Page 107 of One Cornish Summer With You

‘Found you.’

She jumped. ‘I could say the same for you. I’ve been looking for you.’

‘Good, because I need you to come with me.’

‘Why?’

He tapped the side of his nose mysteriously. ‘You’ll see.’

He held her hand and led her along the harbourside towards the beach, stopping before they reached the wall where she’d first spotted him. ‘Now,’ he said sternly, ‘close your eyes.’

‘Why?’

‘Trust me.’

‘OK …’ she said.

He took her hand. ‘Do not open them. I’ll guide you.’

The gulls cried, dogs barked and the music from the wedding party drifted out of the pub, but she kept her promise and kept her eyes tightly closed, even though she was mystified. The ground sloped and she almost stumbled.

‘I’ll hold your hand and make sure you don’t fall. Just promise not to look until I tell you that you can. Trust me.’

‘I do.’ She shuffled forward until he said they should stop.

‘And now,’ he said quietly, ‘you can open your eyes.’

The setting sun made her blink, and then her eyes cloudedwith tears and she had to cover her mouth to stifle a little cry when she saw the heart, drawn roughly in the sand, with two words in the centre.

He shuffled sheepishly and gave an apologetic smile.

‘It’s a bit rough – very rough, and I didn’t have much time, and the tide’s on its way in, but I suddenly knew that I had to say this to you now. I’ve wanted to ask for a while and tonight felt like the exact right moment and I couldn’t wait any longer.’

‘I – I—’

‘You don’t have to answer now,’ he murmured, ‘if you want to think about it.’

‘I don’t need to think about it.’ She flung her arms around him and they kissed, not caring who saw them. There was a ripple of applause from a family on the beach and a ‘Congratulations’ from a man walking his spaniel and they both laughed out loud.

‘Shall we go down to the beach?’ Ruan asked.

Tammy’s heart was so full, she could barely reply. ‘Yes. I think we have about half an hour left.’

In each other’s arms, they watched until the sea finally, gently – almost reluctantly – erased his proposal. And as they walked hand in hand back to the party, Tammy knew that while Ruan’s words had been washed away, they would stay in her heart forever.

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