Page 87 of The Summer That Changed Us

Robyn froze. ‘What? What do you think?’

‘Tell you another time. You’re needed,’ he said, kissing her cheek and releasing her as Tess came crunching across the shingle, a child holding onto each of her hands.

‘Is there a loo around here? Both these two urchins are desperate.’

‘Sure. Follow me.’ Robyn stepped away from her husband and led Tess and the children up the steps to Grace’s house.

By the time Robyn returned a few minutes later, the beach had filled up even more. Freya, one of the girls she’d met at the previvors group, held a white oval in the palm of her hand. ‘Robyn, is this sea glass?’

Robyn peered at it and shook her head. ‘It’s a stone, washed smooth by the sea.’

Freya’s face fell. ‘Oh, I thought I’d found treasure.’

‘In that case, you have. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and you’re the beholder. Which means that if you think something is beautiful, it is.’ Robyn tapped the stone. ‘Keep the stone, treasure it, because this is your beautiful.’

Freya grinned. ‘Wow, that’s really inspiring. I love that. Thanks.’

Robyn felt a wave of pride as she watched Freya trudge back to her friend. Her eye roamed the beach and took in the little huddles of women talking and laughing, their kids running in and out of the waves. She’d made this happen, she thought. Somehow, without planning it, she appeared to have hit on something special. With a bit of organisation, she could potentially make a small business using sea glass to bring people together. She needed a venue to run workshops, she needed a website to sell what she made and to publicise her events … There was lots to do, but that was OK; she didn’t mind hard work. It was creative, it was fun and best of all, none of this would have happened if she hadn’t tested positive with the BRCA gene. The morning of the day she’d met Katie and Grace for the first time, she’d challenged herself to be positive, proactive and perky. She didn’t manage it every day, and things weren’t perfect between her and Finn, but she was getting there, one step at a time.

Her gaze alighted on Finn who was at the refreshment table talking to another man. What had he been about to say when Tess had interrupted them? She had a feeling it was important. Somehow she had to make an opportunity to recreate that moment and get him to open up. For better or worse, he’d promised to talk to her.

She went to join him.

‘And when I’m not at sea, I’m with this wonderful woman. My wife, the brains behind today,’ Finn said, holding a hand out to her. ‘Robyn, this is Barney Larkin from the North East Gazette and his daughter, Amber.’

‘Great event. I love the sentiment behind it.’ Barney shook Robyn’s hand. ‘It would make a nice story for the paper.’

Robyn blinked. ‘Would it?’

Amber pulled a lollipop out of her mouth to speak. ‘Katie told us about today. I think what you’re doing is brilliant. Women supporting women. That’s cool.’ She nodded and put her lollipop back in.

Robyn grinned. ‘Thanks. I’ve heard about your campaigns, too. Katie is always singing your praises.’

‘Seriously?’ For a split second, Amber’s face lit up before apparently remembering she was a teenager and therefore supposed to look bored by everything. ‘Yeah, Katie’s cool, too.’

‘I hope you don’t mind us gatecrashing?’ Barney said. ‘We were going to meet Katie here, but we decided to come even though she had to cancel.’

Robyn was trying to remember everything Katie had told her about Barney. She hadn’t said much, and she definitely hadn’t mentioned how good-looking he was.

‘Of course not,’ she smiled. ‘The more the merrier. Poor Katie; I hope her dad is OK.’

‘He’s improved already,’ Barney told her. ‘Out of danger apparently.’

‘You’ve heard from her?’ Robyn said, surprised. ‘Grace and I haven’t.’

‘She sent me a very brief text, that’s all.’ A hint of colour rose to Barney’s cheeks. ‘Is it OK if I take a picture of you with the sea in the background?’

‘In these old dungarees?’ Robyn yelped.

‘You look great, love,’ said Finn.

‘Aww.’ Amber sighed dreamily. ‘I hope I’m in love when I’m old.’

The three adults laughed.

‘What’s funny?’ Amber demanded and looked at Robyn. ‘The dungarees are perfect. You look arty and bohemian. Just fold your arms and tilt your chin up and boom.’

Robyn felt completely self-conscious but did as she was told and followed Amber’s various directions while Barney took some photos.