Chapter Twenty-Three
Zennor found Trev ahead of her at the counter of the deli café a few days later.
‘Great minds think alike,’ he said. ‘Again.’
‘I love this café. I was getting my usual caffeine hit to fuel me for the morning.’
As he pushed a lock of dark hair off his forehead with a smile, she was reminded that he was still a striking man and that it was no wonder she’d been swept off her feet in those heady early days.
She wasn’t the only person looking at him with admiring eyes either; several women of all ages were peering at him over their cappuccinos and lattes.
‘Me too,’ he said, hesitating for a moment before asking, a little tentatively, ‘Why don’t we get a table instead of rushing back to the office?
I’d love to hear what you thought about the music night.
You can call it a working meeting, if that makes you feel less guilty about taking a break from work? ’
‘I …’ Zennor paused and then smiled. ‘Yes, why not?’ She could see no harm in a quick break and had also spent many hours mulling over the music night, although not so much about the music.
The last time Matt and Trev had interacted had been at the wedding when he had virtually thrown Matt out of the St Piran’s.
She supposed it was progress that they’d both attended a social occasion and behaved like civilised human beings.
They took their coffees to a table in the corner.
‘It was a big success for the club. I think it raised over five grand,’ Trev said, emptying a sachet of sugar into his americano.
‘Dawn was literally dancing for joy,’ Zennor said, recalling the president’s delight.
‘I’m very happy for her and the club,’ Trev said, stirring his coffee. ‘But did you enjoy it?’
On a personal level, it had gone better than she dared hope, although she’d held her breath when Trev had asked Matt if he minded the evening being used as a fundraiser for the club.
She’d racked her brain afterwards to work out if Trev was being provocative or polite, but it was impossible to tell.
‘Of course I did,’ she said, covering her musings with a smile. ‘Who wouldn’t? Great music, a wonderful venue … it was a big success.’
Her comment was met with a look of delight in Trev’s eyes. Was he really so keen to have her approval? Zennor wasn’t sure whether to be touched or wary that her opinion still mattered so much to him.
‘Thanks for your suggestions about the artistes,’ he said. ‘The whole event could have fallen flat on its face if they’d been rubbish.’
‘I’d never have recommended anyone I wasn’t fully confident of,’ she said.
‘I know. You’ve made a big success of that business. I’m so happy to see it – and if it doesn’t sound patronising, I’m proud of you.’
Briefly, he covered her hand in his. Zennor was so surprised, she didn’t withdraw hers. After a second, he took his hand away and took a gulp of his coffee as if he was embarrassed at touching her. It wasn’t like him to be unsure.
Before Zennor could say anything, there was a cry of ‘oof’ and an older lady nearby clutched the edge of their table, almost knocking over Zennor’s coffee. She staggered forward but Trev leapt to his feet and steadied her elbow with his arm.
‘Whoa. Are you OK?’ he asked.
Zennor also stood up, worried the lady had been about to faint.
‘Yes. I – must have tripped.’
Her friend joined them. ‘Ginny! Are you all right? You’ve gone very pale.’
‘I’m fine. Really, please don’t make a fuss, Kate. I’m sorry for interrupting your conversation,’ she said to Trev and Zennor.
‘Not at all.’ Zennor agreed with Kate. Ginny looked drained and was still holding on to the table.
‘Sit down for a bit,’ Kate urged. ‘We can get a later bus home.’
Trev scraped back his chair for Ginny to sit, while Zennor fetched a glass of water.
‘Thank you,’ Ginny said, accepting the water while Kate hovered next to her like a worried mother hen. ‘It’s just rather warm in here’. She peered at Trev and frowned. ‘I think I know you. You’re Trevelyan Jameson from the St Piran’s?’
Trev smiled. ‘Yes, that’s me.’
‘I had afternoon tea at your hotel last week. It’s looking great after the refurb. Kate and I have been going for years, haven’t we?’
Kate smiled, looking relieved to see her friend recovering. ‘Must be at least a decade. Actually I recognise you too, Zennor. I used to see you at the youth theatre when my grandkids took part.’
‘That’s me,’ Zennor said, racking her brains but failing to recall Kate.
Ginny’s eyes flicked from Trev to Zennor. ‘Are you two still married? I heard you were divorced?’
Zennor cringed. ‘We are.’ She qualified. ‘Divorced, I mean. But we’re – still friends.’ She exchanged a look with Trev, who telegraphed his own embarrassment with an awkward smile.
‘Look, can I give you ladies a lift home?’ he offered. ‘You don’t want to be waiting for a bus, especially as they’ll be rammed with tourists. And the taxis will be as rare as hen’s teeth if you haven’t prebooked.’
‘Oh, but we live in Lelant,’ Ginny said, shaking her head. ‘It’s out of your way.’
‘It’s only ten minutes on from the hotel. Honestly, it’s not a problem.’
Kate cut in. ‘Well, it would be a relief not to hang around waiting for a bus. If you’re sure?’
‘I am,’ Trev said with impressive firmness that made Zennor smile. He could be very disarming when he wanted.
Ginny sighed. ‘Thank you, but please finish your coffee first. We don’t want to spoil your morning.’
‘I need to get back to work anyway,’ Zennor said, after draining her cup.
‘I’ll fetch my car and pick you up outside,’ Trev offered.
‘It really seems like an awful lot of fuss,’ Ginny said. ‘But thank you. It is so stuffy this morning.’
