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.He’d guessed what was going on, but it still wasn’t very pleasant seeing it under his nose.Of course, he would never have admitted that half the reason he was so cross was because he was disappointed in Harry.How could a girl with so much spirit and resolve allow herself to become embroiled with a narcissistic, strutting, shallow little weasel like Jimi? All the more reason to wash his hands of the restaurant sooner rather than later.Abruptly he came to and realised Gina had stopped walking and was watching him through narrowed eyes.‘So why didn’t you tell me Harry Watling was a girl?’‘Well, hardly.Not so you’d notice,’ Matthew snorted.‘Oh, I think you have, Matthew.And Jimi certainly has.Isn’t that why you’ve got a face like thunder?’‘Gina!’ he shouted, before adopting a more reasonable tone of voice.‘Gina, be serious.I mean, look at you – and think about Harry.Kerisst! I mean she dresses like a boy, she’s got hands like a builder, and it looks as if she cuts her hair with a knife and fork! C’mon!’‘So why haven’t you got on with your development? You always said you needed the housing to make the restaurant worthwhile.You’ve got the legal means to acquire the land, yet you’ve been umming and ahing about taking it further.There has to be a good reason why you’ve been so reluctant to do anything that would be detrimental to Harry Watling.’‘She’s had a tough time.’ It sounded pretty feeble.‘I wanted to give her a chance to make a success of everything she’d worked for.I felt …’Fraternal? Yes, that’s what had given him that nice warm feeling, a sense he could give her some brotherly guidance about the direction she should take, knowing how alone she was.He thought about her on Calypso looking up at him with those serious grey eyes, a delicate heart-shaped face and that wide mouth that was both clumsy and alluring.Sitting next to her, he was aware of the smell of the warm sea breeze, white cotton, washed hair and a sweet, feminine scent that was all Harry’s own.And, when she’d rubbed her eyes with her small practical hands, suddenly they didn’t look like little fists any more.Nor, for that matter, did they seem so innocent.‘Horny?’ Gina suggested tartly.‘She blew you out, didn’t she? That’s why you’re trying to put a different spin on it.You spent the night on a tiny little boat together and she wouldn’t let you! Jeez!’ Gina shook her head in disbelief.‘Maybe that’s where I’ve been going wrong? Maybe if I’d played hard to get, you’d have fallen in love with me.’‘I am not in love with Harry Watling!’ Matthew roared.‘I think you’d better work that one out, Matthew,’ she said, smiling sadly.‘Because one thing’s for sure – you’re not in love with me.’For once the dark blue eyes met his without mockery.‘I came here to tell you that G Mag House has offered me promotion.Assistant Editor.’‘That’s great news for you, Gina.Congratulations.’ Even to his own ears it sounded weak, as if he was addressing a stranger.She gave a short laugh.‘Actually, Matthew it’s great news for you too.The job’s in New York.That’s why I’ve needed to see you, to tell you.I had this crazy idea of us starting again somewhere fresh and exciting.But I’m not the one exciting you any more, am I?’ Again the dark eyes were naked, unguarded.‘Tell me, Matthew, is there any reason why I shouldn’t go?’Matthew opened his mouth to protest, then decided against it.They both knew he was only going through the motions.Their relationship had already been dying when he decided to take on the development of the old clubhouse.‘No? I thought not.’ She smiled at him wearily.‘You wanted out, Matthew.That’s why you ran away up here, the last place I would ever want to stay.’It sounded too hollow to deny it.‘You still found me a great chef.’Gina laughed.‘I was trying to make you jealous and I certainly succeeded – although not quite in the way I imagined!’‘I still don’t know how you persuaded Jimi to come up here.He’s not my favourite person, but he’s brilliant at his job.And hungry to get his own kitchen.How did you manage to convince him that a restaurant in the middle of Little Spitmarsh was worth seeing?’Getting Jimi aboard had been a major coup; even though, having walked out of his previous restaurant under a cloud, the guy knew that there was something of the last-chance saloon about this job.He’d kept himself out of debt by working for an agency with private clients, and had proved himself a creative, passionate and driven chef.Matthew was anticipating menus that would set the restaurant reviews alight.‘Well, not like that, darling, although he is very good-looking.’Matthew was still relieved to hear it, even though Gina was, and always had been, a free spirit.She pulled a face, as if reading his thoughts.‘Oh, Jimi’s hungry all right.He could always see the attraction of being the next big seaside chef, but there was more to it.’‘Oh?’ Matthew couldn’t think what other reason there could be to draw Jimi to Little Spitmarsh.‘His father ran a boat yard somewhere up here on the east coast, apparently.Jimi lost his mother some years ago to breast cancer, but it was only recently – after the man he thought was his father died – that he discovered that his real father was someone else.I think Jimi’s been looking for his past.’Matthew breathed out slowly.‘Hey!’ Gina said, more gently.‘Don’t look so worried.Your Harry isn’t in love with him.Any woman can see that.’I bloody hope she isn’t, he thought grimly.As fairy tales went, Little Spitmarsh was more of an Ugly Duckling than a Sleeping Beauty.Even Harry had to admit, as she walked slowly back to the yard, that it hadn’t exactly woken up to be beautiful; but the little family excitedly unloading their rental van outside a terraced cottage in Sea Lane were thrilled with its unconventional charm.‘I can’t believe we’re here!’ Mum sighed, as Harry stopped to help them with a large chest of drawers.‘We said we’d do it,’ Dad chipped in.‘But that’s all most people do – talk about moving to the coast.Well, we’ve done it.’By selling their ex-local authority flat on the fringes of London, the family had netted enough cash to move somewhere where they didn’t have to worry about their outside wall being daubed with graffiti every night, finding used needles thrown over their fence or being mugged for their mobile phones.‘We love the mixture here,’ the woman enthused.‘It’s got old-world charm, but with some really lovely shops too.It feels up and coming, but it hasn’t been overwhelmed, unlike some places in the south-west.’Despite Harry’s predictions of doom, Matthew’s restaurant had succeeded in making its mark as Little Spitmarsh’s Unique Selling Point.Not least with the family beside her.‘It’s great for a tiny place like this to have such a brilliant restaurant opening too,’ the woman continued.‘And, with the money we’ve saved moving away from London, we can even afford to go there for special occasions.’Recharged, they returned to their unpacking, their children spilling around them.Not quite the Up-From-Londoners Harry had anticipated, but a real family eager to make a new start.Whether Matthew had just been lucky or extremely perceptive, Harry couldn’t guess; but she had to admit that his vision had raised spirits in the down-at-heel town [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]