‘I don’t know if this is a good idea, Grandad,’ she said doubtfully. ‘I mean, how are you proposing to persuade him to do it?’

  ‘I’m not. I’d like you to upload a photo of him – I was thinking the one when we are all sat outside Frank’s on your birthday. He looks happy in that one. I’m not sure how it works but can we put up a few words about him and then just see what happens?’

  ‘So, make up a dating profile for him, you mean?’

  ‘Profile? Hmm. That’s what they call it, is it? But you’ve got it, little lady.’

  ‘And how are we going to get him to meet someone if they agree to go on a date with him? Hmmm. I’m not sure about this.’

  ‘The most precious thing in this life is uncertainty, young Kerry. Imagine if we knew what was going to happen in advance? We’d never get out of bed.’

  ‘OK, OK.’ Kara checked her watch. ‘Dad will be home soon. Let’s go inside and finish getting the dinner ready. I’ll pop in tomorrow after work and we’ll see what we can do.’

  ‘Good girl.’ Harry eased himself slowly out of his armchair.

  Kara handed him his stick. ‘I’m so happy to be a part of you.’

  ‘Hmm. Depends which part. I’d skip the dodgy right knee, if I were you.’

  Chapter 17

  Star put her legs up on the rails of the balcony at Kara’s flat and sipped from a large glass of chilled white wine.

  ‘Your new boyfriend is looking up here,’ she said. ‘He’s probably peering up your dress.’

  Kara came to the doorway and tried to remain out of sight of the ferry. ‘Billy’s just a mate and I don’t want to hear anything else on the matter, OK?’

  ‘The lady doth protest too much, methinks.’

  ‘Don’t you go all Shakespeare on me. Billy was calling up at the balcony last time he was here.’

  ‘See? It’s all written, Kar. I can feel it, you know me. Little bit of the old white witch coming out today.’ Star put her legs back down to ground level. ‘Have you spoken to him since Snog Gate?’ She blew noisy kisses into the air.

  Kara remained serious. ‘To be honest, I’ve avoided him, but I will talk to him. And talking of writing, come on, let’s get this guest advert done.’

  Star softened. ‘You know I’m just joking with you. How are you feeling? It is still early days, I know.’

  ‘I kind of miss Jago, if I’m honest, but then I think it may just be the company I’m missing. Eight years is a long time not to be alone.’

  ‘I hear you. I guess I’m never alone as Skye has always been with me. And I vowed that unless I met someone who would fit in around both of our lives, I would never invite them in. So, in a funny way, she allows me to be alone, as in partner-free, without me even questioning it. And being a free spirit suits me. Well, it does at the moment, anyway.’ Star took another drink of wine. ‘Did any of that make sense?’

  Without waiting for an answer, she carried on, ‘My crystal sessions quite often turn into counselling sessions. I hear so many people telling me their partners are holding them back. But no one can force someone to do anything. You are in charge now, Kara. You are free to be who you want to be and do whatever you want to do.’

  Kara looked wistful. ‘Sometimes I don’t even know who I am any more.’ She looked out across the water and, on noticing the ferry heading back to Crowsbridge, joined Star on the white metal bench. Seagulls were noisily cawing overhead and the estuary was alive with yachts and pleasure boats enjoying the Easter holiday break. The strong easterly breeze had encouraged a few windsurfers out to make the most of the early evening sunshine. A couple of kayakers were also heading towards the quay. The sound of chattering children could be heard from outside the ice-cream kiosk at Frank’s and cars were already pulling up on the road below for the return ferry journey across the water. ‘But what I do know is that I want to be able to do more than just work, eat, sleep, repeat.’

  James Bond appeared and started weaving in and out of their legs, emitting loud, lawnmower-sounding purrs.

  ‘So, let’s get you to that place, Kara Moon. Come on.’ With a delighted James Bond jumping up on the now empty bench and stretching his long, thin body along it, they made their way inside to the small table and two chairs where Kara had set up the laptop.

  ‘Did you decide on yours or the spare room for your guests?’ Star asked.

