Page 123 of Somewhere Only We Know

‘And right on cue, real life beckons,’ said Jackson. ‘We’d better give her some attention.’

‘As long as that’s your only other woman,’ I teased, ‘I can handle sharing you.’

‘I’ve got some special people in my life who I can’t wait for you to meet.’ We waded out of the water hand in hand, and he brought my fingers to his lips to kiss them ‘But honestly? There’s never been anyone who came close to you.’

This man: he melted my heart. I sent up a silent prayer of gratitude to Brontë for bringing us back together via her planning. None of this would have happened without her.

‘Like who?’ I asked. ‘Do you have kids?’

He hooked an arm around my shoulders as we crossed the pebbles towards the dog. ‘Two sons. The eldest is in Jakarta at uni and the other now manages the diving school I set up after I decided to settle in Bali. It’s really near the turtle sanctuary. Their mother and I never married, but we’re still friends and she’s married to one of Utt’s nephews now. I focus on the hotel these days as Brontë found out.’

Scout rolled over onto her back as we reached her and Jackson tickled her belly.

My heart swelled with love for him. ‘I’m so proud of you. Seems like you got exactly the life you dreamed of.’

He stepped towards me, a smouldering look in his eyes as he lowered his mouth to mine. ‘I have now. I love you, Mags.’

A gasp formed in my throat and he pulled back.

‘Too soon?’ he whispered, his breath soft against my lips.

‘Not soon enough.’

I closed my eyes and surrendered to Jackson’s kiss, and it was every bit as intoxicating as it had always been.

As our kiss deepened, all thoughts of work and the UK and Tiff and the Mum’s Gap Year idea floated away. For now, all that mattered was this wonderful man and the certainty that this time, I was never letting him out of my life again.

Thank you, Brontë, I thought. Thank you for bringing me home.

Brontë’s Gap Year

I have never felt like such a stalker before, but once you start digging into someone’s background, you can’t help yourself.

So let’s say my dad is Mr Jackson the hotel owner, then there’s a chance that the two young Jacksons in Bali on Insta could be family too: Kai studying oceanography at uni and Regan who won an award for young business owner of the year for his dive school. Both super cute. Although (a) potentially my half-brothers and (b) I’m team Harry for ever. Couldn’t find anything about their mum, but their dad Eugene (no wonder he goes by Jackson) popped up in a post about the Beach Break Hotel in Canggu. They run surf camps where you stay for a week and learn to surf. So guess who’ll be booking in for lessons?? ME!

I’ll do a recce and if he seems nice, I’ll separate him from the crowd and ask if he remembers Maggie Jones. I’ll probably take her year 2000 diary along too to jog his memory. I mean, it might not work, it might not even be him, but stranger things have happened, right? Then all I need to do is to somehow persuade Mum to come out and join us. I know it’s her happy place, and if I end up finding my dad, it’ll be mine too.

Mum’s Gap Year

My darling girl,

For once I’m struggling to find words to adequately express how much I love and appreciate you. I set off on this trip three months ago with no plan other than to follow your itinerary. My world had grown so small and I didn’t want to imagine a future without you in it. I’d been merely existing, doing enough to get myself through each day, avoiding my feelings, even avoiding your bedroom. I’d lost my purpose, the one that had sustained me for the last twenty-four years – to be the best possible mother I could to my beautiful girl, to be your role model.

I thought you were crazy to defer your job to go travelling, but now I see that you had your priorities right. It was me who had mine wrong.

All along it was you who had the answers I needed. You showed me the way. With your encouragement, page by page, you led me across the world to wonderful places, opening my heart and my mind to new experiences, new ideas.

And now you have led me back to Jackson, your wonderful dad. Quite simply, you have turned my world upside down.

I’ve been in Bali for three weeks, most of the time staying with your dad in his villa near the Beach Break Hotel. It’s all Balinese carved wood and outdoor showers with a pool that I’ve taken to floating in, while Scout paces the edge of the pool in lifeguard mode. I’ve met his sons – your half-brothers – who are full of fun and call their dad Eugene to wind him up and constantly compete against each other in everything. You’d love them. And you’d love your granddad Errol, who is the sweetest man. He’s seventy-five but you should see him on his surfboard – he puts us all to shame.

Tomorrow, we head back to the UK. Jackson wants to see our house and meet the family – and yes, that does include your gran. She and I have a lot to talk about. Losing you has made me realise that you have to make the most of the people you love while they’re alive. And I do love her, even if she drives me mad. Also, I’ve got some ends to tie up with ShopSwift. Tiff secured me a decent severance payout, which will tide me over while I put together the plans for a new business. I’m so excited about that – I keep having to pinch myself.

And it’s all because of you. You’ve taught me so much, my sweet girl. You will be with me always, your light and energy showing me the way.

Love, always

Mum xxx