‘He really did love you,’ reassured Nolan. ‘I know that from all the stories over the years. I just wish he was here with us now so he could tell you himself.’

  ‘Me too,’ replied Martha, looking at Gwen. ‘I’m sorry I never shared all this with you before now. I know you got teased at school for not having a father, and the way people looked at us because I wasn’t married. There was a part of me that felt a little ashamed you didn’t have a normal family life and that we spent the whole time scrimping and saving. But there was no way I was ever going to be forced to give you up.’

  Gwen stood up and opened her arms wide, pulling Isla and then Martha in, enveloping them in the biggest hug. Martha was sobbing and tears were running down everyone’s cheeks. ‘We’ve wasted a lot of time when we could have been a family, let’s not waste any more,’ said Gwen. Slowing pulling away, she looked at Nolan then took his hand. ‘It looks like you have a new family.’

  ‘It does,’ he replied. ‘It wasn’t what I expected when I woke up this morning – but although there’s a lot of emotion and pain in this situation, there’s also happiness.’ he said, joining the hug.

  An emotional Bea looked on, happy that everyone had been reunited. There was one person missing, though, and Bea gazed up at the sky, wondering what Morgan would have made of all this. As they all sat back down, she unfastened the seahorse necklace and handed it to Martha. ‘Strength and courage,’ she said. ‘You’re a remarkable woman, Martha. Take this. It’s yours.’

  Martha gave Bea a watery smile. ‘Thank you,’ she said, clutching the necklace in the palm of her hand.

  ‘I think we all need something a bit stronger than tea,’ suggested Nolan.

  ‘I agree,’ Martha, Gwen and Isla chorused, causing everyone to laugh.

  As Nolan stood up, Bea went to collect some glasses. ‘Thank God my grandfather kept this boat stocked up with more than enough alcohol.’ He raised a wooden panel on the floor and Bea linked her arm through his as she peered downwards.

  There was a secret section underneath and Nolan lowered himself a couple of rungs on a small ladder. ‘Should we have champagne?’ he asked, unsure. ‘I think we have many reasons to celebrate. Martha and Gwen have been reunited and as much as Martha and Morgan’s paths should have been the same, at least now Martha has the comfort of knowing he came back for her … and then there’s you, Bea, a new addition to the family of Heartcross.’

  ‘And let’s not forget you. You have a new family.’

  Nolan smiled. ‘I have and it’s all a little surreal.’ He chose a bottle of champagne and closed the hatch. ‘This was in the mini fridge so at least it will be chilled.’

  ‘There’s also something else to celebrate,’ said Bea, giving him a nudge with her elbow. ‘Hemingway and Fernsby have closed their first case.’ High-fiving him, she pressed a kiss to his lips.

  ‘I still think I did most of the work,’ he replied with a glint in his eye.

  ‘I dispute that wholeheartedly.’

  Nolan popped the cork and everyone stood on deck with a glass of champagne. ‘I think we should have a toast,’ he suggested. All eyes were on him.

  ‘Here’s to new beginnings, family and The Little Blue Boathouse, where chance summer meetings took us by surprise in the past and present and have brought us all closer. Happy endings! And not forgetting, to Morgan and The Hemingway.’

  They clinked their glasses. Even though they had started with an air of uncertainty and profound sadness, a lot of questions had been answered and everyone felt lighter and happier. Hopefully they could all now move on from the past.

  ‘I can’t believe I’ve got a new family,’ Nolan said happily. ‘I am genuinely chuffed.’

  ‘You two need an invite to Granny’s surprise dinner at The Lakehouse,’ exclaimed Isla, then brought her hand up to her mouth when she realised what she’d said.

  ‘I think the word “surprise” means we aren’t meant to say anything,’ said Bea, laughing.

  ‘I don’t need any more surprises at my time of life,’ said Martha. ‘Can we all just agree that everything is plain sailing from now on?’

