were half a dozen empty tables that were littered with crumbs. ‘I’ll brush up after this and wipe the tables down,’ offered Nell.
‘You are a superstar. What would I do without you?’
The pair of them both cupped their mugs and sipped their hot chocolates while staring out over the marina through the window of the deli.
Suddenly, Bea placed her mug down on the counter with a clatter and hit Nell’s arm. She nodded towards the window.
‘Who’s that? I’ve not seen him around these parts before.’
Nell’s eyes darted over to where Bea was looking and smiled at her friend’s sudden enthusiasm. The man standing in front of the deli window was the same man whose dog had knocked her clean off her feet this morning.
‘Put your tongue back in, Bea, you’re physically panting,’ she ordered, but not admitting to her that her own stomach had done a slight flip at the sight of him again.
‘The hot chocolate’s too hot. Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it,’ Bea giggled.
‘You’re married,’ grinned Nell.
For a second they both watched the handsome stranger, taking in his navy-blue jumper that clung to his toned abs, his overalls tied around his waist and wild, dark hair, which he constantly raked away from his eyes.
He flicked his head up and down the jetty and seemed quite anxious before spinning round and locking eyes with Nell for a split second.
Damn, he’d caught her staring.
‘It doesn’t stop me from looking, though. He’s …’ Bea grabbed Nell’s arm and gave it a squeeze.
‘Coming in,’ she smiled.
All eyes were on the man as they watched him push open the deli door, letting in a blast of cool air. ‘Hello again, I thought it was you,’ he said, in his soft Irish accent.
‘Hello again?’ Instantly Bea swung towards Nell, raising her eyebrows. She was itching to know who the stranger was.
‘This is …’
The man smiled and acknowledged Nell’s hesitation, ‘Guy,’ he said, thrusting his hand towards her. ‘Guy Cornish. I don’t think we introduced ourselves properly this morning.’
‘This morning?’ Bea queried.
‘Nell, Nell Andrews. Pleased to meet you,’ she beamed, shaking his proffered hand ‘And this is …’
‘Bea,’ Bea chirped, with a wicked glint in her eye, ‘So come on, what am I am missing? How do you two know each other?’
‘This morning Guy swept me off my feet.’
‘He did, did he? And how come I know nothing about this?’ Bea enquired playfully.
‘Well not Guy, technically, but his dog.’
‘And he’s the very reason I’m pacing up and down the marina like a mad man. The lolloping hound has run off. We’ve only been here a couple of days and I’ve no clue where to start looking for him.’
‘How long ago was this?’
‘About five minutes,’ he glanced at his watch anxiously.
‘Don’t worry. He can’t have gone far. I bet he’s headed up the path near the woodlands. He’ll have sniffed out a rabbit or something.’
‘I don’t think he’s that intelligent,’ he joked, but there was no mistaking the worried expression firmly planted on his face.
Nell stood motionless for a moment wondering what to do, then taking a deep, calming breath she said, ‘I’ll help you look. That’s okay isn’t it, Bea? We’re over the dinner-time rush now.’
‘Yes, of course. You go. This time of day it’s always quiet.’
He gave Nell a grateful smile, ‘You will?’
Nell nodded, ‘I know the back paths,’ she answered, thrusting her arms into the sleeves of her coat and quickly zipping it up. ‘Come on, I’m sure it won’t take long to find him.’
Once outside the deli they headed towards the far end of the marina and strolled past all the shops, before hitting the trail that led to the woodlands.
‘What’s his name?’
‘Sam,’ Guy replied, and began to shout the dog’s name and rattle his lead.
Speedily, they carried on walking along the path, ‘So I take it you aren’t from around these parts, then?’
‘With an accent like this?’ he laughed. ‘No, it’s my brother who owns the boatyard here. I’m helping him out for a while.’
‘Ed’s your brother?’ Nell said astounded.
‘He is indeed.’
‘Ahh, you’re helping him out because of his operation?’
‘Yes, he’s laid up for six weeks after a hernia operation, so I offered to come and give him a hand at the boatyard he’s always raving on about.’
Ed had owned the boatyard at the marina for as long as Ollie and Nell had moored the ‘Nollie’ there. He seemed a little older than Guy and, as far as Nell was aware he had no wife or children. He was always a happy-go-lucky fellow, nothing was ever too much trouble. During the past year, Nell had often noticed his light on in the boat shed until the early hours of the morning when she couldn’t sleep. He was always beavering away, restoring and painting boats and was well thought of at the marina.
‘What do you think about the place so far?’ Nell asked, while Guy carried on beckoning for Sam in between chatting to her.
‘I can see the attraction,’ he snagged her eye and she didn’t know why but she felt herself instantly blush. He paused for a second, ‘Ed was always what my mum would call a tinkerer. Always up to his armpits in grease and oil.’
‘Just like my Ollie.’
‘Ollie?’
‘My husband,’ she answered, traipsing alongside Guy. ‘Was my husband,’ she exhaled.
‘Was?’ Guy commented, not making eye contact but looking up ahead for Sam. ‘Divorced?’
‘Widowed. He passed away. In fact it’s his birthday today.’
Immediately Guy stopped in his tracks and swung towards her. ‘I don’t know what to say. Are you okay?’ he asked kindly.
Nell offered him a warm smile, ‘What can you say? Life was difficult for a while but it’s becoming more bearable. I’m getting there, as they say.’
‘What happened? Do you mind me asking?’
Nell
