20. Ellie
20
ELLIE
T he first week of the school Easter holidays had been very enjoyable for Ellie. She’d worked at the café alongside her gran, served some of her new dishes and looked forward to Jasper’s daily visits with the children. Just waking up each day and knowing that she’d see his handsome face, hear his deep voice and spend time near him and his children made her spring out of bed in the morning. A voice at the back of her mind had warned her more than once that this was madness and that she barely knew the man, he was a single parent with lots of responsibilities and that he couldn’t possibly be interested in her, but it was like she couldn’t help herself. Leaving London and living near the sea again, along with all the laughing she did with her gran, the home-cooked meals and escaping the pressure that she’d been under for years had changed her. She felt like a butterfly emerging from its silken prison; the feeling of stretching her wings without fear of judgment was exquisite and liberating. When she’d lived in London, she’d felt insignificant, unworthy, and unlovable. Back in Cornwall she felt safe, loved, and that she was, quite simply, enough.
She’d finished early this afternoon because the café had fallen quiet and her gran had told her to take a breather. Ellie had tried to resist, telling her gran that she’d stay and help, but her gran had a friend coming in for a drink and a chat anyway, plus Thora was working too, so Ellie was free to please herself.
She left the café and walked along the road that led down to the village in one direction and to the beach in the other. The cliffs stretched out into the sea, craggy and grey, weatherworn and patchy with greenery. A natural inlet that provided protection from the worst of the weather led to the small, pretty harbour.
The tide was out, and the sand on the beach gleamed in the spring sunshine, freckled with shells, pebbles and seaweed. A few families sat on towels or deckchairs, watching as children played in the sand or raced around the beach. In the water, she could see several swimmers and kayaks and further out, small boats bobbed on the horizon. Seagulls squawked as they soared high above the beach, their feathers white against the blue of the sky, and a few jostled for space on top of a bin on the path that led down to the sand.
Spotting a brown dog chasing a ball at the far end of the beach, she paused and watched. Was that Wiggy? It looked like it could be. Her stomach fluttered with a thrilling mix of excitement and nerves, as if butterflies were dancing inside her. She gently patted her stomach, feeling the soft warmth radiating through her fingertips, a comforting gesture to calm her racing thoughts. The anticipation of seeing Jasper hung in the air like a tangible presence, but she cautiously reminded herself not to let her hopes soar too high. This was foolish behaviour, and she should know better.
When she reached the path that overlooked the sand, she paused and gazed across the beach again. The dog was running in and out of the sea now and a tall figure stood watching while two smaller ones played with the dog. It must be Jasper and the children. She would take a closer took. It would be nice to see him away from the café.
Her hands went to her hair and tucked the strands that had escaped her ponytail behind her ears, then she slipped off her trainers and socks, tucked the socks into her trainers, picked them up and padded across the sand.
The closer she got to the sea, the more powerful the salt-laced breeze became. It toyed with her hair, making the loose tendrils tickle her skin, and flapped her cardigan open across her chest. She breathed deeply, savoured the warmth of the spring sunshine on her skin and the sensation of the cool, damp sand beneath her soles. Surely there was nothing better than walking along the sand and breathing in the sea air? The sense of freedom it offered was incredible, and she was grateful to be there, grateful for the sensations, grateful to be able to call this beautiful location home.
The dog came racing out of the sea and bounded up the beach. The man turned and she saw she’d been right, it was Jasper, then she heard him shouting at the dog. His voice carried on the breeze, but the dog kept running. Running. Running. Jasper turned back to the children and said something and she saw them hold hands then he ran after Wiggy, hands around his mouth as he shouted. But Wiggy had set his sights on something and there was evidently no changing his mind.
And as he got closer, Ellie realised what it was.
Wiggy was running straight towards her, his mouth open and tongue lolling, his strides large. Water dropped from his fur and sand flew into the air as he ran, a large brown soaking-wet dog.
Ellie looked around but there was nowhere to go, so she held up her hands and turned slightly to the side, but Wiggy collided with her and knocked her off balance. She spun and flung out her arms, but it was too late and she went up in the air and then down again. She hit the sand with a thump, knocking the breath from her and causing stars to spin before her eyes.
‘Ellie!’ Jasper’s voice.
Cold hands on her face. Her shoulders through the thin cardigan as he helped her to sit. Touching her face again. Large hands that checked her over as Jasper asked if she was OK, if she was hurt, if he could do anything. Then his slightly shaky voice reprimanding the dog for knocking her over before he crouched next to Ellie and peered into her eyes.
‘Ellie, I’m so sorry. Wiggy didn’t mean to do that. He must have recognised you from the shoreline and he ran off so quickly, before I realised what was happening. He’s never done that before. I’m so embarrassed. Are you hurt?’
He cupped her chin and gently moved her head from side to side.
‘Ellie?’ Concern in his beautiful eyes making them cloudy as a stormy sky.
‘I’m OK,’ she said, catching her breath. ‘Just a bit winded.’
‘I’m so sorry. I saw him knock you over and couldn’t get here quickly enough.’
Ellie glanced over at the dog. Wiggy stood there grinning at her like he was her best friend in the world, his tail wagging so hard his whole bottom was wiggling.
‘I guess he was excited to see me.’ Ellie shifted on the sand and winced.
‘You are hurt!’ Jasper slid the end of Wiggy’s lead over his hand and took her shoulders with both hands. His eyes scanned her face. He was so close she could smell the salt on his skin along with hints of cedarwood and bergamot. It was fresh and yet earthy at the same time, and inwardly she swooned, yearning to press her face against his skin to see if he smelt even better up close.
