‘I’ve learnt recently that it’s usually better to take the risk.’

‘Is that why you left the registry office without coming in?’ He raises an eyebrow with a smile on his face.

‘Bloody Douglas.’

‘He didn’t tell me until after, I promise. When Verity and I told him that we weren’t going through with it, I told him I was going to talk to you and he cracked and told me that I didn’t have to go quite as far to find you.’

‘But how did you find me?’

‘He said you were going to the beach, and I immediately thought of our place and hoped that you’d be here. I’m glad I didn’t have to go far as I’ve waited so long to do this, and I don’t think I could wait a single second more.’ He leans forward as if to finally kiss me, but I pull back at the last minute.

‘Wait,’ I say. ‘I’m guessing that with you stood here, and the fact you’ve spoken to Douglas, you know how I feel about you, how I’ve always felt about you … but I don’t know if I can do this. You’ve just got out of a relationship. You almost got married and …’ The hurt in his eyes is breaking my heart but I can’t not say this. ‘What I feel for you is like nothing I’ve felt for anyone else before and the thought that you could leave at any moment to go on your next adventure, I don’t think I could bear it. I want someone who can commit to me long term, someone who wants to make a home with me and settle down, and I’m worried you might not want the same.’

A single tear rolls down my cheek and Joel reaches forward and wipes it off and he leaves his hand there, cupping my face.

‘Edie,’ he says, so softly that that’s almost all he has to say, ‘I didn’t go through with the wedding because when it came down to it, whilst Verity didn’t mind that we weren’t marrying for love, I did. When I do get married, eventually,’ he says with a cough and it makes me laugh, ‘I want it to be for the right reasons. Like I couldn’t possibly imagine not spending the rest of my life with the person I love. I want to be different to my dad and I want to settle down. I want to share a life with someone and to grow old with them and to have a proper home to do all that. But I don’t want that person to be anyone; I want it to be you. I’ve only ever been in love with one person and it’s you.’