‘I didn’t know that he wanted to travel extensively… he never confided in me that he had any unrequited longings, but we were planning a big holiday, you know… once we both retired. We were going to drive across the United States in a Mustang… cruise along Route 66 and all that.’
‘I never knew that, Mum.’
She nodded against his chest. ‘We were so looking forward to it.’
‘You’d have had a great time.’
She leant backwards and met his gaze.
‘But you are right. Your dad died suddenly and he didn’t get to follow his dreams. I don’t believe that everyone does, to be honest, but all we can do is try.’ She placed a hand on his chest. ‘You must do everything you want to do, Nate. Grab this life with both hands and don’t regret a thing.’
‘Yes, Mum. That’s what I’m planning to do.’
And he knew that he had to travel and that he had to do it soon; he’d told himself for years that he should do it, possibly for his dad as much as for any other reason. But he also didn’t want to regret not trying to make a go of things with Zoe, because he had a feeling that walking away from her would be a huge mistake.
* * *
Zoe was in the process of setting up her stall at the cove when a familiar voice made her pause.
‘Hello, Zoe, can I give you a hand?’
‘Hi, Paula, that would be wonderful, thank you. I need to get the boxed cakes set out and to display the banner advertising the diner. It took me a while to carry everything down here, so I’m feeling a bit frazzled.’
‘I wish you’d called me, I could have helped.’ Paula came around to Zoe’s side of the stall. ‘It looks amazing down here already, doesn’t it?’
It was ten o’clock and people were already milling around the beach, waiting for stallholders to finish setting up so they could sample some of the local produce.
Zoe had needed to hold off for as long as possible before unloading some of the cakes because she didn’t want the cream and the icing melting in the heat of the day. She’d left some more up at the diner and would have to go back for them later, but she suspected she’d need a brief respite as it was already very warm.
‘It does look fabulous.’
Zoe gazed around her. There were around fifteen stalls set up along the beach, from one end to the other, and all were from local businesses in Conwenna and from nearby towns and villages. She knew there would be a similar arrangement at Luna Bay along the coast. That thought gave her a warm feeling, knowing that the inhabitants of this part of Cornwall had willingly taken part in the event to help raise funds for the greyhound sanctuary. Of course, there’d be money in it for them too, and the chance to promote their businesses, but it was still a good thing to do to help out a local charity.
All across the beach, banners rippled in the gentle sea breeze. The blue one for Surf for Sighthounds, featuring the sanctuary’s logo of a greyhound silhouette enclosed in a heart folded then straightened out, calling attention to the event. Then there were the different coloured banners for the businesses, a beautiful rainbow that Zoe imagined would look incredible from above. Each stall had designed its own banner, from the greyhound sanctuary’s one, to the one for the Conwenna Arms, where they would be selling alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as a stall from Truro selling pots of locally grown berries topped with the milky-white ice cream from Foxglove Farm. The event that Nate had organized had brought businesses together and that could only be a good thing for the area.
The weather was perfect – the sky was a flawless blue, and the sun beamed down. That would be good for business too, and Zoe was glad she’d had the foresight to stock up on bottled water to sell.
Every so often, small white boats sailed past the cove, heading from Conwenna harbour to Luna Bay. Zoe knew that a few companies had worked together on this to ensure that tourists and locals could travel easily between the two locations of the event. The surfing would take part in Luna Bay because it was more open, and the cove was too small to accommodate all of the participants, their boards and the news crews that were covering the event.
Just as that thought crossed her mind, a helicopter passed overhead, going in the direction of Luna Bay. She suspected it was a news crew but it could be celebrities or even surfers being brought in for the surfing event.
Her stomach lurched. She was glad she had an excuse not to be over at Luna Bay; the last thing she would want would be to watch as the crowds cheered. Nate wasn’t actually taking part because he had to travel between Luna Bay and Conwenna Cove all day, but she knew he’d probably oversee some of the children’s bodyboarding lessons that Lucinda from Riding the Wave would offer at the cove.
It was certainly going to be a busy day, and she hoped with all her heart that it went well for Nate, because he’d worked so hard to organize everything.
* * *
Nate waited for the helicopter to land on the space cleared especially on the beach, then watched as the door opened and three men got out. They ducked as they hurried away from the helicopter and, when they were clear, it rose into the air again before flying away.
‘There he is!’ Lucinda pointed at the tallest of the surfers heading towards them.
‘It’s wonderful that you managed to get him to come. It’ll be really good publicity for the event, Lucinda.’
‘He said he was glad to help out. I know the media sometimes make him out to be an arrogant arsehole, but I think a lot of it’s put on for the cameras.’
‘He can be as arrogant as he likes as long as he draws the crowds.’ Nate chuckled and Lucinda nodded.
‘If only I was twenty years younger…’
‘Hey, you never know. You could be exactly what he likes in a woman.’
‘You think?’ She gave a throaty laugh. ‘I can’t be bothered with all that, these days, Nate. Besides, the chicks who hang around the likes of him are simply too much for me to deal with.’
‘The chicks?’ He assumed a shocked look.
‘I’m allowed to say that, Nate – I used to be one.’
