First things first, though, he was going to send the Pepper brothers a quick message to thank them again for stopping him from falling apart at the seams.

  Throwing his keys into the bowl that sat just inside the front door, George headed into the living room and flopped onto the squashy old sofa. Yanking his phone out of his pocket, he rapidly typed out a text, promising Matt and Ewan a drink in the Pebble Street whenever they fancied it.

  ‘And… relax!’ he muttered, tossing his phone aside and resting his head back against the cushions.

  George closed his eyes and willed the last of the day’s tension to leave his muscles. He could feel the after-effects of his long morning run now. There was a certain tightness to his thighs, and a general heaviness that was threatening to weld him firmly to the sofa if he wasn’t careful.

  Silence reigned, broken only by the ticking of the old clock on the mantlepiece and the sound of the sea breeze making the gutters outside creak.

  He’d always loved how quiet his little house was. Usually, it offered peace and tranquillity… but after the weird day he’d just had, the hush felt a bit like it was pressing in on him. He closed his eyes, taking several long, slow breaths.

  The image of baby Melody’s chubby cheeks and the sound of her infectious gurgling giggles promptly echoed inside his head. Suddenly, the thick heat was back in his throat… and this time he couldn’t blame it on shock. George’s eyes flew open, and he jumped out of the sofa as if it had bitten him.

  What on earth was going on?!

  He’d heard of women suddenly developing the overwhelming urge to have a baby… but he’d never really considered having kids. Mind you, that was probably because he’d never met anyone he wanted to share that kind of life with. Well… not since Claudia, anyway.

  Claudia.

  Was it hearing that name bandied around town that had triggered all this? He thought back to that morning. After everything that had happened, he couldn’t remember if he’d held the baby before or after hearing the name that was such a blast from the past.

  Turning on his heel, George hurried upstairs, intent on the shower he so desperately needed. One thing was suddenly crystal clear—there was no way he was up for spending the evening on his own in this quiet house. He’d drive himself insane!

  A plan popped into his head fully formed. He was going to grab a shower, change into something that wasn’t his postie uniform, and then head over to the hotel for a drink.

  Worst-case scenario, he’d find some people to chat with so that he didn’t have to spend the entire evening alone with his thoughts.

  His weird, newly-baby-obsessed thoughts.

  Best case scenario? Maybe he’d finally get to see what had become of Claudia after all these years.

  Actually, did that really qualify as the best-case scenario in this situation? After all, they’d been together a lifetime ago. Just because it had been a defining moment in his own life—the one and only time he’d ever been in love—it didn’t mean the same thing was true for her. Hell, she might not even remember him!

  ‘Even if she does, what do you expect from the poor woman?!’ he muttered, kicking off his shoes and unbuttoning his shirt before tossing it onto the bed.

  Even more importantly, did he really want to risk his precious memories getting tarnished? After all, this Claudia had been terrorising the town all day, demanding entry to his friends’ home, insulting Kate, reducing Lionel to a gibbering wreck, and generally being mean. She didn’t sound even remotely like the girl he’d once known.

  ‘Maybe it’ll help you move on, though?’ he muttered, mooching through to the bathroom, cranking on the shower and holding his hand under the torrent of water to test the temperature.

  George shook his head. He was overthinking this. Today was just turning into one of those days. Everything was going to feel wrong, no matter what he did… so he was just going to go for a drink and see if this woman was the same person. Just see. That was all. Then he could decide if he was going to say anything to her.

  Ten minutes later, he smelled a lot fresher and was wearing his least crumpled shirt. Not that he was making a special effort or anything… that’d just be daft. After all, the last time he’d seen Claudia, her hair had been wound into rainbow bunches, and her sweeping fringe had sported lime green stripes. An experiment that shouldn’t have worked but somehow managed to make her look dangerously cute.

  Claudia had always been in the middle of some kind of rebellion against her mother. A habit that her funny, down-to-earth father had encouraged as much as possible.

