Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“Out into the sea?”
He chuckled. “It feels that way. I’ve never been to a place like it where you’re surrounded by water. You have to remind yourself you’re still on solid ground.”
I laughed. “Sounds like life as a foundation doctor.”
Another couple came toward us, holding hands in matching blue cagoules. We moved to the side to let them pass us.
We exchanged smiles and I couldn’t help but wonder how long they’d been together and whether or not things had started out unconventionally and they’d overcome it. I’d only been seeing Jacob a few weeks, but it felt different to any relationship I’d ever felt before. Our physical connection was beyond anything I’d ever experienced, but we also talked about stuff. Important stuff. I shared things with him I’d never spoken about with anyone. And I got the feeling he didn’t go around talking about the burden of having the Coves as parents to too many people either. We connected on so many levels that I couldn’t help wondering what our future might hold. Matching cagoules or more hiding and secrecy.
He squeezed my hand. “You’re rock solid. We shouldn’t talk about this, but you’re doing really well.”
“No, we shouldn’t, but thank you.” I wanted to ask him about the award—who was in the running and whether there were any obvious stars—but I stopped myself. I didn’t want to put him in a compromising position. He shouldn’t tell me anything that would get him into trouble. “It’s overwhelming at times.”
Following the footpath, we turned left, leaving the road and the village of Blakeney behind us. We headed straight out toward the sea. Once we got past the boats, either side of the path were reeds and marshes and pools of water. “When I think of the coast, I think of the rugged rocks and sandy beaches of Devon and Cornwall. This feels like an entirely different country.”
He chuckled. “I know what you mean. But it’s beautiful, right?”
“Completely.” The wide blue sky stretched in front of us punctuated only by the spikes of the reeds and grasses. It felt deeply peaceful. “I can see why you would come here to de-stress. Will you show me where your boat was?”
“The rowing boat I’d hide in?”
I laughed. “Yes. Your de-stressing chamber.”
“Sure, it’s along here.”
We plodded forward, enjoying the view, enjoying the peace, talking and not talking.
“It was here,” he said eventually as we came to a pool on the right of the path, surrounded by reeds. “I don’t know if the tides changed and it got trapped somehow. Maybe some kids pulled it over the pathway into this part of the sea.”
“There’s hardly anyone around.”
“People come up from the village for a little look, but unless you’re going to follow the trail right around to the next village, people don’t usually get this far. So it’s only the committed walker that passes by.”
“And you’d come out here to walk off the stress of the job and . . . the Cove legacy.”
“Look, I know I’m privileged. I’m sure I’ve had opportunities I wouldn’t have had if it hadn’t been for my parents. I just . . . sometimes I wish I could have done it on my own merit. Like you.”
I laughed. He couldn’t be serious. “Let me tell you, studying at night and cutting hair during the day to keep a roof over your head isn’t anything to covet. It’s hard work and it means sacrificing a lot.”
“Sorry, I wasn’t trying to downplay it.”
I shook my head. “It’s fine, I know. I’m just saying, there are pluses and minuses of either route.” I grinned. “On balance, I’d rather have the loving family and the legacy that goes with them.”
He dipped and pressed a kiss on the top of my head. “Yeah, me too.”
The warmth from the kiss spread down my entire body. I pulled at the collar of his coat to kiss me some more. We may have come from opposite sides of the tracks, but we were on this ride together now—come what may.
Twenty-Six
Sutton
Norfolk seemed a long time ago, even though we’d only been back a week. Before we’d given into each other, I’d been concerned my feelings for him would be displayed in glaring speech bubbles over my head. Now I was worried our intimacy would be revealed in a misplaced touch or a prideful glance. I was still always on my guard when he was around.
“Are you heading to the cafeteria?” Veronica asked as she came up beside me.
“Yup, you?”
“Yes. We can have lunch together. How often does that happen?”
“I don’t think it’s happened since those first two weeks, which feels like a lifetime ago,” I said.
“Right? Two months has gone by in a flash. How’s it going? Got a day off anytime soon?”
“I just had three days off in a row. Not sure how I managed that one.”