Lucinda looked every bit the seasoned surfer today in her turquoise board shorts and black polo shirt with the Riding the Wave Surf School logo. Her blonde hair was a mass of loose curls and her sparkling green eyes twinkled with excitement. She would be giving lessons to children at the cove later on but had wanted to come with Nate to greet the professional surfers who’d agreed to take part for free.
‘Finn!’ Lucinda flung herself into the arms of the tallest of the men and he lifted her off her feet.
‘Lucy-loo!’ He gave her a few noisy kisses on each cheek then lowered her to her feet. ‘So good to see you again, babe!’
Lucinda gestured at Nate. ‘This is Nate Bryson who’s organized the whole event.’
‘Good to meet you, pal.’ Finn shook Nate’s hand firmly.
‘Likewise. Thanks so much for agreeing to come.’
‘My pleasure! Always happy to help out if I’m in the country and, of course, all publicity is good publicity, right?’ He winked, and Nate was sure he’d seen the man’s front teeth sparkle like a cartoon character’s.
Lucinda introduced the other two surfers to Nate, then they made their way along the beach to where a caravan had been parked for them to be able to change and shower. Nate had also arranged food for them and for the local press to interview Finn as part of the coverage of the event.
‘If you need anything at all, just shout,’ Nate said to Finn and his companions before they went into the caravan. ‘Before I forget, Lucinda has arranged for your boards to be delivered to the door… seeing as how they couldn’t travel with you.’
Finn grinned. ‘Didn’t want to weigh the helicopter down and risk plunging into the sea.’
‘Certainly not.’
Nate smiled. ‘See you later.’
Finn gave a quick salute then disappeared into the caravan.
‘You think you can tear yourself away to head back to the cove?’ Na
te nudged Lucinda. ‘I’m sure you can catch up with him later… if he hangs around, that is.’
‘Ha!’ Lucinda shook her head. ‘You’re so funny, Nate. Now, why don’t you get back to your clipboard and your organizing, and I’ll go and teach some kids how to ride a wave?’
‘Sounds good to me.’
Nate gave her a peck on the cheek then they parted ways, Lucinda heading down to the water where she’d hop on a boat back to the cove and Nate to his base for the morning, a beach hut on the front where a desk and speakers had been set up to allow the commentator to explain to the public what the surfers were doing.
He could understand why Lucinda might fancy Finn Gallagher. He was a good-looking guy with his height, broad shoulders and lean physique, as well as his dark hair and eyes. He also had that air of arrogance that the successful sometimes have, one of extreme self-confidence. Nate had met guys like Finn before and he knew it didn’t mean that Finn wasn’t a nice person, but he didn’t think he’d want to spend a lot of time in the man’s company, especially if he was as keen on being in the public eye as his comment about publicity had suggested. If Finn was a jackass, Nate didn’t want to find out firsthand; after all, Finn was supporting the event, and that was all that mattered to Nate.
Chapter 20
Nate watched as Finn and his companions paddled out on the water. It was early afternoon and the men had been in the sea for an hour already. On the horizon, bumps appeared on the water’s surface and Nate knew exactly how the surfers would be feeling in that moment as their adrenalin started to pump. The surfers turned their boards around and paddled hard, then the wall of water lifted their boards, their speed increased and, after that, everything was lightning fast.
The three of them were upright, riding the great swells of the sea, their boards cutting through the foam as they twisted and turned, harnessing the power of the water before using it to head for the shore.
And Nate was there with them, adapting to become one with the water, riding the line and following it as it slowed once more.
Nate had chosen not to surf today for two reasons. The first being that he wasn’t a professional, and although he was good, he wasn’t in the same league as Finn and his friends, and the second reason was that he needed to be available to oversee the whole event, not just the surfing. When he surfed, it took over his thoughts and his heart and left little room for anything or anyone else.
That buzz from being in the water, the anticipation and expectation that came with waiting for the wave then the thrill of catching one, was so addictive. It was all about being in the moment because a slip in concentration would mean that you’d be flipped from your board and sent into the cold depths of the sea.
Nate watched as Finn repeated the process of paddling and waiting, knowing how good it felt to have the sun on his face, the breeze against his wet hair and the taste of salt water on his lips. He would always want to surf, but… something else had entered his life that gave him a buzz similar to that of surfing, only it lasted longer. That something was Zoe and how vivid everything was when he was with her, how incredible it was to hold her and kiss her and how painful it was to let her go. The uncertainty of not knowing if she’d ever want to be with him was like waiting for the perfect wave and worrying that he’d miss it if he didn’t act at exactly the right moment.
Nate had never thought he’d find a woman who got to him like the sea did; he’d been convinced that the water would always be his first love, but rather than being consumed by a yearning to get into the water right now, he wanted to head back to the cove to see Zoe, to find out how her day was going and to check that she was all right.
He shook his head at the enormity of his realization. Zoe brought the same euphoria, happiness and fulfilment to his life that surfing had done for so long; just like a wave from the blue, Zoe had crashed into his life and changed his focus. Right now, it was as if he was paddling furiously, trying to intuit which direction was the right one to turn, as he waited for his instincts to tell him when the moment would be right to go for it. The moment when Zoe would be ready to let him into her life.
