Nick had gone from believing his best hope was to fall out of love to being the happiest man alive. Being with Layla was better than brief happy madness. He’d stand a better chance of survival going over Niagara Falls in a barrel than living without her.
Every day he loved her more. Just one thing still bugged him. He’d been impatient to get married before the baby, it hadn’t happened, and they still hadn’t named the day. Preoccupied with her new job, the pregnancy and the house she’d been non-committal about picking out an engagement ring. So he’d taken the matter in hand. He’d sourced a beautiful antique diamond ring from a specialist jeweller, and commissioned her to rework it into a brand new ring with a retro vibe that he knew Layla would love.
The house needed updating so they lived at the cottage during the renovation. He hired Layla’s dad to project manage. Ralph knew all the tradesmen and ensured everyone who worked on Cliffside went above and beyond to preserve the period character. He’d also come up with the brilliant suggestion to convert the old barn into a guest cottage.
Layla got her new venture started, honoured her initial contracts, and then put it temporarily on hold to concentrate on the interior design. They moved in a week before her due date and she was now overdue by more than a week. Nick had been making pots of raspberry leaf tea, on the advice of the lady at the store, who swore by its powers to bring on labour. He was on tenterhooks, not least because he’d planned a big moment to surprise her with the engagement ring and keeping it a secret had been getting increasingly difficult.
Nick’s movie was a worldwide box office hit with work on the sequel scheduled for the fall. Being based in Cornwall wasn’t a problem. He’d done a promo tour which meant he’d been away more than he’d have liked but he was always contactable. He’d never get tired of coming home to the old farm with its breathtaking views, and the brilliant sunsets, his favourite place in the world.
It was a lovely April day, unseasonably warm, perfect for sandcastles and a picnic at the beach. Layla had the jitters, tired of waiting, so Alex and Maggie, who’d been planning a visit, had come down from London.
While Maggie and Layla had a catch up in the pretty garden Nick got the picnic ready in the huge kitchen where Alex was entertaining Horatio and Phoebe.
‘I’ll be tackling my pre-shoot training in a few weeks’ time,’ Nick said, ‘I’ve made inroads with my phobia. I’ve nailed the abseil.’
He’d learnt to abseil but not told Layla hoping to surprise her.
‘How did you keep it secret?’
‘It’s been a nightmare.’
‘So you’re going ahead as planned?’ Alex looked doubtful. ‘Couldn’t you postpone? Wait until after the baby?’
Nick shook his head stubbornly and closed the picnic hamper. ‘It’s today. I’ve made up my mind. I’ll say I’ve got some important calls to make.’
‘Call it off. Wouldn’t it be better to stay close to the car park, just in case?’
‘The cliff path’s tricky but a walk across the beach won’t be a problem. She’s been walking Ophelia every day. The midwife told her it’s good to keep moving.’
Layla squirmed in her garden chair. ‘I can’t get comfy.’
Maggie took a cushion and put it behind her back. Ophelia curled up in a fluffy snoring ball at their feet, making them giggle. Maggie gently put her hand on the baby bump.
‘When’s her highness going to grace us with her presence? How many days overdue?’ The bump shifted under her hand.
‘Nine.’ She pulled a ‘meh’ face. ‘I’d rather not be induced but the obstetrician has me booked in for tomorrow.’
‘You’d prefer it happens naturally, but don’t worry,’ Maggie said, offering moral support. ‘It’s for the best. She knows what she’s doing.’
‘Jasmine says eat curry. Nick’s going to cook us up a spicy feast tonight, so fingers crossed.’ They each crossed the fingers of both hands in unison. ‘He’s been so considerate. Nothing’s too much trouble. He’s fantastic.’ She sighed inwardly. ‘I can’t believe my luck.’
‘Same.’
They exchanged a mischievous look.
‘How are things?’
‘Alex is working all hours. He’s directing a touring production of “As You Like It”.’
Layla arched a brow cheekily. Maggie laughed. ‘Stop it!’
‘You?’
‘I’m hanging with the twins, playing with ideas for my next babywear collection and I’ve got some TV work coming up at the end of the year, I’m presenting party looks for mums-to-be and doing a makeover for three willing victims.’
