Chapter Twenty-Two
The One Where Kate Needs to Relax
‘Mum, look! There’s a touring of Hamilton . Can we go? It’s at the Hall for Cornwall next month.’
‘Let me have the dates and I’ll see what works. Come on, we’re late.’
It was Saturday, and Kate urged Mollie to pocket the phone and chivvied her out the door and down the lane to Nicki’s, where they joined forces with Liam and Jason to head down to the slip near the harbourmaster’s office where all the gigs were lined up ready for the taster session.
‘Are you nervous?’ Kate addressed her daughter’s back as she donned her life jacket.
‘Why would I be?’ Mollie beamed at her as she refastened her hair tie and shot across the cobbles to join her school friends, and Kate felt a flood of happiness combined with dread, which almost made her feel sick.
Never had she seen her daughter so full of life, brimming with joy and delight.
And yet, she bore an ominous sense of foreboding over staying in Polkerran permanently. Had she truly gone beyond finding Dev attractive? Was she actually falling for him? That way madness… no, sad ness lay. And bizarrely, it brought a depth of despair that had never consumed her when life with Hugo had turned out to be a complete disaster. Perhaps she’d lived too long with disappointment, anything seemed better?
‘I’d say penny for your thoughts, but I suspect they are worth far more.’
Thankful for the interruption, Kate turned to smile at Matt. ‘You’re far too kind.’
Matt shoved his hands into the pockets of his tailored shorts. ‘Time will deliver a verdict on that one.’
‘Oh. Should I ask?’
With a grin, he shook his head. ‘Nothing too awful. I’ve just been spending too much time in the Big Smoke lately, obliged to deal with people I don’t like. Glad to be back home.’
‘I didn’t expect you to be here.’ Kate looked around at the children being watched over by nervous parents. ‘I thought small animals were more your thing.’
Matt adjusted his designer sunglasses. ‘More Gem’s thing, you mean. She does love the water activities, but I’m told we’re expecting the chickens today. It’s the downside of too much time on her hands.’
With a smile, Kate scanned the gathering before spotting Mollie talking animatedly to Liam and Jason – who were still too young for the junior gig rowing.
‘Oh, there’s the big man. I’d best go update him on London.’
Kate followed Matt’s gaze, then waved as she saw Oliver and Anna near the chandlery, who set off towards them, followed by someone else – Dev, with Theo clutching his hand.
Her heart dipped, then began pounding furiously in her chest, and an involuntary hand shot to it. She couldn’t leave, it wasn’t fair on Mollie, but looking around, there was nowhere to hide. Hopefully, the redness in her cheeks could be put down to the weather.
Ignoring Anna’s knowing smile, Kate turned to Theo as Matt led Dev and Oliver aside.
‘Have you come to watch?’
‘Yes!’ Theo held up a wooden toy gig. ‘Dad says I can have a go in a real one, but not until I’m bigger.’
‘Come on, let’s watch them set off.’
Anna led the way to the railings overlooking the water and they squeezed in between Shari from the cafe and Tommy the Boat, so that Theo had a front-row view.
It was fun to watch, if a little haphazard, with such young crews, each gig bearing an experienced rower as helper, as well as a cox, and Kate cheered Mollie on, Theo doing the same at her side, his eyes shining and his cheeks flushed.
When the lesson was over, people surged to the slip to collect their charges and then dispersed towards the food hut on the quayside.
Anna took Theo to join the queue at Jean’s ice cream van, and Kate handed over some cash to Mollie to get a burger and a drink. Wandering back over to the railings, Kate watched the gigs being tugged up the slipway to an assortment of trailers, as oars were fastened into place and life jackets stowed away.
Her date with Marcus was that evening, and never had she wanted to drop out of something more.
It would be different if it were with someone else…
‘Would it?’ she whispered, her heart jostling like the pleasure boats bobbing up and down, against a pontoon in the middle of the bay.
‘Hey.’
She drew in a quick breath and turned around.
‘Hey.’
Oh, my God, he looked so cute.
Today, Dev sported an open-necked white shirt, the long sleeves rolled up to the elbows. His eyes seemed more blue than grey, and the thick fringe of dark red hair lay on his forehead just waiting to be brushed aside and—
‘Are you okay?’
With a start, Kate took an involuntary step backwards. ‘Yes,’ she croaked, then attempted to clear her throat. ‘Never better.’
