Page 106 of One Cornish Summer With You
The process of transferring the house into their joint names had been completed a while before.
But all that was behind them now, and they could enjoy this moment as the stream gurgled past the house on its way to the cove.
‘I can’t believe it,’ Tammy said, watching the blue tits flit around the rediscovered apple tree in the grounds. ‘I wish Dad was here to see it.’
‘Me too,’ Ruan said. ‘I would have liked to have known him.’
She looked into his face. ‘I can’t tell you how much he’d have wanted to know you.’
‘To check me out?’
‘Yes!’ She looked at the house and any sadness dimmed. ‘There’s my mum and Davey to do that now.’
‘Don’t I know it. I was so nervous meeting your mother.’
‘Not as nervous as she was about meeting you,’ Tammy said, remembering her mum waiting apprehensively in the window of the house when she arrived with Ruan.
They’d been up to Scotland again to see Kathleen andTammy’s mum, and her mother had promised to come to see the house when it was finished.
‘The only thing now is to decide what to call our new home,’ Tammy said. Both of its old names had sad associations, so they’d decided to have a complete change.
Ruan looked at the house and back to Tammy. ‘I do have one idea …’
‘Go on, then. Tell me.’
‘What about Sunrise? After all, the house faces south-east, but more than that, it would be a tribute to your design – and your dad.’
‘Oh – oh …’ Tammy felt her eyes moisten again, though this time with happy tears. ‘That would be perfect.’ She kissed him. ‘I know we have a big day ahead, but we don’t have to go home and get ready just yet, do we?’
‘No rush at all,’ said Ruan with a wicked grin. ‘And I happen to have the keys to the caravan.’
He took her hand and they drew the curtains, shutting the world out, at least for a while.
Later that afternoon, they stood hand in hand on the terrace of the Smuggler’s Arms, blinking in the bright sunshine. Tammy had a flower in her hair and was wearing a new dress. Ruan was in a smart shirt and trousers.
The landlord turned to the wedding guests. ‘So, please raise your glasses high and let’s congratulate the happy couple.’
As Ruan’s hand squeezed her own, Tammy lifted her glass high. ‘To the happy couple!’
Their voices joined those of their friends from Porthmellow: Lola, Shefali, Hattie, artists, musicians, and everyone else who had come along to celebrate the marriage of Davey and Breda.
The happy couple were holding hands and even managed a kiss before Davey declared, ‘That’s it. Thank you, everyone, but I’m not giving a speech except to say that Breda is a madwoman to take me on and I can’t believe this beautiful, bright and wonderful woman is now my wife.’ He held up her hand. ‘I must be the luckiest bleddy man in the world.’
Everyone cheered and applauded as Breda kissed him again, beaming with happiness.
Tammy swallowed a lump in her throat.
Davey had tears in his eyes. ‘Now, like I said, I’m not giving a speech. Enjoy yourselves – we’re paying!’
To laughter and the sound of the DJ turning up the music, Davey and Breda melted into their throng of guests.
It had been a tough few months for Davey, but his hormone treatment and radiotherapy had been completed by Christmas and his prognosis was very positive. On New Year’s Eve, he’d proposed to Breda and they’d told Tammy the next day. He’d moved in with her and, as planned, had rented out his flat, while Tammy had decided to make hers available at an affordable rent for local workers when she and Ruan finally moved into Sunrise.
There was laughter and banter, and more fizz and even more people joining the party in the evening. A local band set up and Tammy danced along with Lola and her friendswhile Ruan chatted to some of the locals from the sailing club.
Or at least she thought that’s what he was doing.
She hadn’t seen him for quite a while and was leaning over the terrace to see if he was with a group of men talking on the harbourside when he tapped her on the shoulder.
