Within seconds they were back up on the private balcony. Sam wrapped a towel around his waist and handed Verity a robe, which she wrapped tightly around her body after taking off her life jacket. She watched Sam attach a gas bottle to the firepit and soon it was spreading a welcoming warmth.

  ‘How did that feel?’ he asked.

  ‘I hate to admit it but – amazing. After the initial shock of the cold, I absolutely loved it!’

  ‘I knew you would. It’s good for your body and soul. There’s something peaceful about swimming in the sea, especially when the sky is as beautiful as it is tonight.’

  Verity looked up at the stars. The sky was scattered with their bursts of light. ‘The stars are just so scenic. I think I’ll remember this night on this island for ever.’

  Sam touched her shoulder as he walked past her. ‘Let me get you a drink. What would you like?’

  ‘Whatever you’re having.’

  Sam unlocked a door, which she assumed led into the restaurant. She leaned forward, warming her hands against the dancing flames of the firepit. She couldn’t wait to tell Ava all about her trip to Puffin Island. She smiled. This was happiness, feeling relaxed and free.

  Five minutes later, Sam returned with a tray and placed it on the table. ‘We have a hot mug of coffee, and a whisky. Each will warm you through.’ He sat next to her on the sofa and she watched as Sam swirled the amber liquid in the glass and glugged it back. He placed the empty glass back on the tray then picked up the coffee.

  ‘Just like swimming in the sea under the stars, this is also a first for me.’ She copied Sam, swirling the liquid around the glass, then swigged it back and immediately scrunched up her face in distaste.

  Sam smiled. ‘An acquired taste – but it’ll warm you through.’

  ‘So what made you want to own a floating restaurant?’ Verity asked, picking up her coffee mug.

  ‘My grandfather. He was born and bred on the island and was a keen fisherman. Apparently his dream was to open a floating restaurant on the island, specialising in fresh fish that had been caught that day.’

  ‘Apparently?’ she questioned. Amelia and Clemmie had shared that his grandfather had been taken too soon, but she wanted to hear it from Sam himself.

  ‘My grandfather passed away. All I have is what Betty told me – Clemmie’s grandmother. She was good friends with my grandfather. They grew up together. He was musical, too,’ Sam added softly, looking into his glass.

  ‘I’m really sorry.’ Without thinking Verity reached across and touched his knee. ‘Is that where you got your musical talent from?’

  ‘I’d like to think so.’ He smiled. ‘Music is a great escape. I wish I could have met him.’

  ‘It must be really difficult.’ Verity had had a great relationship with her grandfather, and it was something she would always cherish. ‘What about your parents?’

  ‘My grandmother got pregnant with my mum at the age of fifteen. No doubt at the time it would have been the biggest scandal on the island. My grandparents weren’t together by the time the birth came along, which is not surprising, given they were still children themselves, but according to Betty my grandfather took his responsibilities seriously and he used his earnings as a fisherman to provide everything he could for my grandmother and mother for the short time he was alive. He passed when he was only twenty-two, and my grandmother passed away at the age of thirty-five, leaving my mother alone. And then history repeated itself. My mother fell pregnant at an early age, and she didn’t stay with my father. He wasn’t like my grandfather, though, he never provided anything for her or us. He disappeared off the island one Saturday morning and never came back.’

  ‘Have you ever tried to look for him?’

  Sam shook his head. ‘He didn’t choose me, so why would I ever choose him?’ He sounded adamant, but there was sadness in his voice.

  ‘I bet that brought you and your mum closer?’

  Sam briefly closed his eyes, stood up and fetched the decanter of whisky. He poured two more glasses.

  ‘You’d think so, wouldn’t you? But no, she wouldn’t win any mother of the year awards. She moved off the island as soon as I was able to look after myself.’ His voice faltered. ‘She was barely a mother. If it wasn’t for Betty I don’t know what I’d have done. She’s been a grandmother and mother figure rolled into one for me.’