He knew it could go wrong and he could be dashed against the seabed if she refused to let him in, but he also knew that she was worth taking a chance on, because he suspected that he’d never feel this way again.
* * *
‘Hello, Zoe!’ Tom ran up to Zoe’s stall and smiled at her from under his baseball cap. His skin was tinged blue with sunblock and he had ice cream around his mouth.
‘Hiya, Tom. Are you having a good day?’
Tom nodded. ‘I’ve been body boarding and swimming and bowling and had ice cream and Grace said I can have chips for tea!’
‘Ooh! From Catch of the Day?’
He nodded. ‘She said all the fresh air makes me hungry.’
‘Me, too.’
‘Can I have a drink, please?’ Tom eyed the bottles of water in the open cooler next to her stall.
‘Of course you can.’ Zoe got one out and handed it to him.
‘Chilly!’ he squealed. ‘Thank you!’
Zoe watched him run back across the beach to Grace, who was standing with Oli, Amy and Paula. Grace pointed at the bottle of water and frowned, then Tom turned and pointed at Zoe, so she gave a wave to show it was fine and she didn’t want money from them. Grace gave her a thumbs-up in thanks.
It had been a fantastic day at the beach. She’d almost sold out and only had a few bottles of water left. There had been a lot of people at the cove and she hoped it had been just as busy at Luna Bay. The small white boats had travelled back and forth all day, ferrying people from one place to the other, and the path to the cove had been busy as people walked up and down it before heading into the village or to the harbour. Zoe had served people with all sorts of different accents, from the familiar, to those she had strained to place. It was good, as it meant that the event had brought people from far and wide, as well as from local towns and villages.
‘I’ll tidy up here, Zoe, if you want to stretch your legs,’ Kierney said.
‘Oh, thanks, lovely. That would be great.’
‘No problem!’
Zoe padded along the sand, down to the sea and kicked off her flip-flops then walked into the water. It was cool and clear and she sighed as it soothed her hot skin and lapped gently at her ankles. She wished she had the confidence to go in deeper but the idea of being immersed made goosebumps rise on her arms. It wasn’t something she could imagine doing again. The fear was too strong.
The buzzing of a boat engine caught her attention and a white speedboat rounded the corner and headed into the cove towards the shallows. There was a splash as Nate jumped down then waded towards the shore.
A day of being in the sun, even with suncream on, had darkened his tan. His thick hair was windswept and seemed even lighter than usual. In his board shorts and pale blue T-shirt, he was every bit the surfer and her heart ached. She wanted him, yet she knew wanting him was fraught with risk.
He spotted her and made his way over to her.
‘Hello, freckles!’
‘What?’
‘You’ve got freckles all over your nose and cheeks.’
‘Oh!’ She ran her fingers over her nose as if she’d be able to feel them. ‘I had factor fifty on.’
‘Looks like the sun still got through. It’s quite cute.’ His blue eyes twinkled.
‘How did the surfing go?’
‘Extremely well. Luna Bay was packed. The local businesses will have raked in impressive profits today, no doubt.’
Zoe nodded. ‘The diner has done well. I’m glad I decided not to open tonight though, as I’m shattered.’
‘Me, too. The idea of a cold beer and putting my feet up is very appealing right now.’
Zoe wondered if he’d joined in with the surfing. She knew he’d managed to get some professional surfers to attend but was certain that Nate wouldn’t have wanted to miss out on the chance to show off his own skills.
/>
‘Did you surf?’
‘No. I thought about it but I had so much to do and I wasn’t a patch on the likes of those guys.’
‘So what happens now?’
‘The day winds down, I suppose. I’m all for helping to tidy up here and getting everyone loaded up, then hopefully I can have that chilled bottle of beer in my hand by about eight.’
‘Sounds good to me.’
‘Well… why don’t you join me?’
Zoe’s heart fluttered. ‘I’d like that.’
What was the harm in agreeing to have a beer with Nate? He’d worked hard to organize the day after all, and she enjoyed his company.
Another boat came into the cove and three tall men hopped off into the water, then jogged up the beach. Zoe’s stomach lurched. Was that who she thought it was? It had been a while but… Suddenly, she grabbed at the front of Nate’s T-shirt and pulled him closer.
‘Hey, what’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’
She raised her face and met his azure eyes as he wound his arms around her and his strong body pressed against hers. She slipped her arms around his neck and let him hold her tight. When he kissed her, she breathed him in, letting him take away the fear, the sadness and the shock at seeing her ex-husband wading towards her.
‘Zoe?’
She flinched when he said her name.
‘Is that you?’
Zoe gently pulled away from Nate and turned to find Finn standing right next to them.
‘I thought it was! God, it’s good to see you, woman!’
Finn grabbed her hand and pulled her into a bear hug. When he released her, she took a step backwards and glanced at Nate, who was staring at Finn with a quizzical expression.
‘Nate, man, didn’t she tell you?’
‘Tell me what?’
‘Well, I’m assuming the way you were holding each other means you two are an item, so I thought she’d have told you about me.’
‘About you?’
Forever at Conwenna Cove Page 18