  ‘Agreed,’ chorused everyone.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  One week later

  Bea didn’t mind waking up to an empty bed, especially when she was greeted by the aroma of sizzling sausages and the sound of a kettle boiling. Already she could feel the warmth of the day filtering through the open window. It was finally the day of the River Festival and in the last twenty-four hours everyone had decorated their boats ready for the water parade. For the last week she’d spent every waking moment possible with Nolan and both of them had avoided the subject of what was going to happen after today. She knew the ball was in his court. He was still healing from his own past and she knew that if she had to let him go, as much as it would break her heart, that’s what she would do. Life in Heartcross wouldn’t be the same without him but his promise that he would be back gave her a little hope. And even though she felt sad that this was their last day together, she was going to try and savour every second.

  Hearing him singing along to the radio in the kitchen she smiled as she picked up her phone to check her emails. Her eyes fixed on the top email – from Andrew Glossop. She opened it and scanned the text and then had to read it again. Not believing her eyes, she bounced out of bed.

  ‘Nolan! Nolan!’

  ‘Where’s the fire?’ he asked, popping his head around the kitchen door and cocking an eyebrow. ‘And good morning!’ he said, kissing the tip of her nose. ‘What has got you so excited?’ he asked, taking the phone from Bea.

  ‘Andrew Glossop’s email, read it.’

  Bea excitedly shuffled her feet and waited impatiently for Nolan to finish reading it. He looked up with a beam and let out a low whistle. ‘Holy moly! This is amazing news! Blooming brilliant!’

  ‘Isn’t it just? Andrew Glossop and Flynn Carter are going to fund the very first lifeboat as soon as the rest of the funds are raised. This is more than amazing!’ Over the last few days the fundraising page on Facebook had been full of notifications and ideas from the community on how to raise the money, and everyone was pulling together to make this happen. ‘Next week, I’ve got a meeting with the builders and the architect to design the headquarters. I’ve never project managed anything like this before. It’s going to be hard work to coordinate everything.’ For a second Bea started to doubt whether she could pull it all together, but then Nolan wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight.

  ‘You’ve got this! In years to come there’ll be a statue erected outside The Little Blue Boathouse.’ He grinned. ‘Bea Fernsby. Founder of Heartcross Rescue. Thousands of lives saved because of her.’

  ‘Can you imagine?’ replied Bea, beaming. ‘How cool would that be?’

  ‘Very cool.’

  ‘And that’s not all.’ Bea tapped the phone. ‘Aidy Redfern has given this project a three-page spread in the local newspaper and wants to interview me on the local news next week, which he says hopefully will go out nationally too.’

  ‘That’s great! You will smash it. That’s going to create more awareness and hopefully increase funds.’

  ‘Which currently stand at a little over fifty thousand pounds. I know we still have a long way to go but by my reckoning Heartcross Rescue could be in full operation in eighteen months’ time … and do you know those sausages are nearly cremated?’ said Bea, pointing to the frying pan on the stove.

  ‘Damn,’ replied Nolan, quickly switching off the stove and transferring the sausages to a plate. ‘Go and have a look at the riverbank, the sight is amazing.’

  Walking out onto the deck, Bea was astonished. The bank of the River Heart looked like a mini festival with pop-up stalls all in a line, and huge banners hanging from the bridge. The local radio station had set up a portable booth next to the jetty and was playing music. Hordes of people were walking along the path and positioning picnic blankets in various spots, ready to make the most of the day.

  ‘Wow! Look at that view,’ exclaimed Bea.

  ‘Oh, I’m looking!’ replied Nolan with a lopsided grin.

  Bea attempted to swipe him but he caught her hand and pulled her in close, placing his lips softly on hers before pulling away slowly and cupping his hands round Bea’s elbows. ‘The Hemingway is leading the parade of boats today and I’m hoping you’ll be up on deck with me?’

  ‘Try and stop me! I would love to do that.’ Bea flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tight.

  ‘Now go and get changed, we’re leaving in twenty minutes.’

  ‘Where to? And what about the sausage sandwiches?’ she asked, glancing towards the kitchen.

  ‘They’re coming with us.’ Nolan placed his hands on her shoulders, spun her around and pushed her gently towards the bedroom. ‘We’re leaving for Martha’s birthday meal at two o’clock so we need to be back before then.’

