Page 47 of Meet Me at Sunset

In the back of the chauffeur-driven Range Rover, Lucas turned to Stephanie and smiled, reaching across to take her hand.

They had just left the cosy little cottage which the production company had rented for Stephanie, and now they were being driven across the North York Moors to the set where she would resume filming Fields of Barley .

Lucas stifled a yawn. It was shortly after five a.m. and the sun had just risen, bright golden light spilling over the landscape.

It was going to be a perfect day. Despite the early start, Lucas was mesmerized by the view – miles of desolate, craggy moorland stretching as far as the eye could see, with gently rolling hills and freshly shorn sheep cropping at the long grass.

Lucas’s eyes fell on Stephanie beside him. She looked youthful and fresh, with no make-up, and her long copper hair hanging loose, but Lucas could tell that she was nervous.

After Catherine had given her the time and space she needed in Mallorca, Stephanie’s confidence had gradually been rebuilt, her ambition reignited.

She had finally called her agent, and Victoria had managed to smooth things over with the director, who was only too happy to have her back and resume their schedule.

Lucas liked to think that he, too, had played a role in Stephanie’s renewed self-assurance. If recent events had taught him anything, it was that life was too short, and you had to seize every opportunity that came your way.

Both he and Stephanie had been through so much in the past couple of months.

The revelations about Paulo had been shocking.

He’d been Lucas’s friend for so many years, and though Lucas had sensed in recent months that something was amiss, he could never have imagined the truth.

He’d been devastated to realize how much Paulo hated him, the jealousy and resentment he’d been secretly harbouring over the years that had finally reached boiling point.

But to have been blackmailing Camille, terrifying her with notes and threats when she’d welcomed him into the heart of the family …

It was almost beyond Lucas’s comprehension.

The Spanish police had arrested Paulo after the show.

It turned out that they had been watching him for months, trying to gather enough evidence to compile a case against him.

He had developed a lucrative sideline as one of the biggest drug dealers on their island, using the boats from his parents’ hire company to receive drop-offs, which were then distributed amongst his network in Palma.

As well as local contacts, their targets were the groups of young tourists who came to the island looking to party.

It explained why Paulo had been spending so much time in the capital, as well as where his recent influx of cash had come from, which he’d been spending liberally on designer labels and renting flash cars.

In recent months, Paulo had overextended himself, finding himself in debt to some extremely shady characters, who didn’t like to wait for their money.

It was then that he’d started siphoning funds from Il Paradiso, embezzling the restaurant’s income and hiding debt letters from Lucas.

Paulo’s trial date was approaching and, unless his lawyer could work miracles, he was looking at a considerable stint behind bars.

The blackmail matter was more complicated.

Whilst Camille had initially wanted to press charges, she knew that the truth about the accident would be revealed.

It seemed that the police had put the accident down to poor driving in icy conditions and drink and drugs found in Andre’s system.

There were no suspicious circumstances as far as they were concerned, and no one had ever made the connection between Lucas’s injuries and his position in the driving seat.

The knowledge that Lucas had been at the wheel during the accident that had killed Andre still tormented him. His judgement was undoubtedly impaired, but Andre should never have let his son drive in the first place.

Paulo had clearly rammed the Ferrari off the road either by accident or on purpose, which ultimately caused Andre’s death.

Taking Nicolas’s advice, Camille had decided not to take it further.

Paulo would likely be going to prison for a long time anyway, and by the time of his release, Camille hoped they would all have come to terms with what had happened.

It had been a lot to process, along with the discovery that Andre wasn’t his father, and Nicolas was.

On some level, Lucas wondered if he’d always suspected it.

He and Andre were very different people, and his mother had always been close to Nicolas, though Lucas didn’t know the extent of their history.

As far as he was concerned, he would always think of Andre – the man who had raised him and loved him as his own – as his father.

But Lucas was close to his godfather Nicolas, who had always been in their lives, and always as a force for good.

