Page 109 of The Thief
“I’m gonna head to the sea with the guys.” Tyler thumbed behind him to Colton, Will, Adam, and Devon, who were sauntering down to the water’s edge.
“Have fun,” I said, lifting my hand up to shield my eyes from the sun.
“Can I come, Daddy?” Ava asked, and Tyler nodded, holding his hand out.
“We can take the dogs for a splash about,” Bryony said, as Tiny raced around her, tying her in knots with the lead wrapping around her legs.
“We’ll race you,” Shelley challenged, helping Ava with Tyson’s lead and pulling them down the sand to try and get a head start.
“See you later, Mummy!” Ava called behind her as they raced off.
I leaned back on my arms as I sat and breathed in the sea air.
“It’s been quite a day, huh?” Leah May said on a sigh.
“It really has,” I replied, closing my eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sun as I relaxed, listening to the waves, the laughter, the pure joy that was all around me. “Thank you so much for coming. I know it was touch and go whether you’d make it back in time.”
“We wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Leah May was gazing off into the distance, serenity painted all over her face.
“How was the tour?” Liv asked.
“Mesmerising,” Leah May replied.
Leah May’s music career had really taken off in the last year. She’d spent four months touring Europe, supporting a band that had hit the big time recently. We always knew she was something special, and as each day went by, she proved just how much through her music and being her wonderful, quirky, and amazing self.
Devon had gone with her, of course. They’d lived out of suitcases, hopping from one hotel to the next, but they didn’t care. It was an adventure for them both. But Devon had messaged Tyler late last night when they landed back in the U.K. to say how relieved they were to be home. Home being a house right next door to her father’s. I guess he was pretty relieved to have them both home too. Devon and Leah May were really close to her father. Their relationship was one I loved to watch, but at times, it made me sad. I missed my own dad.
All the men had forged new lives, everyone was thriving. But they still came together for work at the club and other things that Tyler always told me I didn’t need to worry about. I didn’t argue with him. I knew whatever time they spent together, he’d always come home to me and Ava, because he always put us first.
“Jess?” I heard a familiar voice, and I whipped my head around to see a woman picking her way across the sand heading towards me, squinting her eyes as she tried to see if I was who she thought I was.
“Jess, is that you?” she asked. Then, as she came closer, memories came flooding back, and I stood up, grabbing her into a massive bear hug.
“Oh my God, Abigail!” I shrieked, and she laughed.
“I thought that was you.”
“How are you? I haven’t seen you for ages. What have you been up to?” My words came tumbling out as I stood staring at my old best friend like she was an apparition. I couldn’t believe she was here. I couldn’t believe we’d lost touch. Between having Ava and other family stuff going on, I’d really dropped the ball. I needed to do better.
I spun around, remembering my manners and said, “Liv, Leah May, this my old friend, Abigail. We used to work together at the registry office in town.”
Liv and Leah May both waved and said hi, and Abigail squinted again. “I think I recognise you.” Then she frowned. “I can’t think where from, though.”
“We must have those kinds of faces,” Liv said, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she gave Abigail a kind smile.
“Oh my, your little girl is so cute,” Abigail cooed, peering down at Poppy as she wriggled on the blanket. “How old is she?”
“Six months,” Liv replied, tickling Poppy’s tummy and making her giggle.
“That’s the same age as my little boy,” Abigail replied, her eyes shining as she mentioned that she had a child.
“Oh, wow!” I exclaimed. “Congratulations. Now I feel like the worse friend ever. I didn’t even know you had a baby.”
Abigail nodded, her face glowing with pride.
“Do you remember that day, when the computer guy came in to fix the network?”
“The one with all the tattoos?” I said, as I recalled that day.
