A Starlit Summer by Kate Frost (best manga ereader txt) 📕

‘He’s not my builder.’

‘You know what I mean.’

‘They’re non-existent. He won’t talk to me; he won’t listen. He’s been shown up in front of his friends and family because of everything in the media.’ She stopped and frowned. ‘You know this already. Why ask if Milo’s not going to put the record straight?’

‘I just really hoped you’d made up with him, that’s all.’

‘Fat chance of that, but it doesn’t matter now. I’ll be heading home tomorrow.’

‘He lives round here, does he?’

‘Yeah, in Mullion with his parents, so not far from here. He wants to move out but it’s expensive. He’s kinda got a good thing working with his dad, and they live in this amazing new-build in a quiet little cul-de-sac on the edge of the village. I’m not sure I’d want to move to some crappy little flat miles from the sea either.’ She looked at Timothy and shook her head. ‘Why the hell am I even talking about him? It’s over. It was over before anything really started.’

‘He’s still with his parents, huh?’

‘Circumstances. His folks are lovely though.’

‘You’ve met them?’

‘Had Sunday dinner at their house. Pretty certain that’s why he’s so pissed at me – one day he’s introducing me to his parents, the next day I was splashed across Hot Now Magazine in a bikini with Milo. He’s had his heart broken before and I know he thinks I’ve made a fool of him.’ Jenna pulled her hand from Timothy’s. ‘I’m fed up talking about it, the whole situation makes my blood boil and I want to enjoy tonight.’

‘I’m sorry, truly I am.’

Jenna grabbed her drink and stood up. ‘Timothy, it’s really not your fault. Don’t beat yourself up about it; Milo sure as hell isn’t.’

Jenna clocked him sidling on to the terrace with Heidi. So she’d kept her promise of returning after a casting in London, back for more photo opportunities with Milo. It must be heartbreaking for Timothy to watch the person he loved cosying up with a woman he didn’t actually fancy. Milo had his arm around Heidi’s waist and a beer clutched in his other hand as they chatted to the first assistant director and one of the producers. Timothy was watching them. A frown darkened his handsome face. Jenna wanted to slap Milo on Timothy’s behalf. Not that it would do any good. Timothy was fully aware of what Milo was doing, and if he wasn’t comfortable with it, he was old enough to deal with it himself. She just couldn’t help feel sorry for the guy, a far more sensitive and thoughtful person than Milo deserved.

She squeezed Timothy’s shoulder. ‘I’m going to see Lily and Amanda.’ She motioned to the lawn. ‘Want to join us?’

‘I will, in a bit... I just need to do something...’ He stood abruptly and walked across the terrace, away from Milo and Heidi, and disappeared through the open doors of the hotel’s bar.

Chapter Twenty-Six

It felt strange, wandering around the cottage for the last time after calling it home for two months. She wondered if Aunt Vi would have approved of the changes made to her home. Jenna ran her fingers along the oak mantel that Finn had uncovered when he knocked the fireplace out. The thought crossed her mind that she could end up growing old on her own just as her great aunt had. She wiped away a tear. She was being silly and emotional; it wasn’t like she’d never meet anyone else or never come here again. It belonged to her parents and she could have a holiday down here whenever the place was free. And it would be ready to rent out soon. The outside was finished, the upstairs too with its beautiful new bathroom, spacious landing, freshly plastered and painted bedrooms, and polished wooden floors. Downstairs the fireplace in the living room had been restored to its former glory, ready for a wood burner to be bought and fitted. Jenna had a flashback to the argument in the dust-covered room, the lump hammer clutched in Finn’s fist while he’d been hacking away at the old 1960s tiled fire surround. Jenna wiped away another tear and closed the living room door with a bang.

There was only the kitchen left to do and that was scheduled for next week when she was back in London. The old kitchen was being ripped out and replaced, but the lovely old butler sink and the flagstone floor were remaining, the old married with the new.

Her head thumped with a wine and gin hangover from the night before. She’d already had two strong black coffees and the thought of driving all the way home didn’t fill her with joy.

Jenna placed a bottle of wine and chocolates on the kitchen table, along with two envelopes; one for Gary, the other for Finn. Gary’s was to thank him for all the work they’d done on the cottage, and Finn’s, well Finn’s had taken most of the morning to write. In the end she opted for something short and truthful. She ran her fingers across Finn’s name. She was being bloody soppy over someone she’d barely got to know, someone she’d only spent a couple of days with in a summer filled with new friends and film stars.

She leant the envelopes against the bottle and went outside. She wished it was raining; it would make it easier to leave if it was miserable. Instead, it was a charmed day, warm yet fresh with blue sky and sunshine. Tears welled again as she wandered around the garden and took in the neat lawn edged by a defined border; the jumble of undergrowth and brambles tamed to reveal the beauty of what lay beneath; lavender, hebes and gladioli bringing splashes of colour to beneath the trees which cast long shadows over the sunny lawn. There was still lots of work to do; she hadn’t had the chance to tackle the wooded area of the garden, but the transformation was immense.

Her