AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He laughed. ‘Shall we tell her? She’s got twenty years on me, she’d be enormously flattered.’
‘Don’t you dare! I’m embarrassed enough about the whole thing in the first place.’
‘My lips are sealed.’
‘Your lips are irresistible.’
He smiled at her so intently, she thought she’d combust. When he kissed her again, she nearly did.
CHAPTER29
‘BELIEVE’ – JOSH GROBAN
They stopped kissing, aware it wasn’t the right place or time and sat, forehead to forehead, giggling a little. Jago turned away, gave an embarrassed cough and concentrated on his whisky. ‘I feel like a teenager,’ he laughed.
Darting a glance at the couple on the other side of the room who, luckily, had been oblivious, Honor pulled herself together and ripped open a couple of bags of crisps to share. She settled on something more matter of fact to discuss. ‘There’s a big age difference between you and Merryn.’
‘There is.’ Jago smiled. ‘I can see why you thought I was her dad, I’m certainly old enough. Mum and Dad had me well on the way when they got married. We lived in Fowey until I was four.’ He screwed up his face. ‘I can just about remember it, but it’s mixed up with memories of visits to family later. Dad got an opportunity to work full-time with the RNLI in London so we all relocated. It was just us three for a long time and then Mum found out she was expecting Mer. It was a hell of a shock as she was forty-six.’
‘Wow. It must have felt like starting all over again for her.’
‘Yeah. I haven’t really thought about it that way. Mum had been working for John Lewis in Victoria for years. I suppose she thought she was getting her life back and wham, along comes Merryn. She went part-time after Mer was born but I know it wasn’t easy. She’d never really settled to city life, not truly. So, when Dad died, she saw it as an opportunity for a new start. She took redundancy and we came here.’
‘You must find it very strange compared to living in London?’
‘I do and I don’t. I think the sea lives in your soul, there’s something about it that draws you back. I was never sure if I was a city boy. I loved aspects of it, but I was never fully committed to city living. I see that now. I’m beginning to love Lullbury Bay. It’s quaint and has its share of eccentrics but I can see it offering a good quality of life.’
‘And you’re not alone. I’ve had three new pupils join the class this term alone, and all from London. I think the pandemic made people rethink their life choices, re-evaluate. It’s great for the school though. Rural schools struggle for numbers, especially in a town that’s popular with the retired.’
There was a pause then Honor felt she had to ask the inevitable. ‘So, you’re divorced?’
‘I am. Married Rose too soon, we found out we’re not truly compatible too late. Lockdown had us living and working in too close a proximity. Brought things to a head. The divorce was just coming through when Dad died. But I can assure you, I no longer have any feelings for Rose beyond fondness, I’m most definitely not married anymore and have the papers to prove it. Plus, Rose and I have managed to stay friends which is a miracle. Verity said we should be proud we’ve achieved that.’
‘Sounds like Verity has been giving you good advice. She’s a nice woman.’
‘She’s great. She told me I needed to talk things over with you. I’ve something to apologise for, Honor.’
‘What?’
‘For rushing you with the kiss at the German Market. I misread the signs.’
‘What signs?’
‘I thought you liked me.’
‘I did. I mean I do. Very much.’ Honor felt her face grow hot.
‘I should have thought about you being in the public eye and wanting to keep your reputation as a teacher. I shouldn’t have kissed you somewhere so public.’
She smiled at him. ‘It can be tricky in a small town. Half of my pupils and parents think I disappear up in smoke when I leave school. The other half think I should behave like an angel. But it wasn’t that. After all, we’ve spent most of this evening snogging each other’s faces off in very public places.’ She giggled.
‘Then what was it?’
‘At the time I thought you were married to Avril.’
‘Ah.’ Jago’s reply came out on a long, drawn-out breath of understanding.
‘I have to apologise too.’
