Epilogue
Lucinda Miller’s gold Versace dress was so tight that she had to hop sideways up the steps from below deck of The Neptune.
I attempted a wolf-whistle and she giggled. Her sense of fun had helped us all through what had had the potential to be a very difficult day. And to think that if I had airbrushed her photo, like my boss had wanted me to do back in March, none of us would be standing here now.
How things had changed in a few short months; now I was happier than I’d ever thought possible.
The fabric of Lucinda’s dress was so dazzling in the sunshine that I was glad I’d got sunglasses on. Gabe helped her up the last step and then climbed off the boat to join me on the jetty.
‘Does my bum look big in this?’ said Lucinda, trying to look over her shoulder. ‘There’s no long mirror in Gabe’s bedroom.’
‘Huge,’ said Candy, winking at me, ‘I might actually need to change to a wide-angled lens.’
Lucinda stuck out her tongue. ‘Oh shut up and get on with it.’
‘I won’t forget today in a hurry,’ Gabe murmured in my ear, wrapping his arms round my waist, ‘a famous actress in designer gear being photographed by your ex in a dress on my boat.’
‘Dad’s boat,’ I corrected. ‘And I hope that’s not the only reason you’ll remember today?’
I turned within the circle of his arms and pressed a lingering kiss to his lips. A kiss that promised there’d be more where that came from.
‘No, of course not,’ he said with a grin, ‘it’s also the Barnaby Summer Fair today.’
I smacked him playfully.
Candy held up her iPhone and took the picture. ‘Damn, girl, you look hot.’
Gabe raised an eyebrow at me. He was doing his best to warm to Candy, but I knew he was struggling to forgive her for what had happened in the past. I loved that Gabe was so protective of me and every day I felt blessed that I’d finally allowed him into my heart.
Lucinda grabbed the phone off Candy to approve it. ‘It’s all right, I suppose. Right, let’s upload. How much do you reckon we’ll get for this on Depop?’
‘One hundred?’ I said with a shrug. ‘Two?’
Lucinda had a huge following on social media and it had almost doubled when the press announced she’d be starring in a new film with Tom Hiddleston next year. When I’d asked her if she’d come and model the clothes from Helena’s cupboard, she’d offered to sell them through her own page too.
‘What’s Depop?’ Gabe whispered.
‘It’s an app; imagine if Snapchat and eBay had a baby,’ I replied.
‘Oh right,’ said Gabe, looking none the wiser.
I peeled myself away from him and clambered back on to The Neptune.
‘We’re off,’ I said, kissing them both on the cheek. ‘Thank you for doing this. I can’t tell you how grateful I am.’
‘You’re kidding me!’ said Lucinda, turning round so Candy could unzip her. ‘We’ll raise loads of money for the hospice. My mum would be so proud of me. And then after I’ve officially opened the village summer fair thing I’ve got an interview lined up with a top reporter from the Derbyshire Bugle later on, so it’ll be great publicity for the charity and for me.’
‘The reporter – his name isn’t Robin, is it?’ I asked.
Lucinda nodded. ‘Yup. He said to ring him when we got to the swimwear shoot.’
‘Did he really?’ I said, suppressing a smile. That cheeky chap would go far, I reckoned.
She picked up her skirt and climbed clumsily back down the stairs to change into another outfit, leaving me with Candy.
‘And I think I owed you one hell of a favour,’ said Candy, taking my hands. ‘Thank you. For your forgiveness and for your understanding. You too, Gabe. It means a lot. I never expected … I don’t deserve …’ Her voice cracked and she shook her head.
‘You make a happier woman than you did a man,’ I said, pulling her into a hug. ‘Anyway, those eyelashes were wasted on a man.’
I hopped back on to the jetty, Gabe holding his hand out to steady me.
‘Right,’ I smiled at him, ‘I’m all yours.’
He stroked my cheek with his finger. ‘Is that a promise?’
‘Cross my heart,’ I said, grabbing his finger and making an ‘X’ on my T-shirt with it.
