Ten
Hope had only intended to have one glass of wine at Hanna’s but before she knew it, Hanna had opened a second bottle.
‘I must go,’ Hope said half an hour later, getting up from the sofa with some difficulty. ‘Thank you so much for this evening. It’s been great fun.’
‘It has. We must do it again very soon. You’re welcome anytime. I’ll be in touch in a day or two with a rough sketch of the fairy grotto.’
‘Perfect,’ Hope said stumbling towards the front door.
The cold evening air slammed into her the moment she stepped outside taking her breath away momentarily and making her gasp. She wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck and walked as fast as she could.
When the door of The Royal Oak opened and she heard her name, she didn’t bother to lift her head to see who had called her.
‘Not tonight, Laurence,’ she called back. She was more than a little annoyed when she heard the footfall right behind her and was tempted to punch him on the nose once again. This time on purpose.
‘It’s not Laurence,’ Russell Betancourt said. ‘I haven’t seen you for a while. How are you, Hope?’
She cast her startled eyes on his handsome face. Why couldn’t she fall in love with him? Life would be so much simpler.
‘Freezing,’ she said. ‘You?’
He took off his coat and she gasped as he went to wrap it around her shoulders.
‘I’ve been okay. I don’t suppose you fancy joining me for a drink in the pub do you?’
‘Thanks for the coat, Russell, but please put it back on. I’m almost home and you’ll freeze to death.’ She handed it back to him and he shrugged. ‘And thanks for the offer, but unfortunately I’ve had more than I should have at Hanna’s.’ He looked deflated. ‘Maybe another time?’
He brightened visibly. ‘Absolutely. Whenever. Just say the word.’ He fell into step beside her. ‘Other than freezing, you’ve been okay?’
Hope nodded. ‘Yeah. Rushed off my feet as usual, but you know what that’s like.’
He shook his head. ‘Not really. The auction house runs like a finely tuned machine, and Betancourt does the same, now that Griff’s taken over from Dad. That’s not official yet, but we all know it’s for the best. And, of course, you know that Bianca has finally moved on. That’s a huge relief to us all. There’s a warning there. Don’t marry in haste.’
‘Don’t marry at all.’ Hope laughed.
‘You don’t … you don’t mean that, do you? You want a family and children, don’t you?’
‘Right now, all I want is a roaring fire, a hot cup of tea, and a chance to put my feet up.’ She stopped at her front door and turned to face him. He deserved an answer. ‘Other than that, I’m not sure what I want. I’ve always assumed that one day I’ll meet someone and fall in love, and that if it’s meant to be, kids will come along after that. But the truth is, none of us has a clue what the future holds. I do know what it doesn’t. I care about you, Russell, you know that. And because I do, I need to be honest with you. I thought you understood at Christmas. Perhaps I didn’t explain myself properly. We’ll always be friends. We’ll never be more than that. I’m truly sorry. I wish I could give you hope.’ She gave a mirthless laugh. ‘In every sense. But I can’t. I won’t change my mind. We’ve known one another far too long to pretend things could be otherwise. There’s someone out there for you, Russell. Someone who will love you as you deserve to be loved. That someone is not me.’
He had held her gaze throughout, but now he stared at his shoes.
‘I’m sorry,’ she added, her heart almost breaking for him. ‘More than you know.’
He nodded slowly, lifted his head, raked a hand through his thick, blond hair, and gave her a half smile. Sadness filled his eyes when he spoke.
‘I know, Hope. I think I’ve always known. But just for a minute, for one tiny moment, I wanted to believe that it could be you. I know you won’t change your mind.’ He gave a strangled laugh. ‘I’ve known you long enough to know that once you make your mind up about something, nothing will change it. But if you ever want anything, or need my help in any way, just ask. You’ll always have my friendship.’ He swallowed hard. ‘And my love.’
She stood on her tiptoes, grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulled him towards her, and planted a kiss on his cheek. ‘And you’ll always have mine.’
He sucked in a breath and looked her in the eye. ‘Goodnight, Hope,’ he said, his voice cracking with emotion. And then he turned and marched away.
Tears pricked her eyes as she shoved open the front door and stepped inside. She closed it behind her and fell back against it, exhaling a long and laboured breath.
