Page 32 of No Kind Words (Calston Cove #3)

The dogs race together across the damp sand, jumping in and out of the foamy sea, looking like they’re having the time of their lives.

I wish I could say the same for me.

Doubt and insecurity have been seeping into me.

It’s all since the stupid phone call from Jamie.

Is he the mystery person? After what happened and what he said, would he be interested, curious, to see the elusive Jethro? I doubt he believes me.

He’ll want to see who I was holding on to for so many years.

Especially now he seems to be single again, but it’s been years since it all blew up in my face.

I haven’t given him a thought until he rang.

“What’s going on in your head, sweetheart? You’re lost in thought.”

Jethro takes my hand as we watch the dogs.

There’s no one else on the beach, which is surprising considering how busy the day has been. In a few weeks, it will be Easter, and the holiday homes will open up again. The town will have its influx of people: the second home owners, the surfers, and the holidaymakers. The people who make this town a lot of money and are always welcome.

Is this the right moment to tell Jethro about the phone call? Honestly, while we’re out here in the chilly evening sun alone, it won’t get better than this.

“I had a phone call a few nights ago from someone I never expected to hear from again. An ex. His name is Jamie. It all ended over two years ago. He cheated on me when he got back with his old boyfriend. I only found out when I turned up unexpectedly to take him out for the weekend. He’s a teacher at the secondary school, or he was when I met him. I don’t know where he is or what he does now.”

“What did he want? Or is it an easy guess? He wanted to see you, to try again.”

Jethro’s voice is even, calm. He doesn’t look or sound annoyed. I guess he’s confident in who and what we are.

“Something like that, just sounding out my situation. He wanted to meet for a coffee. I told him I was with someone. He wasn’t very happy about that. Snapping that I was still fixated on a past that was never going to happen.”

“He knew about me, about us?”

“Yes, of course. When you’re my age and not settled down, people ask questions. I didn’t go into it too much, just a lost chance at what I thought would be my forever. I told him it was you, that you had come home. Then I said goodbye and ended the call.”

“You think this person looking for me could be him? Why?”

His forehead is etched with deep frown lines. “What good does that do? He can’t gain anything from it.”

“I don’t know if it’s him. The two things could be completely unconnected. I wanted to tell you about the call. Y’know, in case you heard something different.”

Jethro sighs, pulls me into him, and wraps his arms around my shoulders. “It won’t take long for whoever it is to find me. I’m not hiding. It doesn’t make sense that it would be either of them.”

“I’m sorry.”

He’s right. It does seem a bit far-fetched. But it being Jamie would make sense. He might believe me if he sees Jethro or both of us together. In any case, I’m deleting his number from my phone. I don’t know why I haven’t done it before.

“Hey, you don’t have anything to apologise for. The easiest way to find out is to talk to Melanie. Maeve’s going to the pub tonight, and she’s bound to be there too.”

“Okay, sounds good. Do you want to meet there? I have to get home. Hope will want her dinner and drying off. Otherwise, she’ll lie on the sofa, soaking it with seawater and sand.”

Jethro agrees and calls his dog back. Hope follows eagerly, and we have them back on their leads. At the top of the steps, we pause. “See you about eight?”

Jethro asks. I nod and kiss his cheek.

When I get back indoors, I dry Hope and feed her. While she’s happily munching away, I get in the shower. As the water cascades over my head and neck, I run over the conversation with Jethro. He didn’t have a problem with my past relationship or the thought of potentially being stalked. I’d be freaking out. He’s right, though. We can solve it easily.

The rumble of his engine surprises me. I thought we were meeting at the pub. When I open the door and see Isla waiting patiently, I get why. Someone is planning a sleepover. Jethro walks in and kisses my neck, breathing in deeply. “God, I love how you smell.”

The pub is loud and busy, but we squeeze through the tables and the groups standing near the bar. I order a beer for Jethro and a gin and tonic for me. I’m not that much of a beer drinker or a drinker at all. Years of having to get up before dawn stop nights out and alcohol. I’d rather have this or a glass of wine.

We walk to the corner table where the usual gang is sitting. All the empty glasses show they’ve all been here a while. Jethro sits next to Melanie and leans close to speak to her. I take a seat opposite them, so I can’t hear the words, but with a little bit of lip-reading, I understand he’s asking about her visitor. She says something I don’t get. I risk looking through the photos on my phone. Have I saved any pictures of Jamie? I thought I’d dumped them, but I missed one. I bring it up and pass my phone to Jet.

I’m surprised when she shakes her head. I really thought it would be Jamie. When he hands me back my phone, I delete the picture, along with his number. Relief lifts off me like a heavy weight around my neck. I sit back and take a sip of my drink. After talking to Mel for a bit longer, Jethro comes over and sits next to me.

“Not him,”

Jethro says. “It was a younger man, and he didn’t speak directly to Mel but to another staff member. So she couldn’t give me anything more than the description she was given. You can stop fretting over a long-gone ex. And get rid of the bloody photo, please.”

That’s the only indication he gives me that he’s pissed off with it all.

“Already done, and I also blocked his number.”

I peck his lips with a soft kiss. He smiles against my mouth, and all the butterflies in my stomach flutter their wings contentedly. Happy that any drama has been halted. “You’re not bothered who it is?”

“Nah, like I said, I’m not hiding from anyone. I’m not wanted by the police, no bank robberies or spy missions in my past. I’m clean as a whistle.”

“Really? That’s such a shame. I can see you as James Bond. Although I doubt he’s pierced quite as much as you and in the same places.”

I grin. He knows how much of a fan I am of his dick ring.

“Did I hear piercings?”

Stacey’s eyebrows shoot up as she nudges Maeve. “You must know about them. Spill.”

Maeve splutters over her drink. “No way, I don’t know what he’s sporting. Gross.”

Stacey turns to me. “Benny, come on. You’ll tell us, right?”

Jethro is laughing so much I’m almost tempted to tell them, but nope, that secret is just for us.

The remainder of the evening is fun. Of course Jethro has the piss taken out of him, but he remains tight-lipped, only his thumb running up and down the inseam of my jeans shows me he’s thinking about what we’re going to be getting up to in, say, about half an hour.

“You ready to go?”

he whispers in my ear, his warm breath on my skin sending a happy shiver down my spine.

“Hmm, yes, more than ready.”