'Then let's not tell them. Let's not tell anyone. Apart from Amias. I couldn't leave without telling him.'
'Run away, you mean?'
'Elope. Let's go to Gretna Green and get married right away. Right now.'
She'd laughed. 'Are you serious, Kyle? Do people still go to Gretna Green to marry?'
He shrugged. 'Who knows? We don't have to go there. But yes, Cat. I'm serious. More serious than I've ever been about anything in my life. I adore you, Cat Devon and I want to spend the rest of my life with you and Kyra. And I want the rest of my life to start right now.'
'Kyra?' She'd smiled her surprise. 'You want to call our baby, Kyra?'
He'd grinned. 'It just popped into my head. I don't know why. But if you don't like it we can call her anything you want.'
'No. I like it. We'll definitely call her Kyra.'
'I'll love you and Kyra all my life, Cat. No matter what.'
She'd looked into his eyes. Those gorgeous hazel eyes of his and she'd made a decision.
'Then let's do this. Let's run away.'
'Let's leave today.' He looked so excited.
'Today? Isn't that a bit too soon?'
'Why wait? Please Cat.' He'd swept her into his arms.
'As foolish as it is, if this is the last time I'll see my mum and Granny Viola for a while, I'd like to spend a few hours with them before we go. Is that OK? Let's leave tomorrow.'
'OK. I'll spend some time with Amias. He's the only person I'll miss in Merriment Bay. But let's compromise. Let's leave at midnight. That's still today, but it's also, sort of, tomorrow. I'll pick you up at midnight.'
Cat laughed at that. Despite the fact he loved her, he liked to get his own way.
'OK. But not from the house. Mum or Granny Viola might hear the engine and try to stop us. Let's meet somewhere else.'
'I'll wait for you at the junction of Channel View Lane and Coast Road. That's far enough away. They'll think it's just traffic if they hear anything. I'll be waiting there for you at midnight. I may even spend the evening there, just in case I fall asleep.' He'd laughed and winked. 'I adore you, Cat, and I can't wait for us to start our new life together.'
He'd kissed her passionately then.
It was the last kiss they had shared.
It had been raining all day but it stopped just after 11 p.m. and by the time Cat left Devon Villa at 10 minutes to midnight, the clouds were tumbling away. She spotted the bonnet of Kyle's car as she waddled along Channel View Lane. At eight months pregnant, running was no longer an option. Whether or not he had been there all evening, she didn't know, but as she drew closer, she could see him through the windscreen. His head was tipped slightly to one side, his eyes were closed and his lips a fraction apart. Then, as if he knew she was there, he opened his eyes and beamed at her.
She heard the squeal of brakes and slosh of water a moment before she saw the oncoming lorry that skidded on to their side of the road, hitting Kyle's car like a wall of metal.
Shock and disbelief glued her to the spot but instinct made her dive for cover as debris flew towards her. Whether she sustained her injuries from that, or from trying to free Kyle from the twisted wreck, minutes later, she didn't know, even though she was sure the doctors had told her. But she didn't care. All she cared about was that they were alive.
Until she was told the following day that Kyle had subsequently died.
She hadn't believed it at first. Yes, his injuries had been horrendous and yes, it was a miracle he was still alive when the ambulances had arrived, but she had been sure he would survive.
Or maybe that had just been wishful thinking.
It had only been when Amias had confirmed it that she actually believed it, and even then, it had taken a while to sink in. When he'd given her Kyle's watch. When he'd told her Kyle's parents had moved away. When he'd cradled Kyra that day in the hospital and told Cat that it would be torture for them, but Kyle was gone, and they had no choice but to learn to live with that.
But what he hadn't told her as he'd cradled Kyra, was that she would have to learn to live with it, alone.
That day had been the last time she and Amias had spoken but it hadn't been the last time she'd seen him.
The last time she'd seen him had been the day before she had run away from Merriment Bay with her ten-week-old baby.
It had been an unbelievably warm, October day, near the end of an unexpected, Indian Summer. In spite of the warmth, Cat had worn a high-necked, long-sleeved blouse, and had also styled her hair to aid in covering her scars. She'd taken Kyra in her pram and walked towards the bay.
