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She pulled her head away from his shoulder and looked up. ‘Yes. I love this place. Even leaving it for a night was hard enough . . .’ She shivered. ‘I realised that the simple things keep me happy. As soon as I got off the ferry it was like I had come home.’
‘The place kind of pulls you in, doesn’t it?’
‘I can’t imagine a life now where I can’t walk on the beach every day or gaze out at the sea. Or smell the seaweed.’ She wrinkled up her nose and laughed.
He sighed loudly. ‘I know what you mean. There is something calming and grounding about it.’
‘It’s funny to think that I came here to start afresh where nobody knew me. And now I’m in a place I love with wonderful friends.’ She wondered if she should just take charge and say something. Could she be really honest and just say what was on her mind? ‘What if—’
Fergus interrupted her. ‘Amelia, the thing is . . . when you left, it was awful. I mean, I made a mess of things with the whole Kelly situation. I should have been clearer with her from the start, and then I should have been honest with you.’
She shook her head. ‘You don’t need to apologise. I shouldn’t have run off with Declan without telling you. I don’t know what I was thinking . . .’
Fergus leaned towards her, lifted her chin and pressed his warm lips against hers. When he pulled back, he cupped her face in his hands. ‘Please don’t go again.’
Amelia blushed, moving slightly away but reaching to hold his hand. ‘I don’t intend to. I belong here . . . and I can’t thank you enough, Fergus, for being such a good friend to me. I wouldn’t have got through these past couple of months if it hadn’t been for you.’ Her eyes glistened as she realised that what she was saying was absolutely true. Fergus had been a rock of support to her when she’d needed it most. As she started to relax, she realised how safe and accepted she was here, and much of that was down to him.’
‘So, friends?’ He tilted his head to one side.
‘Mmm, okay.’ Her eyes were smiling as she looked at him. ‘Does that mean we can start our morning dips again soon?’
‘I thought you’d never ask.’
‘Should we go back inside?’
He shifted uncomfortably. ‘The thing is, Amelia, I don’t know if I can be just your friend . . .’ He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. ‘If I’m honest, I haven’t felt like this for a long time.’
She held her breath, her heart tightening as she waited for what he was going to say next.
‘I think I’m falling for you, Amelia. You’re one of the most special people I’ve ever met and I don’t want to be without you.’
Amelia reached over and held him tightly, then kissed him gently on the lips.
‘Much as I’d like to stay out here with you, I’m freezing now. Do you fancy a dance?’
He nodded and touched her face, kissing her again and again.
They could hear Doris from the hall and giggled as they walked back inside, their arms wrapped around each other.
‘Wait a second,’ she said, pausing at the door and pointing up. ‘Look what’s there.’ She rested a hand on his chest.
‘Mistletoe. Are you trying to tell me that you’d like another kiss?’
She grinned. ‘Yes, please.’
Chapter Seventy-Two
At sunrise on Christmas Day, after a restful night’s sleep, Amelia lay in bed listening to the soothing lull of the waves, which brought tears of happiness to her eyes. She was rested and content and happy. She reached over to the bedside table for her journal. The prompt for the day was:Describe yourself in ten words. She quickly started to scribble.
Happy, fulfilled, sunny, open, forgiving, brave, courageous, inspired, energised, trusting, hopeful, ready to take a chance . . .
Amelia stopped writing and closed her notebook. She could describe herself in far more than just ten words. When she flicked back to the start of the notebook and compared the words to the ones she had written there, she smiled. She had come so far. The journal had helped her to work out who she was and what she wanted from life. It had helped her to clarify so many things, to focus on what was important in her life, and had helped heal her broken heart. She closed it and placed it back in the drawer, then quickly pulled on her swimming things.
She smiled when she saw Fergus standing at the gate, waving at her. They were starting the day with a quick dip. As she walked down the path towards him, he pointed to the sky. A whisper of snowflakes fell towards her and brushed against her face. This really was going to be a Christmas Day to remember. For Amelia, it would always be the Christmas that everything changed.
THE END
