, she remembered his kiss so well. It was making her feel all tingly.

‘You okay?’

Oh God, she must have been staring? The wine had made her drop her guard, mind you she’d only had a couple of glasses.