Six
Hanna had taken a while to decide whether or not to open her front door, but whoever was knocking on it was persistent and clearly had no intention of going away. The last person she expected to find standing on the doorstep of Catkin Cottage though, was Russell Betancourt.
‘Hello, Hanna. How are you? I hope I’m not disturbing you.’
Hanna felt her mouth drop open, and she wouldn’t have been at all surprised if her eyes had popped out of her head on stalks, like they did in cartoons. Her voice seemed to have disappeared and for a moment or two all she could do was shake her head and stare at him.
‘Hi, Russell,’ she eventually managed, her voice little more than a squeak. And then she regained a modicum of self control and added, ‘I’m fine, thanks, and no. You’re not disturbing me.’
That couldn’t be farther from the truth. No one disturbed her more than Russell Betancourt did these days. Especially when he smiled that dazzling smile of his which always seemed to light up his deep blue eyes, and when the sunlight brought out the flecks of almost ice-white in his golden blond hair as it was doing right now.
She wasn’t sure why, or even how, she had fallen in love with Russell, but the realisation, when it hit her, had come as a complete surprise. It had happened at Easter, during the Grand Opening of Betancourt Bay Café, and she was still coming to terms with it, if she were being honest.
Until then, Russell had simply been Russell. The younger brother of Griff Betancourt, and just like his older brother, the perfect gentleman. But he was also the man who had been in love with her friend, Hope Eversley, and had made a bit of a fool of himself by telling Hope how he felt, on Christmas Eve. The man who had been the focus of village gossips for weeks on end, and had been spending most of his time in London since Hope had met and fallen in love with her new boyfriend, Tom. No doubt because he couldn’t bear to be in the same village as the woman he loved, knowing she would never feel the same way about him.
Hanna was beginning to understand how that might feel, although, luckily for her, Russell was hardly ever in Betancourt Bay these days. In fact, she hadn’t seen him since Easter. Moments after her epiphany. She had been sitting beside him when realisation dawned.
They, along with all the residents of Betancourt Bay, and also some holidaymakers, were watching Griff cut the bright blue ribbon pinned across the new, glass, double front doors of Betancourt Bay Café. Hanna had been at the edge of the throng, because she had been running late and had only just made it in time to hear Griff’s speech, and Russell had appeared from nowhere and had come and stood beside her.
Griff had made a short and amusing speech and was wishing Naomi Hart, and her boyfriend, Lucas Dove, the best of everything in their business venture and their lives together.
‘I don’t think I need to wish you Good Luck, Naomi,’ Griff had said. ‘You’ve won the Lottery Jackpot, so luck is definitely on your side. But I do wish you the best of everything that life can bring you. Good health, even greater wealth, and true happiness for both you and Lucas. This café has been here for many years but you have transformed it from a place people rarely wanted to visit, into what I am certain will be the hub of village life. Together with The Royal Oak, and St Gabriel’s Church, of course,’ he added hastily. ‘May you be exceedingly happy in your new home, and extraordinarily successful in your new business.’ With that, Griff had cut the ribbon, and everyone had cheered.
‘Finally,’ Russell had joked, when trays loaded with glasses of champagne had appeared while everyone was clapping. ‘I’ve only come for this.’
He had taken two glasses and handed one to Hanna, and it had struck her that he was a perfect gentleman. He could’ve simply taken one for himself and let her get her own, and yet he hadn’t.
And when Naomi had thanked Griff profusely, and then announced that everyone should help themselves to food, and the row of tables outside, where platters of delicious looking buffet fare were drawing crowds, Russell had asked Hanna if he could get her something to eat. She had thought it might be his way of excusing himself, and that he was really going off to mingle with others, but not only had he returned minutes later with a plate of food for her, he’d also brought a plate of food for Malorie Blackwell, another resident of the village who had come to chat with Hanna. That meant he must have glanced back at Hanna and noticed that Malorie had joined her.
And that had got Hanna thinking.
