Chapter 8

The metal gate gave a reluctant groan as Stella pushed it open, the soothing scent of lavender swirling in the air as the skirt of her dress brushed against the plants that lined the path to number five Magnolia Gardens; her mum's Victorian terraced house on the other side of town.

A wood pigeon cooed from a nearby rowan tree, joining the muted rumble of a lawnmower further down the road. Uncertainty bloomed in Stella's chest as she clicked the gate shut, wondering how the afternoon would pan out. She'd tried to imagine her mum in the company of a man since she'd first learnt of her relationship with Rhys Baker, wondering how she'd behave. It had proved a difficult image to conjure. Thus far, Stella had only ever seen her mother in the company of men whom she'd believed to be no more than friends. She'd never been introduced to the few who'd taken her mum out to dinner; they'd never lasted more than five minutes anyway, but now she was beginning to wonder if she'd been given a true picture. After all, thirty-three years was a long time not to have had a romantic relationship. But then again, Stella had countered, she couldn't imagine herself being tied down to someone for even a fraction of that time! She and her mum were cut from the same cloth, she'd told herself, so maybe it wasn't so unbelievable. One thing she did know for sure was, as much as she was keen to get to know the man who'd so suddenly become a feature in her mum's life, she hoped she'd like him, for her mum's sake more than anything else. Stella would struggle to hide her feelings if she didn't.

She was halfway down the path, when the door was flung open, and her mother appeared, her cheeks flushed. ‘Stella!' Alice's shoulder-length, highlighted blonde hair had been fluffed out and she was smiling broadly. Only her blue eyes betrayed the fact that she was feeling anxious. It was an expression Stella had rarely seen from her usually self-assured mother. And if the pretty dress that flattered her trim figure and her carefully applied make-up was anything to go by, Stella could see that her mum had made an extra effort today.

‘Hi, Mum.' Smiling, she stooped to kiss Alice's cheek, inhaling an unfamiliar perfume. ‘Ooh, you smell nice, and you look very pretty; I'm loving that dress.'

‘Thank you, lovey.' Alice's hand went to the floaty fabric of her sundress, smoothing it down. ‘I spotted it in a shop window when I was in York last week; thought I'd treat myself, got some new sandals too. The perfume's a present from Rhys.' Stella noted the tiny quaver in her mum's voice and how her gaze flickered momentarily away.

‘Ah, must be serious if he's buying you perfume,' Stella said, teasing gently.

‘Oh, I don't know about that, it was just a gift.' Brushing away the comment, Alice gave her daughter's arm a squeeze, the colour in her cheeks deepening. ‘Thank you for coming, we're just in the garden. Rhys thought with it being such a lovely day, we could have a barbecue; better than sweltering away indoors over a roast dinner.'

‘Mmm. Couldn't agree more.' Stella pushed her sunglasses up onto her head and followed her mum down the neat, high-ceilinged hall, the delicious aroma of a barbecue floating down to greet them.

‘Can I give you these, Mum?' She fished the bottle of white wine, encased in a padded cooler, and box of chocolates from the leather tote bag she'd had slung over her shoulder. ‘The wine should still be chilled but I'm not so sure about the chocolates. I reckon they've probably melted in this heat. Sorry.' She pulled an apologetic face as she handed them over.

‘Ooh, thank you, lovey, I'm sure they'll be fine, but you really needn't have bothered.' An air of distraction hung around Alice, a nervous smile hovering over her mouth as she set the gifts down on the table. ‘Rhys is outside, come on, let me introduce you to him.' She paused, fixing Stella with a pointed look. ‘And please give him a chance, no courtroom cross-examinations, okay?' she said reprovingly, her voice low. ‘He's nice. I like him and I don't want you to scare him off.'

