She ate several sandwiches and then a scone. She wished she and Aiden weren’t surrounded by people. The conversation between them was stilted, awkward, stuttering like a car that wouldn’t start.

It was always like this when they met after a long break. A little tense, each of them was trying to find the familiar parts of the other so they could reconnect.

Was he thinking about last summer, too? Was he thinking about that conversation they’d had while lying on the grass by the lake?

Maybe he was, because he took another sandwich and glanced at her. “You have to stick to British time, even though you’re tired, so the best thing is to be active. Do you want to take the kayaks out this afternoon?”

Did he mean all of them or just her?

Either way the answer was a yes. Doing something that required concentration might at least stop her thinking. Anything to get away from her life for five minutes.

“Sounds good. I brought a bathing suit and a wet suit.”

“Cool. We can use the boathouse to change.” He took a slug of his drink. “That okay with you, Mum?”

Clare handed Flora a mug of tea. “As long as you wear life jackets. You know the rules.”

Izzy waited for Molly to beg to be allowed to tag along, but she didn’t. Instead she was telling Flora about the birds and flowers that lived in the forest and suggesting they take Chase for a walk.

“Todd will be home soon,” Clare told Jack. “As it’s sunny, I thought we’d have a barbecue by the lake. I bought steaks and salmon, and we can barbecue veggies and halloumi for the veggies. What do you think?”

“Sounds great. We can help.” He stood up. “I’ll bring the rest of the luggage in from the car.”

Without all Becca’s cases, it had all fitted easily this time.

Aiden stood up, too, and gestured to Izzy to join him. “We’ll see you later.”

Izzy hesitated. “Will you be all right, Molly?”

Her sister nodded. “I’ll stay with Flora.”

Izzy was hurt at the dismissal, which made no sense because last year she’d been thrilled for every moment she’d been able to spend with Aiden without Molly tagging along.

Without bothering to unpack, she grabbed her bag with her swimming things and followed him across the lawn and down to the path that skirted the lake.

Aiden walked slightly ahead and she studied the soft fall of his T-shirt and the way his hair curled over the back of his neck.

They reached the stream with stepping-stones and he held out his hand.

“Don’t slip. We’ve had a lot of rain and it’s deeper than usual.”

She hesitated and then took his hand, feeling his fingers close tightly around hers. It was the first time she’d felt safe in a long time.