Chapter Twenty Two
R eversing out of the space behind the bakery, Tilly drove down the narrow track towards the cobbled road.
She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, her emotions were so mixed up at the moment.
She and Elsie were related. Her dad was Elsie’s nephew.
Everything just seemed so confusing and yet so clear all at once.
All her life it had been just her and her aunt, and now suddenly she had Elsie in her life too.
And Ian. And Brooke, Lynsey, Wendy, Teresa, all of Elsie’s bakery family.
Coming to the end of the track where it joined the cobbled road, Tilly swiped at her eyes. She wasn’t alone anymore. She’d never be alone again.
Shoving the gear stick into first, she pressed down on the accelerator, her foot slipping at the last moment, causing her car to lurch forward.
Just as she slammed her foot on the brake and pulled the handbrake up, her heart plummeted as she felt the tell-tale thud on the bonnet.
She’d knocked into something. Please don’t let her have run anyone else over.
Forcing herself to look, she caught her breath and threw open the door, jumping out of the car. ‘Isaac!’
‘Ouch!’ Isaac rubbed his side as he looked across at her, their eyes meeting. Dropping his hand, he grinned. ‘Please don’t tell me I have to get run over every time I want to get your attention?’
Rushing forward, she held her hand over his hip. ‘I hit you. I hit you with my car again. Isaac, I’m so sorry.’
Flicking a wayward lock of hair from his eyes, Isaac cupped her cheeks with his hands. ‘I’m fine.’
‘Are you sure?’ Her eyes ran wildly over his body, checking for injuries. Was he really okay?
‘Positive. Or I am now I’m with you. I thought I’d missed you.’ He nodded towards the car, his expression suddenly clouding. ‘How long are you going for? I can come with you. If you’ll have me?’
‘No.’ Tilly shook her head quickly. ‘I’m not going anywhere. Not now. I was coming to tell you that I’m staying.’
‘In the bay? You’re staying?’ Isaac ran the pads of his thumbs across her cheeks, his touch so gentle that Tilly could hardly feel him.
‘Yes, I’m not going anywhere.’ Standing on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, their lips touching. Penworth Bay was her home now. Yes, the future was uncertain, but she was here. For Elsie. For Isaac. For all of it.