“A Golden Pheasant,” Ellie said, clearly reciting what Trystan had told her. “But that’s a funny name because the feathers are lots of different colours, like a rainbow. It’s very pretty. If you can be quiet you might see one as well. You shouldn’t shout or you’ll scare them away.”
“I’ll bear that in mind. I just thought I’d lost you for a minute.”
“I won’t get lost with Trystan,” Ellie said. “You can take pictures and Trystan and me will look for pheasants.”
“I could come with you,” Beth said.
Trystan turned back as Ellie tugged on his arm. “It’s fine. We’ll find you in a bit.”
When they met up half an hour later, Ellie’s cheeks were flushed and she was in high spirits as she ran around the flowerbeds. Trystan and Beth settled themselves on a wooden bench beneath a tall palm tree. Setting her camera beside her, Beth took out her phone which was buzzing repeatedly.
She smiled as she read the influx of messages. “My friend Dee is messaging me,” she told Trystan. “She’s been to visit my dad today to help put my mind at ease that he’s okay.”
“And is he?”
“Yes. It sounds as though Dee had a great time. They invited her to stay for lunch and she’s raving about the quality of the food.” She chuckled as she read the message. “She also got a bunch of the residents involved in a game of bingo … that’s so typical of Dee.”
“It was good of her to check on him.”
“Yes.” She fired off a quick reply, then put her phone away and picked up her camera to look through the photos she’d taken.
Trystan peered over her shoulder as she scrolled through. “They look amazing.”
“It’s hard to take bad photos when everything is so beautiful.” Stretching her neck, she felt the warmth of the sun on her face, making her skin tingle.
“How did you get into wedding photography?”
She slouched back on the bench. “I’ve always loved weddings. There’s something so magical about them. My dad was into photography, so my interest developed from him.”
“Were you close?”
“Not really. Photography was our only common ground.” She closed her eyes for a moment as a gentle breeze blew across her face. “I’m really going to miss the weddings. It always felt like such a privilege to be a part of.”
“Were you …” he trailed off. “Never mind.”
“Was I what?”
“You can tell me to mind my own business … but were you married to Ellie’s dad?”
“No.” She stared at him, wondering what he’d been imagining. “I’ve never been married.”
“Is he involved in Ellie’s life at all? Sorry … it’s none of my business … you don’t need to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
“It’s fine. There’s not much to talk about though.” She set her camera back in its case and cast a quick glance at Ellie, who was happily ambling around the plants. “I wanted to have a baby since I was about twenty. After a few dead-end relationships in my twenties I started to get desperate. In my early thirties I was going on dates and immediately trying to suss out if the guy was someone I’d want to have kids with. It makes dating slightly awkward if you’re dropping not-so-subtle hints to figure out if the other person would be interested in settling down and having babies with you. I didn’t want to waste my time with guys who didn’t want to have kids—” She stopped abruptly. “Oh, wow. Sorry. That came out wrong, but you know what I mean…”
“I know what you mean,” he said with his usual relaxed smile.
She cleared her throat. “In the end I realised I wanted a baby more than I wanted some perfect nuclear family, and I didn’t need a man for that.”
His eyebrows shot up. “So …?”
“I used a sperm donor.”
“Wow.” Trystan looked slightly awed. “You did it all alone?”
“Yes.” She pressed her lips together. “Except I always had my mum. She was there with me every step of the way, so I never really felt alone.” Not until recently anyway. She focused on the red squirrel scampering up a nearby tree while she fought to get her emotions under control.
Trystan didn’t speak, but his hand gently covered hers and she turned her hand over to interlock her fingers with his, the contact sending goosebumps prickling at the back of her neck.