Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
F or the next thirty minutes Verity sat on the rock in front of the van with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She knew she should be trying to get some sleep before her early start but she was wide awake, her mind whirling from her time on the island.
‘It’s a beautiful sight, isn’t it?’
Verity jumped up and spun around.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.’ Sam was standing behind her holding two drinks. ‘Here, one’s for you, hot chocolate. I always get one from the Cosy Kettle on the way home.’
‘I didn’t hear you at all.’
‘You were lost in your own little world there for a moment, I thought you’d be fast asleep by now.’
‘I should be but here I am, wondering what tomorrow will bring.’
‘Clogs and windmills are my guess.’
Verity smiled, taking the hot chocolate from his hand. ‘Thank you, and thank you for paying my bill at the pub, that was a really nice surprise.’
‘I thought it was the least I could do, especially as the start of your day wasn’t as good as the end.’ He pointed to the sky. ‘I caught the sunset when I was walking to the pub. It was stunning tonight, the warm blaze of golden orange stretched far and wide as the sun dipped behind the horizon. I never tire of that view. You’re lucky you got such a clear night tonight despite that dreadful weather this morning.’
‘There are millions of stars. It’s so pretty. Do you want to sit?’
Without hesitation Sam slipped next to her on the rock and stared out over the horizon.
‘Was it a busy night at the restaurant?’ The Sea Glass Restaurant was now in darkness except for the fairy lights trailing the jetty and those entwined around the deck of the boat.
‘It’s always a busy night, it doesn’t matter what time of year it is.’
‘I’m not surprised. You’re a man of many talents – not only the proprietor of such an exquisite-looking restaurant but also a singer-songwriter.’
‘It keeps me sane.’ He smiled warmly at her.
‘Your fan club seems to like it. You’re very popular on this island.’
‘Popular with some, not so popular with others.’ He didn’t look in her direction as he drank his chocolate, instead staring out towards the cliffs.
Verity took a sideward glance at him and studied his face.
‘Why not so popular with some?’ she asked, taking her chance to satisfy her curiosity about Amelia’s comment about Sam earlier, at the bar.
He took a swift glance towards her. ‘You can’t please all of the people all of the time,’ he replied with a shrug. ‘Did you enjoy your evening?’
Verity noticed the swift change of conversation, but she went along with it, sensing it wasn’t something to pursue right now. ‘I did. I’m glad I made the effort to go to the pub. I had a great night. Clemmie and Amelia are so lovely.’
‘Very,’ he said. ‘We all grew up together here on the island so they feel like my annoying little sisters. But Amelia pulls a good pint and Clemmie takes after her grandmother and is a fantastic baker.’ Sam pointed to a couple paddling in the shallow waters at the far end of the bay. They held hands, pulling each other along and laughing before they shared a kiss under the moonlight. ‘The best time of the day to swim at the bay is after the sun goes down.’
‘Very romantic, but probably unsafe and I bet that water is freezing.’ Verity gave a tiny shiver at the very thought.
‘Bracing is what it is. Have you ever swum in the sea under the moonlight?’
‘Isn’t that something that just happens in books or the movies?’
‘There’s nothing more invigorating than swimming late at night. You should try it.’ He gestured towards the water.
‘Are you suggesting I should try it now?’ Verity sounded alarmed. ‘I can’t get in the sea at this time of night, I’ll freeze to death. I’d never make it to Amsterdam.’
Sam laughed. ‘Midnight swimming is one to tick off the bucket list.’
‘Thankfully I haven’t got a list in my bucket, only sea glass, and even if I did, I’m not sure swimming in the sea at this time of night would make the cut.’
‘Don’t knock it until you try it.’ There was a mischievous glint in his eye.
‘Are you serious? Are you actually suggesting we get into the water for a swim?’
‘Embrace it. Do something spontaneous. Take a risk. Create memories on your last night on Puffin Island.’
‘My only night on Puffin Island.’
‘One night on Puffin Island, I rest my case.’
