Violet screwed up her face. ‘Celine is showing him her “welcome home” present.’
‘What’s that – a tattoo of him riding Basil?’
‘Basil is our black bull,’ Violet told me.
‘A scrapbook,’ Iris said, wincing.
‘Of what?’ Hugh looked horrified. ‘Pictures from when they were going out?’
‘Pictures, ticket stubs. A dried flower from the bouquet he gave her. And not only from when they were going out. It starts with the programme from a school nativity.’
‘That’s even worse than a tattoo,’ Lily said.
‘I know.’ Iris sighed. ‘I tried to talk her out of it, suggested she got him a nice bottle of something, or a book. But she’s decided the best way to get him back is to show she means business.’
Violet eyed me over the rim of her wine glass. ‘Maybe she should have baked him something.’
As my face heated up in embarrassment, Pip and Celine emerged from the farmhouse’s French doors, causing a flurry of shouts and whistles. Pip had swapped his usual checked shirt for a plain olive-green one, his cargo trousers for faded jeans.
My heart leapt even as my stomach shrivelled at the sight of him with Celine.
She wore a tiny white dress with a floaty skirt and sandals. A portion of her wavy hair was twisted into a braid around the crown of her head. She could have walked straight off a photo shoot for a countryside magazine.
‘Celine giving you a proper island welcome home, was she?’ a younger man standing beside Barnie called.
Pip gave him a sharp stare, before breaking into a grin as Jack and Beanie dived at his legs, balancing on a foot each while he dragged them over to our table, the dogs prancing alongside them.
‘Sisters. Hugh.’ There was a microsecond-long pause when his eyes met mine. ‘Emmie. I’m glad you could make it.’
I tried a smile as the children detached themselves and he eased in beside me on the bench. ‘Well, I did have to cancel a few other things, but, you know. I heard the pot sausage was unmissable.’
‘I told her!’ Jack announced, before he and Beanie raced off again.
‘Here.’ Celine arrived, handing Pip a bottle of beer before squeezing in on his other side. I edged as close to Violet as I could, but his hip still rested against mine, the situation continuing to be lovely and awful at the same time.
Pip twisted around slightly to face me. ‘How have you enjoyed your first day on the island?’
‘It was really nice.’ Nice.Not exactly scintillating conversation, Emmie.I tried harder. ‘I had a haggling lesson from Lily at the farmers’ market this morning over pasty ingredients, then spent the afternoon exploring Port Cathan.’
‘You’re making pasties already?’ His eyes gleamed. I had to look away.
‘Hi, Emmie.’ Celine leant forwards to offer me a smile. ‘I presumed you wouldn’t be coming this evening, seeing as your trip has nothing to do with Pip. What changed your mind?’
‘Lily invited me,’ I mumbled.
‘Oh, my goodness,’ Celine continued, clearly uninterested in my answer. ‘Pip, you should have seen the pickle Emmie got into earlier. She only went and fell asleep on the beach, right by the shoreline when the tide was coming in. All her things washing out to sea and she didn’t even notice. The first she knew of it was when Pigeon helped himself to her panini.’
She burst into giggles, head gently bouncing on Pip’s shoulder.
‘Pigeon ate your lunch?’ Pip didn’t reply to Celine, but he didn’t move away, either.
‘I bought her a lobster roll, it’s all good.’
Lily, who’d been chatting to Iris, leant across the table to get her brother’s attention. ‘Hey, why don’t you introduce Emmie to Ma and Da?’
‘Ooh, yes,’ Iris added. ‘Mammaw makes it her personal business to vet every newcomer to a family occasion.’
‘Would you mind?’ Pip asked me.