  Verity was silent for a second, thinking of her own situation with her mother. ‘I’m sorry you had to go through everything you’ve been through. It’s difficult, isn’t it? And yet, somehow, here we are, still standing. Coping and carrying on, doing our best. Even though there’s that niggle always in the back of our minds, wondering what we did wrong.’

  Sam slightly raised his eyebrows. ‘It sounds like you can relate.’

  Verity nodded. ‘I can, you’re not on your own.’ She tucked her feet underneath her on the chair as she swallowed a lump in her throat. ‘Even now I wonder what the hell I did to make my mother treat me the way she does. Why wasn’t I enough? Was it because she was jealous of me, or was it because of my father? If it was, I’d have no idea; she’s always kept his identity a secret from me and my grandparents.’

  ‘You don’t know anything about him at all?’

  Verity shook her head. ‘Growing up I asked but she would never talk about it. I’ve learned to live with it because I know it can consume me if I think about it too much. It can make me sad, sometimes, for days at a time.’

  Sam cupped his hand over Verity’s and gave it a squeeze.

  ‘It’s nice to talk to someone who can relate. I just try to take the positives from the situation. My mother might not have been there for me but my grandparents were the best. In fact, my granny is the reason I’m here.’

  Sam smiled. ‘Your granny? And here was me thinking it was because you spotted a handsome man outside a greasy spoon and decided to follow him onto a ferry.’

  Verity laughed. ‘I can neither confirm nor deny.’ She knew there was a glint in her eye as she sipped her whisky. ‘EW! How can you drink this stuff?’

  ‘You get used to it. Tell me about your granny.’

  ‘When I was growing up she used to tell me stories of this place. I thought it was all make-believe until I discovered a postcard written to her and signed with a W. Apparently the sender couldn’t live without her. I had a mad notion that after all these years I could identify who W is or was and discover more about the time my granny spent here and why.’

  ‘If there’s one person that will know, it’s Betty.’

  ‘That’s exactly what Clemmie and Amelia said. But she’s away so I won’t get to meet her. But Clemmie said she would message me when she got back. I had this daft idea in the pub that one of your relatives might have something to do with the W as your last name is Wilson. But after hearing your story…’

  ‘It would be highly unlikely.’ Sam pointed at the star that was still shining brightly. ‘I know it sounds silly but I pretend that bright star is my grandfather.’

  ‘It’s not silly at all. I pretend it’s my granny.’

  Sam lightly bumped his shoulder against hers. ‘It’s a funny old world, isn’t it?’

  They sat in comfortable silence looking up at the star. Verity was glad they shared an understanding, each of them having been let down by their mother and knowing how difficult that could be to reckon with.

  Verity took a sideward glance at Sam and smiled. His company was so easy, yet she was surprised at herself for revealing her own family situation. It was a difficult topic for her to talk about, and a conversation she’d never even had with Richard, despite the years they’d been together, because he just wasn’t one for empathy. It was good to finally be able to open up to someone, especially someone who understood exactly how she was feeling.

  ‘You’re very lucky to have all this and live in such a beautiful place.’

  ‘I am. There’s something special about Puffin Island.’

  ‘I quite agree.’ She clinked her glass against his and took a last swig. ‘This should make me sleep for a few hours at least.’

  ‘What time are you leaving in the morning?’

  ‘Around three-thirty a.m., as I need to back on the ferry by five a.m.’ She looked at her phone, which was lying on top of her dress. ‘It’s nearly midnight and as much as I want to sit here all night with you, I should try and get a little sleep.’ Reluctantly unwrapping the robe, she got dressed, then shivered.

  ‘Here, take this.’ Sam handed her an oversize grey sweatshirt. ‘I always have it on hand after a swim.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Verity replied, slipping it over her head. ‘I’ve had a really good night.’

  ‘Me too,’ he replied. ‘Let me walk you back.’

  Walking in silence, they made their way around the side of the boat and along the jetty. The only sound they could hear was the water breaking on the rocks in the shallows. Their elbows kept brushing against each other and the mere thought of Sam’s touch was sending electricity pulsing through her body.

