Callum rang on Saturday morning while I was fastening my uniform.
I answered before I could decide whether to let it go.
“I've got everything,” he said.
“You've told me.”
“I can give it back today.”
I sat on the bed with one button still undone.
“Give it to Mara.”
“I want to see you.”
“That's separate.”
He breathed out. I could hear a shutter rattling on his end of the call. He was opening the kiosk.
“Come down later. Your charger's here too.”
“What are you asking me for?”
There was a long enough pause for me to know he had an answer.
“Tell Mara it got out of hand. That you were upset and some of what you said wasn't what you meant.”
“It was what I meant.”
“The watch can go back. Ruby can have her cash. Nobody has to lose everything over it.”
“Mara's already reported it.”
“I know. You've told me. I'm asking you to explain it to her.”
“Explain what?”
“That I wasn't trying to hurt you. That you misunderstood why we were doing it.”
I looked at the box beside my suitcase. The flaps were still folded over our two mugs.
“I understood,” I said. “You said it yourself.”
“I said a lot of things with Ruby there, shouting. I wanted to get you away so we could talk.”
“You stood in front of me.”
“I shouldn't have.”
He said it quickly, then stopped.
“I shouldn't have done any of it. But I don't want to lose you.”
I had wanted that sentence all week. Now he wanted me to tell Mara I'd misunderstood.
“Our room's ready tomorrow,” he said. “We can go. Your job's waiting. Mine's waiting. Everything we were going to do is still there.”
“Not everything.”
“The part of it with you. I want that.”
His voice was rougher now, close to the sound it made when he had just woken up. I could picture him behind the counter, phone pressed between his shoulder and ear while he moved the equipment outside. His hair would be falling over his forehead. He'd push it back with his wrist because his hands were dirty.
“I love you,” he said. “I didn't carry your soup up all those stairs because I wanted a watch sold. I wasn't staying with you for that.”
“I know you helped me.”
“Then let me put this right.”
I pressed my free hand against my mouth.
If I went tomorrow, I wouldn't have to find a different room. I wouldn't have to tell the Eastmere hotel I couldn't arrive as planned. I'd be beside him on the journey, carrying the box we'd packed, able to look forward to the key he'd put in my hand.
I still wanted that enough for the thought to make me ache.
“Lena?”
“I'm here.”
“Please.”
I lowered my hand.
“I'll come for my charger. And I want to see the watch and the money.”
“Good. I finish this afternoon. Come before that.”
“I'm not coming alone.”
“Who?”
“Tess. Mara too.”
“We won't be able to talk with your manager standing there.”
“She can wait in her car. Tess will be outside the gate.”
He went quiet.
“The open counter,” I said. “Not inside the kiosk. I'm not promising I'll leave with you tomorrow.”
“All right.”
“And I'm not changing what I told Mara.”
“You can hear me first.”
“I'll hear you. I won't pretend I didn't hear you yesterday.”
He agreed to midday, after my morning rooms were done. I ended the call and stayed on the bed until I remembered the undone button.
Downstairs, I found Mara in the breakfast room checking a table leg. I asked her and Tess to come with me. I told them exactly what Callum wanted.
Mara straightened, dusting her hands.
“Do you want to go?”
“I want the watch back. My charger too.”
“Can he leave them here?”
“I've asked. He wants me there.”
She looked at me for a moment.
“I'll update the report with his message and where he wants you to meet. We come together. If you want to leave, we leave.”
Tess had already said yes before I finished asking. She would be off reception by then. Mara could drive us and wait in the service bay beside the kiosk, close enough to see the counter.
I told Callum where Tess and Mara would be. He replied, Fine. I'll have it here.
Then I went to work.
I made the beds, emptied the bins, took a child's abandoned sock down to reception. Saturday checkout was busy. Doing ordinary things helped until it didn't. Once, while I was folding a towel, I remembered him lifting my wet shoe off my heel and had to start the fold again.
At ten to twelve, I changed out of my uniform and took my empty tote downstairs. I put the phone in my jacket pocket.
Tess waited beside the front door. Her cardigan sleeve was caught under the strap of her bag, and I pulled it free for her without asking.
“Thanks,” she said.
I nodded.
Mara's car was outside. I got into the back, with Tess beside me, and we drove down towards the beach.