‘Theo won’t stop talking about the day at the lighthouse.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry!’
‘No, don’t be. I’ve never seen him as happy as he’s been recently.’ Dev’s handsome features darkened, and against her volition, Kate’s hand shot out to rest on his arm.
‘Is everything all right?’
‘Leigh’s visiting later. I never know her purpose.’
And no doubt she’d be staying in the family home…
‘I… I hope it goes okay.’
Dev’s gaze dropped to his arm, and Kate whipped her hand away.
‘Sorry.’
He raised his eyes to meet hers, and despite her embarrassment, she held it, willing away any increased colour in her skin. ‘Don’t be. There’s little enough kindness in the world.’
‘Oh.’ Inane, but there weren’t any other words… was it even a word, or just a sound?
Their gazes remained locked, the call of the seabirds seeming to fade, along with the clatter of the trailers as they rolled away across the tarmac.
‘Well,’ Dev cleared his throat, shoving his hands into his pockets. ‘I think I’d best find Theo.’
‘Oh, yes! Of course. He was in the ice cream queue.’
They found the little boy sitting on a nearby bench tucking into his treat, Anna by his side. Her friend’s eyes darted between Kate and Dev, before she got up to join Kate, Dev taking her place by his son.
‘Well, at least you don’t fancy each other. So that’s okay.’ Almost choking with laughter, Anna took Oliver’s hand as the few stragglers remaining headed along the street towards the harbour.
Feeling like the worst mother in the world for forgetting about Mollie, Kate spotted her happily tucking into her burger, legs dangling over the water and hurried over, desperately hoping Dev couldn’t see what her friend obviously could.
Heeding both Anna and Nicki’s advice, Kate decided to leave her long, brunette tresses loose for the dinner date, using her GHDs to curl the ends so they hung in loose waves. Turning her head from side to side, she had to admit that Nicki’s wonder crème had definitely delivered the shine she’d promised and, enjoying the weight of her hair on her shoulders, Kate slid open the doors to the dressing area.
‘You look cool.’
The unexpected compliment from Mollie as she peered around the dressing room door surprised Kate.
‘Really?’ Was there a note of insecurity in her voice? Was it because she knew this date with Marcus was a waste of time, or because she still wished it was with someone else?
‘Wear that one.’ Mollie walked up to the wardrobe where Kate had hung three dresses, undecided on what look to settle for. This was, after all, a little Cornish fishing village, not a city night club.
‘I wondered if it might be…’
‘Too sexy?’ Mollie smiled impishly, and Kate gently swatted her daughter’s arm.
‘That’s not the look I was going for, to be honest.’
‘Hmph,’ Mollie muttered, but Kate didn’t catch the rest of the comment.
‘Do you really think it’ll be okay?’ The irony of being thirty-nine and asking a thirteen-year-old for reassurance passed Kate by, so unsure was she.
‘It’s a posh restaurant. Besides, it’s the one that suits you best,’ Mollie said, then left the room.
Kate slid the dress from the hanger and slipped it over her head, enjoying the feel of the silky fabric as it caressed her body. It was a designer dress she’d bought second-hand two years ago and never worn. The deep v-neck suited her bustline, and the soft fabric of the full skirt skimmed over her hips, falling in heavy folds beneath the cinched leather belt. It was a muted pattern of pale blues, grey, silver and dashes of violet. She’d impulse bought it because it reminded her of the Yorkshire moors on a benign late summer day when the heather was in bloom.
She glanced at her watch. Time to get a move on. Running her fingers through her loose curls, she picked up her clutch and nude high-heeled sandals and hurried down the stairs to put them on.
‘What did you say, just now. Up there.’ Kate gestured towards the staircase as she fastened the straps on the sandals. ‘About the look I wanted.’
Mollie said nothing for a minute, passing her phone from hand to hand. Then, she shrugged. ‘I said it would have been if it was a date with Dev. Wanting to look sexy. He’s got rizz.’
‘Mollie!’ Kate’s heart belted around in her chest like someone had just blown the start gun at the Olympics.
‘Just sayin’,’ Mollie waved an airy hand. ‘I’m off to Freya’s. See you in the morning.’
Kate watched her daughter breeze out of the room, deep in thought, but then Mollie’s head popped back around the door to the hall.
‘Don’t stay out too late. You’ll get bags under your eyes for when you next see Dev.’