That night, I mulled over what George had said. I might have wanted to hurry things along between Sam and Joe now they were finally moving in the right direction, but I knew he was right. It had taken years for the pair to achieve what they had just managed to do, and there was nothing to be gained from trying to force the situation further. As far as repairing their relationship was concerned, and in spite of whatever it was that was still troubling Joe, it would be playing the long game that scored the final victory.

There were just a handful of us gathered on the beach before five the next morning to watch the solstice sun come up. Most people were clearly more interested in turning out for the party and watching it set under the merry influence of Sophie’s legendary rum punch, but I was pleased I had set the bedside alarm and made the effort. As I watched the day dawn and the sun slowly climb over the horizon, I wondered how many more Wynmouth sunrises and sunsets I was going to be privy to.

‘Penny for them,’ asked Sam, who had also turned out and was standing between me and Hope.

‘I was just thinking what a relief it was that the sun has decided to turn up for his own party,’ I told him, the fib tripping easily off my tongue as my gaze flicked up to his.

‘That’s funny,’ he smiled down at me with a knowing look in his green eyes. ‘I was thinking exactly the same thing.’

*

‘What do you think are the chances of everyone who said they were coming, turning up tonight?’ I asked Hope as we worked through the checklist of things we were going to set up on the beach.

‘I’m not sure, to be honest,’ she said, then added, ‘but I do know someone who definitely won’t be with us.’

‘Oh, who?’

‘Joe.’

‘How do you know that?’ I questioned, feeling marginally more awake all of a sudden.

‘He sent me a text when he got back to the farm last night,’ she explained. ‘He said he was sorry, but he wouldn’t be able to make it after all.’

‘He messaged you?’

To be honest, I was more surprised that he knew her mobile number than I was about him not coming to the party.

‘Yes,’ she said, stacking the compostable cups in neat rows to count them. ‘He said that something had come up and that he wouldn’t be able to get away. I’m not sure I believed him though.’

I wondered if his decision had been prompted by the sight of seeing her and Sam standing cosily together behind the bar. It hadn’t made me feel all that great.

‘What do you think?’ she asked me.