Chapter 2
Sophie awoke the next morning, greeted by a kiss on the forehead and Russ smiling down at her. She squinted , the sunshine hitting her face, and tried smiling back. "Hi."
"We didn't get the tent up."
She looked around, they were still on the cliff-top, and Russ had draped a blanket over her. She kicked it off, it was too hot now. She wondered what the time was, it felt close to mid day.
"It's 11:30" Russ said, as if reading her mind.
"Erm, ok." Yep, there is was. Hangover. Sophie groaned and covered her face, trying to block out the light.
"I was gonna ask you if you wanted to come for a walk into town, but I'll take that as a no."
Sophie looked up, apologetic. "I'm sorry. You go, get us something nice for breakfast. I'll have some coffee then you can show me around ok?"
He nodded, giving her a last peck on the lips before he walked over to the car.
Russ sat outside a little café by the harbour. He had told Sophie he wouldn't be long, and he only intended to be a short while, but he couldn't resist a quick look around, reminiscing. He finished off his coffee, needed after the wine last night, and putting on his sunglasses, stood up ready for the 10 minute walk back to the campsite.
He pushed his chair in and swung around, almost bumping into a pushchair. "Oh, sorry" he said, automatically without looking up, but when he did, he stopped. The woman pushing the buggy looked at him, there was a brief flash of recognition across her face, before she mumbled something about how she should be more careful, before she walked off down the street.
Russ stood there for a moment. Did he recognise her too? He wasn't sure, but there was something about her face he found very familiar. He shook his head, snapping himself out of his daydream. He picked up his bag from the bakery and went back to the campsite and to Sophie.
"Hey you. I was about to set out a search party." Sophie lifted her head out of the boot of the car when she saw Russ approaching. She had changed her clothes, and her curly blond hair was tied up in a messy bun. She smiled at him, but she didn't look that awake and he grinned back.
"I come bearing bacon and egg sarnies" he said, bounding up to her.
She nodded. "Yum."
"You still feeling rough babe?"
She rubbed her forehead. "Not great. Hey, I thought I'd make a start on the tent but it didn't really go to plan."
She indicated the tent piled on the ground and pegs and instruction booklets scattered around. She gave him and embarrassed soft of smile and he shook his head. "What would you do without me?"
"Sleep on top of a cliff another night?"
Russ shook his head, grabbing her hand. "Come on, let me show you how it's done." She slammed the boot shut and followed him over to the tent.
Ten minutes later, the tent was up. Russ stood with his hands on his hips, a satisfied look on his face. He nodded at Sophie with a cheeky glint in his eye.
"My hero." She pretended to swoon, then giggled and joined him by his side. She draped her arms around his neck and he placed his on her waist. He bent down and kissed her, she reciprocated gladly.
"How about we christen it?"
Sophie rolled her eyes. "Russ… Lunch first, sex later."
They had walked along the beach a fair way before they settled by some large rocks just under the cliff. It was a lovely sunny day, and the entrance to the beach from the campsite was littered with sunbathers, brightly coloured towels and picnic boxes. But just five minutes down the beach, it was practically deserted, save for a few seagulls and a man paddling in the rock pools with his children.
Russ sat on a towel, with his back resting against a rock. Sophie lay beside him with her head resting on his chest. She groaned and Russ looked down at her.
"Are you feeling ok?"
"Erm." She paused. "Not great. I don't think it was just a hangover this morning. You want the rest of this?"
She offered him half her roll but he declined, continuing to stair at the waves breaking on the shore. Now it was Sophie's turn to be concerned. "Are you ok?"
Russ's brow furrowed. "Yeah, why?"
"Ever since you came back this afternoon it seems like your mind's been somewhere else."
Sophie didn't take her eyes of him, waiting for an answer. He took a moment. "I saw this woman and recognised her. I can't think where from and it's bugging me." He sighed and sat up straighter, Sophie rolled off him. "I'm fine, I'm being stupid."
He stood up and brushed the sand off his shorts, offering a hand to Sophie to pull her up. "Come for a walk?"
Sophie shook her head. "I'm sorry babe, I'm feeling pretty ill." Russ crouched down again, concerned. She smiled at him. "Maybe I'll be feeling better later. You go if you like."
"I feel bad leaving you."
"Actually, I think I'd rather rest on my own, I'm not very good company at the moment. Honestly, go!"
Russ didn't know how long he'd been walking the beach for, he'd got lost in his own little world and it was so quiet, he didn't even notice the time tick by. Sophie had gone back to the tent to lie down, insisting once again she was ok and didn't want to spoil his holiday.
The sun had ducked behind a cloud so most of the sunbathers had gone. Russ was glad, he was grateful he could study the landscape without the bright sun glaring in his face. It was still warm, and even more peaceful than before. Perfect, except Sophie wasn't on his arm.
He smiled at the thought, looking up from the ground. All he could see was a lone figure sitting some way on front of him. His thoughts turned to his family as he continued walking along, kicking up sand as he went. Everything had been so perfect when they were kids, before Sam went to jail and Dad left. This place represented to Russ everything that was right with his life. Her forgot all the bad stuff now, standing here, and thought only of happy idyllic childhood memories of building sandcastles with his little brother and sister, dancing about in the breaking waves, eating ice lollies on the cliff top watching the sunset.
Now finally his life was getting better. And a lot of that was down to Sophie. Finally looking at his watch, he turned towards the campsite. He wanted to be with Sophie. He'd make something up about checking on her, but the truth was he wanted to cuddle up to her and look after her, more for himself than for her.
Striding more quickly along the stones, he hardly noticed when he got closer to the woman. He walked within a couple of metres past her, but would not have even noticed if his foot hadn't caught the edge of her picnic blanket as it lay on the sand.
"Oh, sorry" he muttered quietly, and threw an apologetic glance her way.
"No problem…"
She lifted her head just as casually, but when their eyes met the both stiffened and Russ inhaled a sharp breath with shock.
"Dannii."
