Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
A fter finishing her painting, Dilly made her way back from the cliffs, craving a change of scenery. She’d decided to have her first sleepover at the lighthouse so she mentally ran through the list of things she’d need: a sleeping bag and pillow, a kettle, some provisions, and her favourite book. It was a simple plan, but it felt like a small adventure, a step towards embracing the new chapter in her life.
As soon as she walked into the gallery, she locked the door behind her and turned her gaze to the portrait of her mother, still resting on the easel. The painting was finished, and Dilly felt an immense sense of pride. It was so lifelike that Eva’s eyes almost sparkled and her smile seemed so real. There was only one thing left to do and that was to sign the painting. The portrait was more than just a piece of art to her and would never be for sale, but it was going to be centre stage in her brand-new gallery.
She needed to sort out a few things on the business side of her big life-change, starting with finding a staff member to manage the community gallery. Sitting down at her computer, she began drafting the job description. The role was crucial, as the person would be responsible, along with handling day-to-day operations, for assisting customers and liaising with local artists and colleges. Dilly carefully outlined the qualifications and responsibilities, emphasising the importance of passion for art, excellent customer service skills and knowledge of the local community. When she was satisfied with the wording, she posted it on her website and local social media groups. The position was to begin in two weeks’ time, which gave Dilly plenty of time to set up the new gallery.
After she had gathered the items for her night at the lighthouse, she headed back down Lighthouse Lane.
‘I’ve been looking out for you!’ Amelia was standing in the door of The Story Shop and hurried over towards Dilly, giving her a hug. ‘You are such a dark horse. Congratulations!’
‘Thank you!’
‘How, when, where?’ asked Amelia.
‘I think we’re of the age where I don’t need to draw you a diagram!’ Dilly replied with a smile.
‘I knew the second that Max Harrington walked into the gallery holding flowers. That spark between you both could light up the whole of Puffin Island. I just can’t believe you managed to keep your relationship a secret without any of us knowing for months. God, he’s gorgeous! And how beautiful are your babies going to be?’
Realisation dawned on Dilly. Amelia believed that Max was the father of her babies and that their relationship had been going on for a while. Dilly was taken back and, though she didn’t know why, she didn’t correct her.
‘I congratulated him only minutes ago,’ added Amelia. ‘He looked like a proud parent-to-be too.’
Dilly’s eyes widened in surprise. ‘Say that again?’
‘He was walking down Lighthouse Lane just a few minutes ago. Well, maybe more like ten minutes.’
That little piece of information hit Dilly like a tidal wave. She looked towards the bottom of Lighthouse Lane but there was no sign of Max.
Hastily, Dilly took off, juggling the items in her hands as she hurried towards the bay. ‘I’ve got to go, catch up later!’ she shouted to Amelia. Her heart was pounding; Max was back and she needed to talk to him.
Her eyes darted along the golden sand then towards the tables outside the Cosy Kettle, but there was no sign of him. She quickened her pace and headed towards the boat house. As soon as she arrived she dropped everything she was carrying. Her dad looked up. ‘Where’s the fire?’
‘Max. Have you seen him?’ she asked urgently.
Ralph shook his head. ‘But if you do, tell him he’s welcome back to work, because I’m already behind today.’
Dilly stepped back outside, scanning the surrounding area again. Damn. Where could he have gone? She picked up her things and headed towards the lighthouse. The best place to see across the bay would be at the top of the tower and she could use the binoculars. Once inside the lighthouse she grabbed a quick drink of water then climbed the steps to the top. She welcomed the breeze as soon as she stepped outside and perched on the bench, the binoculars trained across the bay. ‘Where are you?’ she muttered.
About to give up, she heard a loud whistle. She spun around towards the harbour and couldn’t believe her eyes. Through the binoculars, she saw Max perched on top of the largest rock, waves gently lapping around it.
‘What the…’ she murmured to herself. He was waving something. Oh my gosh… It was the semaphore flags! Her heart skipped a beat as she realised what he was doing. He was going to send her a message.
Max began moving the flags. Dilly watched, her breath catching in her throat, as he spelled out his first message.
I A-M S-O-R-R-Y
A smile hitched on Dilly’s face. She swallowed a lump. Max had chosen the most old-fashioned, heartfelt way to express his feelings. She fixed her gaze on him as he carefully spelled out:
B-U-T T-H-A-T-S N-O-T A-L-L
I D-O-N-T W-A-N-T T-O L-I-V-E W-I-T-H-O-U-T Y-O-U
Each letter laid his heart on the line. Happy tears blurred Dilly’s eyes and she quickly wiped them with the back of her hand. Max wasn’t finished. He began to hold up the flags again.
L-E-T-S M-A-K-E T-H-I-S W-O-R-K
By now, a crowd had gathered on the edge of the harbour, captivated by the man standing on the rock waving flags in the air. When the last message was spelled out, Max threw his hands up, waiting for her response.
Without hesitation, Dilly cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted from the top of her lungs. ‘YES!’ The word echoed across the bay and the crowd that had gathered erupted into cheers and applause. Max punched the air triumphantly, his grin wide, before putting the flags away in a duffle bag.
Dilly noticed her dad had been watching with a knowing smile from the doors of the boat house, and saw him shout to Max, ‘Now can you get back to work? No, I’m only joking! You can have the rest of the day off.’
With a final wave to the cheering onlookers, Max tossed the duffle bag onto the shore and dived off the rock into the sparkling blue water of the bay. The crowd erupted into a fresh round of applause as he swam confidently towards the lighthouse. Dilly hot-footed it down the stairs and flung open the front door just as Max pulled himself up onto the jetty, dripping wet but beaming with happiness.
She ran towards him. Max flung his arms open wide and Dilly jumped straight into them. ‘I feel like I’m in a movie!’ she exclaimed. ‘Eugh! You’re all wet!’
Max smiled, holding her tightly. ‘Sorry-not-sorry about that!’ He tilted her head towards his and kissed her. ‘I got your message.’
Another round of applause could be heard from the crowd gathered on the beach. Lost in the moment, Dilly felt her heart swell with happiness. Even though they had a lot to talk about, this was the start she wanted.