Stella raised her palms. ‘As if I would. I'll be sweetness itself.' She grinned, resisting the urge to say that if he genuinely liked her, he should be able to withstand a little close questioning. Though Stella had already made a mental note to keep the tone of her enquiries gentle, there was no way she wasn't going to take the opportunity to do a little fishing, due diligence and all that. It was her mum's heart they were dealing with here, and Stella needed to be sure it wasn't going to get broken, needed to satisfy herself that Rhys's intentions were nothing less than honourable and that he was worthy of her lovely mum.

‘Hmm.' Alice regarded her, a hint of doubt in her eyes. ‘Just make sure you are.'

After Alice had first announced the news of her fledgeling relationship with Rhys, Stella had embarked on a round of subtle questioning in which her mum had revealed that, not only was Rhys eight years her senior, but he was also a widower with two grown-up children – a daughter and a son – and a doting grandfather to two little girls. He was comfortably off – ‘So he's not after my money, before you head off down that route,' Alice had said, giving her daughter a knowing look – and ran his own business as a financial advisor – that part had set alarm bells ringing, though Stella had done all she could to hide the fact from her mother – and had moved to the area six months earlier. The details had been basic, barely fleshed out at all, but, most importantly, this Rhys Baker appeared to be making her mum happy, so Stella hadn't pushed any further.

But today, seeing her mum like this, she found herself hoping he wasn't going to let her down.

Stepping out into the sun-filled garden, Stella took in the thoughtfully set table with its striped, waxed tablecloth and matching linen napkins, a jug of colourful flowers from the garden placed in the centre. Her eyes went to a tall man, with swept back salt-and-pepper hair who was tending the barbecue. His attire was smart but casual, the quality of their cut lending him a well-groomed air.

Shielding her eyes with her hand, Alice said, ‘Rhys, I'd like to introduce my daughter, Stella.' She followed up with a smile, her body language revealing how nervous she felt. She and Stella negotiated the sandstone steps down to the garden, classical music murmuring softly from the speakers on the window ledge.

‘Hello there, Stella, it's delightful to finally meet you.' Rhys set down the tongs he was holding and headed over to her, his hand outstretched, his fresh, citrussy cologne wafting under her nostrils. His warm smile set wrinkles fanning out at the corners of a pair of kind, brown eyes. ‘Your mother has told me so much about you.'

‘Hello, Rhys.' Stella resisted the urge to say she wished she could say the same about him, her mum having furnished her with only the scantest of details, and that was only because Stella had pushed, albeit gently. ‘It's lovely to meet you too. I hope my mum hasn't told you anything scary.' Returning his smile, she took his hand, noting the strong, but not overpowering, grip and spotting the expensive watch at his wrist.

‘On the contrary, I've heard nothing but good things. Your mother's very proud of you.' His smile deepened.

‘Phew! That's a relief,' Stella said jokingly. She stole a quick glance across at her mum, noting the smile she was sharing with Rhys. It triggered a squeeze of affection in Stella's heart.

‘Thought it best to save stories of your teenage years until you know each other a little better,' Alice said with a chuckle.

Stella pulled a face of mock horror. ‘Quite right too. I can't deny, I had my moments. Don't think Rhys is quite ready to hear them yet.' Her mum didn't know the half of it, sneaking out of her bedroom window at night and meeting up with boyfriends. As for university, Stella would be the first to admit she'd been pretty wild. But, despite this party-loving side to her, she'd always managed to buckle down and take her studies seriously.

‘Don't worry, I think I'm pretty unshockable after what my two put me through.' Rhys gave an affectionate shake of his head. ‘I can laugh about it now, though at the time, I have to admit, it was pretty challenging.'

‘S'good to know I'm not alone,' Stella said with a smile.

‘And, rebellious streaks aside, have you had a good day so far? Your mum tells me you go for a run on the beach every Saturday and Sunday morning. I have to say I'm full of admiration for you. I stick to the solid pavements of the top prom; so much easier, and which probably explains why our paths have never crossed.'

‘Oh, I think I'm just a glutton for punishment.' She laughed. ‘And nothing beats running by the sea, the breeze coming off it is so refreshing on days like these, not so much in the winter though, it can be pretty bracing then.'