‘Isn’t the usual term volunteers?’
‘It’ll be something fab and designer-ish with loads of sparkle and stunning fabrics.’
‘Ooh!’ The baby kicked and Layla’s enthusiasm sounded more like someone had stuck a pin in her side. ‘Lucky victims,’ she spluttered.
‘Are you alright?’
She drew in a deep breath. ‘Just a kick inside.’
‘Ouch! That little one’s so ready to come out.’
‘She can’t wait to try some of your lovely baby kit.’
‘I can’t wait to meet her. I bet she’s got your hair. Did I mention that you look gorgeous! You’re positively glowing.’
Layla had stopped dying her hair, so it had returned to its natural auburn. She’d undergone a Maggie makeover, consigned a few of her favourite pieces of clothing to the section of her wardrobe dedicated to painting, sent the rest of her mismatched gear to a charity shop and replaced the lot with new, sophisticated looks to go with the new version of herself.
‘I’m planning the twins’ birthday. I’d like to have the party at the beach but in case it rains I’m booking the hotel. We’ll have the birthday cake there when everyone’s had enough sea and sand. I’m really excited. Cassandra’s coming – and Beth.’
‘Drake?’
She shook her head. ‘Alex invited him but he said no. He’s working on a new project. At least he and the guys are talking on a regular basis. That’s something!’
Layla gave a shrug. ‘From what I gather it’ll be less tense without him. We could do the tea and cake at our house instead of the hotel if you like.’
‘That’s a fab idea. A double celebration. The twins’ birthday and welcoming the new baby.’
‘We’re all set.’ Ophelia woke up and pricked up her ears at the sound of Nick’s voice. ‘Listen, something’s come up. I need to make a couple of urgent calls.’
‘Want us to hang on?’
He helped Layla heave herself out of the garden chair and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
‘You guys go ahead. I’ll join you later.’ He gestured to Alex. He’d installed the twins in their car seats and was waiting with the car doors open. ‘The babies are good to go.’ Ophelia chased her tail. ‘And so’s she.’
The spring sun had attracted lots of visitors to the beach.
Alex looked at Layla with concern. ‘Okay to walk over to the cliff? Get away from the busy end?’
‘Sure.’
He carried the stroller to the hard sand and he and Maggie settled the twins.
‘Are you sure you’re happy to walk?’ Maggie pushed the stroller towards the picnic spot.
‘Absolutely. It’s boring sitting around, waiting for something to happen.’
Alex had gone back to the car for the picnic things, so Layla and Maggie wandered slowly across the smooth wet sand, and the babies fell asleep.
‘Your dad’s done a great job on the house.’
‘Thanks. I’m proud of him.’ The sun glinted on the water as they walked along the beach. Layla stooped to pick up a pebble. She rolled it between her fingers before tossing it into the sea. The dog bounded after it, splashing joyfully into the calm water. ‘Dad’s starting the barn conversion soon. Just now he’s taking a break. He and Jasmine have their hands full with Fred.’
‘Cute name.’
Layla’s heart fluttered. It was the name of her grandfather, the man who’d given the lucky charm bracelet to his bride on her wedding day.
‘We haven’t settled on a name,’ she told Maggie. ‘Nick bought a dictionary. We’ve worked our way from A to Z.’ She’d lost count of the times they had watched the changing colours of the sunset over the sea and read out possibilities. ‘We only seem to know what we don’t want.’
‘It’s a start. At least you know you’re choosing for a girl. That narrows it down.’
‘Fred getting a family name is nice.’
Bounding up Ophelia shook a spray of seawater all around. Maggie had white jeans rolled up to her calves. Designer sunglasses perched on the bridge of her nose she looked down as the dog spattered her legs with cold water. She gave Layla an apologetic smile.
‘We can take Ophelia now we’ve got a house. I feel bad we lumbered you with our rescue dog.’
Layla picked up a stick of driftwood and threw it into the sea not too far off. ‘I don’t want to fight you for her. But Nick and I love the dog. We’d miss her if she wasn’t here.’
‘And she’d miss the beach.’
‘Plus, with Mum and Mervin, and Dad and Jasmine, there are plenty of people to mind her – no need for kennels if we go away.’
‘And Alex and I have visiting rights.’
