‘There’s a number of options – there are lots of boutiques over in Glensheil, there’s a small shop inside Starcross Manor or there’s The Little Blue Boathouse. There’s a section at the back behind the wetsuits but they are mainly bog-standard black costumes. What look are you trying to achieve?’

  ‘Head-turning,’ exclaimed Bea, before she could stop herself.

  ‘You can’t say fairer than that,’ replied Julia, giving her a look of intrigue. ‘For sunbathing or water sports?’

  ‘Both, I think?’ replied Bea, not knowing what Nolan had planned. ‘But anything would be better than this.’

  Julia got to her feet and sized up Bea. ‘Wait there!’ she ordered, and disappeared out of the door before Bea could answer.

  Bemused, Bea was wondering what she was up to but she didn’t need to wait long before Julia waltzed back through the door holding up a red bikini on a coat hanger.

  ‘It’s brand-new, still with tags. I bought it last summer but didn’t have a chance to wear it. It would look perfect on you.’

  ‘I couldn’t possibly.’ Bea admired the bikini in front of her. ‘I’d never have the confidence to wear something as sexy as this.’

  ‘You could. And you will look amazing.’

  There had never been a time when Bea would have thought of wearing an item of clothing like this. There hadn’t been any call for it, living in town, and it wasn’t as though Carl ever suggested whisking her away to a warm holiday destination. She remembered that he always moaned the second the sun came out and he didn’t like the heat at all. All of a sudden, she was beginning to see the life she’d been willing to settle for. No longer. Now it was time to think about what she wanted. She loved the sun and couldn’t think of anything better than lying on a sunbed, basking in the sunlight and reading a book.

  ‘Do you think? Would you mind if I try it on? Of course I’ll pay you for it.’

  ‘You’ll do no such thing. It’s been stuck in the drawer for over a year and I’m not going away this summer. So be my guest.’

  Bea couldn’t thank Julia enough. Racing back to her room she stripped off her clothes and tried on the bikini. She twirled around in front of the mirror and stared at her reflection.

  ‘Not bad,’ she murmured. ‘Even if I do say so myself.’

  There was already some colour to her skin, as in the last few weeks Bea had taken advantage of working nights and snoozed in the garden when the weather had been warm. Pulling on a pair of shorts and throwing a T-shirt over her head, she slipped her feet into her Converses. Placing her sunglasses on top of her head, she picked up her rucksack and took one last look in the mirror.

  Julia was checking out a couple of guests when Bea arrived back in reception.

  ‘Sorry to interrupt,’ apologised Bea, looking towards her. ‘It’s perfect, thank you.’

  ‘Oh, I am pleased. And whatever you’re up to, have a lovely afternoon.’

  ‘I will and thank you again.’

  With her hair swishing from side to side, Bea waltzed towards the river oozing confidence yet feeling a little nervous. It was amazing: something as little as knowing you had a sexy bikini on underneath your clothes could make you feel like a new woman. Her face was beaming and her heartbeat racing as she tried to imagine the afternoon ahead. For the first time in ages, she felt good about herself and began to wonder why she hadn’t taken control of her life sooner.

  It was only a five-minute walk to The Little Blue Boathouse and she was soon ambling along the river path. Lifting up her sunglasses to admire the view, she saw the river was packed with boats of all shapes and sizes bobbing about on the water, along with people enjoying the use of paddleboards and canoes. Knowing that business was booming at The Little Blue Boathouse, Bea was going to enjoy this afternoon before her work trial tomorrow.

  With the gentle rush of the river lapping against the jetty, and the crunch of the shingle beneath her feet, Bea felt a rush of happiness as she walked towards the water’s edge. There was The Hemingway, anchored in front of her, and she immediately spotted Nolan rowing towards the jetty in a red rowing boat. Darting a glance at him before she broke out into a silly grin, Bea cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, ‘Aye aye, captain!’

  Nolan looked over in her direction then stood up in the boat and saluted. Instantly, there was a warm, fluttering feeling in Bea’s stomach. She knew she found him attractive but where was that going to get her? She was here to plan the rest of her life and wasn’t sure even what direction she was heading in. She’d always had structure and routine, whereas Nolan was a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants type of guy. He lived for the moment and any time soon he would be sailing off to a new destination.

