A few months later, Stella and Miles walked hand in hand along the beach at Swallowtail Bay enjoying the bright mid-morning sun. They were on their way for their usual Sunday lunch at the pub and enjoying some special time together.
It was now the height of summer and with Old Herbert’s Shop being so wonderfully busy and the holiday lets fully booked, Stella was happily exhausted. Now the investigation was over and the police had checked the CCTV footage, the insurance company had paid out some money, conceding that the outer door to the apartments was open but the inner one had been locked. Between the money she got back from that and the art exhibition, she’d been able to pay Miles everything he’d shelled out. Not that he would have minded if she hadn’t been able to pay him back for months, even years. He was kindness itself. Generous, funny, smart and caring. Everything she’d thought he wasn’t.
Miles’s holiday lets had just opened for bookings and he too spent most of his week manically charging around Swallowtail Bay. Gone were the days when he would have to drive off here and there for meetings. He’d made the decision with Stella, to quit his day job and focus on the holiday lets. There was even talk of her leaving the flat and moving in with him, giving her another property to add to her portfolio, but there was still a way to go before they were ready for that. The Seventies kitchen remained intact but at least it wasn’t leaking. As much as Stella liked the idea, that was definitely in their future, not their present.
Up ahead, Lexi and Will walked together, her arm linked through his. In her dress she looked like something from an old black and white movie. Lexi and the kids had moved into Vivien’s house and within a week of doing so, it was like they’d lived there all their lives. The children loved it and in the hallway now hung pictures of them next to those of Vivien at her most young and beautiful. Lexi and Will were taking it slowly but their relationship was going from strength to strength. Lexi spent most of her time worried about the kids, feeling guilty she was messing them up by going back to their dad. She’d even contemplated staying single and repressing her feelings, but Stella had convinced her to be brave and open her heart once more. Both she and Will had clearly learned from their mistakes and no matter what, they were raising their children to be wonderful human beings full of kindness and compassion.
Down on the beach, the tide rolled in and screams and yelps carried on the breeze from Ralph and Taylor who were running along with Frank, chasing the seagulls and arguing over who got to hold his lead. Lexi was still working in the café and doing some cleaning in the holiday lets while she tried to get her vintage clothing business off the ground. She, Stella and Miles had been working on a business plan and it wouldn’t be long, Stella was sure, before Vintage Designs would be taking Swallowtail Bay by storm.
‘Hang on, kids,’ Lexi called, and Ralph and Taylor came back up to the promenade to where Lexi and Will had stopped. When Stella and Miles caught up with them, they all took a moment to admire the commemorative bench and the beautiful silver-plated inscription. As soon as Vivien’s money had come through, Lexi had arranged for the bench to be installed and had worked with Miles on what the plaque should say. Every time Stella read it a smile came to her face. It summed up the old woman so wonderfully and contained all her joy and love of life. Below her name and the dates of her birth and death, it simply read:
‘He was madly in love with me, you know.’
Will wrapped an arm around Lexi’s shoulders and they carried on towards the pub. Ralph and Taylor sped back down towards the sea with Frank beside them and Stella took a huge breath in as she snuggled into Miles. Swallowtail Bay was well and truly her new home and as a great ray of light shone out from behind a passing cloud, it seemed Vivien was smiling down on them all yet again.
If you loved joining Stella in her new life, don’t miss the next Swallowtail Bay adventure! Order now!
Click here if you’re in the US
Click here if you’re in the UK