Chapter 8
The Deck Gallery, St Aidan, Cornwall
All the pies in the sky
Tuesday
‘When there are white streaks on the sea like there are today, that means the wind is blowing at thirty miles an hour.’
Lando and I are leaning against the rail of the wooden terrace behind the Deck gallery, basking in a sun shaft and looking down over the patchwork of St Aidan rooftops to the turquoise sea beyond. If I’m talking for England, it’s so the conversation doesn’t veer off to other more dangerous areas.
Completely overlooking the shivery bits, I’d actually forgotten how it felt to be around Lando simply as a person.
How civilised he is, how calm and reassuring, how easy he is to be around.
That deep familiarity that comes from knowing someone well.
For the first time in my life, I’m seeing him through adult eyes and thinking maybe this is why Sav spent so much time with him.
But then this is the trouble with Lando: he’s a lot more complex than he seems at first glance, and it’s about a lot more than his family living in a castle.
The Nancarrows own a lot of Falmouth, huge swathes of Devon and Cornwall, and large chunks of London too.
He actually exists in a different stratosphere.
I take in Lando’s nod, then realise. ‘I probably got that information from you.’
He shrugs. ‘A very long time ago.’ He narrows his eyes and drops his voice. ‘I’ve missed you, Maevey.’
I feel my cheeks warm as his deep murmur reverberates through my chest and aim for a joke. ‘Like a hole in the head!’
He looks down at me. ‘Don’t dismiss it, I’m being sincere, Maeve. How’s life in St Aidan?’
I wrinkle my nose. ‘Still full of shells and seagull shit. The TikTok sea shanty craze hasn’t reached us yet. How about you?’
‘I still work in conservation, but my emphasis has changed.’ Another shrug.
‘While I was filling in on the forerunner to the Trillion Tree project, I accidentally discovered my superpower was sourcing the funding. I’ve pulled in billions across the world since, and now I head up an initiative matching projects and sponsors. ’
And this is what I meant when I said he operates on a different level.
This is why there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that we could ever be a couple, even less a family.
He’s so far ahead, millions don’t even figure for him anymore.
He’s global and connected and driven, flying so high he’s above the flightpaths.
His self-belief is still off the scale, but it’s never fake or mis-founded; it’s based on being amazing and brilliant and starry, which is how he’s always been.
Add in the confidence, polish and sheer natural talent that comes from being a Nancarrow, times that to the power of ten for the years he’s been away, and he’s on a level with Superman.
Whereas I’m the original Ms Ordinary. Even if I did ever catch him, I’d never keep him.
Where my horizons are small, his are galactic, and I’ve always known that.
That’s why my teenage crush was so painful: because deep down I always knew it was hopeless.
As an adult I understand it even more clearly on every level.
I just wish someone would relay the message to my racing pulse.
Although that could be my instinctive response to danger; honestly, I’d feel more relaxed being chased by a tiger.
There’s an old saying: ‘Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.’ From where I’m standing, if you find someone super attractive but know a relationship with them would be doomed to fail, then why begin?
It’s better for me to have stayed away and saved myself the disappointment.
And Lando’s unexpected declaration that he hates kids and has no intention of having a family has just added another layer of evidence to my case.
Tia looks up from where she’s opening the bakery boxes on the weathered plank table nearby. ‘It’s so sheltered out here, it might even be warm enough to lose the sweatshirts?’
Lando nods. ‘The dresses would look great in the sunshine, if you’re not too cold?’
I was hoping to stay covered, but I know when I’m beaten. ‘If I get chilly, I can warm up eating strawberry tarts.’
Lando frowns ‘I thought Oliver said brides only ate white food?’
It’s unsurprising that Lando’s already an expert; he’s like that with everything.
Tia grins and offers him the box. ‘We often advise meringues for the bridal party, but we’re not real brides so we’ll make an exception.’
My mouth is watering as I see the bright fruit pastries with their shiny red glaze, and as the box comes my way I help myself. ‘Obviously we’ll be very careful eating these.’
My tart is almost in my mouth when Tia grabs my hand. ‘Hold on a second!’
I close my mouth. ‘What now?’
She holds up her finger. ‘We haven’t done the bride and groom shots yet!’
‘Damn.’ I put my tart on the table, hand her my phone and stand with my back to the rail a suitable distance from Lando. ‘Take us here with the sea behind us.’
Tia laughs. ‘Maevey, you look like you’ve got a broom handle rammed up your back.’ She shakes her head. ‘You’ll need to be closer to Lando, too.’
I curse under my breath and clutch at the only excuse I find. ‘Are you certain your girlfriend is okay with this, Lando?’
He gives me a searching look. ‘Which girlfriend are you talking about, exactly?’