Paolo rang as we climbed into Gabe’s van (the plan had been to sell it, but it was useful for ferrying supplies between the Lemon Tree Café and the Lemon Tree Pizza Cabin, and also it was more Noah-proof than Gabe’s posh work car, so he’d kept it).
‘Ciao, Paolo, is everything OK, have they arrived?’
‘Hey, baby! I just pick up your parents from the airport, we are driving to Sorrento now. Wow, Luisa is one hot mamma. Wait, I put them on hands-free.’
‘Oh Paolo, you charmer,’ I heard Mum say with a titter.
‘Keep your eyes on the road, there’s a good chap, these bends are a death trap.’ Dad sounded petrified.
‘You’ll be safe with Paolo,’ I giggled. ‘How was the flight, Mum?’
‘Smooth as silk, but more importantly, how are you, how’s the day going so far?’
‘Nonna’s now completely moved in to Stanley’s. Angela is helping them set up their new king-size bed. Gabe and I are just leaving The Neptune and all of his stuff is out. And once Candy and Lucinda have finished taking the photos for the hospice, the boat will be ready for you to take it on its first outing.’
As expected, even though Stanley had been well enough to live on his own for weeks, Nonna never did come home again. She’d put her house on the market and yesterday the sale had been finalized and she’d handed over the keys. Mum and Dad had jumped on the first plane to Naples for a second honeymoon (the third would be on The Neptune, according to Dad) and Paolo had insisted that they stay at Bar Bufalo.
‘And what about you, darling?’ Mum said with a catch in her voice. ‘How are you?’
‘We,’ I reached across for Gabe’s hand, ‘are almost home.’
As soon as Gabe stopped the van outside Nonna’s cottage, Noah burst through the door, swiftly followed by a girl with brown wavy hair and dancing green eyes … It couldn’t be … It was …!
I leapt from the van and dived on my friend.
‘VERITY BLOOM!’ I gasped, looking from her to Gabe. ‘When you said babysitter, I didn’t realize …’
‘It was my brilliant idea,’ Verity beamed. ‘I thought you and Gabe might like some time, you know, on your own.’ She jerked her head towards the cottage.
‘There’s a trapdoor in my bedroom!’ cried Noah, punching his arms in the air.
‘Noah’s bed arrived while you were out so I asked the men to assemble it directly over the trapdoor,’ said Verity pointedly.
‘And how’s the slide, dude?’ Gabe pretended to pick Noah up by his ears and kissed him on his forehead.
‘The slide is the best thing in the world,’ said Noah, eyes shining. He put a hand to his mouth. ‘Auntie Verity’s bottom got stuck down it, but she said not to say anything.’
Verity rolled her eyes. ‘And on that note … Come on, we’ve got a summer fair to go to. We’ll see you two later.’ She winked. ‘As late as you like.’
Noah slipped his hand into Verity’s and the two of them set off towards the village green where Stella Derry was directing proceedings with her usual aplomb ready for a noon kick-off. Suddenly Noah broke free from Verity’s grasp, darted back towards the cottage and threw himself at me.
‘Hello again,’ I laughed, kissing his adorable little face.
‘I’ve changed my mind,’ he whispered loudly in my ear. ‘The slide on my bed isn’t the best thing in the world. You are.’
Gabe and I exchanged gooey smiles.
‘Oh Noah Green,’ I said, biting back tears, ‘carry on saying things like that and I’ll end up spoiling you rotten.’
His eyes popped open wide. ‘Can I have one of Churchill’s puppies?’
I looked at Gabe questioningly, he lifted a shoulder as if to say, Why not?
I nodded at Noah. ‘Go and tell Biddy, she’ll be thrilled.’
He ran back to join Verity and I turned to Gabe.
‘So this is it.’ I looked up at the man who had reawakened my soul. ‘Our first home together.’
I gasped as Gabe scooped me up into his arms and kissed me with a passion that sent my heart soaring.
‘Are you carrying me over the threshold?’ I said when we came up for air.
‘I am and yes, I know we’re not married,’ he murmured, gazing at me with such intensity that there was no mistaking his love for me. ‘Yet.’
And then without taking his eyes from mine he took the first step to our new life. The door was open and we went through it. Together.