Chapter 21
Twenty-one
‘I’m moving back to Bluewater Bay,’ Jasper said when Lara eventually let him in.
She hadn’t intended to, but the man kept banging on her door and ringing her bell until she had opened the door just a fraction to tell him to go away.
‘We don’t need to talk,’ she said, her eyes scanning his body. She wasn’t sure if she was pleased or disappointed that he was wearing shorts and a T-shirt, both of which were damp. He hadn’t stopped long enough to dry himself properly.
‘We do,’ he said softly. ‘At least hear me out. Then, if you still want me to leave, I will. And I promise I won’t bother you again.’
That sounded fair. She still hesitated though.
‘Please, Lara. If not for me, then for Gramps.’
‘For Tom? What’s happened? He’s okay, isn’t he?’
‘He’s fine. He misses you though. As do I. Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Please may I come in? Just for a minute or two.’
Reluctantly, she opened the door wide and let him step inside.
‘It’s lovely to see you,’ he said. ‘You look … beautiful.’
‘Thank you. So do you. I mean. Whatever. What do we need to talk about?’
‘Us,’ he said.
She was taken aback by that.
‘There is no ‘us’ and if you think there is you’re delusional.’
‘I didn’t mean ‘us’ as a couple. I meant ‘us’ as neighbours.’
‘Oh.’
Why was she disheartened by what he had said? What had she expected? That he would proclaim his undying love for her or something?
She was clearly the one who was delusional.
‘I’m moving back to Bluewater Bay. I’ll be living with Gramps for a while.
So we’re bound to bump into one another.
I know you’ve kept yourself busy here, but you need to know I won’t be leaving anytime soon.
In fact, I won’t be leaving at all. As I said, I’ll be living with Gramps. Just until my flat is sold.’
‘Oh?’
‘I’m reopening Bright Bonn Construction.
We’ll probably change the name though, my partner and I, because his name is Taylor.
As you know, I’m an architect. He’s a builder, so we’re thinking, Bright Bonn and Taylor, Architects and Builders.
It does what it says on the tin. There may only be one architect and one builder for now but we have plans for expansion, so it isn’t exactly a lie.
Bluewater Bay this year, next year the world.
Well, the county. Plural always sounds more impressive than the singular though, don’t you think?
And there are two of us in the business. ’
It was as if he had rehearsed that speech.
‘Two is always better than one, in my opinion,’ said Lara, unable to believe what she was hearing.
‘I’ve got some savings, and so has my partner. He’s a mate of mine from here and we’ve both always wanted to work for ourselves. We talk about it every time we speak, especially whenever I come back here. I can’t quite believe it’s finally happening.’
‘It’s exciting. I wish you immense success.’
‘Thank you. It is exciting. I’m looking forward to being back here permanently. I love London, but my heart has always been in Bluewater Bay. Even more so recently.’
Lara wasn’t entirely sure what he meant by that, but she didn’t want to get her hopes up. He had said he was selling his flat but he hadn’t mentioned his girlfriend.
‘It’s a shame this didn’t happen sooner. I could’ve been your first client.’
He smiled at her and nodded slowly. ‘Yes. That is a shame. Then again, I don’t think it’s wise to mix business with pleasure, so perhaps it’s for the best.’
‘Oh? Yes. Perhaps it is. I’ll be returning to Woking soon.’
‘Returning to…? You will?’ The smile slid from his face.
She forced a smile on to hers. ‘Yes. It was always my intention to only spend a few weeks here. Just to see the place and to get it done up. I’m thinking of renting it out. If you find you don’t like living with Tom, and you’re interested, just let me know.’
‘Oh I’m interested, Lara. But not in renting your cottage. Do you really have to leave?’
She looked him in the eye. ‘I don’t have a reason to stay.’
He held her gaze. ‘Don’t you? Are you sure about that?’ He stepped closer.
‘Yes. I’m sure. I’ll miss this place, of course, because I’ve grown genuinely fond of it. And I’ll miss breakfast at Bonnie’s Diner. And Maud. I’ll miss Tom, too. Obviously.’
‘Just breakfast, and Maud, and Gramps?’ He took another step towards her.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. ‘And everyone else I’ve met.
I’m taking Nicodemus with me. I live in the upstairs flat so I’m hoping he won’t mind not having direct access to the garden.
But as he spends most of his time curled up on my bed, I don’t think it’ll be too much of a wrench. Please don’t come any closer.’
That sounded like a whimper to Lara’s ears, but it brought an odd sort of smile to his face and a sparkle to his eyes.
‘Why not, Lara?’ he asked, his voice dripping with passion, or so it seemed to her.
Or was that just her wishful thinking yet again?
‘Because … because you have a girlfriend!’
He raised one brow. ‘I don’t. Not anymore.’
‘You don’t? Seriously?’
‘I don’t. Honestly.’
‘Since when?’
He took a slow breath and inched closer.
‘Since I ended it, once and for all.’
‘You did? And she … she accepted it? She didn’t threaten to harm herself or anything? It’s really over? You’re … you’re single?’