  George huffed out a sigh. He needed to stop thinking about the past. He needed to stop worrying about anything other than what was happening right now… and right now he was simply going to check if Lionel was doing alright with his difficult guest… and maybe catch a glimpse of her while he was at it.

  ‘George, my boy,’ said Lionel, standing up and striding towards him the minute he walked through the door. ‘I wasn’t expecting you this evening, but I have to say, I’m very glad to see you’re in one piece.’

  ‘One piece?’ said George in surprise, accepting Lionel’s hearty handshake and hug with some surprise.

  ‘I hear the harridan in number thirteen tried to take you out with her tank?’

  George laughed. He couldn’t help it. It wasn’t really a laughing matter of course, but it was astounding how fast news spread in Seabury.

  ‘Yes, there was almost an… incident?’ said George, choosing his words carefully. ‘Still, no harm done. To me, at least. I hope she’s okay?’

  ‘Okay?’ tutted Lionel. ‘I’m not sure that’s the word I’d use to describe her. But she made it back here alive, if that’s what you’re asking?’

  George nodded.

  ‘Not sure what happened to the SUV, though. Word on the grapevine is that she was seen walking down the hill past the allotments, and the vehicle’s not in any of the likely spots this evening.’

  George raised his eyebrows. ‘I really hope it isn’t in a ditch somewhere… or ploughed into the front of someone’s house.’

  ‘Who knows,’ said Lionel ominously. ‘I know the Pepper boys called Kate after your little visit earlier to warn her and Lou to be careful when they took Trixie out on the sandwich round!’

  ‘I should have thought of that!’ said George, his eyes going wide. The thought of Lou or Kate coming into contact with the SUV while they were riding The Sardine’s delivery tricycle didn’t bear thinking about.

  ‘No harm done,’ said Lionel, patting his shoulder. ‘From what Matt told Charlie earlier, it doesn’t sound like you were in any kind of state to worry about that, anyway.’

  ‘Yeah,’ George felt a blush stain his cheeks. ‘I was a bit shaken up, I have to admit.’

  ‘Not surprised!’ said Lionel. ‘I would have been too, especially as I hear there’s a chance our guest of honour may be your blast from the past after all?’

  George made an instant mental note to kick both the Pepper brothers in the shins at his earliest possible convenience. Normally, he was pretty careful about what he fed the Seabury grapevine, but the brothers had really caught him at a vulnerable moment earlier.

  ‘Well… apparently her sister—the one who’s marrying Rory—is called Freya. And my Claudia had a sister, and I’m pretty sure she was called Freya too.’

  ‘What are the chances?!’ said Lionel, raising a bushy eyebrow. ‘Even so, I can’t exactly see the pair of you running off into the sunset in some kind of rekindled, second-chance romance!’

  Lionel had to stop for a long minute because the thought made him smile… then giggle… then he started to laugh so loudly that it echoed off the reception walls.

  ‘When you’re quite finished!’ chuckled George, eyeballing Lionel, who was now bent double, trying to catch his breath as he dabbed at his eyes with a red and white spotted handkerchief.

  ‘Sorry. I am sorry, my boy!’ said Lionel, straightening up and making a visible effort to control himself.

  ‘I’m very glad my single status is such a good joke.’

  ‘That’s not the joke,’ said Lionel, still laughing so hard that tears poured down his cheeks. ‘You deserve all the happiness in the world… it’s just the idea of you finding it with that stroppy knickered old trout that’s tickling me…’

  Lionel dabbed at his eyes again, staring up at the ceiling in an attempt to stop his shoulders shaking with mirth.

  ‘Sorry.’ He cleared his throat. ‘Right. Right… I’m going to behave now. Promise.’

  George smirked. ‘Sure. So, question is, is the stroppy knickered old trout still in residence?’

  Lionel’s beaming face instantly straightened out. ‘Why… you’re not going to make a scene, are you?’

  ‘As if I’d do a thing like that,’ said George, batting his eyelashes and doing his best to look innocent. ‘I just… I’d like to have a proper look. Just a peep to see if it is the same Claudia from years ago.’

