Epilogue
‘ H urry up, Cristina!’ yelled Katerina.
‘I’m coming!’ Cristina shouted back as Rebecca walked into the farmhouse kitchen.
‘So loud,’ murmured Felipe into her ear and she grinned up at him.
‘You’ve just got used to having a bit of peace,’ she replied with a laugh, hooking her arm through his and kissing his cheek. ‘You miss it really.’
‘No, I do not,’ he grumbled. ‘I don’t miss my sweaters being pinched when I’m not looking or having to have my nails painted or someone wanting to slop gloop on my face or refereeing arguments.
’ He paused, a faint smile crossing his face.
‘I especially do not miss being interrupted at crucial moments.’
Rebecca giggled, remembering the time Cristina had almost barged in on them at an inopportune moment.
That was the day Felipe had insisted they moved out.
In January they’d moved into an apartment in the town, and since then had spent the last three months relishing having each other to themselves.
Felipe not being on tap all the time at the hotel had also made a significant difference to his workload and stress levels.
The slight distance meant that people used their initiative more to make decisions without constantly referring to him.
‘Rebecca!’ Cristina called and threw her arms around her as if she’d been absent for a week instead of a mere twenty-four hours.
‘Hey, querida. Nice outfit.’
In response Cristina wafted out her skirt and dropped a little curtsy. All dressed up, with her hair plaited in an elaborate fishtail, she looked party-ready.
‘Your outfit is nice too. You look beautiful, like a princess,’ said Cristina.
Rebecca beamed. Felipe had helped her choose the dress for today, although his criteria had apparently been based on how easy it was to get her out of it.
She wore dresses a lot more often these days and was regularly dragged on shopping trips with the girls.
‘Like my nails?’ She waved her fingernails in Rebecca’s face.
‘Yes. They’re the same as they were yesterday.’
Cristina pouted. ‘It was better when you stayed here.’
‘I see you every day,’ teased Rebecca, which was true. Some things hadn’t changed. Her routine began with a swim in the pool before breakfast and then work in the newly converted office in the spa.
‘It’s not the same.’ The girl wrinkled her nose. ‘When can I come over for a movie night again?’
‘How about next week?’ suggested Felipe looping an arm around her shoulder and dropping a kiss on her head.
‘Yay!’ she squealed.
‘Can I come too? It’s not the same now everyone is leaving us.’ Katerina gave the baleful sigh of a desperately hard-done-by teenager.
‘We haven’t left you,’ said Felipe, pulling her in for a hug, his face softening with sympathy, which Rebecca understood.
The Rebelo family had been such a tight-knit unit for so long that changes were unsettling.
But as she’d discovered herself, realising that you didn’t have to accept the status quo and being willing to embrace change could make a world of difference to your life.
She was the embodiment of it. Occasionally, only very occasionally, she wondered how her life would have gone if she hadn’t made the decision to come to Portugal– a country she’d never visited before.
Now she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
She’d well and truly fallen in love with this little corner of the Algarve and the beautiful beach.
‘Now can we go?’ asked Katerina. ‘We’re going to be late. Ana and Tia Maria went ages ago.’
‘That’s all right,’ said Rebecca. ‘You know they would have wanted to make sure everything was perfect.’
‘Hmmph,’ grunted Katerina.
The two girls led the way over to the hotel and through to the restaurant. Felipe linked his fingers through Rebecca’s and she smiled up at him as they walked side by side.
‘They’ll miss her,’ said Felipe with a rueful grin.
‘We all will,’ agreed Rebecca. ‘But as you said last night, it’s right for her. She needs to spread her wings.’ She paused. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to do the same?’
He stopped and pulled her into him, looking down at her, his dark eyes shining. ‘I have everything I want right here.’
She blushed, still not quite used to his easy compliments. ‘I didn’t mean that. I’d come with you if you wanted to go somewhere else.’
‘I have everything here. You. The family. My friends. The cycling retreats have been such a success and… I’m cycling again. I never thought that would happen. Handing over some of my responsibilities has made a huge difference. I’m enjoying the amateur races. I might even win one, one day.’
‘You might, but you have to beat me in the pool first.’
He picked her up and kissed her. ‘You cheat.’
‘I do not.’
‘Hey, you two,’ called a voice. ‘Are you joining this party or not?’
Rebecca looked over to see Kimberley and Alonso strolling up the path towards them, Kimberly’s face wreathed in a big smile.
Although it wasn’t their leaving party, they were departing the next day to join a training camp as they wereboth headed to Italy for the Giro the next month.
