‘I told you in those tea leaves you’d find true love, and I’m always right.’

‘Please tell me you are not still pretending to read tea leaves?’ Charlie let out a hearty laugh. ‘This one used to pretend to read the leaves of the artists back-stage, and half the time she made it up.’

‘Dolores, did you make up my reading?’ exclaimed Ella with a huge smile on her face.

For a second Dolores looked shifty. ‘I can neither confirm nor deny but look, I told you love happens when you least expect it, and I was right.’

Ella was shaking her head and laughing as they stepped off the boat. ‘We’ll see you inside and then we must head off. Roman will put your suitcase in your dressing room, but later you have to pretend you’ve just arrived and walk down the red carpet.’

‘My last red carpet, and I would love it if you, Charlie, would walk by my side.’

‘It will be an honour.’

Ella watched the interaction between them with her hands on her heart and blinked back the happy tears. They were just so beautiful to watch together.

Wilbur greeted them with a smile when they all stepped inside The Lakehouse. He kissed Dolores on both cheeks and then stared at Charlie. ‘Shehrnaz, it’s been a long time.’

For a moment Charlie stared at Wilbur.

‘You don’t recognise me, do you?’ he said.

It took Charlie a second. ‘Don’t tell me you were the boy that hid under the table to watch the acts? And I used to pass you crisps and Coke from the bar?’

‘The very one! My parents owned this place and now my son, Flynn, does.’ Wilbur held out his hand. ‘And if I remember rightly, your favourite table was right in front of the piano, so you could watch the performances close up.’

Dolores turned towards Ella and Roman. ‘You did this, if it wasn’t for your idea, this wouldn’t have happened. This is going to be the best night of my career and one of the best nights of my life.’

‘It’s been a pleasure to organise all this and to see you two reunited.’ Ella kissed them both on the cheek, leaving Wilbur to show them to their table.

Hand in hand, Ella and Roman walked down the jetty. ‘I’ve got a warm, fuzzy feeling inside,’ she said. ‘They looked so happy together! Could you imagine getting to their age and finding each other again?’

‘We all get there in the end, I promise.’ Roman stopped walking and slipped his hands around Ella’s waist. ‘And I’m glad we got there sooner rather than later. I completely adore you and I’m glad you turned up in Heartcross.’