  ‘But there’s nothing stopping me from enjoying myself while he’s here,’ she murmured to herself.

  ‘Wait there,’ shouted Nolan.

  ‘Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere!’ she bellowed back.

  Just at that moment, the rowing boat began to rock from side to side. The smile slid from Nolan’s face as he began to wobble, but Bea couldn’t help but chuckle. She heard him shout ‘Crikey’ as the boat swayed, before losing his balance and toppling into the water.

  Splash.

  Bea hurried to the end of the jetty. Still grinning, Nolan’s head popped up out of the water. He flicked his hair out of his eyes and swam after his flip-flops, which seemed to be floating off in different directions.

  ‘No one likes a show-off,’ Bea shouted good-naturedly.

  He threw a mischievous look in her direction before retrieving the oar and pulling himself back into the boat. ‘I’m alive,’ he bellowed.

  ‘That’s good to know!’

  He was soon rowing towards the shingle bay then wading through the shallow water of the tiny man-made beach. He pulled the rowing boat out of the water before turning towards her. ‘Remind me never to stand up in a rowing boat again.’ He gave her a lopsided grin before looking down at his clothes. He was soaked from head to toe, his white T-shirt clinging to every muscle. He peeled it from his body and wrung out the excess water.

  ‘It’s a bit too soon to be falling for me, isn’t it?’ Bea teased, trying to divert her eyes from his tanned torso but failing miserably.

  ‘I don’t know about that,’ he replied, still grinning, pulling the wet T-shirt back over his body. ‘At least, with this sun, I should dry out quickly. Have you eaten lunch?’ he asked.

  Bea shook her head. ‘No, I wasn’t sure what we would be doing.’

  ‘That’s good because it’s all in hand.’

  ‘Are we heading towards The Hemingway?’ she asked, noticing there was no food in the boat.

  ‘I can do better than that. I’m taking you to a special place for lunch.’ Nolan held out his hand to help her into the rowing boat. The touch of his skin sent shockwaves through her body. ‘If you want to sit that end of the boat, I can drag you back into the water.’

  Placing her rucksack in the middle of the boat, Bea let go of Nolan’s hand before sitting on the wooden seat and holding on to the sides. He pulled the boat back into the water and it rocked gently as he climbed inside and used the oar to move them away from the shore.

  ‘Are you ready to set sail?’

  ‘I am, captain.’ She gave a tiny salute and wondered where they were heading.

  ‘There’s a life jacket behind you.’

  With a few long strokes they quickly moved away from the edge of the river and were now heading upstream. Bea relaxed and looked around. The water taxi was ferrying people on sightseeing excursions and there were children standing on rocks swooping their fishing nets into the water. She noticed that Nolan kept stealing glances in her direction.

  ‘You’re looking at me,’ she said, noticing his eyes glinting in the sunshine.

  ‘Your face is glowing and those freckles…’

  Bea knew that yesterday’s sun, when she was kayaking, had brought the freckles out right across her nose. She’d already noticed them this morning when she was getting ready. Usually, they would be covered with make-up, but she’d decided to go au naturel for the next two weeks and hopefully catch the sun more whilst she was here.

  ‘They always come out in the sun,’ she replied. She noticed a string of not so run of the mill boats coming up the river, each oozing expense and class. ‘Look at those.’

  ‘They are something else, aren’t they? I noticed a couple more boats arriving this morning for the River Festival.’

  ‘It’s so exciting. I think I’m going to have my work cut out at The Little Blue Boathouse for the next couple of weeks.’

  ‘I didn’t know you were working there.’

  ‘I have a trial shift tomorrow.’ She crossed her fingers and held them up. ‘The method to my madness was keeping myself occupied so I didn’t sit and mope.’

  ‘And look at you now, there’s no moping at all.’ He smiled warmly at her.

  ‘And it seems I’m going to be successful in getting the job.’

  Nolan was still smiling but narrowed his eyes. ‘And how would you know that?’

  ‘Because that’s exactly what Martha predicted.’

