They smiled at each other for a moment, then Holly asked, ‘How are you doing? With your art and your sculpting?’
Fran was a talented artist and ceramist. She had converted the small extension on her parents’ house into a studio, where she painted and sculpted. It meant that she could work from home, allowing her to be there to take care of her menagerie.
‘I’m doing okay.’ She nodded. ‘I’ve had some orders for pots and vases from a few shops in town and from one in Newquay, and my paintings have been selling well too.’
Fran’s Cornish landscapes were incredible, especially the ones of the vineyard. When Holly had run the vineyard shop, she’d stocked them and some of Fran’s sculptures too. They’d sold well, and she had been proud to tell customers that the artist was a close friend.
‘Sorry you lost the business at Greenacres.’
Fran shrugged. ‘It was only a small part of my income, Hols. I’m managing.’
‘I’m glad to hear it, but even so, when I left, I didn’t consider the impact it would have on your sales.’
‘Your dad returned my stock, so it’s fine.’
Holly knew that Fran had already forgiven her, but she couldn’t push away the gnawing guilt. She’d let Fran down and it saddened her.
Shell arrived at the table, her daisy-print apron with its frilled trim hugging her generous curves. She set two tall glasses on the table. ‘Madagascan vanilla shakes with plenty of Cornish ice cream. I’ll be back with your cake in a moment.’
She went to walk away, then paused.
‘Is that your baby, Holly?’
‘Yes, this is Luke.’
Shell leant over the car seat and gazed at him. She gently touched his cheek, then inhaled noisily.
‘I just adore that baby smell, don’t you?’ Her big blue eyes widened. ‘You ever want a babysitter, let me know.’
‘Join the queue,’ Fran said.
‘I can’t believe my own baby is seventeen.’ Shell nodded at the counter, where Bella, who looked like a stretched version of her mother, was ringing something through the till.
‘Seventeen!’ Holly gasped. ‘How did that happen?’
Shell had been a few years ahead of them at school and got pregnant just before she went to college to study catering. She’d had Bella at seventeen, something that had sent the traditionalists in Penhallow Sands into disapproving whispers, but she had held her head up and got on with it. With the support of her family, she’d finished her college course then got a business loan and set up Shell’s Shack. She was strong and determined, and Holly and Fran had always been full of admiration for her.
Now she stood up straight and patted her mop of blonde curls, which were currently held back by a headband. ‘She’ll be heading off to university next year. She’s at college at the moment studying law, psychology and sociology. Must get her brains from her father. Bastard!’ She grimaced. Bella’s father had been a holiday romance, a slightly older boy who’d come to the bay for a week, got Shell pregnant, then walked away. Apart from maintenance, he’d refused to have anything to do with Bella – something that had shocked everyone who knew the beautiful child.
‘He’s lost out,’ Holly said.
Shell nodded. ‘He has, but so has she. I’ve tried to make up for it, but I know she’d have loved a daddy too.’
‘She’s happy and ambitious and she’ll be just fine.’ Fran patted Shell’s hand. ‘She has you and your family and she’s a bright girl. She’ll go far.’
‘It’s wonderful that she’s doing law,’ Holly said. ‘I studied business law at A level. It’s hard work, but fascinating.’
‘I know, I’m so proud of her.’ Shell gazed at her daughter and Holly recognized the expression of maternal love on her face – she saw it in the mirror every day since she’d had Luke. ‘Who’s Luke’s daddy, Holly, or shouldn’t I ask? Is it Rich? Of course it is, right? You two were always together.’
Holly opened her mouth, then closed it again.
‘Oops!’ Shell bit her lip. ‘None of my business. I’ll just take my big mouth away.’
She sashayed over to the counter and picked up two plates of cake, which she brought to the table and set in front of them.
‘It’s lovely to see you, Holly. Really lovely. You must come to one of my girls’ nights in while you’re home. I promise to keep my nose out of things that don’t concern me.’
‘Sure.’ Holly nodded. ‘And it’s fine, honestly.’
