Breakfast Under a Cornish Sun

by Samantha Tonge

  ‘It was good of Mum and Dad to invite me on their annual visit this August,’ I said and loosened my ponytail. And for three consecutive weeks! I’d never left my desk for that long, but since my chat with Greta, since my feelings for Henrik had shifted, I needed a good amount of time away from the daily grind, to think about our relationship. Fortunately, work had insisted it wasn’t a problem, even though I’d just moved departments, due to all the unpaid overtime I’d happily put in over the last two years. ‘I’ve always loved Taxos for being so untouched by the glitzy eighteen-to-thirty crowd. You experience a real slice of authentic Greek life.’

  Henrik’s jaw tightened and he fiddled with his designer watch. ‘I’d say it was short-sighted of any Greek village to hark back to the old days, in these economically challenged times. Taxos didn’t look to me as if it was doing well on feelings of nostalgia and the earnings from selling fish and olives.’

  My head told me he was right, but just the thought of puking, drunken tourists invading that community made me feel like throwing up. I shook myself. ‘Anyway, it’s a shame you’ve got that big contract to work on and can’t go.’ I cleared my throat. Truth was, I felt as relieved as an ice cream finding shade that I only had seven days to go until I left. With that marriage proposal on the horizon, I needed to come to a decision about him, without the distraction of his seductive slate eyes. They only reminded me of how I’d felt about him when we’d first started dating.

  My own eyes misted up as I thought of struggling Taxos with its turquoise waters and shortbread sand—of my imaginary teashop where I’d do the school run, dance in the dark and wake with the birds. Oh, the hours Niko and I had spent thinking up ridiculous names for it: Scones Sweet Scones; Teacakes Ahoy; She Shells Cake; Shiver Me Sandwiches. In the end, I’d plumped for Pippa’s Pantry. ‘Boring!’ Niko had declared—cue a generous handful of hot sand down his back.

  I leant up against Henrik, wondering if I would miss him whilst out in Greece. He wanted kids, but not until our thirties and, like my parents, thought boarding school fitted the executive life best. A bustling family home like Georgios and Sophia’s wouldn’t suit him one jot.

  ‘Funny you should talk of Taxos … you see my surprise …’ Henrik sat upright and turned to face me.

  Eek! Greta’s words rung in my ears. Was her son about to propose and take me to Greece on honeymoon? Because his surprise certainly wouldn’t be chocolates or extravagant bouquets. Henrik wasn’t the chivalrous, romantic type, and would consider such gifts a waste of money. Which was good, right? I was a successful, independent woman, not a Disney princess—although if I was, it would have to be Snow White, with her love of birds and forest life. Not that I’ve, um, thought that through at all … *clears throat*. Knights—or princes—in shining armour, I knew, belonged in fiction books, and Henrik always respected my modern outlook. He rarely gave out flowery compliments either—said I was far too intelligent to be patronised by such ‘tosh’. Neither of us could understand why I loved reading anything with a romantic theme.

  ‘Oh, goodness, is that the time …’ I rambled, desperate for a speedy exit. I moved forwards, to the edge of the sofa. ‘Sorry, I’ve got to go out right now, forgot I have Zumba and—’

  ‘Whoa! Slow down, Pippa! Surely an exercise class can wait two minutes?’

  Aarggh! There was no way out of this. As if already feeling apprehensive about an engagement ring, my left hand curled into a fist.

  ‘Guess what? Thanks to your parents and my boss, you’re in for a great holiday abroad.’

  Like the detergent-blue Greek tide coming in, a growing sense of uneasiness washed over me.

  ‘As a thank-you for me heading over to sort out the flooding mess, your mum and dad insist we have the villa to ourselves this summer. They will visit your aunt in Canada instead. My boss said he can just about afford to let me go for three weeks, as long as …’ Henrik fiddled with his watch again, ‘… I find a few days to head off to Kos Town to tie up some business at our new offices there.’

  ‘Since when did ThinkBig have offices on Kos island?’ I said, for a minute forgetting my total relief at him not having proposed.

  ‘Ignore all that for a minute … Didn’t you hear? I’m coming with you, Pips! It’ll be just us, cocktails and waves … and who knows what could happen.’

  Voice husky now, Henrik took my hand and—uh oh—ran his thumb over my ring finger.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  First and foremost, thanks to my perceptive, patient and talented editor Victoria Oundjian. You have the sharpest eye for identifying a story’s weaknesses and strengths—and the most tactful way of conveying this information to the author! I am also grateful to the whole Carina UK team for helping to make this book the very best it can be.

  Thanks to Clare Wallace, my lovely supportive agent. Also, a big shout-out to fellow Carina authors who are always there to offer virtual cake and guidance during the wobbly moments. I am also hugely grateful to all my friends in the literary community—fellow writers and generous bloggers—who make my job so enjoyable.

  Martin, Immy and Jay—as always you are the THE BEST. I love you dearly.

  Thanks to Franky for the inspiring wind spinner.

  Finally huge thanks to you, the readers. You are my motivation and inspiration when writer’s block strikes or the real world tries to tempt me away from my desk. I love hearing from you and a review is always enormously appreciated. You can contact me via:

  http://samanthatonge.co.uk/

  https://twitter.com/SamTongeWriter

  https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaTongeAuthor/

  Copyright

  Carina UK

  An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

  1 London Bridge Street

  London SE1 9GF

  www.carinauk.com

  First published in Great Britain by Carina UK in 2016

  Copyright © Samantha Tonge 2016

  Samantha Tonge asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

  A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

  Ebook Edition © July 2016 ISBN: 978-0-00-818484-1