  ‘Definitely mine. I’m going to move all my clothes and personal stuff into the spare room. I can use it as a dressing room now he’s gone. So, when a guest does book, all I need to do is change the bedding in my room, as it will be clutter-free.’ Kara paused. ‘That’s a thought – I’ll get some new duvet sets and towels. I can use some of the two hundred quid Grandad Harry gave me for that. Shit, and tomorrow I need to get flea stuff for mad cat.’

  After an hour of faffing and tidying, plumping pillows and straightening the duvet, standing on chairs to get the best camera angles of the harbour and several copy rewrites, an Airbnb listing for Number One, Ferry View Apartments was born.

  Kara uploaded photos of the pretty Victorian block, Frank’s and the estuary harbour, plus her now spotless bedroom and bathroom and a view from the big bay window in the lounge. She also reluctantly agreed on Star’s insistence that including a host photo would make the listing more personal and would help to attract clientele. A nightly price of sixty pounds including breakfast was deemed by both to be acceptable.

  Kara began to read aloud to make sure it all made sense before going live.

  Location: Ferry View Apartments is situated overlooking the lively Hartmouth Estuary amidst the stunning backdrop of the Cornish coastline. Hartmouth is a thriving market town famed for its bustling Ferry Lane Market and narrow cobbled streets. It is a haven for yachtsmen and visiting tourists alike, offering fine restaurants, a bespoke floristry centre and a world-renowned crystal shop. The historic ferry crosses the River Hart regularly to Crowsbridge, where you will find the impressive Cornish Trust property, Crowsbridge Hall.

  They both then laughed. ‘Loving our bit of free advertising there,’ Star added.

  Kara agreed. ‘Let’s add our websites on there too. If they get removed, so be it.’ She cleared her throat and carried on reading at speed.

  The space: Your room is on the 1st floor of this charming sea-facing apartment block. As you enter the room you are greeted by a stunning 180-degree view of the Hartmouth Estuary through a large sash window. The size of the room is very comfortable and it houses a king-size bed.

  Bathroom: Directly opposite your room is a spacious toilet and bathroom, which is shared with the host, who will rarely be present at the two-bedroom property.

  Notes: Must not be allergic to cats or reptiles.

  ‘Me not being there isn’t wholly a lie as I intend to go to Bee Cottage to shower, et cetera, when they are here,’ Kara stated, ‘although I’ll have to come in to feed Sid and James Bond, and to give them a bit of attention.’

  ‘It’s sounding great. Go on,’ Star urged.

  Breakfast: Cereal, bread, milk, tea and coffee will be available, as well as one voucher per day for Frank’s, the popular American-style diner just a five-minute walk from the apartment, where you can sample one of their magnificent traditional Cornish breakfasts.

  ‘Ooh, it’s sounding so good I might book it myself.’ Star laughed, standing up from one of the uncomfortable wooden dining chairs and stretching out her back. ‘Right, I’d better get going, Skye will be wondering where I am.’

  The intercom buzzer rang.

  ‘Maybe it’s your first guest already,’ Star joked.

  The distinctive London accent of Billy Dillon rang through the flat.

  ‘Kerry, it’s me.’

  ‘Shall I remind him to put the toilet seat down if he stays over?’ Star winked and headed off down the stairs.

  ‘Billy Dillon.’ Kara formally greeted the handsome ferryman in the doorway of her apartment, slightly nervously.

  ‘How’s it going, Kerensa Moon?’

  Kara bit her lip. ‘Before you say anything else, look … about the other day.’

  ‘I thought we’d covered that already?’

  ‘It’s just. I didn’t want to—’

  ‘Lead me on?’ Billy interrupted.

  Kara nodded.

  ‘It’s fine,’ he shrugged. ‘I wait years for a date, get snogged within an inch of my life and then discarded like an old rag. It’s fine, really.’ Kara had to double-check to see if he was joking. For a second, he had sounded serious but his smirk gave it away. ‘I’ll be your handsome decoy any day, darling, don’t you worry.’

  ‘Come in.’ Kara shut the door behind him.

  ‘So, has the toad been in touch since, then?’

  ‘Only to ask how Sid was.’

  Billy laughed. ‘That bloke is such a twat.’ He paused. ‘And if he’d rather be with a posh stick insect with no tits over you, then let him, it’s his loss.’