‘I can believe that,' he said, giving a hearty laugh.

Standing beside her, Alice's relief was palpable. ‘Can I get you a drink, lovey?' Her voice was light as she smiled happily at her daughter. ‘Glass of wine okay?'

‘Mmm. That'd be good, thanks, Mum. Just a small one.'

‘And I'd better take a look at the barbecue; we don't want anything burnt to a frazzle,' said Rhys, his tone easy. Stella marvelled at how effortlessly he appeared to have slotted into the dynamic, his presence seeming in no way awkward or uncomfortable. It made her think he must have been to the house several times before.

‘Right, I'll leave you two to get to know one another a little better while I go and grab you that glass of wine and check on the quiche.' Alice shot a brief-but-pointed look in Stella's direction that said, ‘Behave yourself!'

Stella watched as Alice hurried off in the direction of the kitchen. She moved closer to the barbecue where Rhys was turning golden pieces of chicken breast sprinkled with herbs. Helping herself to half a cherry tomato from the salad as she passed the table, and reminding herself to heed her mother's warning, she said, ‘I gather from Mum you moved to Micklewick Bay only recently.' She gave him a friendly smile.

Rhys nodded, lifting his gaze to hers, smoke rising in a cloud around him. ‘That's right, well, it's getting on for six months ago now.'

Stella nodded. ‘And what was it that tempted you here? Do you have connections to the town, and do you plan on staying?' Softly, softly, Stella. If her mum heard her, she'd be sure to pin her with another of her warning looks.

Rhys smiled. ‘No, I don't have any connections to the town, didn't know anyone before I moved here. My reason was, well, I expect your mother will have told you that I lost my wife a year ago.' His smile faltered and sadness briefly clouded his eyes.

Stella winced inwardly as a shard of guilt shot through her, making her instantly regret putting him on the spot. ‘Yes, she mentioned it.' She pressed her lips together in a sympathetic smile. Though her mum had shared the fact that Rhys's wife had passed away, she hadn't gone into any detail, but if he had grown-up children, they must have been married for a while, providing she was the mother of his children, of course. ‘I was sorry to hear of your loss, it can't have been easy for you, especially if you'd been together a long time.'

‘Thank you, that's very kind. We'd been together for thirty-five years, married for thirty-two of them.' He drew in a deep breath. ‘In truth, it was a blessing when it happened. Theresa had been ill for such a long time.' He paused, turning the chicken once more. His smile reappeared a moment later. ‘Anyway, it was the catalyst that brought me here. I felt I needed a complete change, needed to move on, and a friend recommended I check out Micklewick Bay. He and his family had spent a week in a holiday cottage here and waxed lyrical about it. So, on my next free day, I jumped in my car and ventured over here. I found myself quite taken with the feel of the town; and who wouldn't love that beach and those cliffs? Anyway, as luck would have it, I spotted a house for sale that looked like it had quite a bit of potential, so I wangled a viewing that day.'

‘You were clearly keen.'

‘I was.' Rhys nodded. ‘As soon as I got over the doorstep, I knew it was exactly what I needed. And, even better, it was empty and chain-free which meant the sale proceeded swiftly. It's a bit of a project, for want of a better word, and requires some renovating here and there, but I enjoy turning my hand to that kind of thing. Has a good-sized garden too, perfect for growing vegetables and for my grandchildren to enjoy a run around.' He gave a shrug and smiled across at her. ‘So, there you have it, the reason I found myself here in Micklewick Bay.'

‘Sounds like a good one to me.' Stella was just about to ask whereabouts in town he lived when Alice's voice made them both turn.

‘Here we are. Sorry I took so long.' She was walking down the steps, a glass of wine in one hand, a quiche in the other. Judging by the expression on her face, Stella guessed her mum was inexorably relieved to see her daughter and Rhys appeared to be getting along.

