‘Are you okay?’ A man ran towards her. ‘Sorry, you must have startled him.’
‘Me, startle him?’ Ava gasped in annoyance. ‘He practically bowled me over!’
‘He was just excited to see someone. We don’t have many people venturing up here. You’re not hurt, are you?’
‘No… but I could have been.’ Her pride wounded more than anything, she sat for a moment.
He offered his hand, and when Ava looked up, she saw a familiar face. It had aged considerably, but equally it hadn’t changed at all.
Short dark hair peeped out from underneath a woollen hat. His face was open to the elements, having a pink glow to his cheeks, stubble on his chin, and a sparkle in his deep-blue eyes, almost the colour of the lake she remembered. A striped scarf was tucked into the neck of his zip-up hoodie, and thick socks showed at the bottom of his leggings.
He pulled her to standing, and Ava chose to keep hold of his hand in case she fell again. A feeling of giddiness washed over her and her stomach did a ridiculous somersault.
‘Hi, Jack.’ She smiled shyly. ‘Long time no see.’
CHAPTER SIX
Jack frowned and, as recognition dawned on him, he found his voice. ‘Ava! You’re here.’
‘I am!’ She smiled. ‘Thought I might check out some of my old haunts before breakfast.’
Graham, who had gone sniffing around in the hedgerow up above, came racing back again. This time, he stopped at Ava’s feet and gave a friendly bark.
‘Graham, come.’ Jack clicked his fingers, and the dog sat to heel.
‘Your dog’s name is Graham?’
Jack sniggered. ‘I’ve had him since he was a pup. He’s three now.’
He wondered if she’d be intrigued to hear there was no “we”.
Hewonderedwhy his heart was hammering out of his chest.
‘How are you?’ he asked once he’d found his voice again. ‘I often thought about why you never came back to visit.’
‘My dad died suddenly, heart attack. Mum didn’t want to come again.’ She wasn’t lying, just being economical with the truth.
‘Ah, sorry to hear that. I liked… Graham.’ He removed his hat and ran a hand through his hair. ‘I can’t believe I have a dogwith the same name as your dad.’ Surely it couldn’t have been his subconscious playing tricks on him that this had happened? He’d never forgotten that summer when he’d waited for Ava to arrive as usual and she hadn’t shown up, but it was all but a distant memory these days.
‘What can I say? You have good taste.’ Ava smiled again. ‘How are your family?’
‘Dad’s health is a bit dodgy. He’s fine at the moment but has to take it easy – which he doesn’t like. Mum is still bustling around everyone, looking as beautiful as ever.’
‘I met Sara last night. She told me Eliza is away but back soon. I can’t wait to catch up with her.’
Jack nodded. ‘She’s the operational manager at the hotel. Cara’s in London, works in publishing.’
‘What about your brothers, Noah, and Dan? How are they?’
At the mention of Dan, Jack took a step backwards, feeling himself falter. He hated having to relive it every time he met someone who didn’t know what had happened.
‘Noah has moved to Scotland, Fort William.’ He hoped she wouldn’t ask about Dan.
He knew she would regardless.
‘And Dan?’ Ava said after a hesitant pause.
‘He died, just over two years ago. He slipped in the ice, falling forwards into a ditch and hitting his head on the dry-stone wall. Just one wrong step.’
