to have. And it breaks my heart. Every. Single. Time. There are so many things that she will never love like we did. I just want her to be happy. And it’s so hard.’
Simon groaned out loud. ‘I am the one who should apologise. I have seen you all day and not once asked how Gemma is getting on. How old is she now? Twelve?’
Kate smiled as though the sun had come out again, and Simon’s heart leapt at the intensity of joy in Kate’s face. ‘She’ll be thirteen in three weeks’ time, but she is already a teenager at heart—right down to the nail polish and fashion. I shall be working extra shifts at head office at this rate, to pay for all the designer labels that she will need to look cool in the next few years.’
Simon paused for a moment, before lowering his voice and asking, ‘Is that why you agreed to take this assignment? So you could work sooner at headquarters and be closer to home?’
Kate laughed out loud and shifted back slightly, so that she could stroke his cheek with one finger.
‘You always were too clever for your own good, Reynolds. Do you know that?’ But then her laughter eased away. ‘You’re right. I sold my flat in London six months ago and moved back to live with dad and Gemma. It wasn’t … Well, it wasn’t working out very well for me.’
‘Ah,’ Simon replied with a knowing nod. ‘Was that not working out because of some uncaring boyfriend? Or was it—’ and at this he flashed his teeth in a pretend grimace ‘—a lazy husband who did not polish the silver to your exacting standards?’
Kate reared back, wide-eyed, and stared at him. ‘Has all this African sun gone to your head? No, Simon. No husband, boyfriend, or, in case you were wondering, illegitimate children.’ And then she smiled and shot him a cheeky glance. ‘I would have told you if you had asked. And of course I don’t need to ask you about children. What did you used to say?’
She lifted her chin, and to Simon’s horror gave a very good impression of his normal speaking voice.
‘The first five years are crucial to career development, darling. Family life must wait until there is a firm financial footing.’
Simon dropped his head onto his chest and groaned. ‘Oh, no. Did I really sound so arrogant and pompous back then? I don’t know how you put up with me.’
‘Oh, it wasn’t so bad. You did call me darling now and again, and of course it wouldn’t have been half as much fun without you to keep me on my toes.’
He looked down at her and pursed his lips. ‘Fun? What can you mean?’
‘We made a good team. Having you around meant that I had to work that little bit harder to get top marks in every class. You would claw your way to the top, then I would knock you back into second again. Just to keep you busy, you understand. I knew how you hated to be bored.’
‘Hah!’ he snorted. ‘So that was the reason! You need not have worried. It was never boring when you were around. Darling.’
He smiled into her eyes, and she into his, and as the sun set behind Simon’s back the only sound was the soundtrack of nature which was playing in the background.
It was as though they had never been apart. She made him feel young, and so full of enthusiasm and fire and life and energy for what was to come. So innocent, in many ways. She was the only girl he had ever felt so easy and comfortable with. The only girl he had allowed to peek below his outside layer of confident bravado so that they could share their goals and dreams.
Kate had taken hold of his hands and was splaying out his fingers on the skirt of her dress, which was now only just visible in the fading sunset.
Her face was lit by the rays of the setting sun, and seemed to glow in the orange and pink-tinged light. Her blonde hair was a halo of gold, her skin like sheets of the finest softest silk. He took in every tiny detail of how she looked and what she was wearing, the beach and the tree … and at that moment he fell in love with Katie O’Neill all over again. If he had ever fallen out of love with her in the first place—which, if