Page 22 of Love By Sunset

‘I want you to realise you’re being an idiot and to retract your decision to split the company. I lose the Approach name—’

‘Gerry, an apology and a moderated tone.Now.’

He went silent, and she wondered if he might hang up himself. Then she heard him sigh.

‘Okay, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be calling you names. But it doesn’t change the fact I think you’ll regret splitting the firm, and if we do, if you insist on this, then I’m going to lose out on the goodwill of the Approach name and—’

It was Emily’s turn to interrupt. Here was her opportunity to protect Jake. ‘No, you won’t. You can keep the name as long as there’s a press release stating we’ve parted ways and I’m no longer associated with the firm. And also, I want you to put it in writing the Solhaven Estate no longer interests Approach. It’s way off our beat and might be a bit of a gamble, so just let it go, okay?’

There was a long silence, followed by a heavy sigh. ‘But it might be a gold mine.’

‘And it might not. It won’t hurt to drop it. You’re clever and ambitious. You have good ideas and create wonderful projects. Your ambitions have gone beyond mine, or at least in a different direction. We’re never going to reconcile them, and it saddens me. The very fact you came haring down here attempting to get Jake out of the way behind my back, when you knew I wanted to incorporate him into the project, is the perfect example of this.’

Another silence fell between them. ‘Oh, Emily, I’m sorry.’ Gerry’s voice was once again the one of her long-time friend and work-colleague as he repeated his apology. ‘Yes, I can see we want different things, but can’t we somehow work it out? Stay together?’

‘No. It would lead to too many disagreements, and I don’t want to work like that. I’d rather we parted on good terms. This Solhaven thing has triggered the split, but it was coming anyway. I’m sorry my text was rather sharp, but whatwereyou thinking about?’

A heavy sigh reached her. ‘You’d threatened to veto the purchase, and I just didn’t think straight. I thought if I could get him out of the way, you’d come on board. But Emily… you’re not just doing this because of him, are you? I can see his attraction, but he’s not a stayer, not someone like him. To do it because of him would truly be a very foolish move.’

‘No. I’m not.’

‘Okay.’ Gerry hesitated before speaking again, his voice low, with a hint of shame. ‘Okay, I’ll do as you ask and back off. And tell your surfer I’m sorry I tried to strong-arm him. I’m glad we’ve had this talk. Just as well you didn’t answer my first calls.’ There was a moment’s silence before he spoke again, more brusquely this time. ‘Anyway, I’ll get this started. Can’t say I want it, or like it, but I can see it’s going to happen, and you’re right—it might as well be while we’re still friends.’

Emily felt better when the call ended. She hadn’t wanted a massive fight with Gerry. They had too many good memories, and the cracks between them weren’t that big yet.

Excitement built inside her. She could buy this place and run it as a hotel under the name of the Haven House Hotel. Sasha might come down here as well. She could do her bookings, keep the accounts. Emily knew her PA wasn’t thrilled with city life and she’d been talking about a change. It could all work out.

Ah, but there was Jake. Emily stopped dead. Jake of the holiday flings. If she moved down here, she’d have the pain of watching him, year in, year out, indulging in his lifestyle of picking up the hot holiday-makers and seducing them, only to speed them on their way at the week or fortnight’s end. Could she stand that? Except why was she even asking that question? She hardly knew him, so why should she care if he went about his habits of a lifetime after they’d parted company?

Oh, she’d care all right because he’d got under her skin. That was why. His stupid challenges. His love-making. His easy-going attitude to life. The way he was looking after her and had confided in her. The fact he had a mother he cared for. His loveliness went on and on. Emily thought it would be very easy to fall headlong in love with a man who didn’t do long-term, and didn’t do commitment. What a fool she was!

So… could she really do this?

Ah, but… if he wasn’t on the scene, would she do it? And the answer was probably yes.

CHAPTER12

The bliss seemed never-ending.Night after night, when Jake returned to the cottage on the harbour side, they made love, ate delicious meals, laughed together, and talked. During the week they found out, despite their absolute differences in lifestyle, they had more in common than they realised. It was only their characters that differed.

A bit resentfully, Jake found himself looking forward to seeing her curled up on the settee, staring into the flames of the fire, or reading, whenever he came back from work. He loved their laughing, windswept walks on the beach whenever he could take time away from the café, and he enjoyed even more the surfing sessions when she was watching.

But all the while, wariness gnawed away inside him about what was happening between them. He also worried about the change of lifestyle Emily kept talking about. Did she see him as part of it? Did he want that? Was the C word creeping up on him?

Sighing, he locked his door and set off for Silver Sands. At this time in the season, and this time of morning, the beach was as he loved it best—deserted. The sun, rising behind him, cast the shadows of the small cliffs over the shore, and where it reached the beach, it lit the sands to a pale, golden hue. A few seagulls swooped and cried and he could see the waves creaming up onto the shore in a steady rhythm. Taking in a deep breath of the glorious salty air, he looked up and down the entire length of the beach, knowing he was damned lucky to have this as his place of work. How many others could boast of a view as superb as this?

Interestingly, all seemed to have gone quiet about the Approach purchase, although he’d no idea why. No one had been in touch, and he’d stuck his head in the sand. No news was, as far as he was concerned, good news. It might all go away, and life would go on as it always had. Anyway, he didn’t know what to do next other than contact Robbie Jones and arrange a trip to Henry’s house to look for the will. Sighing, Jake opened the café and began to set up.

For the rest of the morning, he worked hard. He made dough and put it to prove, then brought the order books through from his office so he could monitor the café and shop, sitting behind the serving counter while he worked. There was a steady stream of people coming for coffee and cake, some of whom he knew from the town, but he could check through his stores and list what he needed for the rest of the month in between serving bis customers.

The café door opened. Jake looked up and smiled, coming round from behind the counter. ‘Mum. Good to see you.’ He kissed her cheek and hugged her. ‘How are you? Have you heard from Claire recently?’

His sister was a teacher and worked in Cheltenham. It was a pleasant town, but he knew she very much wanted to come back to Wales.

‘Jake, cariad. I thought I’d pop by. I’ll have a coffee and some of that lovely coffee and walnut cake of yours, if I may? And Claire’s fine, although she’s finding teaching a chore rather than a labour of love these days. Grumbles all the time about the record-keeping. She’s still doing her distance learning thing, though. Glutton for hard work, but I think she means to leave teaching and take up a different career once she’s got her horticultural degree. Here, let me pay.’

‘On the house.’ Jake smiled over his shoulder as he went behind the counter and prepared the coffee. He cut a piece of cake and put it on a plate with a serviette and fork. ‘I feel for Claire. I’d hate to be bogged down by continual record-keeping. She ought to find something that makes her happy, and I like the sound of this gardening idea.’

‘Yes, she’d prefer to be outdoors, but whether working for someone else or setting up her own business, I don’t know. You know Claire—never says much. Bit like you, really.’ Annie smiled affectionately at her son.

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