‘You’re incorrigible.’
Verity had to admit, he’d got her thinking. Never in a million years would she do anything spontaneous. Everything in her life had always been planned, even down to the Friday night food shop. Routine was her guiding light, and she realised now it had led her into a rut. Richard had never suggested embracing life the way Sam was now.
‘All I can think about is how cold the water will be. I’m shivering just thinking about it.’
‘Mind over matter. Cold water improves your mood.’
‘And does your mood need improving?’ She stared at him. ‘I’m not sure mine does.’
‘There’s always room for improvement.’ He tipped her a wink and Verity gave him a playful swipe.
‘And what if someone sees us?’
Sam stood up, his eyes glistening as they locked on hers. He took Verity’s empty cup and tossed it in a nearby bin, then stretched out his hand.
‘You worry too much.’
Verity hesitated for a second. A bright shining star in the sky once again caught her eye. Something was telling her that she’d stumbled upon this island, and adventure, at a time when she needed it most in her life. There was room for lots of new memories. After all, the ones from the last few years hadn’t been that memorable. No more sensible Verity – it was time to embrace life and take chances.
Throwing caution to the wind, Verity took his hand. Excitement fizzed inside her as they walked with wide smiles across the sand and along the short jetty towards The Sea Glass Restaurant. Her heart was racing at a pace she hadn’t experienced in a long while.
‘Do you normally invite strangers for late-night swims?’ Verity was intrigued. The girls in the pub had suggested that Sam kept himself to himself, romantically, and to her this was extremely romantic, something you’d do in the first flush of love.
‘No,’ came his reply.
Walking away from the lights of the bay she dared a sideward glance at him, only to find he was looking back at her with the most kissable smile she’d ever laid eyes on. Her hormones were on fire, that smile had such intensity.
‘I swim off here most evenings in the summer. Don’t worry, no one can see us from the shore.’
‘It’s pitch-black. I can’t see a thing?—’
‘Except for the moonlight,’ he interrupted. ‘And the stars.’
When they reached the back of the restaurant, she saw a private decking area with steps leading down to a secluded lower deck. Sam lifted a small hatch and flicked a switch and immediately a dim light shone across the deck and onto the water.
‘Wow! How beautiful.’
‘After a busy shift I usually spend half an hour here to wind down before I head home.’
‘I think I would too.’
The deck housed a minibar, a table and a small cosy settee with blankets and cushions. It was surrounded by lanterns, and when Sam took a box of matches from the minibar and lit the candles inside them, the deck started to glow.
‘It’s the perfect setting,’ she observed.
‘I can happily sit here for hours looking out over the waves.’ Sam kicked off his shoes and took off his tie. Within seconds the shirt was off his back.
‘What are you doing? You’re crazy!’
‘It was written in the stars that – in fact, in that big bright one up there’—he pointed—‘that I was going to meet a girl with a funny accent…’
‘Hey! There’s nothing funny about my accent,’ she protested. ‘And as much as I like to pretend that that star is my loved ones watching over me, that’s Polaris, the bright star that is always visible in the night sky.’
He grinned. ‘How are you so knowledgeable about stars?’ He didn’t avert his eyes from hers as he undid his belt and let his trousers fall to the floor. He stood there in his boxer shorts.
Do not look down, do not look down , Verity repeated internally.
‘Because I listened at school.’
‘Brains as well as beauty.’ He grinned.
They were still staring at each other. Verity had to remind herself to breathe.
Finally, she couldn’t help it any longer. She glanced down and promptly burst out laughing.
Sam pretended to look offended.
‘You have puffins on your boxer shorts!’
‘I have twenty pairs of these. They were selling a job lot in the pub and as I live on Puffin Island I thought, “Why not?” It gets better,’ he said, turning around and waggling his bum. The boxer shorts had the day of the week written across the backside.
Verity laughed wholeheartedly, then kicked off her shoes.