  ‘But she’s only just settled down in the dining room,’ said Lionel. ‘She’s behaving herself at the moment, but you might set her off again. I could do without her giving Hattie a hard time…’

  ‘Okay, what if I promise just to have a peep from the doorway?’ said George. ‘I’ll just do a little drive-by on my way through to the bar… just a quick look and I’ll be on my way.’

  ‘On one condition,’ said Lionel.

  ‘Go on?’ said George.

  ‘You don’t talk to her, and you buy me a drink.’

  ‘That’s two conditions,’ said George.

  Lionel shrugged and crossed his arms, clearly not willing to budge.

  ‘Fine. I accept.’

  ‘She’s at table two over by the windows,’ said Lionel.

  ‘Then I’ll have to take a walk through the dining room and into the kitchen to get a proper look,’ said George. ‘I won’t be able to see from the doorway.’

  ‘Okay, fine!’ huffed Lionel. ‘But that means my drink’s upgraded to a single malt.’

  ‘You drive a hard bargain,’ said George. ‘Right, here we go.’

  ‘Remember… not a word. If you set her off again, you can deal with her!’ said Lionel. ‘I’m not coming to your rescue.’

  ‘Deal,’ said George, brushing down his shirt. He couldn’t decide which way he wanted this to go. If she wasn’t the Claudia who’d broken his heart, he’d be a bit relieved and a bit disappointed all rolled into one. And if she was his Claudia? Well… he’d be a bit relieved and a bit disappointed all rolled into one.

  ‘Wish me luck.’

  ‘You’ll need it!’ said Lionel with a smirk.

  ‘Always so supportive,’ tutted George. Then, before he could chicken out, he headed straight for the door of the dining room and peered inside.

  CHAPTER 9

  CLAUDIA

  ‘George? George Slatter, is that you?’

  The man who’d just wandered into the dining room of the Pebble Street Hotel had taken one look at Claudia and promptly made a u-turn. The sound of her voice brought him to an abrupt halt, and now, he was standing as still as a statue.

  Claudia became vaguely aware that she’d left her chair and was in a strange kind of half-crouch as she stared at his back.

  It had to be him… didn’t it?

  After the most horrible day, had the universe finally decided to give her a break? If she was right and that really was George Slatter, then her hidden agenda for being in Seabury—discovering what had become of her blast from the past—had just landed in her lap.

  ‘George?’ she said again, more quietly this time.

  Claudia stood up straighter, wincing as her dining chair scraped against the parquet floor. She sent an apologetic look at the people on the table nearest hers, but they were all watching her with interest rather than annoyance. Claudia didn’t care either way. She just wanted the man to turn to face her again so that she could be sure she hadn’t been imagining things.

  Maybe it wasn’t him. Maybe it was just the fact that she’d been feeling so lonely, sitting there waiting to eat alone, that it was simply wishful thinking that the best thing from her past had just wandered into her present.

  Claudia watched as the man turned slowly on the spot.

  ‘Claudia.’ It was a statement rather than a question. ‘Yes, it’s me.’

  For the first time that day, Claudia’s smile was wide and genuine. It felt like her mask was cracking in half to show the real person underneath. The sensation was weirdly uncomfortable.

  George’s slightly stony expression melted into the warm grin that had always managed to make her knees wobble.

  ‘George, what are you doing here?’ she said, unable to keep the joy out of her voice. What did she care that the other diners were now ogling the pair of them? Her heart was pounding, and not in the horrific way it had been when she’d nearly wiped out that poor post van earlier.

  ‘I live here,’ he laughed.

  ‘I know that,’ said Claudia, without thinking.

  ‘You do?’ said George, looking thoroughly surprised.

  Claudia winced and cleared her throat. Damn, that had just slipped out! What if he thought she was in Seabury looking for him? God, how embarrassing!

  Shaking her head, Claudia gave herself a mental slap. That was her mother’s voice in her head. She was the one who cared what everyone else thought—Claudia didn’t give a flying sausage! After all, even if it was true and she’d come on this trip just to search for George, why should it be embarrassing?

  Besides, it wasn’t true… at least, not completely. It was time to come clean.

