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“It’s a tidal island,” he explained. “Hence the name. Sometimes Island, because it’s only an island sometimes.”
“That’s cute.” It also sounded totally made up. “It’s really called Sometimes Island?”
“No, it’s not really called that.” Hugh chuckled again and Allie felt utterly lost. “It’s not its official name,” he finally explained. “But it’s what everyone calls it.”
“What’s its official name?”
He pursed his lips as though deep in thought. “I think it starts with a B. Or maybe a P.”
“You don’t know what it’s called?”
“I could take a stab at it … but I won’t.” His smirk was adorable and Allie found herself unable to drag her gaze from his face.
“Why not?” she demanded playfully.
“It’s a point of pride that no one locally will say its real name. There’s this unspoken understanding that we’ll phase out the official name until no one even remembers it.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“It is, but it’s also kind of cool, don’t you think?”
She raised an eyebrow. “I think there’s a flaw to the plan of phasing out its actual name. Surely there are signposts to the island.”
“There are, yes. But due to some impressive acts of vandalism, all the signs point to Sometimes Island.”
“Are you serious?”
He nodded. “The local council tried changing the signs back a few times over the years, but the vandals always painted over them. They look just like the official street signs, so in the end they were left as they are.”
“Was this by any chance you and your friends on one of your wild nights out?”
“No.” He laughed. “It was before our time.”
Ten minutes later, they passed the first sign for Sometimes Island. It really looked like an official sign.
They fell into a companionable silence for the last ten minutes of the drive. Allie gazed out at the little villages they passed, and the coast when it came back into view.
“The tide’s in,” she said when they arrived. The car park overlooked the stretch of water between them and the pretty little island, which was dotted with lights from the hotel and a few other buildings.
“Yeah.” Hugh stepped out of the car and she followed his lead.
“So we need to get a boat?”
“No. There’s a sea tractor at high tide.”
“A sea tractor? That sounds like something you just made up.”
“It’s not, I promise. Come on and I’ll show you.” They walked through the car park and down a short lane that led to a boat ramp onto a thin strip of beach. On the sand stood a strange-looking vehicle which made Allie stop abruptly.
“It’s weird, isn’t it?” Hugh said, turning back to her. “I promise it’s safer than it looks.”
Allie stared at the platform with a canopy and seats, raised above tractor tyres by some kind of hydraulic construction. It was absolutely a weird sight. But that wasn’t what made her breath catch in her throat.
“I’ve been here before,” she said as a warm rush of memories swept through her. Her smile came automatically. “My parents brought me when I was a kid. I didn’t remember it until I saw that tractor thing.”
“Did you spend a lot of time in Devon when you were younger?”
“Yes,” she said, only then remembering that she’d only told Hugh half truths about why she was in Hope Cove.