It was the first time she had been there since the day before the accident. Her heart felt as if it was tearing itself free of the blood vessels giving it life and she had had to stop more than once to catch her breath, and to force herself to continue on. She wanted to see Amias. To ask him why he didn't want to visit them. To ask him if he would still be in her life. Just as a friend, of course. She knew she would never be anything more to him than that. He'd always made it perfectly clear that he had no interest in her. But didn't he want to stay in touch? At least with his best friend's child?
Her mum had been right though. Cat had watched him, his hands on the hips of some stunning girl, holding her on a surf board balanced on the sand. The girl had tumbled against him. Clearly on purpose. And she'd reached up and kissed him on the lips.
Cat couldn't watch any more. She had turned away and hurried back to Devon Villa. And on the way, as she reached the spot where the accident had happened, she had made another decision. She would leave Merriment Bay just as she and Kyle had planned.
There was nothing in Merriment Bay for her and Kyra anyway.
Chapter Five
Cat hardly slept a wink. When she kissed Kyra on the cheek and finally went to bed, her mind was alive with memories of the past and she tossed and turned all night. It was still dark when she awoke but she desperately needed coffee.
After peeping into Kyra's room and seeing that Kyra was fast asleep beneath her duvet and the antique quilt, Cat went downstairs, made coffee and thought about last night. Not about the strange dreams she'd had, or her memories from the past, but about seeing Amias again after all these years. And about what he had said.
Amias had actually paid her a compliment. And he'd said he was glad that she had come home. What had that meant?
Did it mean that they could finally be friends?
Or if she went with Kyra down to the bay today, would she find him with his arms wrapped around some new woman?
Annie, from Bella Vista, had said just a few weeks ago that he was back on the market after dumping Lorna Carlton. But men like Amias didn't stay single for long. And Amias had always had a string of women chasing after him. Perhaps he was already dating someone else? Not that it mattered. One thing was as certain now as it was back then. Amias Wells would never, ever, date Cat Devon.
'God, Mum. I feel awful.' Kyra padded into the kitchen, dressed in her pyjamas, although her T-shirt type top was on back to front.
'You don't look too good, sweetheart. Sit down before you fall down. I'll pour you some coffee.'
Kyra slumped on to a chair at the table. 'I don't remember getting home. And I have no idea how I made it up those stairs.'
'Amias brought you home. And he carried you up those stairs.' Cat threw her a teasing grin.
'Did he?' A huge grin spread across Kyra's face. 'I wish I'd been sober enough to have realised. I've never been carried up to bed by a man before. Especially not one as gorgeous as Amias.'
Cat placed a large mug of coffee on the table in front of Kyra.
'Yes. So you said last night. But you also told him that he was too old for you and that you didn't want to have sex with him.'
'I what?' Kyra laughed before grabbing her head between her hands and thumping her elbows on the table. 'Oh dear. Do we have any painkillers? There seems to be a herd of rhino rampaging around in my brain.'
Cat got a p
ack of tablets from the end cupboard which was filled with remedies for virtually every possible ailment. Except heartache.
'Here.' She placed two tablets beside a glass of water. 'That wasn't all you said last night. You almost told him that I was once in love with him.'
Kyra's head shot up and she winced.
'Oh, God. Did I? I'm so sorry, Mum. Did you manage to stop me in time?'
Cat smiled. 'Just.'
'What must he think of me?' Kyra swallowed the tablets. 'Was he cross? About having to bring me home, I mean?'
'He didn't seem to be. Although I was when I came home and saw the two of you standing on the doorstep. You with your arms draped around his neck. Him with his head bent over you. I thought he was kissing you, and I shouted at him.'
'Kissing me?' Kyra looked astonished. 'Why on earth would you think that?'
'I just told you why. You looked so … so intimate.'
Kyra grinned and gulped her coffee. 'Were you jealous?'
'Absolutely not. I was horrified that a man of his age would take advantage of a girl so young, especially as she was drunk.'