The afternoon passed quickly in the suntrap of a garden, birds twittering in the hedges, the industrious hum of bumble bees in the borders. Conversation flowed easily, punctuated with a generous sprinkling of laughter. Stella couldn't deny the chemistry that danced between her mum and Rhys, and she found herself rather liking him with his affable manner and open expression. He'd spoken warmly of his children and grandchildren, and she'd surprised herself by thinking how lucky they were to have him. He was attentive without being overbearing and she felt confident there was no ulterior motive or shady side to him. Thanks to her profession, she'd encountered a whole variety of personalities in the witness box, from serial charmers to dangerous manipulators, and everything in-between, and had developed a sense of those who were genuine and those who most definitely were not. She felt able to rest easy that her mum had, at last, allowed herself to enjoy a romantic relationship – though Stella still made a conscious decision to monitor things, just in case…

With the sun beating down, and despite being careful not to partake in too much wine, Stella found herself feeling just a little too comfortable stretched out in her generously padded chair. It would have been oh-so easy to spend the rest of the afternoon here, chatting away to her mum and Rhys but, as with every Sunday, she had prep to do for her case the following day. She was about to announce it was time she headed back to her apartment when Rhys cleared his throat. ‘Um, I have something to ask you, Stella, if that's okay?' He looked directly at her from the sofa opposite where he was sitting beside her mum, his arm thrown casually around her shoulder. For the first time during the afternoon, Stella detected an air of uncertainty about him.

‘You do?' She looked from Rhys to her mother, whom she noted also looked a little uncomfortable, fidgeting away and fiddling with the stem of her wine glass. Stella couldn't begin to imagine where this was heading.

‘Yes, you see, the thing is, I'd rather like to take your mum on holiday. Um… I have a villa in Tuscany and I've asked if she'd like to spend a couple of weeks there with me, but I… er, we wanted to check you'd be okay with that before we booked our flights.'

Stella took a moment to assimilate his words. Her mother was going on holiday with a man? Wow! She swallowed, her gaze flicking to her mum who was looking back, concern in her eyes. Get a grip, Stella.Why wouldn't she go on holiday with Rhys? She fixed a wide smile on her face and said, ‘Of course I'm okay with it. Why wouldn't I be? And it's not as if you need my permission to go on holiday, Mum, you know that.'

‘I know I don't, lovey, but with me only ever going away with friends before, I just thought it would be nice to run it by you first.' She smiled uncertainly. ‘Well, it was Rhys's idea I do that, actually.'

Where had her confident, self-assured mum gone? she wondered. This new-found romance appeared to have put her out of her comfort zone, and she was clearly finding it awkward to discuss it with her daughter.

‘Honestly, Mum, you don't have to run anything by me. I'm not a little girl. I just want you to be happy. And I'm so chuffed for you, it's time you lived a little and enjoyed yourself. A holiday in Tuscany will do you the world of good.' Stella spoke with more conviction than she felt and hoped her mum hadn't picked up on it. More than anything she wanted her mother to be happy – which she very clearly was from what she'd seen that afternoon – she couldn't help but think that a new relationship was all very well, but spending two weeks with someone you barely know, and in a different country too, was a big step. At least, it was to Stella's mind. A couple of years ago, Ferdy had invited her to spend a week with him at his villa in Nice, but she'd turned him down flat. The prospect of being cooped-up with a man twenty-four hours a day was more than she could bear. She'd always thought her mother had felt the same way. Not that Stella was going to bring that up right now; there was no way she was going to throw cold water over her mum's new-found happiness. And besides, it's none of your business anyway.

Alice's shoulders dropped as she visibly relaxed, a smile spreading across her face. ‘Thank you, sweetheart, I'm so relieved you feel that way. I have to say, I've found myself very much looking forward to it.'

Stella looked on as her mum cast her eyes up at Rhys, happiness radiating from her. He smiled back, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

‘I'll get our flights booked tomorrow, darling, see if there are any still available for a week on Saturday.

A week on Saturday?His attentiveness to her mum warmed Stella's heart. After all her years of being unattached it was good to see her looking so undeniably happy. Who'd have thought it could happen after all these years?