Why was Love so unfair? Why couldn’t she have simply loved him?
‘Is that you, Hope?’ Grace called from upstairs. ‘Will you give me a hand with my packing? Griff’s coming here tomorrow to help me move and I don’t know where to start.’
Hope swallowed hard and swiped at her eyes, coughing before she replied. ‘I’m just going to take Lady E for a walk and then I’ll help. You’re only taking your clothes and personal belongings so it won’t take long.’
She couldn’t face Grace right now. She couldn’t listen to her sister’s excitement, after breaking Russell’s heart. She needed to be alone.
And Lady E, having heard her name and the word ‘walk’ in the same sentence, was already scurrying down the hall, her little stubby tail wagging, and her big bat ears flapping as she ran.
Hope swept the dog up in her arms and gave her a kiss and a cuddle, and then she attached the lead and ventured back out into the cold night air.
Lady E trotted along beside her as she took the long way round to the beach thus avoiding the need to pass Laurence’s cottage. She certainly wasn’t in the mood for him tonight. This route took an extra fifteen minutes to reach the sands below but it was worth it.
The tide was low, like yesterday, and the waves rolled gently in, and swished and swashed back out over the ripples on the sand. The almost full moon hung over the horizon like a huge beach ball, the reflection bouncing over the dark waters of the English Channel and onto the sand stretched out before her. She would check the forecast on her phone before she let Lady E off the lead tonight.
That’s when she saw the missed call.
‘Damn. Damn. Damn.’ Tom Hardy had called her while she was at Hanna’s and she’d missed it.
It must’ve been when she’d gone upstairs to the loo. As she was coming out of the bathroom she’d spotted a painting Hanna was working on and she’d cheekily poked her head into the spare room that Hanna used as her studio due to it being north facing, in order to get a better look. She had then called down to Hanna and told her what she was doing, and Hanna had come up to tell her more about it.
‘It’s the Mistletoe Dance, isn’t it?’ Hope said, and Hanna nodded. ‘And is that Grace and Griff taking centre stage on the dance floor?’
‘It is. It’s almost finished but there’s just something missing and I’m not sure what that is yet.’ Hanna tilted her head from side to side and Hope did likewise. ‘I don’t know what made me decide to paint it, or to make it life-size, but I sat down and did a sketch and then I realised what I wanted, and this is what appeared.’
‘It’s breathtakingly beautiful, Hanna. It really is. I think it’s perfect as it is. But you’re the artist so what do I know? There’s an ethereal quality about it. This is exactly the sort of thing I’m imagining for the fairy grotto.’
‘Yeah. It would definitely work for that.’
‘It’s exquisite. It’s almost as if only Grace and Griff are in the present in the room and everyone else is from another time or place. They’re not ghostly but they don’t seem to be of this world. Does that make sense?’
Hanna beamed at her. ‘That’s precisely what I was going for. I remember watching them that night and they were mesmerising. I can’t explain it but the love they felt for each other seemed to shine out from them as they danced.’
‘It shines out from this painting. Do you … do you intend to sell it?’
Hanna met her gaze and shrugged. ‘I hadn’t thought that far ahead. But yes. I suppose so. Do you think they might want to buy it?’
‘Absolutely! But I’ve got something else in mind for it first. Do you think it’ll be finished by not this Saturday but the one after?’
‘It could be. Why? What’s happening that day?’
‘I’m sworn to secrecy, I’m afraid, but let’s just say this painting would be perfect.’
‘Then yes. It’ll be ready by the Friday night before.’
Hope might’ve missed Tom’s call, but it was worth it.
She checked her watch and rang him back.
His laughter greeted her but it sounded as if he was jumping up and down. ‘This is becoming a habit. Although it’s not as late as yesterday. I did call earlier.’
Hope laughed too. ‘I know. I saw the missed call. Sorry about that. I was with an artist sorting out some pieces.’
‘No problem. How was your day?’
‘Strange. Emotional. Good. Yours?’
He laughed louder. ‘Strange. Unemotional. Not bad.’
‘I have good news.’
‘Excellent.’ He breathed hard.