'Oh, Mum. Honestly. As if he would. I haven't known him long but even I know he wouldn't do that. I can't remember much about it. Although this coffee is clearing the fog away. I do remember he came along the beach and told Lucas, Marcus and me that he thought we'd partied enough and that he was going to drive me home. And them too, if they wanted to go. Which they didn't. They wanted to stay with the crowd. And so did I. But he gave me such a quelling look, I remember and said I had two choices. Either he would stay with us all and make sure no one did anything they shouldn't. Or I could let him take me home and then everyone else could do whatever they wanted. Although he did tell Lucas and Marcus that if they took drugs or did anything else equally stupid, they shouldn't ever bother to turn up at his door again.'
'He said that? And he wasn't on the beach with you then? I mean he didn't spend the evening with you all?'
'No. Why would you think he would? I'm sure he has quite enough of us all day. I think he'd rather spend his evenings with people his own age, don't you?'
'Yes.' Cat let out a sigh. 'But who does he think he is? Telling you what you can and can't do. And Lucas and Marcus too.'
Kyra smiled. 'Oh come on, Mum. You're glad he did. You know you are. And to be honest, I think I am too. Some of the people there were definitely getting a bit out of control. I think they were all nice and I'm not saying anything bad would've happened. But I'm glad he played the knight in shining armour and came to my rescue.' She tossed a lock of ginger curls over her shoulder and beamed at Cat. 'And so are you. So did anything happen after he carried me upstairs? Between you and him, I mean. Did he stay for coffee? Or anything?' She raised her eyebrows suggestively.
Cat blushed and turned away, refilling her coffee mug. 'Absolutely not. I stayed upstairs with you and he let himself out.'
'M-um! Honestly. When you get a man like Amias upstairs, you shouldn't let him back down again until you've had a bit of fun. I can see you'll need a helping hand in the romance department.'
'Romance department?' Cat smirked. 'That's one place that's strictly off limits as far as Amias and I are concerned.'
Kyra frowned. 'Why? You were in love with him once.'
'A lifetime ago.'
'You could fall in love with him again. I'd fall in love with him in an instant if I were older.'
Cat shook her head. 'I love you, sweetheart. But please don't try to get Amias and me together. There's been far too much water under the bridge for that to ever happen. Besides, the man was never attracted to me when I was young, and if I say it myself, fairly pretty. He's not likely to be attracted to me now that I'm old and scarred.'
'You're not old and the scars are hardly noticeable. You're more bothered about them than most people are. And any decent man wouldn't give a damn about such things anyway.'
'You think Amias is a decent man? Sorry. Of course, he is. But he can have his pick of women, Kyra. He always has had. And he didn't pick me then, so he certainly won't pick me now. And thank you for saying I'm not old.'
Cat laughed and tried to lighten the mood as she sat opposite Kyra. Her legs were feeling a little weak this morning. It must be from yesterday's workout at the Fitness Centre.
Kyra eyed her for a moment over the rim of her mug.
'But you'd like him to, wouldn't you? Pick you, I mean. You like him, don't you, Mum? In fact, by the way you're trying to pretend you don't and the fact that you've just put sugar in your coffee when you don't take sugar, I'd say you like him a lot.'
'Good morning.'
Mary joined them in the kitchen, a broad smile on her face and a note of excitement in her voice. Cat was thankful for the interruption.
'You look happy, Mum. I take it you won at bridge last night.'
'Better than that, Catherine.' Mary poured herself a mug of coffee but her smile faltered as she cast a look over Kyra. 'Your top is on back to front, and frankly, you look a little green in the gills. Are you unwell, child?'
Kyra sighed. 'Hungover.'
'Hungover?' From the look on Mary's face, Kyra may as well have just said that she'd committed murder.
'Don't make a big deal out of it, Mum,' Cat said. 'She's eighteen. If she wants to get drunk, she can.'
'And you condone this behaviour? I'm sorry.' She held up one hand. 'It's none of my business. All I'll say is that I hope you don't make a habit of it, Kyra. Your father's parents went down that route.'
'Mum!' Cat banged her mug on the table and glowered at Mary.
'What? I'm not allowed to tell the truth in my own home?'
