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“Urgh.” I slam the door closed and pound the heel of my hand into the wood.
“Problem?” Mum asks from behind me.
“Nope.” I don’t elaborate and walk past her to the kitchen to make a coffee. I would have drunk the one Jayce brought for me. I just didn’t want him to have the satisfaction of knowing that.
“You can do better than that.”
“All fine.” I drum my fingers on the counter as I stare at the kettle and wait for the water to boil.
“Good. Then you can talk to me some more about this big plan of yours.”
“You weren’t so keen the other day.” I keep the disappointment from my voice the best I can.
“It was a lot to take in.”
“It’s a significant change, but also an investment opportunity. However, if you’re not convinced, then it can’t proceed. There’s too much riding on it for me, I’m afraid, Mum. I need something that I can see grow. I didn’t expect to be in this position, and…”
“I understand, Zennor. But remember, this isn’t just a business investment for me. This is my home. My life. Can you say the same? Will you make this your life? Or is this the stopgap until you find your next goal?” She smiles and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear before taking over the coffee duties. “You’ve been back all of five minutes. Plus, you can’t hide the fact that the boy who broke your heart is also back.”
“He’s got nothing to do with anything,” I protest.
“Don’t lie to your mother.” She spins to me and wields the teaspoon at me.
“He doesn’t. I didn’t know he was here, and he won’t change the plans I have.”
“So, the little spat on the front step?” Her eyebrows rise in question.
“That’s nothing, really. I’m a professional.”
“Who changed that summer-”
“Mum-”
She raises her hand to silence me, and I feel like a child back in her house again. “No, you’ll listen.” I nod and let her continue.
“You changed that summer, we all saw it, and you might say it was your age, going to college or whatever other excuse you can find, but I know it was that boy. It shaped you in a way that’s stayed with you forever. And now you’re both back here. It might have no bearing on what we discuss as a business or how you choose to live the rest of your life after Derek, but if I’m going to be a business partner with you, I need to know what’s going on in that head of yours. Because I don’t believe it’s nothing.”
I consider her words. Considering we’ve never been close, and I thought I’d hidden everything from the people around me after that summer, her words are spot on. “I didn’t expect to ever see him again, so Jayce being here is a shock, but it doesn’t change my plan. I promise.”
“So, if I said that I’d agree to your proposal on the condition that you stayed in Tregethworth?”
“For the first year,” I confirm. My plans were never to settle down here long term. A pit stop, gather myself and regroup, yes. My new life… I’m not so sure.
I left because I wanted to prove that the pain and failure of what happened that summer wouldn’t defeat me—that I could move on. Coming back here only serves as a reminder that I’ve failed. I left for a reason, and that did shape the rest of my life. Being back here only reminds me of everything that pushed me away.
My mum and sister only know the surface of what happened. Sure, they suspect, but I never shared the full story. I carried that myself, and I never wanted to let them in. It became a part of me, locked away inside, just like the evidence buried on the cliff. But since I’ve been back, cracks have started to form in my lockbox, and it reminds me of the weakness I felt and wanted to flee.
Bearing it for a short time is one thing. Any longer?
Years have passed, and time is a healer, although not as successful as I might have hoped.
But with Jayce here as well, everything feels more fragile.
“No, you’d need to stay permanently. If you want to set up a business that’s about Tregethworth, you need to be invested in Tregethworth. That’s what this town is about. If this is just a way for you to make money and grow a new business, then it’s not for me. And before you say this is your only option, it’s not. You have money. A lot of money. You just don’t know where to start. For once in your life, take a moment and stop, and don’t just take the next step because that’s what you think success looks like. Your determination can be a downfall.”
She leaves the kitchen, and for the first time in as long as I can remember, I’m stunned.
