Page 32 of Wishes & Waves at the Cornish Bakery
Elsie nodded towards Tilly’s mobile. ‘All okay?’
‘Not really.’ Tilly shifted on her stool, feeling a knot growing in the pit of her stomach as she remembered the message she’d left him. ‘It’s Isaac. I told him I was leaving the bay.’
‘Then ring him back, love. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled you’re staying.’ Elsie patted Tilly’s hand. ‘We can all see how close you’ve both grown.’
‘Really?’ Tilly looked up from her mobile. She hadn’t realised Elsie had noticed. Of course, Brooke had, but... She shook her head. ‘I think I need to go and see him. Do you mind?’
‘Of course not.’ Elsie chuckled. ‘You go. We have all the time in the world to get to know each other now.’
Biting down on her bottom lip, Tilly stood up. She noticed her car keys on the floor next to the counter. They must have skidded across there after her handbag had fallen. It would be quicker to drive. Bending down, Tilly picked them up before looking back at Elsie. ‘Thank you.’
‘Go on. Go get your man.’ Elsie waved her away.
Chapter Twenty Two
Reversing out of the space behind the bakery, Tilly drove down the narrow track towards the cobbled road. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, her emotions were so mixed up at the moment. She and Elsie were related. Her dad was Elsie’s nephew. Everything just seemed so confusing and yet so clear all at once. All her life it had been just her and her aunt, and now suddenly she had Elsie in her life too. And Ian. And Brooke, Lynsey, Wendy, Teresa, all of Elsie’s bakery family.
Coming to the end of the track where it joined the cobbled road, Tilly swiped at her eyes. She wasn’t alone anymore. She’d never be alone again.
Shoving the gear stick into first, she pressed down on the accelerator, her foot slipping at the last moment, causing her car to lurch forward. Just as she slammed her foot on the brake and pulled the handbrake up, her heart plummeted as she felt the tell-tale thud on the bonnet. She’d knocked into something. Please don’t let her have run anyone else over.
Forcing herself to look, she caught her breath and threw open the door, jumping out of the car. ‘Isaac!’
‘Ouch!’ Isaac rubbed his side as he looked across at her, their eyes meeting. Dropping his hand, he grinned. ‘Please don’t tell me I have to get run over every time I want to get your attention?’
Rushing forward, she held her hand over his hip. ‘I hit you. I hit you with my car again. Isaac, I’m so sorry.’
Flicking a wayward lock of hair from his eyes, Isaac cupped her cheeks with his hands. ‘I’m fine.’
‘Are you sure?’ Her eyes ran wildly over his body, checking for injuries. Was he really okay?
‘Positive. Or I am now I’m with you. I thought I’d missed you.’ He nodded towards the car, his expression suddenly clouding. ‘How long are you going for? I can come with you. If you’ll have me?’
‘No.’ Tilly shook her head quickly. ‘I’m not going anywhere. Not now. I was coming to tell you that I’m staying.’
‘In the bay? You’re staying?’ Isaac ran the pads of his thumbs across her cheeks, his touch so gentle that Tilly could hardly feel him.
‘Yes, I’m not going anywhere.’ Standing on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, their lips touching. Penworth Bay was her home now. Yes, the future was uncertain, but she was here. For Elsie. For Isaac. For all of it.
Epilogue
‘Eeek!’ Little Hudson screeched as he and Pippa tipped a bucket full of seawater over Diane’s husband’s head.
Blinking in surprise, it took Harry a moment to realise what had just happened as his face contorted from shock to amusement. Jumping up, he grabbed a strand of seaweed from the sand beside him and ran across the beach towards Pippa and Hudson. ‘That’s it. When I’ve finished with you two, you’ll be picking seaweed out of your hair for a week!’
Tilly laughed as she lifted her head from where she had been resting it in Isaac’s lap to watch the commotion. The last few weeks had sped by, filled with working at the bakery, applying for jobs and listening to stories about Elsie’s family – her family. With the summer tourist season coming to an end, Elsie and Ian had suggested they meet at the beach for the weekly bakery family get-together instead of the usual dinner at the bakery. Of course, everyone had jumped at the idea, and here they were, lounging on picnic blankets on the sand, their bellies full from a huge picnic, watching the children - and Harry - enjoy the last of the sunshine before the evening drew to a close.
‘He’s more of a child than them all put together.’ Diane rubbed baby Esme’s back as she lay against her shoulder. ‘Look at him, getting Rueben and Toby to help him.’
‘You should go and join in.’ Tilly grinned at Isaac and raised her eyebrows.
Chuckling, Isaac shook his head and rubbed his hip. ‘I would love to, but I’m just not the same after the woman I love mowed me down with her car. For the second time.’
Tilly opened her mouth to retort before frowning. ‘What did you say?’
‘My hip.’ He grinned at her, his eyes shining.
‘No, not that bit.’ Tilly shook her head. She needed to hear it again. What he’d called her.