  Kara smiled, absent-mindedly taking out her headband and shaking her head so that her long auburn waves settled around her shoulders.

  ‘Whoa, girl, what are you doing to me now?’

  ‘Will you stop it! You know you could have a choice of much younger girls with swishier hair and much slimmer thighs.’

  ‘Maybe I could.’ Billy waited. ‘If I wanted to.’

  Kara rolled her eyes, hoping he couldn’t see the faint blush making its way up her cheeks. ‘Anyway, what can I do you for?’ She rustled around in her handbag for her lip balm.

  ‘It was just that your dad mentioned you were opening up your flat to guests and I wondered if you needed any help shifting anything or whatever.’

  ‘Aw.’ Kara made a tutting noise. ‘I probably will do, but not now as I need to get a move on as, talking of Dad, I’m meeting him and Grandad in the Ferryboat in a minute.’

  ‘OK, well, you know where I am.’

  ‘That I do, and Billy, thank you. That’s really sweet of you.’

  Billy put his finger lightly on Kara’s nose. ‘Sweet? Moi?’ He winked. ‘I think you hold the monopoly on that one.’

  Chapter 18

  Pearlette Baptiste was sweating as she rushed in through the front door of the Victorian semi-detached house she shared with her much younger sister, brother-in-law and their two children in Penrigan. Thinking she mustn’t forget to throw her uniform in the washing machine, she tore up the stairs, nearly knocking her twelve-year-old nephew over on the landing in the process.

  ‘Auntie Pearl, what’s the hurry?’

  ‘I’m so sorry, my little darling. Did you have a good day?’

  ‘There’s no school, so of course I did.’ The lad sloped back into his bedroom to play on his computer game.

  Pearl heard the bath running and the deep voice of her brother-in-law doing his usual Pavarotti impressions, oblivious to the world around him, and sighed. Oh, to feel that free and easy again, she thought.

  There were of course many advantages to living with her sister and family, but having a house with just one bathroom wasn’t one of them. She checked her watch and berated herself for not having had a shower at the hospital where she’d just finished her shift. Pearl had been a staff nurse for thirty years, but had only been working at Penrigan General for the past six months. Previously she’d worked in the busy Accident & Emergency department of a south-east London hospital, where stabbings rather than tractor injuries were the norm. But whatever the injury, compassion for her patients was always the same and, despite it still being a stressful and extremely draining job at times, there was nothing in the world she would rather do. And with her due to turn sixty later in the year, moving out of London and enjoying the slower pace of living in such a beautiful area of the country was also helping her to rebuild her life … after the accident.

  Realising that she would be late if she waited for a shower, she took her toiletries bag into the downstairs cloakroom and gave herself the kind of strip wash usually reserved for her patients. She dressed, cleaned her teeth and then gave herself a critical glance in the mirror. She couldn’t deny her platinum crop looked amazing against her smooth ebony skin, but her eyes, as well as having bags under them, had recently lost their sparkle.

  ‘Well, just look at you – you look a picture, honey.’ Her sister Ireany passed her in the kitchen.

  ‘Let’s just hope he likes big-bottomed girls with even bigger bags under their eyes.’ Pearl laughed and then groaned. ‘I’m too old for this dating malarkey.’

  ‘Didn’t I tell you that you should’ve got him to come here to Penrigan, not have you rushing around the county for him,’ her sister scolded. ‘That’s not the way to start courting a man, you hear me?’

  Pearl heard her, but didn’t want to go into the fact that her date had offered to meet her locally; however, on learning that he wasn’t finishing work until eight, she wouldn’t hear of it. Instead she would jump on her beloved pea-green Vespa and go to him.

  ‘Here.’ Ireany reached for a perfume bottle in her bag and without warning sprayed Pearlette from head to toe.

  ‘Poo!’ Ireany’s younger son came in from playing outside. ‘That stinks!’ His mother mock-swiped him around the head as he darted past her and up the stairs.

  ‘Ignore him. That’ll have him chasing you up and down them cliffs and back again.’ Then Ireany added softly, ‘Dear Don would have wanted you to move on, you know he would.’

  With tears in her eyes, Pearl replied, ‘I know he would, but that doesn’t make it any easier.’