  ‘And here you are. I have to say, setting off in a travelling van to explore the world is pretty cool.’

  ‘I’m not sure she would make it all around the world, but Amsterdam, here we come.’

  For a moment Sam looked at her with such affection. ‘Thank you for listening tonight…I’ve never really spoken about my parents before.’

  ‘Me neither,’ replied Verity. Another loaded silence followed, their eye contact saying so much more than words.

  Despite barely knowing this man, Verity thought he might lean in and kiss her, and she found herself wishing he would. It would have been the perfect end to a perfect night. But instead, he merely touched her arm. ‘You take care of yourself, Verity Callaway.’

  ‘You, too, Sam Wilson.’

  With that, Sam turned to walk away.

  ‘Wait! Your jumper,’ she said, crossing her arms, about to pull it over her head.

  ‘Keep it, it suits you. Something to remember your trip to Puffin Island by.’

  She smiled and watched him walk back along the shore until he turned left into Lighthouse Lane and disappeared from sight. Feeling a tiny slump in her mood after such a high, Verity opened the van, climbed in and locked the door behind her. Kicking off her shoes, she quickly brushed her teeth and pulled back the duvet. Just as she was about to take off the jumper she took in a fresh hit of his aroma. It smelled exactly like Sam, a scent that would now forever be etched in her mind. A minute later she was changed for bed then slipped back on his jumper, her arms now wrapped around herself, wondering what it would be like to be in the arms of Sam tonight. She’d arrived at Puffin Island on a whim, attempting to get on with her life, and tonight she had felt more sadness watching Sam walk away than she had when her ex did. The realisation startled her.

  Living in the moment, not thinking of the reasons that had brought her here – and this was only the start of her personal journey. Tonight, she’d thrown caution to the wind and had enjoyed every moment of it, but now, exhausted, she looked through the window of her van up at the stars one last time. ‘Goodnight, Puffin Island,’ she murmured. As soon as she closed her eyes, she fell fast asleep.

  Chapter Eight

  Verity sat bolt upright in bed to the screech of the gulls circling above the van. It was already beginning to get light outside. Scrabbling for her phone, she looked at the screen. It was black. Damn it, she’d forgotten to plug it into the portable charger overnight.

  ‘Shit,’ she said, throwing back the duvet and poking her head through the makeshift curtain that separated the front of the van from the living area. She heaved a sigh of relief as she stared at the clock on the dashboard. Thankfully she hadn’t overslept but it was time to be on the move. As the kettle came to the boil, she put her dirty clothes in the laundry bag stored underneath the bed, noting that by the end of the week she would need to find a laundrette. Or perhaps there would be a communal washing machine at one of the campsites they would be staying at. After she’d brushed her teeth and put on clean clothes, she pulled Sam’s jumper back over her head, not wanting to be separated from it just yet. As she stepped outside the van with a cup of tea, she took in the view one last time. It was just as stunning at this hour of the morning as it was last night.

  Taking one last walk near the water’s edge, Verity noticed a couple of gulls going head to head at the far end of the beach, no doubt fighting over rich pickings they’d scavenged from the bin. With a last look at The Sea Glass Restaurant, she smiled as memories of last night washed over her. Despite her reservations about the cold water, it had actually been fun, and spending time with Sam was something she was not going to forget in a hurry. Verity couldn’t remember a time she’d made conversation with a complete stranger. Her confidence was growing and she welcomed being pushed outside her normal comfort zones.

  Her old friendships had dwindled away over the years and she knew exactly why – Richard. When they got together, his friends became hers, but he made it very clear he didn’t like hers, which made it increasingly hard to find time for them. He was always cold with her work colleagues at the annual Christmas Party, and heaven forbid she should walk into a pub and began chatting to anyone; she would get the death stare. Realising she had missed out on many opportunities – new friends, nights out – she was beginning to be grateful for his infidelity, because it had at last set her free to explore life.