‘Wasn’t there a woman on the boat?’ The way they both appeared from the cabin at dawn, it’s reasonable to assume they’d spent the night together.
‘There was … but she’s not currently taking up the girlfriend position.’
I’ve had my grilling. He can have his. ‘But those boat cabins are teensy. Or was it a one-night stand?’
His grin breaks through. ‘Definitely not that. Tight spaces go with the territory; sailors are used to close quarters.’
I’m cursing silently for spending all weekend imagining her with her arms snaked around his neck snogging his face off. How many times did I torture myself with the image of him peeling off her shorts? As if it matters anything to me anyway, because it definitely doesn’t.
I pull a face. ‘If you’re sure?’
‘She’s actually a colleague’s wife. I’m helping them with the boat renovations. Come on, it’s only a few pictures. But then I’m afraid I’ll have to run.’
I can’t believe my luck. ‘If you’re in a hurry, let’s let Tia take the pictures while we eat.’ I pick up my tart and take a bite and this time my laugh is real. ‘No one can feel awkward with a mouthful of strawberries.’
Lando’s laughing beside me. ‘Especially if they have cream on their face.’
‘I have a cream splodge?’
He laughs again and pulls a hanky from his pocket. ‘Sorry, stay where you are, I’ll wipe it off.’
I stand still while he rubs my cheek, then turn on him. ‘No more messing about; we’re here to work, remember!’
There’s still a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. ‘You’re right. I’ll behave from now on.’
Somehow the space between us has narrowed so much that my shoulder is gently brushing his arm, and the scent I’m breathing in from him is making my head float, but half a tart away from freedom I’m not about to grumble.
It’s ambitious of me to try two bites in one to get this over even faster, but I go for it anyway.
A large lump of gloopy glazed strawberry drops out of my mouth and slithers down the front of my skirt, and I let out a gasp. ‘Omygosh! I don’t believe it!’
Lando can’t contain his grin. ‘I thought we agreed no more playing around?’
As I look at the line of pink running straight down the front of my skirt my voice rises. ‘I’ve totalled another dress! Jess will fire me for sure.’
Lando winces. ‘Another dress that’s more expensive than a flat in Mayfair?’
I sigh. ‘This one’s Seraphina Unplugged rather than couture. So maybe half a flat.’
Lando springs in front of me and pulls a packet from his pocket.
‘Lucky for you, Oliver sent me armed with pure-water bamboo wipes.’ He’s already got one in his hand as he drops to his knees at my feet.
‘If you’ll allow me to put my hand on the wrong side of the fabric, I’ll dab out as much of the stain as I can while you wait.
The rest should come out later with a weak vinegar solution. ’
I look across at Tia. ‘What do you think?’
Lando’s already spreading the fabric across his palm.
‘No worries, the juice has gone through to the lining, but it’s already coming out.
’ He glances up at me as he works, and there’s a glint of pure mischief.
‘So long as no one makes any cracks about me putting my hand up your skirt, you’ll be good as new in no time. ’
It gets worse as he gets up to knicker level, but as his cuff grazes my tummy, I stare straight ahead and hold my nerve.
Eventually he jumps to his feet and laughs. ‘Lucky for both of us I didn’t have to go as far as that padded bra you mentioned earlier.’ Then he looks at his phone and back at Tia. ‘If that’s everything, I hope you don’t mind me rushing off? Any time you need me, you know where I am.’
We listen to his footsteps echo right along the length of the gallery back to the street, and then I turn to Tia.
‘Like we’d ever call on him again.’
She laughs too. ‘Ridiculous, isn’t it? It’s as if he knew how seriously cute you two looked together eating your pies.’
My jaw drops. ‘You are joking me?’
Tia looks at me. ‘First you jump in the harbour and now you tip strawberries all down your front. You don’t see a significance there?’
I jump in. ‘Of course I do. It’s a sign that the man wreaks havoc wherever he goes! He always has.’
Tia puts her arm around me. ‘It’s okay. I’m only teasing. Well done for this morning. It can’t have been easy,’
My breath is coming in shudders. ‘But it’s over. And now we can get back to life as it was before Saturday.’ In my head I’m waving Lando goodbye forever, and ignoring a tiny part of me that’s sad that it’s over. ‘How about we change into new dresses and try out a few more locations?’
Tia laughs. ‘To make the most of the sun, or to prove we can do this without Lando?’
I shrug. ‘The first, obviously.’ Then I remember who I’m talking to. ‘I’d hate to think we only got good shots because a man was holding the camera.’
‘I’m pretty sure the success was down to you, but thanks for being honest.’ Tia pulls me into a hug. ‘We’ll see what dresses Sera can spare us next, then let’s head to the beach.’