  ‘Interesting, so I’m assuming you told her about the trial?’

  ‘Actually, I didn’t.’

  ‘Even more interesting.’

  Bea began to think about the other things that Martha had said. ‘Apparently, I’ve found my forever home – though I’m not exactly sure where that is – and my life is about taking chances and not settling for less than I deserve.’

  ‘All very generic then. I could have predicted that.’

  ‘Life will not be smooth sailing,’ she added with a grin. ‘So, I’m hoping this boat doesn’t sink before we reach our destination.’

  Nolan was still rowing, the oars in sync and his biceps flexing at every turn. ‘Still all very generic ... we have nearly reached our destination.’

  ‘That’s good because Martha predicted danger and a chance meeting that is going to change my life. Time will tell what any of it means.’

  ‘And did you believe any of it?’

  ‘Obviously, I’ve taken everything with a pinch of salt. My destiny is in my own hands. Have you met Martha?’ asked Bea, knowing that she thought the reading had come to an abrupt end because she’d mentioned The Hemingway.

  Nolan shook his head. ‘No, I haven’t, and unless she can predict the lottery numbers, I’m keeping hold of my money.’

  Bea gave a tiny laugh. With her hair wafting in the breeze, she tilted her face up towards the sun. ‘I’ve never been in a rowing boat before. This is a first for me.’

  Nolan raised an eyebrow. ‘I think I could row before I could walk. My grandfather had me in boats from a very early age.’

  Impressed, Bea looked behind her to see how far they’d come. The boat was coping well with the slap of the waves and The Little Blue Boathouse was still in sight. She could even make out Wilbur standing in the doorway. She cast her eyes upwards to the craggy white cliffs behind Nolan and the gulls circulating above them in the clear blue sky. Then she noticed a familiar figure standing on the cliff path: Martha. She did a double-take then narrowed her eyes. It was definitely Martha, still dressed in her mystical outfit, and her binoculars were pointing straight towards The Hemingway. Or was that just Bea’s imagination?

  Chapter Seven

  Bea was sitting back enjoying the view. Everywhere was so peaceful. They’d rowed past children splashing at the water’s edge, and dog walkers ambling along the coastal paths, and she was mesmerised by the colourful houses dotted along the Glensheil bank of the river.

  She kept snagging a look back towards the cliff, intrigued by Martha, but she’d disappeared now. Nolan’s tanned arms had rowed the boat to calmer water where there were expanses of sand and taller cliffs, with impressive views and the coastline becoming more indented by coves and estuaries. ‘It’s beautiful. It’s like something out of a romantic novel.’

  ‘It is, sort of, and that’s the reason we’re heading to where we’re heading.’

  ‘Huh?’ replied Bea.

  ‘My grandfather’s diary.’

  ‘Your grandfather had a diary?’

  ‘Not so much a diary, but on the back pages of the sailing logbook there were further entries. You’ll never guess what today’s date is.’

  ‘Is that a trick question?’ replied Bea, knowing it was the 2nd of August.

  ‘It’s the day my grandfather, Morgan, took Patsy to Castaway Bay on their first date of the summer.’

  Bea brought her hands up to her heart. ‘Castaway Bay. What an utterly romantic name.’

  ‘And that’s exactly where we are heading.’ Nolan gave her a heart-warming smile.

  ‘Is this our first date of the summer?’ Bea was teasing but also curious to hear his answer. She wasn’t even sure how she could think about going on a date so soon after what she’d been through, but maybe a little fun over the summer couldn’t hurt. A holiday romance with a drop-dead gorgeous male was maybe just what she needed to boost her confidence a little and get her back on the horse.

  Nolan gave her a cheeky wink. ‘Ha, you never know.’

  For a moment, they stared at each other in contemplative silence, both smiling. Bea could feel the spark between them. She’d felt it the second she’d laid eyes on him. Wondering what his story was, she watched him closely whilst he rowed. Nolan was handsome, his thick chestnut hair wild on top. His lashes and deep hazel eyes were to die for. His face was tanned and he had that unshaven thing going on, which Bea found super sexy, and a beaming smile that showed a perfect set of teeth.

