Ah, she hadn’t even realised that he had seen her save the pink rose petals on the footpath up to the lighthouse. How thoughtful and kind. Pressing her nose into the roses, she breathed in the sweet, evocative scent and then carefully placed the bouquet on her desk before sending him a text to say thank you, and with three kisses too. A reply came back almost immediately.

You’re welcome. See you soon, I hope. I’m missing your gorgeous face too much xxx

Grace pressed the phone to her chest, vowing to make it happen as soon as she could. They had kissed and caressed in bed in the early hours of their last day together, a warm breeze fluttering over their naked, entwined bodies as they had talked about what next. Both keen to be together but each knowing that it wasn’t as easy as all that with them living in different countries. So for now they would have to make do with text messages and FaceTiming, which they had been doing ever since they parted at the airport to board their separate flights home.

‘Ooh, what lovely flowers. Who are they from?’ It was Betty coming through the door with a twinkly look in her eyes.

‘Err … they are from Ellis,’ Grace beamed, showing her the card, but then wondering how Betty was going to react to knowing her nephew was missing her employee’s ‘gorgeous face’.

‘Well I never!’ Betty marvelled, her own face breaking into a big smile. ‘I take it you two hit it off over in Italy, then?’

‘Um, you could say that … I think I might have fallen for him, like properly fallen for him,’ she replied, then instantly wondered if she had said too much as Betty clasped her hands together and gasped, momentarily holding her gaze, before flinging her arms around her and giving her a massive bear hug. After letting Grace go, Betty bellowed, ‘Did you hear that, Larry? Grace and Ellis are a couple. Who would have thought it, our lovely Grace and our marvellous nephew – a match made in heaven, I say, and I bet Ruth … that’s Ellis’s mum by the way …’ Betty paused and patted Grace’s arm to explain, ‘… is over the moon. Ruth has been despairing of him for years of ever finding a properly nice partner such as you. Ruth is a typical fussing Jewish mother and she won’t settle for just any girl for her only son. But she needn’t worry now that Ellis has met a gem. In fact, I think I should call her right away and celebrate the wonderful news with her—’