But Lorcan O’Malley wasn’t like anyone I’d come across before. He was sometimes spiky but incredibly kind, occasionally overbearing but thoughtful, closed-off but looked out for everyone. It was a confusing mix and I was still trying, not only to work him out, but also to work out the best way to deal with him that would result in the lowest amount of stress for both of us. At times I felt as if the most successful approach was going to be the one that involved keeping the greatest distance between us, but just as I thought that was the best idea he’d go and throw a spanner in the works and there would be times when the man hiding beneath all those complicated layers showed himself. There was something intriguing about that man. Something that made me—

‘Maddie?’

‘Oh! Yes, sorry. Miles away.’

Kind of…

‘You OK?’

‘Yes. I was just thinking how beautiful this is. It’s like a secret garden.’

‘I believe that was the idea behind it.’

‘Then the designer completely nailed it.’

‘There’s been weddings held here, in the summer obviously.’

‘Yes. I imagine the weather can definitely get pretty wild here,’ I said, pushing myself up.

‘You could say that,’ he said, standing too and offering his arm once again. ‘Humour me,’ he said as he watched me hesitating.

‘Thank you.’ I took a step and then stopped, lifting my head to meet his eyes. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t mean to have come across as rude. I’m just used to doing things for myself, and have been for a long time.’

‘I can see that. And I’m used to being the eldest brother with three sisters and a brother who often needed scooping up and taking care of and I guess that’s also a habit that’s hard to break.’ He gave a shrug that wasn’t exactly apologetic, more that it was just the way he was wired, which I could understand.

‘That explains a lot.’

‘It certainly does.’

I took his arm and we walked towards the edge of the garden. Beyond a small willow fence, itself host to plants scrambling up and over it, including a jasmine that was releasing the most divine scent, the sea stretched out into the distance. White caps danced on deep blue mixed with slate grey as the weakening sunlight glittered over the surface. Below, the waves rushed on into the solid cliffs, breaking with a crash, booming against the rock before being drawn back into the sea to be swept up and sent forth again.

‘This is amazing. I could stand here all day,’ I said, hearing the unusually wistful tone in my voice.

Lorcan said nothing but for a moment the muscles in his arm tensed against mine and I knew he understood.