‘In for a penny, in for a pound,’ she murmured, thinking there wasn’t a cat in hell’s chance that Ava would believe a word of what she was going to tell her about her only night on Puffin Island. She slipped out of her dress, and was soon standing in front of him in just her underwear. His eyes still didn’t leave hers. The only thought in her head was Why, oh why, had she chosen the worst possible off-white underwear set? It had seen better days – but the last thing she’d anticipated that morning was that she’d end the day standing semi-naked in front of the handsomest near-stranger she’d ever seen. Yet here she was, about to take a swim under the stars.
He pointed at some life jackets hanging on the side of the boat. ‘Would you like one?’
Verity didn’t hesitate; the answer was yes. It wasn’t because she wasn’t a strong swimmer, more to cover up her shameful underwear and create an opportunity to sneak a glance at his bum again when he turned around. Just like the rest of him, it was toned to perfection.
Sam picked a life jacket off the rack and held it open while she slipped her arms into it. He turned her to face him and zipped it up, then tightened the chest strap. Verity was now standing extremely close to him and their faces were only centimetres apart. ‘When you enter the water, your breathing may be all over the place for a moment, so try and keep it controlled and don’t panic – it’s quite normal. Are you ready? I’ll get into the water first.’
Sam climbed down the ladder attached to the side of the boat and Verity watched as he slid his perfect body into the water. He didn’t gasp or even flinch, the cold water seemingly having no effect on him whatsoever. He was holding on to the bottom of the ladder, bobbing in the waves, and she saw him take a small, belted loop from the side of the boat and fasten it around his wrist. Then he clipped on another rope that hung over the side of the boat.
‘What’s that for?’ she asked.
‘Just a safety measure, so if you get cramp or become too weak you can pull yourself by the rope back towards the boat. It’s securely fastened to the deck.’
‘You really aren’t selling this to me as an enjoyable prospect, you know,’ she said, suddenly becoming nervous. ‘Cold water swimming is clearly not for the faint-hearted.’
‘Once you’re in you’re going to love every minute of it. Swimming beneath the moon and the stars…what more could you ask for?’
‘I’m sure I could come up with something.’
‘Less talking, more action. Come on, at this rate the sun will actually be rising by the time you get in.’
‘Very funny,’ she replied.
Sam moved to the side of the ladder as she descended.
‘Now, the only way to do this is to lower yourself in, then keep moving your arms and legs as fast as you can. If you stop or think about it too much, you just won’t get in.’
‘You’re still not selling it to me.’
‘How about I make you a promise that when we’ve finished you can sit next to the firepit and choose a drink of your choice from the bar.’
‘Now that sounds more of my sort of invitation.’
‘You’re stalling!’
‘You know me too well.’ Verity took a deep breath and braced herself. She remembered a time when she’d been on holiday in Corfu, at a small hotel in the mountains. The scenery was beautiful and the pool inviting. The warmth of the sun had been scorching and she’d jumped straight in the pool, only to jump straight back out after realising it wasn’t heated. She spent the next half-hour trying to get warm in the sun. Something was telling her this water was going to be a heck of a lot colder.
‘There aren’t any sharks, are there?’
‘We’re on an island in the North East, I don’t think there are any sharks.’
‘Okay, I was just checking.’
Counting out loud to three, she went to jump but still didn’t let go of the ladder. ‘I’m going for it this time,’ she said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt. She counted again and, taking herself by surprise, let go of the ladder and slid into the water. She gasped. ‘Oh my, oh my, oh my,’ she repeated over and over again. ‘It’s freezing!’
‘Cover your neck, you’ll start to relax quicker.’
Verity was thrashing around, her arms and legs moving fast. ‘Deep breaths,’ said Sam as he pulled her in close and wrapped his body around hers. ‘And relax.’
‘That does feel better, I have to admit.’
‘Now, when you’ve stopped squirming, look at that view.’
Verity turned herself around, Sam’s arms still wrapped around her, their bodies moving together in the water.
Up in the sky the moon shone brightly, reflected in the water.
