‘It’s nothing unusual in London, but slightly rarer down here.’ Chloe laughed. ‘A bit like me … My mum’s from Hong Kong and both my grandparents were born there. They all moved here in the nineteen-fifties. Mum met my father when she was working for a law firm in Cardiff. Hence the Welsh-Chinese genes. I heard your grandparents came over to Porthmellow from Cyprus …’

‘They took a big leap of faith in moving here,’ Gabe said.

‘Everyone’s made me very welcome here so far. Especially the committee.’ Chloe glanced at Sam.

‘Who wouldn’t?’ Sam said. ‘We’re very happy to have you.’

‘Sam’s right. You deserve a warm welcome …’ Gabe gave a small grimace.

‘Your family didn’t find that when they arrived?’ asked Chloe.

‘Times change. Ask Evie Carman. But any stick I took was less to do with my heritage and more to do with me wearing a hair net and having a chip on my shoulder. If you’ll excuse the pun. Wearing an apron with The Cod Father on it wasn’t the best way to look cool.’

Chloe laughed. ‘I’m sure you scrubbed up. I’ve heard about the time you did a Tom Daley from the Smuggler’s terrace.’

‘Is it enshrined in local legend?’ He winced. ‘Yes, I did and I regretted it. Look, I still have the scar.’ He pointed to a faint white line in the cleft in his chin.

‘Every hero needs a scar,’ Chloe teased, then seemed to regret it.

Sam caught his eye, intrigued at his response.

Gabe hesitated, as if he was choosing his words carefully. ‘Believe me, I have never been a hero. Not in Porthmellow, anyway.’

Chloe laughed but Sam couldn’t miss the faint tang of bitterness in his comment.

Chloe was still oblivious. ‘At least you are a local. I don’t think I’ll ever be considered local if I live here until I’m a hundred and twenty.’

‘That’s true. Unless you can trace your roots back to St Piran, you’ll always be an outsider in Porthmellow. Won’t you, Sam?’

‘I can’t trace my roots back further than the war so I guess that makes me an outsider too. Chloe’s definitely part of the community now, whether she likes it or not. It’s like Hotel California down here. You know, that thing about never being able to leave,’ Sam said.

‘I’m not sure I ever want to leave.’ Chloe exchanged a glance with Gabe before taking refuge in her G&T.

Sam was certain Gabe had been flirting with her friend, and who could blame him? Chloe was a gorgeous, lovely person. Sure she was a little older than him but seven or eight years was nothing in the scheme of things. She herself had no claim on him so why shouldn’t Gabe and Chloe get together if that was what they wanted?