  ‘And according to the log, they spent most of the summer in Castaway Bay. Nights in front of a fire, sleeping under the stars, fishing for their food.’

  ‘It sounds like heaven.’ Bea had never experienced real romance. Carl had never swept her off her feet. Before she began to work nights his idea of a romantic night out was to sit in an old men’s pub and drink real ale. At times Bea had suggested the trendy new wine bar in town or even a cocktail at the local Slug and Lettuce for a change, but he never took her feelings into account. Bea was beginning to question how she’d stayed in the relationship for so long.

  ‘Do you know why it was only a summer romance? Why didn’t they continue to see each other?’

  Nolan shrugged. ‘I’m not entirely sure. Sometimes you might not be on the same path, or at different stages of life…’ He shrugged. ‘I do know my grandfather still spoke about her on many occasions. Like I said, she was still in his thoughts near to the end of his life.’

  ‘She must have been a special person. Do you know if they ever met up again?’

  Nolan shook his head. ‘Not to my knowledge. I would love to know what happened to Patsy. Did she remember my grandfather? That’s my reason for being here. I want to find out more about her, if possible. But there’s just one problem, I don’t have a surname. And who knows, maybe she was only here for the summer with her family.’

  ‘That is indeed a possibility. I never thought of that,’ admitted Bea. ‘It would be nice to find out more though.’

  ‘It would, so I hope something comes to light before the River Festival.’

  ‘I’ve got everything crossed for you … and, by the way, this is all so surreal!’ She spread her arms wide and rocked the boat.

  ‘Woah, keep still. I’m not going in twice.’

  ‘Sorry!’

  This was the first time in ages she’d felt like she didn’t have a care in the world. She was enjoying every second of being in Nolan’s company. ‘Forty-eight hours ago, if anyone had told me I’d be in a rowing boat with a handsome stranger heading towards Castaway Bay, I’d have thought they were dreaming.’

  ‘Did you just call me handsome?’ There was a spark in Nolan’s eye as he asked the question.

  ‘Maybe…’ Bea bit her lip to suppress her smile. ‘And I wish I was more like you.’

  ‘In what way?’

  ‘Carefree, flying by the seat of my pants. No worries and happy to see where life takes me next.’

  When Nolan looked up and met Bea’s gaze, she saw the smile had slipped slightly from his face. ‘You never know what’s around the corner. As you well know, things can happen overnight and your life changes in a matter of seconds.’

  There was something about the way Nolan spoke that made Bea sure he was talking from experience.

  ‘I’ve learned to take each day as it comes. Live for the moment. What’s the point in worrying about the future when the future might never come?’ Nolan’s voice faltered, leaving Bea wondering what his story was, but he didn’t elaborate any further.

  For the next couple of minutes, Nolan rowed in silence, then he began to slow down and Bea noticed the boat drifting towards calm waters.

  ‘We’re nearly there. Are you ready for this?’

  Nolan navigated the rowing boat around a cluster of rocks and under numerous weeping willow trees. Bea was amazed to see a secret waterway. It looked like a private driveway on water. He began to row again, gently, whilst Bea took in the view. Up ahead the white rugged cliffs towered over a tiny secluded beach of sparkling beige sand. Bea breathed, ‘It’s beautiful. It’s so special, isn’t it?’ Her eyes were wide as she took in the view.

  ‘Welcome to Castaway Bay. And yes, it’s very special.’ Nolan gave her a sideward glance, a look that caused Bea’s heart to race.

  As Nolan carefully guided the boat to a tiny jetty, Bea saw directly in front of them a tiny hut with pink roses tumbling all over the roof.

  ‘Oh my, look at that!’ she gasped. She was awestruck, looking at the waterfall cascading down the cliff and running into the small bay. Taking in the magnificent view, she held on to the side of the boat as it gently bumped along the bottom of the bay. Nolan threw his oar onto the sand before climbing out and paddling to the edge of the now shallow water. ‘How would anyone even know this place existed?’ Bea had never seen a view so beautiful. ‘Where exactly are we?’ She was still taking in the beauty all around. ‘It feels like we’re on a desert island.’ There wasn’t another soul in sight.