‘Now I don’t know whether I should tell you this or not, but this is the shallowest part of the bay. You can actually stand up in the water.’
‘You’re kidding me, right?’
He grinned. ‘As much as I know you want to keep your legs wrapped around my body,’ he teased, ‘you can stand up. Just like I’m doing.’
Slowly lowering her feet to the bottom, Verity kept hold of him.
He grinned. ‘I told you so. Quick, look!’ He pointed upwards and the sky lit up as a shooting star streaked across the black velvet of the night. ‘Make a wish.’
He hugged her tightly as they watched it disappear.
‘What are the chances of that?’ she murmured.
‘Did you make a wish?’
‘I did, but I can’t tell you as it might not come true.’ Verity knew she’d wasted her wish, as what she’d wished for wasn’t going to come true. She couldn’t stay on Puffin Island for a while longer. She had promised to meet Ava and she wouldn’t let her friend down.
‘Let’s swim.’
They swam next to each other to the jetty and back again. To her surprise, Verity found she was enjoying every second of it and the cold water didn’t seem that cold at all now.
‘I’m actually feeling quite liberated,’ she shared, jumping onto Sam’s back and wrapping herself around him. The feel of his skin sent new shivers down her spine, but for totally different reasons this time. She leaned backwards and let her head fall into the water. Sam looked over his shoulder, the glint in his eyes catching in the moonlight, his smile melting her heart. This is what she’d imagined life with a partner to be like, fun and spontaneous, full of laughter and experiences and moments like this together.
‘See, just up there?’ He pointed towards the end of the cove and began walking through the water with Verity still on his back. ‘The caves are apparently full of lost treasure. And wait for it… When we get around this side of the restaurant…’
‘Woah!’
The bright light from the top of the lighthouse was suddenly shining a path through the sea.
‘I could stay out here all night.’
‘I knew you’d like it, but we can’t stay in too long. I can’t have you getting hypothermia on my watch,’ he said, swimming back towards the ladder. ‘Hold on to my waist whilst I pull us back in with the rope. We’re drifting a little.’
Slipping her arms around his waist she closed her eyes for a brief second. It felt good to be so close to someone.
Within seconds they were back up on the private balcony. Sam wrapped a towel around his waist and handed Verity a robe, which she wrapped tightly around her body after taking off her life jacket. She watched Sam attach a gas bottle to the firepit and soon it was spreading a welcoming warmth.
‘How did that feel?’ he asked.
‘I hate to admit it but – amazing. After the initial shock of the cold, I absolutely loved it!’
‘I knew you would. It’s good for your body and soul. There’s something peaceful about swimming in the sea, especially when the sky is as beautiful as it is tonight.’
Verity looked up at the stars. The sky was scattered with their bursts of light. ‘The stars are just so scenic. I think I’ll remember this night on this island for ever.’
Sam touched her shoulder as he walked past her. ‘Let me get you a drink. What would you like?’
‘Whatever you’re having.’
Sam unlocked a door, which she assumed led into the restaurant. She leaned forward, warming her hands against the dancing flames of the firepit. She couldn’t wait to tell Ava all about her trip to Puffin Island. She smiled. This was happiness, feeling relaxed and free.
Five minutes later, Sam returned with a tray and placed it on the table. ‘We have a hot mug of coffee, and a whisky. Each will warm you through.’ He sat next to her on the sofa and she watched as Sam swirled the amber liquid in the glass and glugged it back. He placed the empty glass back on the tray then picked up the coffee.
‘Just like swimming in the sea under the stars, this is also a first for me.’ She copied Sam, swirling the liquid around the glass, then swigged it back and immediately scrunched up her face in distaste.
Sam smiled. ‘An acquired taste – but it’ll warm you through.’
‘So what made you want to own a floating restaurant?’ Verity asked, picking up her coffee mug.
‘My grandfather. He was born and bred on the island and was a keen fisherman. Apparently his dream was to open a floating restaurant on the island, specialising in fresh fish that had been caught that day.’