'Please,' Kyra said, closing her eyes for a moment. 'I've got a headache. I can promise you I won't be making a habit of it, Gran. And Amias gave me a lecture too.' She grinned mischievously. 'I think that was before he carried me up to bed. But it may have been after. I can't recall.'
'Before he carried you up to bed?' Mary screeched like a parrot.
Cat sighed loudly. 'She's winding you up, Mum. But frankly, you deserve it.'
Mary's horrified gaze darted from Kyra to Cat and back again.
'He didn't carry you up to his bed then?'
Kyra grinned again. 'Oh yes. He did. But to my bed here. Not his. And not in the way you clearly think. You're as bad as Mum. She thought he was kissing me on the doorstep when she got home and found us together.'
'This doorstep? Your bed here? Are you telling me that man was in this house?'
'He was,' Cat said. 'And he was the perfect gentleman. There was no way I'd have been able to get Kyra upstairs without his help. And if you even suggest you'd better go and check the silver, we'll be packing our bags, OK?'
Mary looked uncertain but eventually she sat down. 'How long was he here?'
'Less than ten minutes. He laid Kyra on her bed. We had a brief chat about how much she looks like her dad and then he left.'
Mary fiddled with the handle of her mug. 'Just about that? Not about anything else?'
Cat frowned. 'What does that mean?'
Mary gave a small cough. 'I just wondered if you'd discussed the past at all. The hospital and such. And about you running away.'
She looked rather nervous. There was clearly some reason for her remarks but Cat couldn't think what it could be.
'We didn't reminisce about the good old days. You know as well as I do that he never particularly liked me.'
Mary shot a look at her and smiled. 'That's true. But I do feel the less you see of him, the better. I know he's teaching Kyra to windsurf and I know you want to enlist his help in finding out about the man in the photograph, but there's no point in rehashing the past, is there? What happened, happened. We all said and did things we regret. It's time we put all that behind us, isn't it? Time we wiped the slate clean.'
'Mum? Why do I get the feeling there's something you haven't told me? Something that happened in the past? Something, perhaps, involving Amias?'
'I do
n't know, Catherine, I'm sure. But let's forget about Amias Wells and I'll tell you my news. I met a lovely man last night. Gladys and I popped into The Hope and Anchor for a glass of wine with Annie after bridge. And yes, Gladys and I did win. But anyway. I was ordering drinks and a man was seated at the bar as Sybil Lester was asking about Mother and whether I intended to remain in this house if the worst happened. You know Sybil. Dreadful woman. But one has to be polite. I said that I was considering putting it on the market but that I intended to have some work done first. And you won't believe it. The very handsome man at the bar apologised and said he couldn't help but overhear our conversation. He also told me how lovely I looked, but that is by the by. To cut a long story short. His name is Jeremy Stone. He's fifty-nine and divorced and he's staying here for a week or so, as he's considering moving to the area. But the best thing is, he's a builder. Well, actually the best thing is he's asked me out on a date. But the second best thing is his being a builder. He's going to give me a quote for the work I'd like done and he assures me he'll put an even bigger smile on my gorgeous face. Isn't that simply wonderful?'
'Eew. Does that mean you're going to have sex with him, Gran? Because that's what that sounded like.' Kyra screwed up her nose as if the prospect wasn't a particularly pleasant one.
Mary looked surprised but then she smiled. 'I certainly hope so, Kyra. It's been quite a while since I've met such an attractive and attentive man.'
Cat smiled at her. It was a long time since she had seen her mum so happy.
'That's great, Mum. I'm very pleased for you. But you'll get more than one quote, won't you? And you'll take references and such, especially if he's not local.'
Mary's smile faltered. 'Unlike some people, Catherine, I'm a good judge of character. Jeremy also told me that I should get more than just his quote, but that he'll match any others I might get and I wouldn't find a better deal than the one he would be offering. He's coming round later today and this evening we're going out for dinner to discuss it.'
'Oh. That's quick, isn't it? I was going to suggest that William and Abigail and the boys might come round for lunch today. We were going to ask William about the photograph, remember?'
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