  Chapter 19

  ‘We never normally go out for a drink midweek and I’m shattered, Dad.’ Joe Moon had only just kicked off his boots after a long day on the ferry.

  ‘But I promised our Kerry we’d meet her in the Ferryboat. She must be a bit lonely at the moment and we don’t have to stay for long.’

  At the mention of his daughter, Joe rallied. ‘All right, come on then. I’m starving so let’s get some food there, too.’

  Harry smiled inwardly; he loved it when a plan came together. ‘Aren’t you going to have a shower and brush your hair?’

  Joe went to the mirror to briefly flatten down his snowy-white, collar-length hair with one hand. ‘I’m sixty-one, not six years old, Dad, and it’s only the pub not the Ritz.’

  Just as Kara was ordering herself a drink at the bar, she noticed someone matching the photo of Pearlette, 59, known as ‘Pearl’, arriving at the bar opposite. As the potential date for her dad greeted the barman, Kara checked her out. Thankfully the photo of the woman matched her real self perfectly. Kara had read so many horror stories about Internet dating and her dad was so trusting, like her, that she was going to make sure she was behind him all the way on this.

  Pearlette’s wide and perfect smile took up half of her pretty face. She also could definitely match Kara on the boob front and her loud, infectious laugh, which was now echoing across the bar, was simply wonderful. Kara noticed that her hair was gorgeous too: silvery blond, cropped and stepped into her tight curls. She had a lime-green crash helmet over one arm. Even cooler, Kara thought. More important was the fact that Pearlette’s profile had been so natural, honest and unassuming. She was also a nurse, which gave her further plus points.

  Checking her watch, Kara prayed that her dad and Grandad Harry wouldn’t be late. They had just five minutes left in which to get here. It was already bad form that they hadn’t already been here when Joe’s date had arrived.

  Thankfully, there had not been much of an email correspondence to get to this dating stage and what conversation there had been, Kara had overseen it all. She just hoped that her dad would play the game and not run a mile when he knew they had set him up like this. Just then, her phone beeped with a WhatsApp message from her grandad. Phew. He’d remembered how to use it. They were here. Taking her drink outside, she saw Joe’s van pulling into the car park, then smiled as she spotted a pea-green Vespa parked up in the corner. This woman had style too!

  ‘Hello, darling.’ Joe Moon kissed his daughter on the cheek as Harry, completely relinquishing all blame and responsibility, stumped his way over to one of the outside benches and sat down. There was no time for a long introduction.

  Kara cleared her throat and blurted out: ‘Dad, we’ve arranged a date for you.’

  ‘You what?’

  ‘Her name is Pearlette – Pearl; I think you may well get on.’

  ‘Hey, no, when—? No, I don’t think so. You did this without asking me? No, I—’

  But before he had a chance to say anything more, Pearl herself appeared in the doorway and waved across at him.

  ‘Joseph? Joseph Moon?’

  ‘Er. Um. Yes, that’s me.’ Joe looked like a rabbit caught in headlights.

  Kara whispered, ‘You’ll be fine,’ as she hotfooted it over to her grandad.

  ‘I’m Pearlette, but everybody calls me Pearl.’ The large lady beamed at her date, then held out her hand. ‘Lovely to meet you.’

  ‘Um … yes, likewise. I’m Joseph, but everybody calls me Joe.’ He caught a whiff of Pearl’s strong, musky perfume. Kara, anxiously listening in from the sidelines, was immensely proud of her dad when he went on politely, ‘I love your scent, Pearl. What is it?’

  And was even more delighted when Pearl replied back in a deadpan voice: ‘It’s called desperation, Joe, but we can work on that, I’m sure.’

  Chapter 20

  ‘Welcome to Ferry Lane Market.’ Kara felt like she was on a first date as she held out her hand to her very first Airbnb guest. For there in front of her was a thirty-something short man, with a wide face and bushy brown beard. His eyes were hazel and his handshake firm. She had suggested to ‘Jack from New York’ that it would be easier for him to meet her at Passion Flowers so that she could take him down to the apartments and show him how the entry system worked, etc.

  ‘How very formal.’ Jack laughed to reveal a slightly crooked set of bottom teeth.