‘Apparently?’ she questioned. Amelia and Clemmie had shared that his grandfather had been taken too soon, but she wanted to hear it from Sam himself.
‘My grandfather passed away. All I have is what Betty told me – Clemmie’s grandmother. She was good friends with my grandfather. They grew up together. He was musical, too,’ Sam added softly, looking into his glass.
‘I’m really sorry.’ Without thinking Verity reached across and touched his knee. ‘Is that where you got your musical talent from?’
‘I’d like to think so.’ He smiled. ‘Music is a great escape. I wish I could have met him.’
‘It must be really difficult.’ Verity had had a great relationship with her grandfather, and it was something she would always cherish. ‘What about your parents?’
‘My grandmother got pregnant with my mum at the age of fifteen. No doubt at the time it would have been the biggest scandal on the island. My grandparents weren’t together by the time the birth came along, which is not surprising, given they were still children themselves, but according to Betty my grandfather took his responsibilities seriously and he used his earnings as a fisherman to provide everything he could for my grandmother and mother for the short time he was alive. He passed when he was only twenty-two, and my grandmother passed away at the age of thirty-five, leaving my mother alone. And then history repeated itself. My mother fell pregnant at an early age, and she didn’t stay with my father. He wasn’t like my grandfather, though, he never provided anything for her or us. He disappeared off the island one Saturday morning and never came back.’
‘Have you ever tried to look for him?’
Sam shook his head. ‘He didn’t choose me, so why would I ever choose him?’ He sounded adamant, but there was sadness in his voice.
‘I bet that brought you and your mum closer?’
Sam briefly closed his eyes, stood up and fetched the decanter of whisky. He poured two more glasses.
‘You’d think so, wouldn’t you? But no, she wouldn’t win any mother of the year awards. She moved off the island as soon as I was able to look after myself.’ His voice faltered. ‘She was barely a mother. If it wasn’t for Betty I don’t know what I’d have done. She’s been a grandmother and mother figure rolled into one for me.’
Verity was silent for a second, thinking of her own situation with her mother. ‘I’m sorry you had to go through everything you’ve been through. It’s difficult, isn’t it? And yet, somehow, here we are, still standing. Coping and carrying on, doing our best. Even though there’s that niggle always in the back of our minds, wondering what we did wrong.’
Sam slightly raised his eyebrows. ‘It sounds like you can relate.’
Verity nodded. ‘I can, you’re not on your own.’ She tucked her feet underneath her on the chair as she swallowed a lump in her throat. ‘Even now I wonder what the hell I did to make my mother treat me the way she does. Why wasn’t I enough? Was it because she was jealous of me, or was it because of my father? If it was, I’d have no idea; she’s always kept his identity a secret from me and my grandparents.’
‘You don’t know anything about him at all?’
Verity shook her head. ‘Growing up I asked but she would never talk about it. I’ve learned to live with it because I know it can consume me if I think about it too much. It can make me sad, sometimes, for days at a time.’
Sam cupped his hand over Verity’s and gave it a squeeze.
‘It’s nice to talk to someone who can relate. I just try to take the positives from the situation. My mother might not have been there for me but my grandparents were the best. In fact, my granny is the reason I’m here.’
Sam smiled. ‘Your granny? And here was me thinking it was because you spotted a handsome man outside a greasy spoon and decided to follow him onto a ferry.’
Verity laughed. ‘I can neither confirm nor deny.’ She knew there was a glint in her eye as she sipped her whisky. ‘EW! How can you drink this stuff?’
‘You get used to it. Tell me about your granny.’
‘When I was growing up she used to tell me stories of this place. I thought it was all make-believe until I discovered a postcard written to her and signed with a W. Apparently the sender couldn’t live without her. I had a mad notion that after all these years I could identify who W is or was and discover more about the time my granny spent here and why.’
‘If there’s one person that will know, it’s Betty.’
