Page 91 of The Little Cornish Kitchen

Charlie’s smiling. ‘Someone else is coming too …’

This time it’s less of a surprise. ‘Rob?’ At first I wanted to get to know him on my own before we went out in St Aidan together. Even if they haven’t gone on about it, I know the mermaid’s have been longing to meet him.

Charlie nods again. ‘You are okay with that?’

I can feel everyone watching me, holding their breath and waiting. And when I start nodding, it’s hard to stop. ‘Actually, I am.’

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It’s strange. Now Rob and the half-bros are in and out of my life, it’s hard to think there was a time when I didn’t know them. However big or small the question mark was before, now it’s not there any more. Instead of a blur there are four real guys who are working their way through every beer Roaring Waves brewery brews, bringing lemon meringue pies to compare, and agonising over estate agents’ details. And that can only be good.

My mum and Harry are going to find a lot has changed when they come back. But first they’ll have to get their heads around a daughter in St Aidan, who’s all grown up and settled, with a job, a flat, a dog, a cat, a boyfriend and a Little Cornish Kitchen.

Yes, Pancake gets to stay. And it’s the same with Charlie. Now we’re together I can’t imagine it any other way. He’s right. Settling down isn’t hard at all when you’re with the person you love.

And we get to eat pear tart too. Sitting on the balcony at Seaspray Cottage, listening to the sound of the surf rolling up the beach and the thump of Diesel’s tail, watching the stars come out, over a bottle of Freixenet. Planning our next trip to Waitrose. And we couldn’t be any happier.