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‘Oh, I’m sure they’ll soften. He seems like a good guy. How are things at the cottage? Can’t imagine there’s much room for you both there. It’s pretty small.’ He sounded so casual, Holly wouldn’t have even noticed the slight inflection in his voice, had she not known what it meant. But he had brought it up now, so it seemed an appropriate time to confess.

‘I know.’

Her short sentence lingered in the air between them as she waited for a reply. Giles’s face crinkled in confusion.

‘What do you mean?’

‘You know what I mean. I know. And there’s no point denying it. I confronted Mum yesterday. And she cracked immediately.’

His gaze went down to the table as he chewed on the bottom of his lip. When he looked up again, a wide grin was plastered on his face.

‘Well, I’ll be honest with you – I thought Wendy would crack way before now. You’re not mad, are you? I didn’t know what else I could do.’

Unlike her mother, there were no deep, heart-felt apologies here. But then again, it wasn’t like he really had much to apologise for. Other than keeping things a secret.

‘I was mad. I was furious,’ Holly replied.

Giles feigned a wounded expression. ‘How can you say that? I am the most perfect landlord in all existence. I let you refit the bathroom, and I paid for it all.’

‘Yes, but not because you’re the perfect landlord. It was because you’re you, Giles. And I hate myself for not seeing it.’

‘Oh, don’t be so hard on yourself. I take it this means you’re not gonna pack up and leave me without a tenant?’

‘Well, I don’t have anywhere to go.’

‘If that’s the case, I could probably get at least 50 per cent more rent than I’m charging you. You know that, right?’

If Holly hadn’t known it would hurt, she probably would’ve thumped him, but instead she just grinned.

‘Thank you. I mean it. I’m grateful.’

Giles’s smirk finally dropped. ‘You’re welcome,’ he said, his tone earnest. ‘And it’s yours as long as you want it. If you wanna pack up tomorrow and move in with this new fella, then I’d say you’re insane, but fine. If you want to stay there till Hope’s eighteen and off to university, that’s fine too. I’m not gonna sell it, not as long as you want to be there.’

‘Thank you.’

It felt like there should be more she could say to this, something else she could add. More than a simple ‘thank you’, and yet there wasn’t. The pair of them fell into silence. Hollynever used to mind being silent around Giles. It used to be calming, peaceful. And it still was in some ways. Yet today, she couldn’t help but feel like she should be saying more.

‘So, what have you been up to? Lots of yacht trips?’

‘Yes, it’s been busy. But there’s been some bad weather. It’s put a bit of a spanner in the works this last couple of weeks.’

‘Sorry,’ Holly replied. She knew how much bad weather could affect business at the sweet shop; it was likely to be a thousand times worse with Giles and the boat.

‘So, is that why you’re back here?’ she asked. ‘Because the weather’s too bad to work?’

‘No. Would you believe it, Faye has got engaged?’

‘Really?’ Holly had a soft spot for Giles’s sister, Faye, particularly after she’d been the midwife present at Hope’s birth, and had let all Holly’s friends stay in the room.

‘Yes. To a man I’ve never met.’ His face dropped into a scowl.

‘Oh.’ Holly let out a low noise. ‘I guess you’re not too happy about that.’

‘No, of course I’m not. I need to thoroughly scare the man away and see what he does then. Test his mettle.’

‘Is that right?’

‘It is. And if he comes back, then we’ll know he’s worth it.’