  Twenty minutes later they had climbed into the rowing boat and manoeuvred their way through all the boats bobbing on the river. The weather was perfect, the sun was shining and only a few clouds dotted the sky. Bea knew exactly where they were going and as much as she looked forward to having breakfast at Castaway Bay, she felt sad and had to fight back the tears, knowing that after today she wasn’t going to wake up in the attic room and see The Hemingway floating on the water anymore. Biting her lip, she filled her head with all the happy moments she’d had since she’d arrived – their first visit to Castaway Bay, the painting of her, the bike rides when her ankle hurt. The last month had been a blast and Bea didn’t want the summer to come to an end.

  There was a comfortable silence between them as Nolan rowed the boat, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Castaway Bay looked as beautiful as the first time she’d laid eyes on it. As the boat bumped along in the shallow water Nolan stood and tied it to the jetty. Placing the rucksack over his shoulder, he held out his hand towards Bea.

  Wearing flip-flops, Bea stepped into the water and gave a tiny squeal.

  Nolan laughed. ‘It always feels cold at first.’

  Still holding hands, they walked in silence to the spot where they’d had their very first picnic. Bea didn’t trust herself to speak. Although this was a perfect moment, in a perfect setting, with the perfect man, her heart was already beginning to break.

  Stopping in the same ideal spot as before, Nolan opened the rucksack, took out the food and laid it on the ground. They both sat down, stretched their legs in front of them and stared at the magnificent view. Nolan passed Bea a sausage sandwich and she unwrapped the foil whilst he poured them each a cup of tea from the flask.

  ‘I know it’s not as extravagant as our first picnic,’ he said, handing Bea her drink. ‘But I think this is my favourite place that I’ve ever visited.’

  ‘Me too,’ replied Bea. Taking a sideward glance towards Nolan, she said, ‘I’m beginning to feel sad. I never wanted this day to come.’

  Nolan stretched out his arm and Bea cuddled into his chest, taking in the familiar smell of his aftershave. She wiped a tear away with the back of her hand. ‘I have had the best few weeks, I really have, and it’s breaking my heart that you’re going even though I knew that you would. Nolan, I can’t cope with saying goodbye. I just want you to slip away.’ Bea was shaking, her heart was thumping and the dull ache inside her was growing stronger. ‘I know you have to do whatever you need to do to heal from the past and I know you’re scared of getting close to anyone again after what happened with Hannah. I do fully understand. But please remember you’re not alone. You have Martha, Gwen and Isla too. And you have me.’

  ‘I know,’ replied Nolan. ‘Please don’t cry. I knew today was going to be hard but I didn’t know it was going to be this hard.’ He paused, entwining his fingers with hers. ‘I’ve brought you here because … I thought you might have worn that red bikini again,’ he said, trying to lighten the mood. He gave her a wolfish grin with a glint in his eye and Bea shook her head and laughed.

  He reached inside the rucksack and pulled out a bottle, a pen and a sheet of paper. ‘I thought we could throw our own message in a bottle into the water.’

  A smile spread across Bea’s face. ‘What a perfect thought.’

  ‘And I wanted to give you this,’ he said, reaching inside the bag.

  ‘What’s in there?’ asked Bea, taking the object from him.

  ‘Open it and find out.’

  Bea’s heart skipped a beat.

  The contents were hidden beneath delicate blush-pink tissue paper, which Bea slowly opened to reveal three silver buttons. She turned them over in her hand. They were small and delicate and each button had something engraved on it. She spread them out in the palm of her hand for a closer look.

  ‘H&F,’ Nolan pointed out, as he took them from her and laid them out in order. ‘Hemingway & Fernsby.’

  ‘They are beautiful,’ exclaimed Bea. He gave her back the H for Hemingway, kept the F for Fernsby, and placed the ‘&’ in the bottle.

  ‘Write a note,’ he encouraged.

  Bea took the paper and pen from him. In the top righthand corner, she wrote the date and replicated the heart that was on the letter they’d discovered from Martha and Morgan.

  A Summer Surprise at The Little Blue Boathouse.

  Hemingway & Fernsby, looking for another case to solve.