Why had Russell come and stood beside her, of all people? Was it because he had seen she was alone and had thought she might need some company?
But if so, then why had he looked back at her whilst filling their plates?
And why, having rejoined her, had he remained where he was, and not walked away now that she had someone else to talk to?
And when Malorie had moved on, and Griff had asked Russell if he would help him and Lucas move some more tables and chairs outside now that it looked as if the sunshine would prevail, why had Russell seemed a little disappointed?
He had turned to her and smiled that dazzling smile and said, ‘Don’t run away, will you?’
And she hadn’t.
She had stayed precisely where she was, even when Hope and Tom had come over and chatted and invited her to join the rest of the Eversley family who were seated at one of the many additional tables now being provided.
‘I’ve been sitting at my easel all morning,’ she had said. ‘It’s good to stand for a while.’
‘Then come and stand near us,’ Hope had coaxed.
‘Maybe in a minute,’ she had said. ‘Malorie said she’ll be coming back and she’ll think I’m being rude if I’m not here.’
Why had she lied to Hope and Tom?
Was she being foolish?
Was she imagining things?
Russell was still in love with Hope, wasn’t he?
And if he had got over Hope, would he really be interested in Hanna?
Of course he wouldn’t.
And even if he were, was she interested in him?
Russell had returned shortly after with that gorgeous smile still in place, the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up, and his grey linen jacket slung over one broad shoulder. He carried two fold up chairs in one hand, and a fold up table in the other, and had asked if she would like to sit.
‘I’d love to,’ she had replied, with just the merest glance in Hope’s direction.
They had chatted and laughed for what seemed like just a few minutes but in reality was almost an hour, and then, all too soon, Griff and Grace had come to join them, and the rest of the afternoon had flown.
Griff and Grace had finally left, and were walking away hand in hand and staring into one another’s eyes, and Russell had said, somewhat wistfully, ‘I can only imagine what it must feel like being as in love as those two are.’
Hanna had assumed he must be thinking about Hope and wishing that he and Hope could’ve been like Griff and Grace. And that’s when Hanna had had her epiphany.
She had looked at Russell as a slight breeze had lifted strands of his golden blond hair away from his left temple, and she had found herself wishing that he might look at her the way Griff looked at Grace.
It had taken her so much by surprise that she had sat bolt upright, mumbled something inaudible about not being able to choose with whom she fell in love, and had thankfully been rescued by none other than Hope herself who had come back, this time alone, to ask Hanna about one of her paintings that Tom had spotted hanging in The Royal Oak.
‘Sorry to barge in,’ Hope had said, looking a little awkward as she had glanced at Russell, ‘but I wanted to ask if you might be free later, Hanna, when this has finished. Tom’s seen a painting of yours in the pub, and he absolutely loves it. I wondered if you might have something similar in your studio. Or if not, whether you might paint something like it? I want to give it to him as a surprise gift.’
‘Erm. Of course. Yes,’ said Hanna, needing to get away from Russell before she said something stupid. ‘I was just thinking it’s time I left, so I’m free now, if you are.’ She stood up so fast her chair fell over.
Russell stood up too, like the perfect gentleman he was. ‘You’re leaving?’ he asked, looking her in the eye before bending down and picking up the chair.
‘It’s late,’ Hanna said, even though it wasn’t. ‘Erm. I have things I need to do. Sorry. But thank you for a lovely afternoon. I’ve … I’ve really enjoyed it.’
‘Me too,’ said Russell. ‘Thank you for your company.’ He gave an odd little bow as he stood there, smiling. Although the smile seemed a little less dazzling.
‘If you’re busy,’ Hope said, ‘we can do it another time.’
‘No!’ Hanna shrieked. ‘Erm. Now is fine. Goodbye Russell.’
That was the day she had realised she was head over heels in love with Russell Betancourt.
And that was the last time she had seen him.
Until now.
That dazzling smile firmly in place as he stood right in front of her on the doorstep of Catkin Cottage.