Finn took her hand. ‘I wish I’d invited you in last night.’
Jenna knew her cheeks were flushing. Before falling asleep last night she’d played over and over in her mind what could have happened...
‘I should have invited you back here, it’s just...’
‘I know, a bit forward. We had a nice night. It didn’t need to be more, it’s just, well you know...’
Jenna laughed. ‘Yeah, I know.’
‘I love my folks to bits but there are times... Sheesh, it’d be good to have my own place.’ He cupped his hands round his mug of coffee. ‘I haven’t always lived with my parents. I spent a summer in Newquay and then I shared a flat with Jake in Falmouth until he moved in with Stef.’
‘You couldn’t stay there on your own?’
‘Couldn’t afford to and no one else was in a position to move in with me. And I didn’t fancy sharing with a stranger.’
‘I know that feeling.’
‘You do?’
‘I fell out with my best friend – we’d lived together at drama school then moved in together afterwards. Heidi’s parents bought a flat in London, they said as an investment for their retirement, but were happy enough for me and Heidi to live there and pay a fraction of the rent we’d have to pay anywhere else. They’re loaded anyway. Then end of last year me and Heidi had a massive argument and I moved out. I had the choice of back with my parents making it harder to get jobs in London, or rent a poxy little flat closer to train and Tube links.’
‘So you went for the flat.’
‘Yep. It’s nothing special, but it’s my space and I’ve kinda liked living by myself these last few months.’
‘No boyfriend?’ He grinned.
‘No boyfriend. And you had no girlfriend to move in with?’
He shook his head. ‘I’ve had relationships but the one serious girlfriend who I hoped to move in with broke my heart. I want to move out of my parents’ though. A couple of surfer friends are talking about renting a place along the coast. It won’t be cheap though, even for a small place, but it’ll be worth it. I work with Dad and we get on great, but I just need space. Not all the questions, you know what I mean?’
‘Totally.’
‘So what happened between you and your friend?’
‘It’s a long story and one that’s going to wind me up too much.’
He held up his hands. ‘Say no more.’ He drained his coffee and stood up. ‘Let’s make the most of today, then.’
~
Finn drove. It was good for a change to not be the one navigating narrow winding lanes. Apart from going to her parents’, she mostly took the bus, train or Tube back home. It was a different lifestyle here. Weekends spent surfing, on the beach, in the outdoors, or for her, pottering about in the garden she loved. There were plenty of leafy green open spaces within driving distance of where she lived or reachable by public transport from central London, but it was very different having so much beauty right on the doorstep. It was a joy to wake up and smell air free of exhaust fumes or stale greasy chips from the local Chinese. Her tiny flat overlooking a main road just didn’t compare to the period cottage in the middle of an acre of garden and woodland, with not another building in sight.
They parked in a large and busy car park that overlooked the sandy expanse of Dayton Bay. Finn passed Jenna’s rucksack to her from the back of the van and swung his on his back. They didn’t head to the beach as Jenna expected, but set off along a sandy path that cut through grass to the headland and away from the village and bay. Although the sun was high in a nearly cloudless blue sky, the breeze coming off the sea was fresh. Where the path narrowed, long grasses tickled their bare legs, while the sun warmed her arms enough to keep goosebumps at bay.
‘So,’ Jenna said, matching Finn’s long stride as he led the way. ‘You’re taking me to your favourite beach?’
‘Yep, one of them. Been coming here for years; well, for as long as I can remember. It’s my mum’s favourite place too, near where she grew up. I don’t think Dad was ever too keen on lugging everything we needed for a day on the beach along this coastal path but Mum always liked the peacefulness away from the worst of the summer crowds.’
With Dayton Bay behind them, their surroundings were just grass and trees on one side and to their left jagged rocks jutting down into the sea. As they rounded the corner, the view opened up with sloping grass leading to white-walled slate-roofed coastal homes. The sandy path cut between the swathes of green grasses and colourful wild flowers swaying in the breeze. They kept going until a sandy rock-studded beach backed by sloping grassy cliffs began to reveal itself.
Finn stopped. ‘It’s worth the walk.’
Jenna stood next to him, gazing at the pale sand and sparkling sea. It was worth the walk for the views alone; the coastal path edged by tall grasses and studded with tiny mossy flowers, the view of blue sky and an even deeper blue sea stretching to the horizon and beyond. Endless. Jenna liked that, being on the edge of something, at the start with all the possibilities that promised.
Chapter Fifteen
The beach was practically empty apart from a couple of young families camped in sandy sheltered spots with colourful wind breaks and umbrellas. It was always the same, the effort of getting to a place put people off. Jenna didn’t mind one bit.
They made their way down the steep path. The steps cut into the rocky hillside making it slippery underfoot with loose stones. Finn took her hand at the steepest part, guiding her down. Although she was quite capable