‘Am I interrupting something? Only it sounds as if you’re bouncing up and down. Or having … Oh! You’re not…?’
Hope flushed red at the thought and he laughed even harder.
‘I wish! Do you seriously think I’d be talking to you if I were?’
‘I hope not. But hey. Whatever floats your boat.’
‘I’m running. And it’s along a sandy beach right now. But I’ll stop and walk so that we can talk.’
‘I won’t keep you long then.’
‘You can keep me as long as you want, Hope.’
God! His voice was so sexy.
‘Right. Erm. We’ve got the horse. A mare called Brilliant Day and she is absolutely stunning. I’ll text you a photo. Hold on.’ She sent the photo Grace had sent to Pat, who had forwarded it to Hope’s phone. ‘The price is really good but let me know if it’s a problem.’
‘It won’t be. And you’re right. She is beautiful.’
‘As for the fairy grotto. The artist I mentioned will be painting a trompe l’oeil backdrop and we’ll add fresh flowers, plants, and maybe even a few small blossom trees if we can find some ready to flower. She’ll have something to show me in a day or two and I’ll send it to you and to Della, if that’s okay. Then you and she can liaise and get back to me with any comments or changes.’
‘I have a comment now,’ he teased, the laughter evident in his tone. ‘You’re incredible, Hope. I’m impressed.’
‘Didn’t you think you would be?’
‘Truthfully? I wasn’t one hundred per cent sure.’
‘Well I’m just happy we could help.’
‘Not as happy as I am. Or as Della will be. You do know she’ll want to buy this horse, don’t you?’
‘Sadly, she’s not for sale. The fairy grotto backdrop may be though, if Della likes it.’
‘How big will it be?’
‘I’m not sure yet. That’ll depend on the venue, and we haven’t found that yet. Now I’ve gone down in your estimation, haven’t I?’
‘I don’t think that’s possible. But are you saying you’ve got the horse and the fairy grotto but nowhere for Della to propose?’
‘Not yet. Don’t worry. I’ll find somewhere. Leave it with me. Erm. Do you know when you’ll be arriving in Folkestone?’
‘I’m already here. I arrived tonight. That’s why I’m out running. I’ve been sitting in the car for hours. The traffic was a nightmare. I need to run again for a little while but don’t hang up. We can still talk.’
It took Hope a moment to take that in.
‘You’re here? In Folkestone?’
She looked westward towards Folkestone and could see the Harbour Arm from where she stood. To think that Tom was somewhere on that beach just a mile or two away. That sent all sorts of tingles and shivers and hot flushes shooting around her body like a box of fireworks dropped into a fire.
And then her heart almost stopped.
She tingled with excitement as she spotted the tall, tanned, athletic, blond-haired figure running towards her from the west and her smile was as broad as the English Channel by the time he was close enough for her to wave at him.
But Lady E reached him first and she almost tripped him up as she danced up and down in front of him on her hind legs. Hope felt like doing the same.
The stranger stopped briefly, bent forward, and tickled Lady E’s big bat-like ears, before continuing on his way, and now he was even closer.
‘I think I can see you,’ she whispered down the phone, her voice husky and seductive.
‘You can? How? Where are you?’ His voice matched hers, although his breathlessness could’ve also been due to the fact he was running.
‘I’m on the beach at the foot of the cliffs in Betancourt Bay.’ She could hardly contain her excitement now.
‘Erm. Betancourt Bay?’ He sounded disappointed. ‘Then whoever it is you’re looking at is not me. I’m just about to reach the Harbour Arm in Folkestone. I wish it was me though. I’d love to see you tonight.’
‘Me too,’ said Hope, staring at the runner who was now waving back at her and closing the distance between them in record time that would make an Olympic Gold medal sprinter look sluggish.
Hope gulped in surprise and her eyes opened wide as realisation dawned.
‘I’m sorry, Tom. I have to go. But I’ll call you first thing tomorrow.’
‘Erm. Okay. Goodnight, Hope.’
‘Goodnight, Tom.’
The runner was now just a few feet from her and the man was no stranger. But he had changed so much since the last time she had seen him that she hadn’t recognised him until just a moment ago.
It was her ex-boyfriend, Rob.
And he was looking better than he ever had when they were dating.