His Horizon - Con Riley Page 0,62

his breath in a long gust. The candle at the centre of their table flickered. “You know how it is when you do your job day after day and it’s okay, it’s fine, but then you meet someone who knocks you out of the rut you’ve been ploughing without even trying? They’re so good at what they do, you race to keep up with them?”

Guy Parsons’ gaze flicked in Ian’s direction before returning to Rob. He peered down his long nose, haughty. “I might. But that doesn’t mean I’d pass off his work as mine.” That judgemental look was gone for only a moment, just long enough for him to sound honest. “No one would believe it; Ian has far more talent.”

Ian ducked his head over his camera, but not before Jude saw the surprised curl of his smile.

“So does Jude,” Rob said. “Have more talent than me, I mean. And it blows me away how well he works under pressure. But when I found out why he left…” He shook his head. “It wasn’t fair for me to win when his food was so much better. Everything on his menu was about his connection with this place. About his home. He put his heart and soul on a plate. Everything on mine… well, it’s what my dad suggested.”

Guy nodded, thoughtful. “So it was some kind of statement? A rebellion?”

“It was selfish.” Rob choked out a laugh. “I just wanted a reaction from Jude. For him to ask me why I’d done it, only he wouldn’t answer his phone, wouldn’t reply to my emails. It was like he dropped off the face of the planet. The minute I found out why—that he’d walked away from a contest that could set him up with his own business to search for his family, even though that was hope—” He verbally stumbled. “I mean there was this terrible typhoon. Even the coastguard stopped looking for them, but he wouldn’t give up. He still hasn’t. I… I had to do something. Put at least one thing right, if I could.”

Guy Parsons leant forwards as did Carl and Susan, all three caught on the same hook, line, and sinker. “By investing the money he should have won, if he stayed,” Guy prompted. “You propped up his family’s business because you had a guilty conscience?” He nudged his phone closer, capturing Rob’s quiet confession.

“Yes.” Rob stood. “I wasn’t ever the real winner. He won it the first time he put those ingredients together. He won the contest and me from the first week. From the first day, to be honest, even if that was only superficial.”

“Superficial?”

Rob said, “Have you seen him?” pausing when Susan snorted. “I was so attracted to him, but I couldn’t distract him, and believe me I tried. I never met anyone so committed, so incredibly determined. It was always his money, not mine.” He pushed back his chair and got up, taking a few steps towards the harbour-side door. “I never expected to actually win because it didn’t matter what I tried, my version of his main course still lacked something. I couldn’t figure out what was missing until I saw him cook it for you just now. Of course”—he opened the door, sea breeze blowing the candle out completely—“it was an ingredient right on the Anchor’s doorstep.”

He turned before leaving, stopping dead at Jude watching from the opposite doorway.

Guy spoke as if Jude wasn’t present. “Would you do it again, in the same situation?”

Rob met Jude’s gaze then and held it. “Would I?”

The moment drew out, Jude oblivious to Carl reaching across the table to hold his wife’s hand, and to Ian lifting his camera. Nothing else registered while Rob filled his field of vision.

“Yes. I’d do it again,” Rob said. “I’d do it all again from start to finish, and I wouldn’t want to miss a single minute.” Rob lifted his chin and spoke directly to him. “Jude, there have been plenty of moments when I thought we’d go under before we got a chance to reopen. So many times that I thought you wouldn’t ever come back, and if you did you’d hate me for this”—he gestured at the table covered in empty dishes—“and for all of the changes. But trying to put things right has made me happier than I ever imagined. So happy that I forgot about why I came here in the first place.” He stopped and swallowed. “Porthperrin feels like home now. My home, regardless