The Secret Seaside Escape - Heidi Swain Page 0,130

to sound more in control than he probably felt. ‘I’m okay, just a bit overwhelmed by the thought of being solely responsible for Bruce, that’s all.’

‘Don’t you worry about that,’ said Hope stoically. ‘I’ll have him to heel in no time.’

Hope had now moved permanently to Home Farm and I knew the pair were looking forward to having the place to themselves, aside from Bruce of course. The mad mutt hadn’t completely switched allegiance from me to Hope, but I was happy to leave her in charge.

‘I don’t doubt it,’ Joe laughed, kissing her on the lips. ‘You’ve already worked wonders.’

Hope was loving life on the farm and had wasted no time at all in helping convince Charlie that Joe’s potential diversification project ideas were all good ones. Joe was keen to carry on the environmental work his father had started and he had also offered Hope the use of the currently empty stable block which she could convert for her business if she wanted to.

I knew she was extremely excited about the idea, but didn’t want to rush too far ahead. Her re-kindled relationship with Joe was still getting off the ground and she didn’t want to put it under any pressure.

‘Did we miss him?’ said a breathless voice behind us.

It was Sophie and Dad. They were both clearly out of puff and I didn’t want to consider why. The look on Hope’s face told me she was thinking the same thing.

‘Just gone,’ said Sam. ‘You two look a bit flushed, did you jog here?’

Sophie looked embarrassed but the smile on Dad’s face was reminder enough that the pair were extremely happy together. Dad was currently living at Sophie’s now Hope had moved out and was thoroughly loving life by the sea. He’d even been spotted waiting tables in the café, which was something I would have to witness with my own eyes before I believed it.

‘I’ve had a call from the estate agent,’ he said to me, opting not to answer Sam’s question. ‘It’s good news.’

Both my apartment and the family home were up for sale and attracting a fair amount of attention. Joan and her husband were looking after both properties and Dad was insisting that the house was sold with them in situ. I wasn’t sure if that was going to be possible, but I knew he would still do right by them should they have to leave.

I had been negotiating the apartment sale myself, but as I couldn’t always get a phone signal, I had instructed the agent to talk to Dad as well.

‘They’ve had a full asking price offer on your place, Tess, and the house has had one come in at ten thousand under.’

‘That’s fantastic,’ I gasped, ‘and so fast. Are you going to haggle over the house?’

‘No,’ said Dad, ‘because the woman who wants to buy it also wants Joan and Jim. I didn’t think we’d get lucky on that front, so I’ve cut my losses and accepted already.’

‘That’s great news,’ said Sam, putting his arm around my waist. ‘So Wynmouth has gained not one, not two, but three Tylers this summer.’

Sam and Joe’s expressions had been even more memorable than I had expected them to be the day Hope and I told them we were sisters. In fact, they had looked so hilarious, I rather regretted not having my phone to hand to record the moment.

‘It certainly has,’ I said, kissing his stubbly cheek, ‘and now we can push ahead with our plan too.’

Sam had agreed to let me buy Crow’s Nest Cottage and although I still hadn’t decided what I was going to do about work, I did have the cosiest abode in the village to live in as I made up my mind. The sale of my car was going to free up enough funds to live on for a while and, because my life in Wynmouth was far less expensive than in Essex, downsizing felt like no hardship at all.

‘Let’s get back in,’ said Joe, ‘it’s starting to rain again.’

It was already dark in the pub and I helped Hope light some candles while Sam went back to serving behind the bar. If it stayed overcast, we might even consider lighting the fire later.

‘So, how are things with you and Sam?’ Hope quietly asked me.

‘So good,’ I told her, trying not to sound smug or let thoughts of our cosy nights in make me blush too much.

‘He’s like a new man,’ my sister grinned, which made me colour up anyway.

‘I’m not sure if that’s down to me or his bionic new leg, to be honest,’ I told her.

Hope rolled her eyes.

‘You, of course!’ she laughed. ‘Although it’s so good to see he’s not in pain anymore.’

It certainly was. There was a new light in Sam’s beautiful green eyes and he spent a whole lot more of his time smiling now. In the end, Joe had decided to also tell Charlie that Sam hadn’t been responsible for the crash and I knew it was a weight off both of their minds. Sam had been hailed a hero by the eldest Upton brother and although unwilling to accept the moniker, he really was a changed man.

I left Hope lighting the last of the candles with Joe and stepped behind the bar myself. I had been helping out a bit and had fallen in love with my change of lifestyle every bit as much as I had fallen for the man who had given me my first kiss.

When I had planned my secret escape to the Wynmouth seaside, I’d had no idea that I wouldn’t be leaving again, or that Dad would be joining me, but I was delighted with how everything had turned out.

‘All right?’ Sam asked, walking to the end of the bar and pulling me into the shadows.

I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid my head against his broad chest.

‘Perfectly all right,’ I said, breathing in the comforting combined scent of him and his aftershave.

Being held by him felt like coming home and I relaxed into his embrace before looking up so he could kiss me on the lips. Every time we touched it felt every bit as stirring as it had that first time behind the beach huts all those years ago.

‘Everything is very perfect indeed,’ I sighed contentedly. ‘I always knew it would be if I made my way back to Wynmouth.’