  After one last look over the bay she finished her tea and decided to skip eating in case the sickness kicked in again on the ferry ride. With her bed made and her rucksack containing her essentials sitting on the passenger seat, she started the engine. As she pulled out onto the cobbled street, there wasn’t a soul in sight. Driving slowly towards the causeway, she switched on the radio.

  The causeway was clear as she pulled on to it, but as Verity continued to drive, that started to change. Further ahead the sea was lapping over the road, which surprised her as she was expecting the causeway to be completely clear like yesterday. Maybe first thing in the morning there was shallow water to drive through? She wasn’t worried as she sat up in her seat and carried on, her wheels rolling through the water, because a little further on the causeway became visible again. Then, without warning, Verity’s heart – along with Hetty the van – dropped. She let out a scream and gripped the steering wheel as the van nosedived under the water. The wheels were no longer turning and the van had stalled. Panicking, Verity started turning the key but nothing happened. Quickly, she rummaged in her bag and pulled out her phone, frantically trying to get some life out of it, but again there was nothing.

  With a racing heart she looked ahead at the miles between her and the mainland. It wouldn’t be long before the water began seeping through the bottom of the door and there was a huge possibility the van would sink fast. Trying to stay calm, she knew she had no option but to get out of the van as quickly as possible before it became submerged with her trapped inside. The rising water made it impossible to open the door so, grabbing her rucksack, Verity wound down the window. Having thrown the rucksack onto the roof, she squeezed herself out of the window into the freezing water. She managed to pull herself up onto the bonnet of the van and then clambered onto the roof. Now she had no clue what to do.

  ‘PUFFIN ELL!’ she screamed at the top of her lungs.

  Luckily, the van seemed to be staying mostly above water. Still, she knew she needed to make a move quickly. Looking back towards Puffin Island, she could see that the causeway was becoming clear near the island; she just didn’t know how deep the water was between here and there. It looked like she would have to find out.

  With her arms stretched out Verity managed to stand up on top of the van. She pulled her rucksack on to her back, knowing that her passport and phone were going to be ruined the moment she hit the water – but what could she do? Just as she was about to slide off the roof into the sea she heard a continuous beeping. She looked up to see a black and yellow four-wheel drive heading towards her. Help was coming.

  ‘Thank you!’ she shouted, even though they wouldn’t be able to hear her. The car stopped at the furthest point it could reach before the wheels were fully submerged. The car door opened and the driver got out, opened the rear doors and took out a canoe. Within seconds he was paddling towards her. Verity narrowed her eyes, a smile spread across her face as she recognised her rescuer.

  ‘It’s my knight in shining armour. We meet again!’

  But Sam didn’t look amused as he got closer. ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing? It’s not safe to cross yet.’

  ‘Well, I can see that,’ she replied. ‘I’m not standing on top of my van for no reason.’

  There was still no smile on Sam’s face. ‘It’s impatient people like you that cost the taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds in rescue costs each year. Did you know that sea rescues can cost up to two grand and air rescues up to four? We’re going to have to tow the van out even though it’s likely to be written off. And it will cost you as well, as I suspect your insurance company will regard this as contributory negligence and be unwilling to pay out.’

  Verity was taken aback by his not so warm welcome. Rescuer Sam was a very startling different person from the warm Sam she’d enjoyed last night. ‘Surely she’ll start again when she’s dried out?’

  Sam shook his head in disbelief. ‘You’re going to have to get wet. Can you slide down the back of the van and slip into the water? I’ll try and get the canoe as close as possible. But before you do that, throw me your rucksack.’

  Verity did as instructed and Sam placed it on his lap before she slipped off the van, not very gracefully. The shock of the cold water was no better the second time around but she didn’t dare voice her discomfort. Pulling herself into the back of the canoe, she looked at the van she had lovingly restored over the past few months and reality hit her. Fighting back the tears, she swallowed a lump in her throat.

  ‘Whatever possessed you to try and cross the causeway at half-past two in the morning when it’s not safe? You only had to wait another hour or so.’