‘Yep.’ Ophelia dropped the stick at their feet. ‘It’s a good arrangement. We should stick with it.’
‘Stick with it!’
They laughed at the unintentional pun.
It felt more like early summer than April. On a blanket at the base of the cliff like a beached whale, Layla questioned the sanity of having sat down.
‘It might take a crane to lift me.’
‘Don’t be daft. Nick will be here soon. Between the three of us we’ll manage,’ Maggie teased, adding jokingly, ‘If all else fails we’ll call the coastguard and have you winched off the beach by helicopter.’
Layla drew swirly patterns in the sand with one finger. While the babies slept Alex had his nose buried in a play script, making notes in the margin. He clicked the little silver button on his pen, so deeply absorbed he didn’t know he was doing it. Phoebe woke up and squeaked, quickly building to a full wail. He dropped the book and the pages fluttered in the breeze. He carried his baby daughter to the water’s edge, dipping her toes in the sea, and jumping her over the gently breaking waves which sloshed lazily over the sand.
‘It’s not a day for the surfing crowd,’ Maggie remarked.
Layla stopped swirling. ‘Good. Less chance of running into Joe.’
‘Are you and him okay?’
‘Okay-ish,’ she said, swirling again. ‘Or at least, we will be with time.’
Under a parasol in his stroller, Horatio woke from his nap. He watched them with big blue eyes rimmed with fluttery dark lashes and reached out to his mum. Maggie lifted him up. He wriggled and clutched at her top. Kneeling with him propped between her knees she filled a bright red bucket with damp sand and encouraged him to pat it flat with the spade. When he was done patting, she turned it upside down and revealed a sandcastle.
‘Ta-dah!’
The baby leaned forward and joyfully demolished it with his teeny hands. Maggie lifted him up so that he could stomp on the remains with his pudgy feet.
Returning from the water’s edge with Phoebe, Alex dried her feet with a towel and set her down next Horatio.
‘Should we start without Nick?’ Layla scanned the cliff path anxiously. She opened the picnic basket and offered around the Cornish pasties.
While Alex and Maggie debated whether to eat first and then feed the twins, or vice versa, she tucked in, taking a delicious bite of crisp melt-in-the-mouth pastry.
Suddenly aware that Alex and Maggie had gone quiet, Layla followed the direction of their eyes. A hard-hatted figure had begun a cliff descent on ropes.
‘How inconsiderate! Imagine landing right into the middle of a picnic! Why doesn’t that lunatic go play action man someplace else?’
‘So rude!’ Alex said earnestly.
‘Some people have no manners.’
Maggie smiled. She didn’t seem too bothered.
When the abseiler was about a quarter of the way down he stopped and waved. ‘He’s stuck!’ Shading her eyes from the sun she peered up in shock. ‘Oh my gosh! It’s Nick! I don’t believe it. What if the rope snaps? Or he falls?’ She dropped the Cornish pasty on the sand and her hand fluttered to her mouth. The dog grabbed the abandoned pasty in her teeth and ran to lie a safe way off, pleased with her find. Layla trembled uncontrollably and Maggie put a steadying arm around her. ‘It’s fine. Don’t panic. He’s been practising in secret. He wants to surprise you.’
‘Why would he do something so stupid?’ Layla sighed heavily and fought back tears, her heart in her mouth.
‘Relax. It’s okay. He thought you’d be pleased.’
‘Anything could happen.’
Alex picked up Horatio. ‘That isn’t my brother. It’s an impostor. Where’s knock-kneed Uncle Nick?’ He laughed, trying to reassure Layla. It fell flat and they all watched in silence as Nick edged his way down the side of the cliff. When his feet hit the sand he took off his hard hat and unfastened the rope and harness, dropping the equipment on the ground.
Phoebe went to put a handful of sand in her mouth so Maggie picked her up. ‘Tell us who are you and what you’ve done with Nick,’ she teased, brushing the sand from the baby’s fingers.
With a wide grin Nick knelt down on one knee in front of Layla. Electricity sparked through her, mingled with extreme relief that he’d arrived safely. She loved him too much. His eyes glinted and he leant in to kiss her.
‘You nearly gave me a heart attack. I’m impressed, though. I can’t believe you just did that.’
