A Perfect Cornish Escape by Phillipa Ashley Page 0,107

Dirk had a glimmer of a chance at making a go of things.

‘You know I’ll miss you,’ Dirk said, so gently that she could hardly bear it. ‘But I’d never hold you back. You’d despise me if I tried.’

‘Despise?’ She smiled, but her heart ached. ‘That’s not quite the word I’d use.’

‘You wouldn’t respect me if I asked you to stay. Which I both want and absolutely don’t. If you really need to be here for Marina’s sake, that’s different.’

Was it? She cared for Marina, she cared for Dirk. In different ways, of course, but each equally as powerful. The pull of Porthmellow had become stronger by the day, a little bit at a time, carrying her away from the shore until she was so far out, she wasn’t sure she could get back.

‘Actually, it was Marina who told Yvette I should take the job. I’d turned it down once.’

‘And you should take it.’ He looked into her eyes. ‘Be all that you could and should be, for my sake.’

Tiff saw his expression and she realised, finally, that he probably was right. Why was it so very hard to do the thing she’d vowed from the start – have no regrets? Was he secretly feeling as sad as her at the possibility she actually might leave soon?

The worst thing was she’d probably never know now …

She fought back tears, and placed her finger on his mouth, feeling its warmth. ‘Please, would it be OK,’ she managed, ‘if we avoided the issue for now and had knicker-ripping, hot and sweaty sex?’

His audible intake of breath told her that her diversion tactic had worked.

‘Hmm. Let me think …’

His eyes darkened with passion and Tiff’s own body tautened with desire. He leaned in closer and she felt his breath against her as his lips brushed the tender skin of her neck. How could she ever leave … would it be so very bad to stay and experience this every day?

‘Dirk!’

Her shriek of delighted surprise pierced the air as, without warning, he swept her up in his arms and dropped her onto the Chesterfield. Even as she was getting her breath back, he was pulling his sweater and T-shirt off in one go and wasting no time in delivering on her request.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

After more soul searching, Marina decided to start formal divorce proceedings from Nate. Her lawyer pointed out that it was the natural step, given that she’d applied to dissolve the marriage anyway. However, that was when she’d accepted he was gone and that the dissolution was a conclusion to a process she’d had seven years to grow used to – divorce brought a whole new load of emotional baggage. At least it should go through quickly, as Nate had so clearly deserted her, behaved unreasonably, committed adultery … He ticked every box, her solicitor had said in an attempt at grim humour.

Without her Wave Watchers shifts, she’d thrown herself into her college work, and now the new term had begun she had more than enough to occupy her. Yet even with a few weeks away from the station, she still felt as if she’d cut off a limb: she missed it so much – the camaraderie, the sense of purpose and company. However, she still couldn’t face going back, and the longer she stayed away, the harder it was to even contemplate a return. The thought of walking into the station, built on a sham, made her feel ill.

One Saturday morning, after Tiff had stayed overnight at Dirk’s, she had the cottage to herself. The face she saw in the mirror when she went into the bathroom was gaunt and pale.

She needed to sort herself out, so she showered, put on some make-up and dug out a new top she hadn’t even worn from the wardrobe. Her Wave Watchers uniform, the blouses and trousers, still hung in the same place they had for weeks. She wondered if she’d ever have use for them again.

A knock on the door took her out of her thoughts. Hoping it wasn’t anyone from the press, she went downstairs to unlock it. The moment she opened it a chorus of voices rang out.

‘Surprise!’

The lane was blocked by a crowd of people. There was Gareth, Trevor and Doreen plus half a dozen other members of the Wave Watchers. Rachel and several of the lifeboat crew had also joined the throng, along with Troy, Evie and Aaron Carman. She spotted the harbourmaster, the guy who ran the diving school,