‘That’s exactly what Clemmie and Amelia said. But she’s away so I won’t get to meet her. But Clemmie said she would message me when she got back. I had this daft idea in the pub that one of your relatives might have something to do with the W as your last name is Wilson. But after hearing your story…’
‘It would be highly unlikely.’ Sam pointed at the star that was still shining brightly. ‘I know it sounds silly but I pretend that bright star is my grandfather.’
‘It’s not silly at all. I pretend it’s my granny.’
Sam lightly bumped his shoulder against hers. ‘It’s a funny old world, isn’t it?’
They sat in comfortable silence looking up at the star. Verity was glad they shared an understanding, each of them having been let down by their mother and knowing how difficult that could be to reckon with.
Verity took a sideward glance at Sam and smiled. His company was so easy, yet she was surprised at herself for revealing her own family situation. It was a difficult topic for her to talk about, and a conversation she’d never even had with Richard, despite the years they’d been together, because he just wasn’t one for empathy. It was good to finally be able to open up to someone, especially someone who understood exactly how she was feeling.
‘You’re very lucky to have all this and live in such a beautiful place.’
‘I am. There’s something special about Puffin Island.’
‘I quite agree.’ She clinked her glass against his and took a last swig. ‘This should make me sleep for a few hours at least.’
‘What time are you leaving in the morning?’
‘Around three-thirty a.m., as I need to back on the ferry by five a.m.’ She looked at her phone, which was lying on top of her dress. ‘It’s nearly midnight and as much as I want to sit here all night with you, I should try and get a little sleep.’ Reluctantly unwrapping the robe, she got dressed, then shivered.
‘Here, take this.’ Sam handed her an oversize grey sweatshirt. ‘I always have it on hand after a swim.’
‘Thank you,’ Verity replied, slipping it over her head. ‘I’ve had a really good night.’
‘Me too,’ he replied. ‘Let me walk you back.’
Walking in silence, they made their way around the side of the boat and along the jetty. The only sound they could hear was the water breaking on the rocks in the shallows. Their elbows kept brushing against each other and the mere thought of Sam’s touch was sending electricity pulsing through her body.
‘And here you are. I have to say, setting off in a travelling van to explore the world is pretty cool.’
‘I’m not sure she would make it all around the world, but Amsterdam, here we come.’
For a moment Sam looked at her with such affection. ‘Thank you for listening tonight…I’ve never really spoken about my parents before.’
‘Me neither,’ replied Verity. Another loaded silence followed, their eye contact saying so much more than words.
Despite barely knowing this man, Verity thought he might lean in and kiss her, and she found herself wishing he would. It would have been the perfect end to a perfect night. But instead, he merely touched her arm. ‘You take care of yourself, Verity Callaway.’
‘You, too, Sam Wilson.’
With that, Sam turned to walk away.
‘Wait! Your jumper,’ she said, crossing her arms, about to pull it over her head.
‘Keep it, it suits you. Something to remember your trip to Puffin Island by.’
She smiled and watched him walk back along the shore until he turned left into Lighthouse Lane and disappeared from sight. Feeling a tiny slump in her mood after such a high, Verity opened the van, climbed in and locked the door behind her. Kicking off her shoes, she quickly brushed her teeth and pulled back the duvet. Just as she was about to take off the jumper she took in a fresh hit of his aroma. It smelled exactly like Sam, a scent that would now forever be etched in her mind. A minute later she was changed for bed then slipped back on his jumper, her arms now wrapped around herself, wondering what it would be like to be in the arms of Sam tonight. She’d arrived at Puffin Island on a whim, attempting to get on with her life, and tonight she had felt more sadness watching Sam walk away than she had when her ex did. The realisation startled her.
Living in the moment, not thinking of the reasons that had brought her here – and this was only the start of her personal journey. Tonight, she’d thrown caution to the wind and had enjoyed every moment of it, but now, exhausted, she looked through the window of her van up at the stars one last time. ‘Goodnight, Puffin Island,’ she murmured. As soon as she closed her eyes, she fell fast asleep.