‘Everything about me has changed, and it’s because of you. You’re the most important person in the world to me.’ He swept an arm towards the cliff. ‘Without you I couldn’t have done it. I wouldn’t have the baby who’s making her appearance tomorrow, I wouldn’t have Beth in my life, I wouldn’t have our beautiful home. I love you.’
She responded to his infectious smile. ‘I love you too.’
‘Wait. There’s more.’ He pulled a small box out of his pocket and opened it to reveal a sparkling ring – a glittering trio of diamonds. ‘I had this engagement ring made especially for you. Let’s set a date for our wedding.’
She choked back her emotions. He’d overcome his barriers, he’d chosen her, but what if she couldn’t be what he needed. She felt all flummoxed, doubted he’d fully left behind the damage of his past. What if she couldn’t be the right wife for Nick?
A cloud obscured the sun and a sudden strong contraction sent a spasm of pain banding around her middle and spreading out from her backbone.
‘Crikey O’Reilly!’
They all laughed, the baby twins included.
‘That’s not the answer I was hoping for.’
‘Help me up Nick. I need to go back. Now!’
‘Are you …? It’s started?’
‘Yes, I think so. She’s on her way.’
Maggie quickly handed Phoebe to Alex and helped get Layla up from the blanket on the ground. ‘I’ll call an ambulance.’
Layla breathed deeply and calmly and with the help of Nick started to walk. After only a few paces a second contraction stopped her in her tracks.
‘We should get the coastguard,’ Nick said.
The contraction ended. ‘I’m having a baby, I’m not a sinking ship.’ Holding tight to his hand she resolutely fixed on the Kandy Shack’s bright sign in the distance and walked towards it.
Abandoning the picnic things Maggie and Alex bundled the babies into to the stroller and hurried along behind.
‘They’re sending an ambulance but it’ll take at least forty-five minutes to get here. That’s an hour and a half round trip. The contractions are getting closer together. I don’t think you have that long.’ Maggie whispered the news to Nick but Layla heard it too in a blur of breathing and walking and focusing on the sign that was slowly but surely getting nearer.
Another agonizing contraction rooted her to the spot. Nick supported her, his hand pressed to the base of her spine and she breathed through it, stoically walking on when she was ready, until the next one and the next.
‘This baby’s a contrary little madam,’ she stammered between gritted teeth. ‘She’s kept us waiting and all of a sudden she’s in a hurry to get here.’ Maggie held her free hand and she desperately clutched it.
‘Look,’ Nick spoke calmly. ‘We need a plan, in case the ambulance doesn’t get here in time.’
Only a few feet further on Layla bent forward, debilitated by the feeling that her legs were made of lead, she couldn’t move any further, and her waters broke. She sank down onto the sand. Maggie gave her a drink of water and smoothed her hair back off her face. ‘It’ll be okay,’ she soothed, ‘Nick’s going to think of something.’
He felt useless, a hulking great waste of space, hit by a wave of panic he could barely control. He turned to his brother, ‘Alex, give me your car keys. You’re the best one to stay.’
He took off across the sand, running like he’d never run before, overwhelmed by a flood of worry and guilt. Fear speared his gut, he’d done this to her, the abseil had given her a fright, started labour. He ran on, determined to make it alright. Every particle of emotional remoteness had fallen away months ago. But a part of him had remained turned in on himself. Not anymore. He focused on Layla and what she needed from him. All he wanted was for her and the baby to be safe.
Panic on lockdown he went into overdrive. With the hospital miles away and things moving fast, driving there wasn’t an option. They’d have to go home. Heart beating wildly, he stopped at the Kandy Shack and asked Shelly to call the midwife and meet them at the house. Then he sprinted to the car park and drove Alex’s four-by-four to the slipway and down onto the sand. Luckily Mervin had stopped by the kiosk to see Shelly, so he directed proceedings, asking the day-trippers on the beach to move and make a safe corridor for Nick to reach Layla.
Shelly acted fast and she and the midwife from the local surgery were there when Nick pulled the car up to the front door at Cliffside. He’d made the right decision because no more than fifteen dramatic minutes later the baby’s first cry stopped the world from spinning for a split second.