He loved and respected him, and now that the truth was out there, both men were keen to build on their existing relationship.

Lucas had wrestled with the revelations over the past few weeks, but the one thing that had stopped him from losing his mind was Stephanie.

They’d been inseparable in the days that followed the Camille Andre show, getting to know each other, taking walks in the old town, on the beach, swimming in the sea, and making love at night, sleeping wrapped in one another’s arms. They’d fallen hard for one another, each day a step towards healing and repairing their wounds, cushioned by the bubble of happiness they’d created.

Both had been damaged, in different ways, by their upbringings, each battling feelings of not being good enough or deserving of love, but together, they were slowly overcoming their insecurities and moving forwards.

The Range Rover slowed down as it approached the filming location.

From his window, Lucas could see an entire set springing up out of the barren moors, with a veritable fleet of trailers and Winnebagos parked up on the scrubland, dozens of crew members scurrying around, with camera equipment, lights and reflectors all set up.

Stephanie reached for the car door, then hesitated.

‘Everything OK?’ Lucas asked.

She looked up at him and nodded, but he could see the clear tension on her face, and the fear clouding her dazzling blue eyes.

‘Stephanie, you are the most incredible woman, you know that? You’ve overcome so much in life, and now you’re back here with the courage to face your fears.

You should be so proud of yourself. I’m proud of you.

You’ve been here for me these past few weeks whilst I dealt with everything I needed to, and now I’m here for you. I love you, Stephanie Moon.’

Stephanie’s expression had transformed during Lucas’s speech, and she gazed at him, her anxiety draining away and a look of steely determination flashing across her features.

‘I love you too,’ she murmured, leaning across to kiss him, and Lucas felt the familiar stirring in his body.

He couldn’t get enough of her. If it was up to him, they would turn the car around and head straight back to the cottage with its inviting double bed, but he knew that this was where Stephanie needed to be right now.

‘I’m so glad you’re with me today,’ she told him. ‘I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else beside me on my first day back.’

‘I’ll be with you, whenever you need me,’ Lucas promised, as the driver opened the car door and the two of them stepped out. The fresh, early morning breeze whipped across the moorland, waking them up, stinging their eyes and making their faces glow.

Lucas hung back, letting Stephanie go ahead, as the cast and crew turned to greet her.

He could almost see her confidence returning, blossoming beneath their warm welcome.

She looked so beautiful and natural, completely in her element.

This was where she was meant to be. She was a star, and Lucas felt almost overwhelmed by the strength of his feelings for her.

Stephanie turned around and smiled at him, catching his eye, and Lucas grinned back. Whatever had happened to them in the past was over. He and Stephanie had their whole futures ahead of them, and he couldn’t wait to see where life would take them.

Isobel put the finishing touches to her outfit and checked her reflection in the hallway mirror.

She’d lost weight – partly due to the stress of the ongoing divorce with Stuart, but also due to her new Parisian lifestyle.

She was living on coffee and nicoise salad, and walking everywhere, eager to reacquaint herself with the iconic city.

Isobel had rented a small apartment in the seventh arrondissement on a short-term let, until she determined what her future would look like. From there, it was a short stroll across the Pont d’Alma to the Camille Andre offices, and she’d made the trip every day for the past month.

Today was a scorcher, and Isobel luxuriated in the heat, enjoying the feel of the sun on her bare arms, aware of the glances she was attracting from the French men as she passed by.

It was a welcome boost to her ego, but Isobel wasn’t looking for love right now.

The experience with Stuart had bruised her.

More than that, in fact, it had devastated her, making her question everything about their marriage.

She found herself tossing and turning at night, unable to sleep, wondering if she’d somehow driven her husband into the arms of another woman.

Deep down, Isobel knew that was ridiculous – nothing could excuse Stuart’s behaviour, and blaming herself was ludicrous – but it played on her insecurities.