Page 10 of Strawberry Moon

“I can’t imagine why, but their loss is my gain.”

He draws me the final inch forward and wraps me in his arms. He seems to surround me in warmth, his scent calming me. His kiss is soft against my lips, but the gentleness packs a punch, and when he pulls away, I feel like I’m drunk.

He clears his throat and nods at the bag. “Put them on. I can’t wait to see your reaction.”

“Why?” I open the bag and stare at the contents in horror. “Oh my god, they’re bootees,” I say, pulling the offending articles out.

“We’ll all be wearing them. There are some sharp rocks under the sea here.”

“This is beginning to sound like an excursion for someone called Perseus.”

His lip twitches. “They’re to stop the stones cutting your feet and give you a bit of traction when you walk over them.”

“I’d rather be in traction than forced to wear this offence to fashion.”

He snorts. “Just put them on and we can get in the sea.”

“That’s not as big an inducement as you think. I looked up the North Sea on Google last night and the water is considerably colder than the sea in Cornwall.”

“Yes, but think of the feel-good endorphins.”

“The pub and shopping give you those too. It’s shocking that you’re not listening to me.”

He chuckles as I put the boots on. They come up to ankle height and look a bit like something my nan wears in the winter. They’re just missing the little frill of fur on the top. Then I follow him out.

“Don’t look at me,” I whisper as we step onto the beach. “If we are to have any future together, I don’t need this image in your head.”

He smirks. “But I saw you in your boring bank manager’s gear.”

“That was infinitely better than this.”

He laughs and walks towards the sea. I’m happy to find out that even he looks faintly ridiculous in the boots.

I shiver. It might be June, but the mornings are still cool, especially when the breeze blows in across the water.

I look at the waves dubiously. They’re grey in this light and even the white tops look cold.

I rub my arms as Harry looks around. “We call this Starfish Bay,” he says.

“Is that the name of the beach?”

“No, it’s our name for it. One winter loads of starfish washed up on the beach. There were dozens of them.”

I stop dead. “You brought me to swim on a beach where starfish come to die?” He laughs, and I shake my head. “This is a starfish burial ground. Like Pet Sematary with extra legs.”

“I told you not to read that book. Anyway, it wasn’t a burial ground.

We got them all back in the sea. We had to use our spades because Ma said our touch might hurt them.

I like to think somewhere in the sea, Grandad Starfish is telling his children the story of his adventure and how his dignity was damaged when he was scooped up and put in a bucket.

” He chuckles and I watch him affectionately.

He was born to tell stories and work with books.

He claps his hands together. “Ready?”

“In a spirit of complete honesty, which I have to warn you doesn’t happen often, I would say a resounding no.”

He holds his hand out. “With me?”

I consider him and then laugh and put my hand in his. “Bring it on. The sooner we’re in, the sooner we die of hypothermia.”

“You know, Clem, your positive spirit glows like a light in the darkness. We must never let others know your superpower.”

I roll my eyes, and letting his hand go, I take a deep breath and race into the water. The instant chill on my legs makes me stop and shout out, and I try to backpedal, but Harry runs past me.

“Get in,” he shouts. “It’s easier.”

“Easier than what ? Dissection using a butter knife?”

He does a Tarzan cry and dives under the waves. I roll my eyes but duck and submerge myself in the water. It’s so cold it’s like a slap in the face, and I rise to the surface spluttering and rubbing my eyes from the salt.

“Fucking hell,” I breathe.

Holly laughs. “Swim, darling. It gets worse if you stand around.”

I nod and break into a flashy crawl. Within minutes, I can feel the cold retreating and heat running through my muscles.

A splash makes me tense in surprise, and then I relax as Harry rises in the waves. He looks a little like how I imagined Poseidon when I was reading Percy Jackson, and I look at him appreciatively. Lucky, lucky me.

“Alright?” he asks, swimming over.

I roll onto my back kicking my feet to keep my head above the water. “I’m not sure whether it’s early onset hypothermia, or I’m just getting warm.”

“Swim to make sure.” He winks. “See if you can catch me.”

I grit my teeth and launch after him. I’m quick, because I can swim like a fish, but I lack Harry’s shoulders and body mass. He lets me catch him, though, and we play and laugh, tussling like children.

Finally, his parents get out, with Graham shouting that he’s putting breakfast on.

I stand up to watch them head towards the beach hut. The breeze hits me, and I shiver.

Harry stands up next to me. “Come on. Time to go in. You’re getting cold.”

“I was cold when I started this endeavour.”

He grins at me, his teeth white in his handsome face. “But are you enjoying it?”

The truth is, I feel so alive it’s as if every molecule in my body has woken up and is strumming with energy.

I grin widely at him. “Oh my god, I love it so much . It’s been fucking epic.

I’m pretty sure my testicles have packed up and headed for warmer climes, but I still love it.

I’m buzzing .” He’s staring at me, and I cock my head. “What?”

“You’re amazing,” he says softly.

“Why?”

“Because you throw yourself into everything and you have this effervescent spirit that makes everyone smile.”

I draw in a shocked breath, as his words reach down and bathe my heart in warmth. “I think that’s the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to me.”

“Well, that’s a shame, but I’m glad I’m the first.” His smile is diffident and yet deeply personal. “I’m so glad you agreed to come this weekend, Clem. It’s been… It’s been wonderful.”

He pulls me to him, and I slide against his body, twining around him and letting him hold me up.

His kiss is gentle, his lips warm, and I taste the salt on them.

He smiles against my lips, and it must be contagious because I return the smile, grinning and chuckling as he pulls away.

He starts to walk back to the shore, and I follow him, helpless to resist the pull of my gentle Harry.