‘Well, that’s a prospect even more terrifying than jumping off a cliff into the swirling sea,’ Edith said through gritted teeth.
‘That’s so true.’ Thora squeezed Edith’s hand.
Edith glanced over at Wyatt, who was about to go first. He had a determination in his expression, along with a shadow of vulnerability — and her heart tugged. There was something he wasn’t telling her, that he had never told her, and while that hurt, she also felt for him. It must be something utterly awful for him to keep it to himself. He carried a burden he couldn’t share, and she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Everyone carried something — grief, fear, a secret love or a burden of some kind. Letting go completely was the hardest thing of all.
She watched as Wyatt flashed them all a grin and then he jumped, surrendering to the moment. As he disappeared beneath the surface of the water, her heart stopped, but then he bounced back up, water shooting off him as he grinned at them.
‘Come on in!’ he called. ‘The water’s lovely.’
The instructor called her forward, so she released Thora’s hand and took a deep breath. Her heart thudded in her ears; her legs had turned to rubber, but she knew she had to do this. Today was about facing her fears.
‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained!’
She jumped before she could change her mind, and then the water enveloped her in its icy embrace.
For a moment, the cold shocked the air from her lungs, and everything was muffled and cloudy. But then, the lifejacket did its job and propelled her upwards where she burst through the surface, scattering droplets of water all around.
Her friends waved from the rocks, and pride swelled in her chest. She had done it. Despite her fears and anxiety, she had done it, and it had been fun.
‘Well done, Edith!’ Wyatt said, treading water a few yards away. ‘You were amazing!’
He had waited in the water for her.
He had said she was amazing.
She smiled at him, her heart pounding with exhilaration and relief. She let herself float for a few moments, enjoying the sensation while her heart slowed down.
Wyatt swam closer while the others took their turns to jump. If he’d reached out, he could have touched her, and she was grateful for his proximity because even with the lifejacket and the instructor nearby, she still felt vulnerable in the sea.
‘You’re so much braver than you think, Edith,’ Wyatt said softly.
She met his eyes and saw something shift in their depths, making her think of the seabed being stirred by unseen tides, a silent struggle pulling him in two directions.
‘Maybe we all are,’ she said, lifting her gaze to the endless sky and feeling, for once, entirely unafraid.
18
WYATT
Back at the coasteering centre, Wyatt changed quickly then joined the others at the minibus. He took some drinks orders then went to the nearest café. When he returned, they all sat along a low wall gazing at the sea, sipping sweet, creamy hot chocolate and talking about their coasteering adventure.
Wyatt had loved the day — the salt spray, the adrenaline, the laughter — and it had been even better because Edith was there too. She’d clearly been afraid but had got stuck in with the grit and determination he remembered so well. Now, with cheeks flushed from the salt and the wind, she was glowing with vitality. She spoke about making that first leap, there had been more as the day had progressed, and how much she’d enjoyed it despite being nervous. He knew from experience that overcoming fear was rewarding but never straightforward. Small wins like this were good for the soul, and he was glad Edith and the rest of their party had found the coasteering fun.
The energy of the group ebbed and flowed like the tide as it caressed the shore. Voices rose and fell in easy rhythm and, as the sun sank lower in the sky, the sea became liquid gold andthe horizon shimmered. Everything was calm, as if the day were gently sighing into evening and carrying the group of people with it.
When the drinks were gone, they agreed to head back to Porthpenny for a fish and chip supper. As they packed up, Wyatt caught Edith’s eye as she laughed at something Thora had said. For a moment, everything else fell away and it was just the two of them. Warmth bloomed in his chest, as comforting as the hot chocolate had been, and he knew he’d remember this day for a long time.
He closed the door of the minibus, then turned for one last look at the sea, imagining the pull of the tide and the promise of something new rising between him and Edith.
There was something there; of that he was certain.
What it was or where it might lead, he couldn’t yet say.
Time would reveal everything.
It always did.
19
