Page 51 of Be More Octopus

Em looked sceptical.

'Honestly. I bumped into Phil last week. We got talking, he showed me around the gallery, and I said your work would fit perfectly. He vaguely remembered getting an email from an Emily Gillespie. He said he gets offered a load of dross most of the time, so it's quite disheartening wading through his inbox. He promised to find your submission and see what he thought. That's all.'

'Thank you - for thinking of me.'

'I'm always thinking of you.' Jack looked uncomfortable. 'Sorry, that sounded creepy. But I like to help if I can.'

What had Lucy said? Be more obvious. They were close together now as Jack was opening the boot of the car. Em leant over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. 'I appreciate it.'

That look again. It looked like Lucy was right. He was going to kiss her this time.

'Jack! Yoo-hoo! Jack! ' The unmistakable form of Mary came trotting across the car park towards them, waving a tea towel as if she needed to make herself any more visible.

'Sorry,' Jack whispered, turning towards Mary. 'Mary. What can I do for you?'

'Well, it's more what you could do for one of my customers,' she said. Jack closed the car boot as Mary sidled up to him and slipped her arm through his, trying to look appealing. 'He was asking about you just now. I think he's a fan. He wanted to know where the shipwreck was as he'd read about it in one of your books. Then he asked where he might find you as he'd like your autograph. I said you were stopping up at the big house for the summer, and he was bound to bump into you if he popped into the cafe a few times this week.'

'Good for business to have a repeat customer,' Em said.

'Yes, which is why I was wondering if you could keep away for a couple of days and perhaps pop in on Friday?'

'So you don't mind losing our business then?' Em laughed.

'He spends more than you two. He had the extra large full English this morning with two cappuccinos,' she said, emphasising the two.

Jack was looking uncomfortable. 'What did he look like?'

It dawned on Em why he was asking.

Mary shrugged. 'In his 30s. Lovely aftershave. Charming. Beautiful teeth.'

They weren't going to identify him from that description. 'Thin or tubby?' Em asked.

'Neither. He looked like he worked out.' Mary had a dreamy look. 'Hot, I'd say. And he had a fancy tiger tattooed on his arm.'

Jack relaxed. 'Not our friend from London then,' he said to Em.

Mary looked interested, but Jack cut in before she could ask for more details.

'If the best way of supporting your business is drinking elsewhere, then Em and I will go to the Fisherman's Arms for coffee today.'

'And tomorrow?'

'And tomorrow,' he laughed.

Em was sitting opposite Jack inside the Fisherman's Arms, watching the raindrops bouncing off the tables outside. They'd gone for a walk on the beach after Mary's interruption, but it had started to drizzle before they got very far, so they had adjourned to the pub to wait for the storm to blow over.

Jack was stirring his coffee distractedly. Em looked across at him. He looked tense.

'You're miles away,' she said.

'No, I am very much here.'

'Are you wondering if the autograph hunter has anything to do with Isabella?'

'Possibly.’ He put the spoon in the saucer and started tapping his fingers on the table. He was on edge. 'Do you miss Connor?'

Why was he suddenly asking about Connor? 'No, I haven't thought about him for weeks. I'm happy here. The happiest I've been for a long, long time.'