Page 76 of Suddenly Beck

‘I was keeping an eye on your social media,’ she admits as she looks up at me with those massive blue eyes. ‘I was worried about you. No one knew where you were, and you hadn’t contacted anyone. I would’ve gone to the police straightaway if it hadn’t been for the email you sent saying you were leaving of your own free will. Thanks for that by the way.’ She scowls. ‘Didn’t I deserve at least a phone call? If it hadn’t had been for that photo popping up on Facebook, I was about to hire a private investigator.’

‘I’m sorry Pia.’ My gaze softens when I see how concerned she is. ‘I didn’t think that…’

‘What?’ she snaps. ‘Didn’t think I cared? Or just didn’t think?’

‘Both?’ I reply with a wince.

‘Did you think I wouldn’t understand?’ She frowns; her eyes filled with hurt. ‘I know why you left, Nat.’

I stiffen slightly, wondering just how much she’ll reveal in front of Beck.

‘Do they know where I am?’ I swallow tightly, feeling the slightly sick and panicky feeling churning in my belly and sitting heavily on top of the sheer amount of whiskey I drank last night.

‘No.’ Pia shakes her head. ‘Mother is in Monte Carlo or somewhere, I don’t know I lose track sometimes. You know what she’s like, she probably hasn’t even noticed you’re gone. She never checks her emails.’

‘What about Father?’

She shakes her head. ‘He’s a dinosaur and doesn’t do social media. I can’t guarantee someone else isn’t going to spot it and tell him, but for now, he doesn’t know where you are.’

I exhale the breath I didn’t realise I was holding and glance at Beck to find him watching me with an unreadable expression.

‘I’m sorry, Pia,’ I tell her genuinely. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you; it wasn’t because I didn’t want to.’

‘Then why?’

‘I don’t know. I guess we just grew apart, and I didn’t know how to bridge the gap.’

We sit staring at each other until I hear the clank as Beck puts his mug into the sink.

‘I’m going to take a shower and get dressed.’ He runs his hand down my arm comfortingly, and I know he’s trying to give me time alone with my sister. ‘Why don’t you take Pia for a walk along the beach and get some fresh air. I’ll come and find you guys in a while.’

‘Thank you,’ I mutter as he gives Pia a smile and disappears.

‘He’s gorgeous,’ Pia remarks.

‘Yes, he is,’ I mumble, my cheeks flushing with pleasure at the thought that he’s all mine, at least for now. ‘Would you like to take a walk with me?’ I ask hopefully.

‘I’d like that.’ She nods.

I place the mugs in the sink and glance at the new coffee machine again, feeling a warm glow settle somewhere behind my ribs.

We head outside, and Pia pauses for a moment to stare out across the headland.

‘It’s really beautiful here, Nat,’ she murmurs, her eyes lost in thought before turning to look at me. ‘Why here?’

‘It was an accident believe it or not.’ I offer her my arm as we walk out the little white gate and head down the trail along the bluffs. There’s no way Pia will be able to take the cliff path down to the beach in those heels, so we may as well detour past the B&B and down to the dunes.

‘An accident?’

‘I didn’t want to get on a plane, I didn’t want to go abroad,’ I tell her as we walk comfortably along the bluffs. ‘I ended up at Paddington, but when I got there, I didn’t know where I wanted to go. I tossed a coin and decided to head South. The next train leaving was for Penzance, so I got on it, but the weather was awful that day, it brought down a tree on the tracks outside of Truro. They put on a replacement bus service, but I got on the wrong bus and ended up here.’

‘How did you meet Beck?’

‘How did I meet Beck.’ I grin in remembrance. ‘He saved my life.’

‘He… wait, what?’ She frowns.

‘The day I arrived there was a storm, and I went down to the beach and got too close to the water’s edge. A wave caught me and dragged me under. Beck was walking Ursula on the beach. He also happens to be a volunteer lifeguard. He dived in and pulled me out.’