When Shell had gone to serve another customer, Fran leant over the table.
‘Her girls’ nights in can be a lot of fun. It’s basically a chance to eat delicious food and drink wine while laughing… a lot.’
‘Sounds great. And this cake looks amazing.’
The slice of cake was enormous and she wondered if she’d be able to manage it, but after not eating her lunch, she was quite hungry now. And it was so tempting. Rainbow layers of sponge were sandwiched together with thick whipped cream, and the surface was slick with marble icing. She stuck her fork into it, and when she put it in her mouth, she moaned.
‘I know, right?’ Fran giggled. ‘Delicious.’
They ate in silence, people-watching as customers came and went and Shell and Bella bustled around serving and clearing plates away. A few familiar faces came over to say hello and to admire Luke, and each time Holly could see the question in their eyes. They all wanted to know if Luke was Rich’s child. Why would they think anything else?
When Fran went to the toilet, Holly pulled her mobile from the changing bag and read Rich’s text again, where he’d suggested meeting at their old spot. She started to compose a text with a question about Sam, asking if she’d mind Rich meeting his former girlfriend, but she thought better of it and deleted it. Better just to keep it simple.
She had a lot to deal with, and this afternoon would involve a tough conversation, but for now she had Luke, Fran, cake and vanilla milkshake. Who could ask for more than that?
Chapter 8
Later that afternoon, Holly steered the Range Rover up the winding road that led to the car park she’d been to so many times before. Luke was chatting happily to himself in his car seat, and the sounds he was making made her smile in spite of her nerves.
The tyres crunched on the gravel as she pulled in next to an old Fiesta that she recognized as belonging to Rich’s mum. Lucinda had had that car for years and it seemed that Rich had borrowed it to come here today. Holly doubted he’d have brought his mum too; that would have been a bit much and they’d never manage to speak frankly with her around. She meant well but could sometimes be a bit overbearing.
There were no other cars in the car park, so Holly hoped the walk would be quiet and give her time to gather her thoughts. She got out and unfolded the pram, then clipped the car seat onto it and slid the changing bag over the handle. The air was fresh and cool, so she tucked a soft blanket over Luke and gave him a kiss before raising the hood to keep the chill off him. Where they were going, it could get breezy.
She walked briskly for ten minutes along the tree-lined path, enjoying the chance to stretch her legs and get her heart beating. As the trees thinned out, the path opened up to reveal a grassy verge at the top of the cliffs. Standing at the railing, gazing out to sea, was Rich.
Holly paused, seizing the opportunity to look at him properly. He was wearing blue jeans and a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He had never seemed to feel the cold. Throughout his teenage years, Holly had heard Lucinda shout at him to take a jacket or a jumper when he went out, and Rich had always laughed then left the cottage without either.
His tall, broad-shouldered frame stood out against the glorious backdrop of the sea and the coastline with its golden sand and grassy dunes. He could have been a model on a photo shoot. His dark hair shone in the late-afternoon light, and she could even make out the line of his jaw in profile.
Then he turned.
She gasped as she was hurtled back through the years to the first tim
e they’d come here as a couple, a few years ago. When they’d set out from the village, the weather had been fine. Rich had driven his own car then, a black Audi that his parents had got him for his birthday, and as they’d climbed the road to the pretty spot, Holly’s belly had fizzed with excitement and nerves. They’d only recently got together, and their relationship was still very new.
They’d reached the car park at the same time as heavy grey clouds, and when they’d got out of the car, it had been cold, the air filled with the threat of a storm. Rich had taken her hand as they walked to the railing and peered out at the haze over the sea, where rain had already started to fall. He had pulled her closer when she’d shivered; then, as droplets started to wet their hair and shoulders, he’d turned her in his arms and raised her chin. His dark-brown eyes had held hers and her heart had threatened to burst as he slowly lowered his head and kissed her. It wasn’t their first kiss, but it felt like the first time.
