that it had all turned out all right. I wondered if she would be as happy if she knew Joe was still carrying a torch for her.
‘I didn’t think a bit of male bonding over a practical task would be any bad thing,’ she smiled.
I knew that it was going to take a whole lot more than a bit of male bonding to make things properly right, but fingers crossed what we were witnessing was a healthy and long-lasting move in the right direction for Joe and Sam’s relationship, even if Joe was going to struggle to get used to seeing Hope on the arm of his former best friend.
‘Right,’ Joe said to me, just a little while later, ‘I’m going to head home.’
‘What, already?’ I frowned, unable to keep the disappointment out of my voice.
The evening was only just in full swing and even though I knew there was going to be plenty to be getting on with ahead of the party tomorrow night, I was keen to keep the guys together and talking for as long as possible.
‘Yeah,’ he said, looking about him, ‘I need to go.’
I could see Sam and Hope talking cosily together and wondered if that was the reason behind Joe’s desire to get away. I could hardly come right out and ask him in the packed bar, but I wished I could.
‘Are you sure you can’t stay just a little bit longer?’ I asked, pulling him out of earshot of everyone else. ‘You and Sam seem to have really turned a corner tonight.’
‘We have,’ he told me. ‘We really have, but you have to understand Tess, that no matter how easy you want this to be, it just isn’t.’
‘Okay,’ I relented, not wanting to push him if he really had reached saturation point. ‘You do know though,’ I carried on nonetheless, trying to make him aware that if he wanted to open up to me about his feelings for Hope then he could, ‘that if there’s anything you want to talk about, Joe . . .’
‘Well, now, good evening you two,’ said George, neatly stepping between us. ‘How are you, Joe?’
‘Good,’ Joe smiled, still looking at me, ‘I’m good, thanks, George.’
‘That’s lovely to hear,’ George smiled back. ‘Now, Tess,’ he said, turning his attention to me, ‘I wonder if I might borrow you for a moment, my dear? I seem to have mislaid my glasses.’
Joe took the moment to slip away and it turned out that George had his glasses all along.
‘Why do I get the impression that you did that on purpose, George?’ I asked as he pulled the case out of his pocket with a flourish and a not altogether convincing look of surprise.
‘Because,’ he said wisely, ‘some things in life simply aren’t meant to be rushed. You have to let them run their own course and allow them to happen in their own time.’
‘Even if that’s taking literally years to happen?’ I asked.
‘Even then,’ he sagely replied, and I knew that he was right, ‘especially then in fact.’
First Sophie and now George. I seemed to be surrounded by people in Wynmouth who were keen to impart words of wisdom at opportune moments!
Chapter 20
That night, I mulled over what George had said. I might have wanted to hurry things along between Sam and Joe now they were finally moving in the right direction, but I knew he was right. It had taken years for the pair to achieve what they had just managed to do, and there was nothing to be gained from trying to force the situation further. As far as repairing their relationship was concerned, and in spite of whatever it was that was still troubling Joe, it would be playing the long game that scored the final victory.
There were just a handful of us gathered on the beach before five the next morning to watch the solstice sun come up. Most people were clearly more interested in turning out for the party and watching it set under the merry influence of Sophie’s legendary rum punch, but I was pleased I had set the bedside alarm and made the effort. As I watched the day dawn and the sun slowly climb over the horizon, I wondered how many more Wynmouth sunrises and sunsets I was going to be privy to.
‘Penny for them,’ asked Sam, who had also turned out and was standing between me and Hope.
‘I was just thinking what a relief it was that the sun has decided to