  ‘Freya’s getting married,’ she said, launching right into the middle of the story. ‘Remember my little sister?’

  George nodded.

  ‘Well, my mother wanted me to come and erm… meet the groom’s family.’ Claudia did her best not to let her resentment show, but judging by the look on George’s face, she’d failed spectacularly.

  ‘Ah, so your mum’s still her usual warm and welcoming self then?’ he said lightly, his eyebrows going up.

  ‘Afraid so,’ sighed Claudia.

  She shouldn’t be surprised that George had cottoned on so fast. Her mother had loathed him when they’d been together, and he’d returned the favour as much as his youthful, easy-going nature had allowed.

  ‘Anyway,’ she said, forcing a smile back onto her face, ‘someone mentioned years ago that you’d settled in Seabury, and I’ve always wanted to…’ she trailed off, searching for the right words. ‘I just figured I’d keep an eye out for you while I was in town,’ she finished lamely.

  ‘Well… you found me!’ said George, glancing over his shoulder, then back at her.

  ‘Technically, you found me!’ said Claudia. Suddenly realising that she was still on her feet, she sank back into her chair. ‘Are you here with someone?’

  She crossed her fingers in her lap. The idea that George might have a wife and kids waiting for him in reception made her feel mildly sick. But… a lovely guy like him? He was bound to be happily settled by now, wasn’t he?

  The minute George shook his head, tingling relief shot through her.

  ‘Join me for a minute?’ she said, nodding at the chair across from her. The combination of relief and hope seemed to have clogged her throat, and the request came out more like an order. ‘I mean… only if you want to!’

  George cocked his head. ‘I don’t want to intrude.’

  ‘Don’t be daft,’ she said. Her shoulders sagged, and she smiled at him. ‘Let me buy you a drink at least.’

  George paused for a long moment. With another quick glance over his shoulder, he nodded. ‘Okay, I’d love to,’ he said, slipping into the chair across from her. ‘I want to hear all about what you’ve been up to!’

  Claudia cringed. It hadn’t occurred to her that George might be just as curious about her life as she was about his. Urgh.

  ‘Tell me all about you, first,’ she begged.

  ‘My life went pretty much where you’d guess,’ said George. ‘It doesn’t make for much of a story, I’m afraid. No kids, no wife. I’m just a small-town postman.’

  ‘You’re… you’re a postman?’ she stammered.

  Uh oh!

  A strange mix of ice and fire raced through her system. That near miss earlier had been with George?! A thousand horrific images flitted through her head as the reality of how close she’d come to causing a tragedy hit her squarely in the chest. Her horror must have shown on her face, because George frowned.

  ‘I know it’s not high-flying or anything, but it suits me,’ he said, his voice tight.

  ‘It’s not that,’ said Claudia quickly, horrified that he might think she’d turned into as big a snob as her mother. ‘It’s just… are you the only postie in Seabury?’

  George nodded, still frowning.

  Claudia’s heart stuttered. So… it had definitely been him. ‘In that case, I owe you a huge apology.’

  ‘And a pair of clean undies,’ he said, a small smile appearing on his face. ‘I can’t deny it—you did manage to shave at least a couple of years off my life this morning.’

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ said Claudia. ‘But wait… you knew it was me?’

  ‘I had an inkling,’ said George. ‘But it was only when I visited Matt and Ewan, and they told me about Freya and the fact that you’d just paid them a visit, that I started to connect the dots.’

  He knew the Peppers? Urgh, this was going from bad to worse. She could only imagine what the brothers had told him about how she’d behaved!

  Well, there was no point worrying about that right now, was there? Claudia knew she had an awful lot of apologising to do for her behaviour today… and she might as well start as she meant to go on.

  ‘Let me buy you a drink,’ she repeated, with a note of pleading. ‘It’s the least I can do after my attempt on your life. Actually… have you eaten? Can I tempt you to join me?’

  Claudia crossed her fingers again as George hesitated. A movement over his shoulder near the door of the dining room caught her attention, and she glanced over.

 

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