He’d tasted of the salt air and sunshine, and his skin smelt of cedar and spice. His lips were soft, his kisses firm, and feelings had unfurled inside Holly that she hadn’t experienced before. She’d pressed herself against him, and when he’d slid his hands down and pulled her even closer, she’d emitted a moan that was raw and primal.
Then the rain had really come down, drenching Holly’s red cotton summer dress, filling her white-laced pumps and even soaking her underwear. They had broken apart, laughing, then run to the car and jumped back in. Rich had pulled a blanket from the back seat and draped it over Holly, then started the engine with the blowers on full to warm them up.
But in spite of her wet clothes and hair, Holly had been warmed by an inner glow that Rich had lit within her. His kiss, his embraces and the desire she felt for him had only confirmed what she’d already known: Rich was the only man for her.
‘Holly!’ He waved, snapping her back to the present.
‘Hi…’ Her voice emerged croaky with emotion, and she coughed to clear her throat.
As he walked towards her, she took a deep breath.
‘Shall we sit down?’ He gestured at the bench off to their right.
‘Sure.’
She pushed the pram over to it and set the brake, then checked on Luke. He was patting his mouth with his hand and cooing, clearly enjoying the noise it made.
‘So, we need to talk.’ It was a statement, not a question.
She nodded and turned slightly on the bench to face him. Her neck and shoulders felt stiff, and she knew it was the stress of being here with Rich again, of having to deal with the tension that now existed between them.
‘It’s still so beautiful here,’ she said.
‘I know. I’ve come here a few times since I got home, and it seems even more beautiful than before.’
Just like you…
Stop it, Holly! Focus.
‘What happened last year, Rich…’
‘I know, and before we go any further, I have to say that I’m so very sorry.’
She allowed her eyes to roam his face, taking in the slight dent to the left of his nose where he had a chickenpox scar, the shadow on his jaw that suggested he hadn’t shaved this morning, and the fine lines at the corners of his eyes. Lines that had formed over the years but that only added to his allure. And his hair… Up close, she could see silver glints where there were a few odd greys. Had they been there last year? She didn’t think so. She wondered if he’d go completely grey as he aged, or bald like his father. Either way, she knew he would still be the same Rich; that she would still yearn to hold him whenever she saw him. But he had moved on, he had someone else, and that was his business. What he did was up to him now, as long as he treated Luke right.
He’d said he was sorry…
‘You’re sorry?’
He nodded. ‘I am. For so long I didn’t value you or what we had. Letting you down like I did was awful. Unforgivable.’
‘Oh…’ She’d been expecting fireworks as she’d seen in the past; for Rich to argue that he’d been justified in leaving her hanging as he had, but instead he seemed to be accepting responsibility for what he’d done.
She wanted to pour everything out, to ask him why he’d behaved as he had, why he’d let her down, why he hadn’t loved her as she wanted him to, but another, stronger impulse was driving her now. Her own feelings didn’t matter as much as her child’s, and it was Luke she’d come here to talk about. The past was the past and couldn’t be changed. Rich had someone else now, so it was up to Holly to fight for her son, to find out whether Rich was prepared to commit to him. It was better to know now while Luke was so young, while she could protect him.
So she squashed the yearning to know more, to beg for answers that would soothe her and ease the pain she’d carried for so long, and pulled her maternal instincts to the forefront instead.
‘Holly… I’d like to explain—’
She held up a hand. ‘It’s all right, Rich. There’s no need. That was then. Life is very different now.’ She glanced at the pram. ‘This isn’t about us, it’s about Luke.’
‘I can’t believe he’s mine.’
She nodded. ‘I wasn’t lying to you.’
‘I know, but even though I’ve had two days to let it sink in, I’m struggling to accept that I’m a dad.’
His eyes were filled with confusion. It made him look younger, more vulnerable. Holly had seen that look in his eyes so many times before as he’d struggled to deal with losing his brother.
‘I understand why you didn’t let me know, but I also feel… I feel angry, Holly, as though I’ve been robbed of his first few months.’
