‘You know, Verity finally told me the reason that Joel is the way he is. I thought he was just like his dad, but apparently some girl shattered his heart to smithereens when he was younger. She wasn’t exactly sure when it happened, but apparently he told a girl that he was in love with her and she completely ignored it. Ghosted him apparently.’

‘Poor Joel,’ I say, my heart breaking for him.

‘I know, awful. It’s made me see him in a whole new light. It’s why I’m rooting for him and Verity. I feel like he deserves to be happy. Of course I wish he could have found happiness here, and not with someone that’s taking him across the other side of the Atlantic, but I guess that’s typical Joel, isn’t it? Just when we all get used to having him around, he ups and leaves. This one is especially going to miss his uncle, aren’t you?’

She picks up Alfie, who has already made it back to the grass. She pulls out the blades of grass hanging out of his mouth, much to his disappointment.

‘Do you fancy taking a stroll back to mine? Alfie’s going to need a nap soon and I don’t want to miss the nap window.’

‘Actually, can I meet you there later on? There’s somewhere I need to go first.’

She looks at me for a second, before nodding. I wonder if she’s guessed where I’m headed.

It doesn’t take me long to walk from the main town to the boatyard where Joel works. I’m debating whether to ring him first or just turn up, worried that it’s lunchtime and he might not be here at all, when he walks out of a hanger and spots me. He’s wearing long shorts and a polo shirt, and his hair is sticking up in multiple directions behind his sunglasses, which are pushed up on his head. My stomach flips at the sight of him.

‘Edie?’

‘Sorry to just turn up when you’re working.’

‘I was actually on my way to grab lunch. Have you eaten?’

‘I just had a picnic with Soph.’

‘Ah, you were eating on Alfie time.’ He smiles and my stomach flips again.

‘Yeah, I’ll probably be starving hours before dinner.’

‘That’s the risk but always a bit of a treat eating at eleven. I’m going to grab some food at a van further down if you want to walk with me? I mean, I’m being presumptuous that you came to see me.’ He turns and gestures to the boats behind him. ‘You’re not here to buy a fixer-upper?’

‘No, no. I came to see you.’

He puts his hands in his pockets and we start to walk back the way I came.

‘Busy morning?’ I ask.