The two of them, along with some of Felipe’s other cycling buddies, were now regular visitors and had led many of the guided cycle rides throughout the winter. Quinto do Mar’s cycling retreats were already attracting die-hard fans who were thrilled to be cycling alongside professional cyclists.
‘We were just having a discussion,’ said Rebecca with a pert smile at Felipe.
‘Oh no, what are you two arguing about now? Who got dressed the quickest today? Who finished breakfast first?’ asked Alonso with a groan.
‘We never argue,’ said Felipe, taking Rebecca’s hand again and stepping back onto the path that went down to the lawn. ‘We’re just?—’
‘Competitive,’ said Rebecca. ‘I don’t want him to have things all his own way.’
‘As if,’ said Felipe, his eyes twinkling. ‘Come on, the others will be waiting.’
The lawn had been transformed, with a big gazebo to one side, and guests were dotted about, many clutching glasses and admiring the view. There were tables sporting vases crammed as always with fragrant herbs and flowers from the gardens.
‘I’ll just go and check that M?e is happy,’ said Felipe after snagging her a glass of wine from the tray that one of the waiters was circulating with.
‘Okay,’ said Rebecca, quite happy to be left with Kimberley and Alonso, who’d become good friends, especially Kimberley. In fact, Rebecca reflected with a smile, over the months she’d gained quite a few friends.
Felipe returned seconds later.
‘Oops,’ said Rebecca, laughing at his expression.
‘ M?e told me to go away; she has everything under control and she doesn’t need me under her feet.’
‘And that’s the way it should be,’ said Rebecca, impressed by how Maria had stepped up since the summer. The kitchen was well and truly her domain and no one, not even her beloved son, was allowed to interfere there.
How times had changed.
Guests were milling about, drinks in hand, as the sun shone down. In early spring, the temperature was beautiful and the sky as blue as ever.
When everyone had arrived, Felipe moved to the front of the gazebo to stand in front of the table laden with food and tapped his glass.
‘I’d like to thank you all for coming today to wish Ana well on her travels.’
His cousin, dressed in an elegant cream dress, stylish as always, stepped forward and nodded shyly.
He’d been told to keep it brief as Ana didn’t like to be the centre of attention for too long, but to Rebecca’s surprise, she went to stand beside him.
‘Thank you everyone for coming. I’d just like to say I’m very excited about what Paris will bring.
I’m going to be working in a lovely patisserie, Nina’s, in the centre of the city.
It’s a wonderful opportunity for me’—she glanced at her cousin—‘to spread my wings. And I want to thank Rebecca, in particular, for inspiring me to be brave and to step out of my comfort zone.’ She lifted her glass. ‘To Rebecca.’
Rebecca, touched by her words, ran over and threw her arms around the other woman, sniffing back tears.
‘I’m going to miss you so much, Ana.’
‘And I’m going to miss you, too. I’m sorry to have to leave you.’
‘You don’t need to be sorry. You’re going to have a patisserie adventure in Paris.’
‘I meant I’m sorry for leaving you with Katerina and Cristina,’ said Ana with a laugh.
Rebecca laughed and she grinned. ‘They’re family. I’ll survive.’
Ana hugged her again. ‘Yes, family. I’m so glad you came into Felipe’s life.’ They both glanced over to where he was surrounded by friends and family, including his sisters. ‘Things have certainly changed.’
‘They have. Inês is nice to me,’ teased Rebecca.
‘That’s because Felipe has settled down and she doesn’t have to worry about him anymore. He’s so happy. Thank you,’ said Ana quietly. ‘It feels as if his life has come full circle and he’s where he’s meant to be. I’m not sure that would have happened without you.’
Rebecca batted back the praise, although inside she glowed. Felipe was everything and more than she’d ever dreamed of.
‘It’s only because I never let him win at anything. He finally met his match.’
‘Who met his match?’ asked a deep voice and she turned to find Felipe by her side.
‘You,’ she said with a cheeky smile.
‘You think?’ He raised an eyebrow.
She leaned forward on tiptoe and kissed him on the mouth. ‘I know.’
He slipped his arms around her waist. ‘On this occasion, I’m willing to concede you might be right. But I’m the winner. Every time. Because I have you by my side and nothing beats that.’
Rebecca’s eyes shimmered with tears and she gave him a wobbly smile. ‘I’ll let you have that,’ she paused, ‘but only because I love you.’
He let out a shout of laughter, kissed her again and said, ‘I love you more.’