‘I know, and I’m sorry for that. But when I left, I didn’t know I was pregnant. It took me by surprise too.’
‘When did you find out?’
‘I was fifteen weeks along.’
‘Wow.’
‘I know, but what with my periods always being so irregular, I wasn’t surprised when I didn’t have one for months. I also attributed it to the stress of what had happened after you let me down.’ Pain and anger flickered in her chest.
Rich rubbed his eyes and blew out his cheeks. Something passed over his face and it tugged at her heart. She’d seen that look before; it surfaced when he was struggling to deal with something, when he was hurting but didn’t want to show the world. Her hand shot to his face before she could stop it, and she gently stroked his cheek. His skin was cool, rough with stubble. His pupils dilated and he covered her hand with his own. As angry and hurt as she had been, and still was to a certain degree, she had loved him deeply.
‘Holly…’
‘Oh Rich, how did it come to this?’
She pulled her hand away and pressed it into her lap, lacing her fingers together to stop herself from touching him again. It wouldn’t help the situation.
‘I didn’t know what to do when I found out that I was expecting. The timing couldn’t have been worse. And we’d been using protection, so I was completely confused about how it had happened. The chances were so slim.’
She took a deep breath. Out on the sea, a ship sounded its horn, and a few seconds later, another replied.
‘As soon as I discovered that Luke was growing inside me, I knew I would do everything I could to protect him.’
‘That’s why you stayed away?’
‘Yes. You’d left, and I knew I couldn’t return home pregnant. Grandpa—’
‘Would’ve gone mad.’
‘That’s an understatement.’
‘I’m so sorry.’ His voice was thick with emotion.
She shrugged. ‘You didn’t know.’
‘But I left you.’
‘You did, and I can’t deny that you hurt me.’ She released a shaky breath. ‘But it’s not about me now. I can deal with my own feelings. I just wanted you to know that Luke is your son and to ask how you feel about it.’
‘It’s a shock, but obviously when I saw you at the funeral I suspected he could be mine. When was he born?’
&nb
sp; ‘The eleventh of January. He was premature, born at thirty-three weeks.’
‘You coped with all that alone?’
‘What choice did I have? Dad came to see me when he could, but I managed.’ A bitter taste flooded her mouth. She was angry with Rich, but she knew it was for the wrong reasons. How could he have been there to help when he knew nothing about the baby? He wasn’t a mind-reader, was he? Besides which, her own pride had prevented her from trying to contact him. And yet… Rich had made it clear that he didn’t want her last year, so he was the last person she would have turned to for help. She’d been furious with him at the time for how he’d behaved, for not wanting her, but she’d also not wanted his charity, had feared that he might suggest getting back together out of pity or a sense of obligation.
‘You’re amazing, Holly.’
‘I had no option other than to keep going.’ This was harder than she’d imagined it would be.
A squeal from the pram made her jump, and she pushed down the hood to reveal Luke’s red, scrunched-up face. She undid the straps and lifted him out, automatically kissing his soft cheek, then turned back to Rich, holding their son on her lap, taking strength from her fathomless love for the baby they’d created.
Rich gazed down at Luke and reached out to him, and the baby grabbed his forefinger and shook it up and down, then pulled it towards his mouth.
‘He wants to eat everything at the moment,’ Holly explained.
Rich smiled, his eyes fixed on Luke.
‘Could I hold him?’
‘Of course.’
Holly handed the baby over. He looked tiny in Rich’s arms, yet he seemed to belong there. Rich murmured to him, sniffed his head and kissed his cheek, and Holly realized what was happening: he was falling in love with his child.
As if the meeting hadn’t been emotional enough, her heart filled until it was fit to burst. She’d imagined this moment for so long, pictured it in the grey hours of dawn when she’d been pacing the floorboards with a grizzly Luke, when she’d cried at how lonely she was and how she wished that life had turned out differently.
But now it was happening… and it was beautiful.
The House at Greenacres Page 9