That Special Something: A heartwarming, small town romance to fall in love with

Twenty-four

‘Are you ready to talk about it now, Hope,’ Pat asked the next day.

‘Talk about what?’ Hope was slumped in a chair at the kitchen table, drinking her umpteenth cup of coffee.

‘Whatever it was that happened between you and that lovely young man, Tom Hardy. Or it that the problem? Did it turn out to be that he was lovely after all?’

‘I don’t know what you mean. He was just a client and that event is done.’

‘Okay. That’s enough!’ Pat pulled out the chair opposite and glared at Hope. ‘I’m your mother and I can tell when you’re miserable and when you’re ecstatic. When Tom Hardy was around you were ecstatic. And so was he the day he came here. Now he’s gone and you’re miserable. Who were you with on the beach that day, Hope? And more importantly why aren’t you and Tom constantly calling one another anymore?’

There was no point in trying to hide it. Hope blurted it all out to her mum. The way she felt. The fact they’d slept together and how wonderful it was. She left out all the details of course. This was her mum after all. She told Pat about Russell and Laurence and Rob. She said what happened on the beach that day and what happened with Tom after that.

‘The thing is, I really believed he loved me, Mum. But he didn’t did he?’

Pat looked concerned and thoughtful.

‘I think he did. And probably still does. I would bet he’s as miserable as you are. If you had told me this sooner, we might not be having this conversation. Now I can’t be certain but I think I’m right. You may want to talk to Barbra Brimble.’

‘Barbra Brimble? Why would I want to talk to that gossip?’

‘Precisely because she is a gossip. When I nipped out a few minutes after Tom left here that day. The day he brought your phone, I saw them both on the clifftop and they seemed to be having a deep conversation.’

‘Tom and Barbra? On the clifftop at Lookout Point?’

‘Yes darling. As I said, I may be wrong but I believe that whatever is happening between you and Tom now may have something to do with bloody Barbra Brimble.’

Hope grabbed her phone and dashed to the front door yelling I’m going to see Barbra, Mum. I won’t be long.’

Less than a minute later she was knocking on the door of the Brimble’s bed and breakfast.

‘Oh hello dear. How lovely to see you. Do come in.’

‘Hello Mrs. Brimble. I can’t stop but I need to ask you a question. Do you recall chatting with someone on the clifftop last Thursday? At Lookout Point A young man about my age. Blond hair, good looking. Tanned.’

‘Why yes! Such a handsome young man. I thought he was thinking of jumping at first. People do you know. Times are hard these days and some people think it’s their only option. But it doesn’t solve anything, does it? Or I suppose it does for them but not for those they leave behind.’

‘What? You thought he was contemplating suicide?’

‘Yes. But he said he wasn’t.’

Hope asked her to describe him just to be certain and it was definitely Tom.

‘This is really important so please think carefully. Can you remember what you said to him or what he said to you?’

‘Well this is a strange request. I’m not one to repeat conversations.’

‘Please! It means the world to me. I need to know what happened that day. It might not change anything but then again it might change everything.’

‘Wel I’ll try. Now let me see. I thought he was going to jump and he said not and then … oh I know. Yes of course. I saw you and Rob on the beach below and do you know what? I think he might’ve been watching you. How odd is that? But I think he was here on holiday because I’ve never seen him before. I hope I didn’t put my foot in it. I thought you and Rob were back together but I’ve heard you broke up with him. And there was me telling that lovely man how wonderful it was to see you two back together. I don’t gossip but I was so pleased and I think I told him more than I should. I believe I said how much in love you two were. He did look surprised, now I think of it. I told him you’d been sweethearts all your lives, that you went to university together, but that the silly boy went off travelling and left you here waiting for him to return. And how there you both were still in love after all these years. But how it was important to you youngsters these days to sow your wild oats before you settled down.’

Hope had listened in disbelief. How could the stupid woman have said all that? And to someone she thought was a stranger.

Now Hope knew what had happened. Tom thought she’d lied and that’s why he’d left without saying goodbye.

But was it also why he’d texted those things to her about it only being a hook-up? Or had he meant that?

No. Even her mum was sure Tom cared for her.

He had seen her and Rob and believed what Barbra Brimble had told him. If he saw them hugging that would only have confirmed it. Is that why he went back to Bournemouth?

‘Thank you so much Mrs Brimble.’

‘I hope I’ve helped.’

‘You have.’ Hope was about to leave but she stopped and looked directly at Barbra. ‘But the thing is Mrs Brimble, it would’ve been a lot more helpful if you hadn’t told someone you thought was a stranger all those things in the first place. Perhaps, in future you might try minding your own business and not someone else’s. Goodbye.’

She called Tom right away and when she got his voicemail yet again she left him a message.

‘I know what happened Tom and it’s not true. The man you saw me with that day was my ex boyfriend from eight years ago. He wanted me back and I said no. I haven’t been waiting for him. I’m not in love with him. We parted that day on the beach as friends. I don’t know how you feel about me now, and if you meant what you said about it just being a hook up that’s fair enough. But I don’t think you did. I think you felt hurt and betrayed because you think I lied to you. I didn’t lie to you, Tom. I’ll never lie to you. Barbra Brimble, the woman you talked to that day on the clifftop is a silly and sometimes nasty gossip. Nothing she said was true. Apart from that Rob and I once dated. And we did go to uni together. Oh, and he did go travelling and I came home. But I was always coming home whether Rob did or not. I don’t love him, Tom. I love you. If you don’t feel the same, I’ll understand and I promise I won’t bother you again. At least I’ll try not to. No. I’ll do better than try because I know what it’s like to have people chasing after you when you don’t feel for them what they feel for you. So this is the last time I’ll call you. Unless you call me back. That’s not an ultimatum. It’s me saying I truly hope you’ll call me and give me a chance to explain. I won’t lie. I don’t do that. And I’ll answer any questions you may have. Just call me, please, Tom. Call me! I really hope you do because I think we have something. That special something that everyone is searching for. At least that’s how I feel. I love you Tom, with all my heart. All I need to know now is, do you love me? I hope the answer is yes.’

Hope could do no more than she’d done. She couldn’t jump in the car and drive to Bournemouth. Tom might not love her and she couldn’t make him.

Just like Russell Betancourt couldn’t make her love him.

Tom had her phone number and he knew where she was.

Now she had to hope that Tom Hardy thought Hope also had that special something. And that he wanted to see her again.