…’ he laughed. ‘I was born and brought up in Porthmellow myself until I joined the army. I’m a vehicle engineer.’
‘Ah. So you’ve been helping Ellie with her car,’ Scarlett said innocently.
‘Trying to. It’s been in a mate’s lock-up in town for almost two weeks but I finally got the part last night. Should have it back on the road tomorrow.’
‘That will save you from giving me a lift into town,’ said Ellie.
‘It’s been no trouble. I have to go up and down to town most days anyway – which reminds me, will you be going to the festival planning meeting next week?’
Ellie nodded.
‘Mum and Dad have roped me in to help with the Solstice Festival,’ Aaron said, exchanging a glance with her. ‘They’ve been on the main committee from the start so I can’t say no.’
‘What’s the Solstice Festival?’ Scarlett asked.
‘It’s a Christmas festival mashed up with old Cornish pagan traditions. First time we’ve had one in Porthmellow,’ Ellie explained.
‘Sounds like fun,’ said Scarlett.
‘It should be. It’s meant to be a quirky celebration of the passing of the shortest day. The sailing trust did tours of our new boat at the summer food festival and it went so well, we’re going to repeat it at the solstice event and decorate it with fairy lights and dress up as pirates. You’ll have to come aboard and have a tour.’ She directed this at Aaron.
He held Ellie’s gaze a millisecond too long. ‘I wouldn’t miss it for the world.’
Scarlett narrowly avoided blurting out that they should get a room. Ellie was transfixed, her eyes lighting up, and Aaron seemed equally mesmerised. Wow, so Scarlett had walked in on a blossoming romance between her sister and this admittedly sexy hunk of a bloke. Ellie wouldn’t be thanking her for cramping her style. Maybe they were already sleeping together and now she’d be in hearing distance of it all. Ouch.
He turned his attention to Scarlett, perhaps realising that he’d been ignoring her in favour of Ellie. ‘Do you know my mum and dad? They’re Porthmellow stalwarts. Born and brought up here; lived here all their lives. My dad, Troy, still helps out the harbour commission and he always wears a fisherman’s cap. My mum, Evie, has recently had her knee replaced so she has a pink walking stick.’
‘Scarlett hasn’t been down to Porthmellow since last Christmas,’ Ellie put in hastily.
‘OK. Sorry, I tend to assume everyone knows my mum and dad.’
But the penny was dropping for Scarlett. The elderly man in the fisherman’s hat and the lady leaning on a stick. Troy and Evie. Of course. Even though Scarlett had been in a terrible state and half-frozen, the names of the people at the Smuggler’s Christmas lunch were imprinted on her mind. She realised she’d have to see them sooner or later. Everyone, especially the Carmans, had been so kind to her. Once she’d warmed up, the pub landlady had called Ellie who’d arrived with a coat and warm clothes to escort her home. Scarlett had apologised profusely and said there had been a bit of family tension, which combined with too much fizz on an empty stomach had led to her needing some space.
‘Actually, I think I might have come across them,’ she replied.
‘I doubt you’d forget them. They’re a real pair of characters.’
Scarlett smiled politely. ‘I’m sure I’ll get to know them better now I’ve moved in here.’
‘Do you plan on staying long?’
‘As long as Ellie will have me.’ Scarlett didn’t want to commit Ellie to anything in front of Aaron. If her hunch was right, Ellie fancied him like mad, but that might be as far as the attraction went. Ellie could only have known him for two weeks anyway. ‘What about you?’ she asked, figuring this was a good opportunity to ask about his plans on her sister’s behalf.
‘A few months at least. More, possibly. I’m trying to see if I can set up a security business with a friend from the army. We have a couple of private clients down here and a contract for several events already, starting with the festival.’
Scarlett laughed. ‘Expecting trouble, are you?’
‘Oh, I’m sure the seagulls can kick off big style.’ He grinned. ‘But security is something the organisers have to take very seriously, even though it’s not usually a problem. Mum and Dad have said that they’re not expecting it to be anywhere near as big as the summer food festival so my team probably won’t have much to do.’
‘Even so, it might be more work than you think,’ Ellie said.
‘Yes, and my parents will make sure I don’t slack.’ He glanced at his watch, a chunky rubber affair with a tonne of dials. ‘I’d better go. I’ve got a meeting with a potential client this evening. Maybe we’ll see you both down the Tinners’ tomorrow? A bunch of us are meeting up there for a few drinks. Could be a great way for Scarlett to meet the locals?’
‘Sounds good,’ Ellie said, adding, ‘if it’s OK with Scarlett?’
Scarlett nodded. Even though she wasn’t hugely looking forward to meeting the Christmas Day lunch gang again, she didn’t want Ellie to miss out on the chance of seeing Aaron, even if it was in a group. ‘Sure. I’ll drive if you like, Ellie.’
‘If you don’t mind.’
‘No problem.’
‘Great. Sorted.’ Aaron got up and Scarlett decided to make herself scarce while they said goodbye.
‘I ought to finish my unpacking. Nice to meet you, Aaron. See you tomorrow night.’ With a smile, she headed for the stairs, intent on leaving Ellie to see him off the premises. She caught a snatch of Aaron saying something she couldn’t quite make out and Ellie replying, ‘Oh, I promise to let you know if either of us need you.’
Scarlett closed her bedroom door to give them some privacy. Nevertheless, while she unpacked her clothes, she could still hear laughter and the rise and fall of animated voices for a few minutes until the front door shut again.
Ellie obviously had a tank-sized crush on the guy and Scarlett didn’t blame her. But even if her sister hadn’t fancied him, she wouldn’t have dreamed of going after Aaron. She had enough on her plate looking after her new customers, and trying to build up the business.
She had another moment of misgiving, wondering if she should have come to Seaholly at all. The vanishing postcard and arrival of Aaron had been a sobering wake-up call. She’d been so wrapped up in her own insecurities since last Christmas, it had blinded her to her family’s worries. She should have thought more carefully before landing on Ellie, but now she was here, she had to make the best of things while trying not to disrupt her sister’s life. Scarlett was sure that the clue to her heritage lay in Porthmellow and she could still look for her father without the postcard, though it was going to be a whole lot harder. It could have been thrown out, of course, or her mum might have moved it.
On the upside, perhaps some of the older locals who’d known Joan might remember her parents visiting – particularly her mother. The pub might be a great place to start her quest to find out more about her father.
The Tinners’ Arms was the newer of Porthmellow’s two pubs; new being only two hundred years old rather than four. The solid granite tavern, built for workers in the nearby mines, was situated on the opposite side of the harbour to the whitewashed Smuggler’s Tavern, the scene of Scarlett’s Christmas Day meltdown. Like its ‘rival’, it was one of the main social hubs of the town and even on a dark October evening, was surprisingly busy with locals.
‘Oh, look. The festival committee is in here. You can meet everyone