Page 23 of Second Chance Summer
Wow, wow and wow.
Lily was fully aware she’d uttered the words too often and they’d only left the retreat ten minutes previously. She’d become embarrassed by saying it again and again but there was no doubt that while the retreat had its shortcomings, the natural setting was simply out of this world.
They were climbing the gentle slope of what Sam called the South Hill and, with every step, the views became better and better.
Could she really be in England? she wondered for the umpteenth time, gazing around at isles sprinkled like jewels over a turquoise sea. Light bounced off the water, dazzling her; gulls wheeled overhead; foxgloves and daisies flourished in the shelter of ruined walls. Far below, great rounded boulders and jagged rocks sheltered pocket-sized coves with pale sand.
Automatically, she reached into her pocket to whip out her phone and take photos before realising her contraband tech had been handed over. ‘I wish I could share these views with my family and Richie.’
Sam pushed his Ray-bans onto his head. ‘You’ll be able to tomorrow when we reach Bryher.’
‘Now the weather’s cleared, could we go over there today?’ she offered.
‘We could. If youreallywant to, we can … or you could enjoy the digital detox for one more day if you think you can cope?’
‘Of course I can cope,’ Lily retorted, refusing to admit she was twitchy without her phone. ‘I should have brought a sketch pad. I left it in the cottage.’
‘We can go back and fetch it?’
She softened. ‘No, it’s OK. I’ll come out later once I’ve got my bearings around the island. Although,’ she said, pausing again to shade her eyes and drink in the vista, ‘I already know I’ll be so frustrated when I can’t capture this place as I’d like to.’ She’d be leaving the island tomorrow and would do her best to create a lasting memory of how gorgeous it was in the summer light.
‘I’m sure you won’t.’
‘I will. All artists are doomed to fail in their mission: it’s the trying that counts. I’ve also seen the artwork on your walls. I couldn’t produce anything of that quality.’ She noticed his mouth curve as he listened to her. ‘What’s funny?’
‘Nothing much – only I’m wondering if this is really Lily Harper talking? The uber-confident entrepreneur who made a man cry on TV?’
‘That was a slip of the tongue! I let my mouth engage before my brain and the producers edited the clip to make me sound even worse,’ she said, instantly on the defensive. ‘I never called Tyrone “talentless”. I actually gave him somepositive feedback, despite my misgivings. It was what I said when I thought I was off air that caused all the trouble.’
Even telling Sam what had happened brought the tell-tale knot back to her stomach.
‘If you’ve seen it, you’ll know how it came out.’
‘I don’t watch much TV but after you booked, I’ll admit I did watch the clip,’ he said, rather sheepishly.
‘Morven sent you the link, did she?’
Sam gave a wry smile. ‘She suggested I watch it, yes, but I’m interested inyourside of the story.’
Lily inhaled in surprise. ‘Thank you, because no one usually cares. What actually happened,’ she said, shuddering at the memory, ‘was that I was talking to one of the other judges – who also hadn’t been impressed by Tyrone – and made a comment:“Tyrone just keeps ripping off another artist’s work. His talent doesn’t match the other contestants’ here. How did he get through the selection process?”’
Even repeating the words made her grow cold, but she wanted to be completely honest with Sam. ‘I didn’t know my mic was still on. I apologised to Tyrone at once. He was upset but he calmed down when I tried to explain he needed to have confidence in his own original creations – and I thought he’d accepted my apology and my feedback.’ She let out a breath. ‘I was wrong.’
Sam winced. ‘Ouch.’
‘I felt awful for treading on his dreams.’
‘It was a competitive show, though,’ Sam said. ‘I can’t imagine ever taking part in anything like that, but he must have known what he was letting himself in for?’
‘Possibly, but I shouldn’t have been so naive. Things were far worse when the show was aired. The editors cut all my positive feedback and only showed my off-mic – buton-mic – remark. There was also a scene where Tyrone ran off the set in tears. That definitely didn’t happen!’
‘Jeez. Are you saying they staged it?’
Lily gave a bitter laugh. ‘Yes, but how could I accuse him and the show’s producer of lying?’ Tyrone had also made the most of the incident since, repeating the misquote and putting other words into her mouth, Lily might have added, but didn’t.
‘Can producers even do that?’ Sam said, incredulous.
She groaned. ‘Apparently, they can do anything. I was stupid not to realise what could happen and be more guarded. Nothing I say or do can change it. No one really cares what I actually said. I’m just the Wicked Witch of the Craft Show.’