A flicker of concern flew across his face, and he sighed and shook his head.
‘She did make threats. But I held firm and explained that I hoped she wouldn’t do anything to harm herself in any way, but that I couldn’t be held to ransom.
Or be blackmailed into staying with someone I didn’t love.
I suggested, as gently as I could, that she might need to see someone to help her deal with her feelings.
I told her I would not take any calls from her and that if she continued to call and text, I would block her number.
That sounds cruel, but I spoke to Doctor Cliff, Doctor Caroline Cliff, about the situation several days before and she advised me that usually, in her experience, people who made these sort of threats were rarely serious.
It was the ones who didn’t express such intentions we should worry about.
But that in any event, I mustn’t let this stop me from doing what was best for myself.
Toxic relationships never benefit anyone.
And thankfully, she was right. I had a couple of calls and then silence.
I’ll admit I was worried so I contacted a mutual friend who told me my ex had met someone else.
So yes, she’s accepted it and yes, it’s really over. And yes, sadly, I’m single.’
‘Sadly? You regret it now she’s got someone else?’
That made her cross. Or maybe just jealous.
‘No! Sadly – because I’d rather not be single.’
‘You … you’re one of those guys who doesn’t like being on his own?’ That was a surprise.
‘What? No.’ He shook his head, ran a hand through his still wet hair and took a long, slow breath once again.
‘I think it’s time I just told you how I feel.
Because I think I might be making a mess of this.
I found the strength to finally end it with my now ex, once and for all, not just because I’d been trying to for a while, but also because you can’t be in a relationship with someone, any sort of relationship, when you’re constantly thinking about someone else.
Wanting to be with someone else. Know you’re falling for someone else.
Have fallen for someone else. Deeply. Can you?
I can’t. And you can’t … I mean I couldn’t …
expect someone to want to be with me if they thought there was another woman in my life.
Romantically speaking. If you thought there was another woman in my life.
There isn’t, Lara. There’s only you. At least, I’d like it to be only you.
Does that make sense? I’m not sure I explained that as clearly as I’d intended.
I’ve been trying to build up my courage to come and tell you all this for days now, but it was only when I saw you on the beach today, that something made me think if I didn’t tell you right now.
Today. I might lose the chance. Worse still.
I might lose you. And I couldn’t bear to lose you, Lara.
What I’m saying is … I want to be with you.
Do you want to be with me? As my girlfriend? And by that I mean–’
‘Yes! Yes! Absolutely. Why didn’t you just ask me that part sooner?’
‘I wasn’t entirely sure you’d say yes,’ he said huskily.
He beamed at her as she flung herself into his arms.
His mouth took hers in a kiss that knocked Lara for six. Her heart felt as if it might explode and those tingles she experienced whenever he was near, were now more like lightning bolts.
‘But I’m delighted you did,’ he added, several minutes later. ‘Now, where’s that comfy sofa?’ He kissed her again.
‘Forget the sofa,’ she said softly, when they eased apart after another incredible kiss.
She slipped her hand in his and led him upstairs, hoping that, for once, Nicodemus wasn’t curled up fast asleep right in the centre of her bed.
Luckily for her, and for Jasper, he wasn’t.
Several hours later, as she and Jasper lay in one another’s arms, she wondered where Nicodemus might be.
He was most probably out in one of the jungles of her gardens, sleeping in the shade provided by all the weeds.
She really must get around to doing more work out there.
Or better yet, she might ask Jasper if he would help. Especially now they were dating. She could ogle him to her heart’s content. And not only ogle him. Now that she was his girlfriend, she could do so much more. Just as they had done for the last few hours.
Jasper’s girlfriend. That had such a lovely ring to it.
She had never been in love before, but she was fairly certain she was in love with Jasper.
And if his kisses, and his caresses, and his words were anything to go by, she was pretty sure that he was in love with her.
Just in time for her upcoming thirtieth birthday.
Perhaps she would do something to celebrate it this year. Just something small. Not a party or anything. Perhaps she and Jasper could go out for dinner somewhere special. Or maybe stay in and spend all day and all night in this bed. That would be pretty special. This afternoon had certainly been.
‘Hey you,’ Jasper said, kissing her tenderly on the lips. ‘You look miles away.’
‘No. I was just thinking, that’s all.’
‘About what?’
‘About us.’
He tilted his head and beamed at her. ‘I like the sound of that. Us,’ he repeated.
‘Me too,’ she said. ‘What will Tom say, do you think, when we tell him we’re dating?’
Jasper laughed. ‘He’ll say it’s about bloody time. He knows how I feel about you and he already thinks of you as family. As do I. I feel as though all this was meant to be.’
‘Me too,’ she said. And then she laughed. ‘It said so on that sign.’
‘Sign? What sign?’
‘The one that tells people they’re entering Bluewater Bay. It actually says, ‘where strangers become friends, and friends feel like family’, That’s amazing, isn’t it?’
‘You’re amazing,’ he said, pulling her closer.
‘So are you,’ she said, surrendering whole heartedly to the most passionate kiss she’d had in her life.