  They both signed the paper and Bea placed the button in the middle of the page and folded it up into a small square. Nolan pushed it inside the bottle and corked it securely. Joining hands, they walked the short distance across the sand to the edge of the water. Bea swallowed a lump and couldn’t hold back the tears. Nolan pulled her in close and handed her the bottle.

  ‘No, you throw it,’ she said.

  Nolan threw the bottle and then took Bea’s hand again.

  With a splash it hit the water and bobbed a little. They watched in silence for a moment.

  ‘I wonder if anyone will ever find it,’ Bea mused.

  ‘You never know,’ replied Nolan, turning to face her. Staring deep into Nolan’s eyes, Bea held up a fist in front of her chest. Nolan did the same and they gave each other a fist bump.

  ‘I declare this Hemingway and Fernsby cased officially closed,’ murmured Bea, her voice cracking with emotion.

  After hugging each other tightly, they turned back towards their picnic.

  ‘Look!’ Bea dropped Nolan’s hand and began to chase away the cheeky flock of gulls that had landed on their sandwiches.

  ‘It’s too late, there’s hardly anything left.’ She shook her head in disbelief but deep inside was thankful for the light-hearted moment because all she wanted to do was break down and sob her heart out.

  ‘Shall we take a walk by the festival huts on the riverbank? I’m sure we’ll pick up some food there.’

  ‘Sounds like a plan,’ replied Bea, picking up the leftovers and wrapping them up in the foil again.

  ‘And I’ve just had another thought – should I offer to sail Martha and the rest of the family and friends to The Lakehouse this afternoon in The Hemingway?’

  ‘I think that sounds perfect. And if we time the end of the meal right, we could all join the parade as planned,’ enthused Bea.

  ‘Come on, let’s get back.’

  As they rowed away from Castaway Bay, Bea looked for the bottle but it was nowhere to be seen. People came into your life for different reasons, she thought. Nolan was someone who had taught her she could live again and change what she wasn’t happy about in her life.

  If only she could change that he would be leaving by the end of the day.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Bea and Nolan had spent a couple of hours packing away the floating gallery to make room for Martha and her guests. Martha was over the moon to sail on The Hemingway and thanks to Isla there were balloons and banners – left over from decorating The Lakehouse – adorning the deck. The boat looked magnificent and neither Bea nor Nolan could wait to celebrate Martha’s special birthday.

  Bea had then disappeared back to the attic room to get ready and was engulfed with pure panic. Searching through the rail of clothes she’d packed for her two-week holiday she realised there was nothing suitable for today’s special occasion.

  Julia picked the phone up after three rings.

  ‘Julia! I need help and fast! Unless I’m going to Martha’s birthday in a red bikini, I have nothing new to wear!’

  Bea was met by laughter. ‘And you will be the talk of the town.’

  ‘Do you have anything I could borrow?’

  ‘I’m actually just about to walk down to the river and have a browse around the stalls; I’ll bring you a selection and if there isn’t anything suitable, there’s only one thing for it – you’ll have to be the talk of the town. I’ll see you in ten.’

  Hanging up, Bea felt relieved. Anything that Julia could muster had to be better than the clothes she’d packed. At some point, she knew, she would have to travel back to Staffordshire to collect her belongings, but there was also excitement at the thought of starting afresh with all new belongings and clothes, and making her new life all about her.

  Sitting in the window, waiting for Julia, Bea watched the River Festival in full spate. The river-bank was heaving. Set up outside The Little Blue Boathouse was a number of different carnival games, like hook-a-duck and ring toss. The Old Bakehouse was selling pretzels, chocolate-covered apples and mini doughnuts, Bumblebee Cottage was selling their wonderful homemade chutneys and honey, and Layers Treats, the chocolate shop, had a long queue of children who were holding their money in one hand and a colourful balloon tightly in the other. Bea smiled at the sight of the marching band and the flags flapping in the light breeze. Looking across to The Hemingway she noticed Nolan walking over the ramp towards the jetty where Flynn was waiting for him. They disappeared on to Flynn’s boat and Bea wondered what that was all about, but she didn’t think about it for long as Julia shouted up to her.