‘No, I’m fine.’ She moved to her knees and then to her feet, but as her left foot connected with the sand, a pain shot through her ankle and she stumbled. But Jasper was there, and before she could try to put her foot down again, he scooped her up in his arms in one fluid movement, pressing her against his rock-hard chest.
Blinking up at him, she said, ‘Jasper, you’d better put me down or you’ll injure yourself.’
His laughter rumbled through his chest, sending tingles reverberating to her core. The heat of a desire she’d never experienced before washed over her and she struggled to breathe. Warmth filled her cheeks, and she tried to move in his arms, but he had her pinned against him, so all she could do was place her right hand on his chest as if to push away from him. Instead, her hand betrayed her, resting on his pectoral muscle, and the heat in her cheeks roared to flames.
‘You’re light as a feather, Ellie. Don’t worry about me.’
This man was big and strong, and Ellie felt more feminine than she’d ever imagined feeling. As he cradled her with ease, a mixture of awe and fragility washed over Ellie. The physical disparity between their heights made her feel small and delicate in comparison. She could sense her muscles relaxing, surrendering to his strength, as if her body instinctively trusted him to protect and support her.
‘Here they come,’ he said, and she followed his gaze to see Mabel and Alfie running towards them.
‘Daddy!’ Mabel called. ‘Is Ellie OK?’
‘Why don’t you ask her?’ he said.
‘Ellie?’ Mabel’s face contorted. ‘Are you all right?’
Jasper shifted her in his arms so he could crouch down and Ellie found herself perched on his knee, one muscular arm supporting her while the other steadied Wiggy.
‘I’m fine.’ Ellie nodded.
‘Are you sure?’ Mabel came closer, one small hand outstretched like she was approaching an anxious animal. She laid the hand on Ellie’s arm and then moved it to her cheek. ‘We thought you were hurt.’
‘Mabel said you were dead,’ Alfie said with a one shoulder shrug. ‘I said you weren’t, but she was crying.’
‘Was not!’ Mabel nudged her brother.
‘Was so!’ Alfie nudged Mabel back.
‘No, I’m not … d—hurt.’ Ellie shook her head. She peered up at Jasper from underneath her lashes and saw that he was watching his children closely. The poor things had thought she was hurt, and she knew why this would be an issue for them.
‘Thank goodness.’ Mabel flung her arms around Ellie’s neck and hugged her. Ellie froze for a moment, then she wrapped her arms around the little girl. Not to be outdone, Alfie wriggled between Ellie and his dad and hugged her, too. Ellie hugged them back, conscious of the fact that she was still on Jasper’s knee and that his one arm was still around her back while his two children embraced her. And it didn’t feel weird. This little family had lost so much and yet they were caring and affectionate, and they seemed to care about her too.
‘Come on then, kids, we should head home,’ Jasper said softly. ‘I think Ellie needs to come with us and have some ice on her ankle.’
‘And ice cream!’ Alfie grinned as he stepped away from the hug. ‘It will make you feel much better, Ellie.’
‘I’m sure it will.’ She smiled at him, then looked down at Mabel who was still hugging her. ‘You OK, poppet?’ she asked, stroking Mabel’s hair.
Mabel nodded, then let go of Ellie and stepped back. ‘I was worried about you.’
‘I’m all right. I promise. Apart from having a wet bottom.’
Alfie giggled, and Mabel smiled. ‘Is it really wet?’
‘Yes.’
‘I can vouch for that,’ Jasper said. ‘With it being on my leg.’
‘I’m so sorry!’ Ellie made to stand up, but he shook his head.
‘Hold on, Missy.’ He helped her to stand on her good foot while he supported her, then he crouched in front of her. ‘Climb on.’
‘What?’
‘Get on my back and I’ll carry you.’
‘You can’t give me a piggyback all the way to your house.’
‘He’s very strong, Ellie,’ Mabel said. ‘He can carry you and run at the same time.’
‘God, no!’ Ellie’s hand flew to her chest.
‘I won’t run, but I will carry you,’ Jasper said over his shoulder. ‘Come on!’
Ellie looked from Jasper to Mabel to Alfie and then to Wiggy, who was still attached to his owner by his lead, and even his eyes seemed to tell her to hurry.
‘OK then.’ She slid her arms around Jasper’s neck, then her legs around his waist and he got to his feet, tucking one hand underneath her bottom to hoist her up. When he had her settled in a comfortable position, he secured Wiggy’s lead to his belt, then he was able to hold her thighs with his hands to make sure she didn’t slip.
‘Comfy?’ he asked.
Pressed against his back with her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, Ellie fought the urge to make an inappropriate joke. His children were there, after all, and they were in a public place. There was nothing intimate about this at all, just one friend carrying another because she’d hurt her ankle.
‘Yes.’ Her voice squeaked out and so she cleared her throat then tried again. ‘I’m good thanks.’
Good! That was the understatement of the year!
‘Come on then. Let’s get home.’
Jasper strode up the beach along with Mabel and Alfie on either side of him and Wiggy trotting along a few steps in front. Ellie wondered what people would think if they saw them like this and decided she really didn’t care if it looked strange. She might have been knocked over by a dog, but she’d been tended to and cuddled, and now she was being carried to a place where she would be given ice cream. It wasn’t her worst day by far. In fact, it was turning out to be one of her best days ever…