Trev followed Zennor out of the café.
‘That was kind of you,’ she said.
‘It’s no trouble. Ginny doesn’t look well though I’m sure she’d hate me saying it and …’ He had a wistful expression. ‘I guess she reminds me of Mum.’
‘Well, it’s very good of you. I’m sure they appreciate it.’
‘They don’t need to and I’ve done my good deed for the day.’ He grinned. ‘See you soon, I hope. I’ve enjoyed bumping into you, even if it ended prematurely.’
Trev’s thoughtfulness was still on Zennor’s mind when she walked into the yard behind the office but was rapidly replaced by surprise at seeing Matt locking up his van.
In a vest and cargo shorts, he looked very different from the suited and booted man who’d been at the Piano Bar.
Zennor’s cheeks grew hot. When he’d last been in here, they’d had that spine-tingling moment together in the office.
Before she had time to wonder at the rapid shift of seeing both him and Trev within five minutes, he held up his toolbox with a grin.
‘I just want to fix that new fire blanket and extinguisher in your kitchen. Hopefully it won’t be noisy and I won’t interrupt you.’
Zennor realised that she was going to be alone with him again. ‘Thank you but we could have done that,’ she said, more haughtily than she meant. ‘I can use a cordless drill, you know.’
‘Don’t like to leave a job unfinished. Won’t be two ticks,’ he said in the kind of chirpy way no tradesperson had used for decades.
‘OK, if you must – and actually, I’m glad you’re here.’
‘Really?’ One eyebrow quirked.
‘I wanted to ask if you’d seen Sybil recently.’
Settling himself in Roo’s chair, Matt said, ‘I called in on her yesterday on my way home from work.’
‘What did you think?’
He thought for a moment. ‘She sounded as if she was recovering from the accident but you know she hates a fuss. Why? Have you seen her yourself?’
‘We met for coffee in town yesterday. She’s looking a lot better although she couldn’t really have looked worse than she did after that fall.’
‘I know what you mean. Are you worried about her?’
‘Not worried. Oh, I don’t know …’ Zennor shrugged.
‘There’s been something a bit … off … about her for months now.
A while back, she told me she’d lost a close friend.
It feels like the spark has gone out of her.
Then again, she’s had a very busy programme of events.
For which I feel responsible, if I’m honest.’
‘It’s your job to find work for her and she loves performing. You aren’t responsible for her, Zen. Like you say, she’s probably been overdoing things. I’ll call and see her on my way home.’
‘Thanks.’ Zennor felt a rush of warmth towards Matt.
He smiled and suddenly dropped six inches. ‘Argh. What’s wrong with this bloody chair?’
She laughed. ‘Nothing. You keep fiddling with the mechanism.’
‘I think it needs adjusting.’
An hour later, with the fire equipment fixed and Zennor having convinced him that Roo’s precious chair must remain exactly as Roo had left it on pain of Roo throwing Matt into the harbour, Matt was back in the office with his tool bag.
‘That’s it. Finished. If there are any glitches, just call me. The main thing is, you’ll be delighted to know, you won’t be seeing me again.’
‘I’m sure you’ll be delighted too. You seem to have spent an awful lot of time here and I’m sure you have other clients who need your time and attention.’
Hurt flickered in his eyes but he covered it with a grin. ‘Don’t worry, I haven’t neglected anything important for you.’
Despite his joke, Zennor still felt she’d inflicted a blow she hadn’t meant to.
‘Well, it looks so much better than it did. Really. I know I was a bit shocked when I heard your plans back in May, but it’s been worth it.
The building wasn’t safe and it’s a relief to have a watertight roof, safe electrics and working loos.
Thanks for trying to minimise the disruption too, especially when you must be so busy with the renovations at the Surf Club and your other clients. ’
‘I like being busy.’ Matt eyed her with suspicion. ‘Was that a compliment?’
‘It was me making a statement of fact. We don’t have to be at war all the time, do we?’
Matt came closer to her desk. ‘No. We don’t …’ His eyes twinkled and a half-smile crept over his handsome face.
Zennor went hot and cold, thinking about their kiss in this very office. ‘I think the music night proved that,’ she said, trying to keep things businesslike. ‘It could have been – awkward – for all of us but I’m glad it went well.’
‘There’s no point in dragging up the past,’ he said firmly. ‘It was a public event and, as I told Trev, I’d support anything that helped the club.’
‘I know. I just wanted you to know that I appreciated the way you handled things … all round.’ She met his eyes. ‘Perhaps, finally, we have put the past well and truly to bed.’
It was an unfortunate choice of words which she instantly regretted. ‘See you at the clubhouse launch, then?’ she added. A hopeful uplift had somehow crept into her tone. ‘I don’t expect your mum and dad will be able to come over?’
He shook his head. ‘Unfortunately, they can’t at the moment but they’re hoping to come for Christmas.’
‘That’s something. Your grandad would have loved to be there.’
‘He would, though he might have not wanted a big extravaganza like Dawn is planning, even if she has the best intentions.’ A smile came over his face.
Zennor smiled too, picturing Harry rolling his eyes and grumbling at ‘all the fuss’. ‘His style would have been to sink the first pint at the bar and then encourage everyone to get outside and train.’
Matt nodded. ‘I think he’d also say that we can’t keep looking back. It’s the here and the now that matters – and the future.’