''He didn't touch me, but probably.''
''I'm gonna go speak to Sam.'' Dad kisses the top of my head and leaves the room.
''He really did do it to protect me, Mum. If it wasn't him it would have been Alec. Please don't be angry at him.'' I look at her.
''Oh, baby, I'm not angry at him. At all.'' She hugs me. ''This is what I wanted you to be careful of.''
''I remember you said that. Why did you say it?''
''So you would pay attention..''
''No, Mum, don't fob me off like I'm eleven years old,'' I sigh. ''I want the truth.''
She nods silently and I see her swallow. I've never seen her look so weak – she's not a weak person. She's strong, independent, unbreakable.
She goes into the back garden and I follow her out. The air is sweet scented, all the aromas from Grammy's flowers mixing together. The sea breeze is light here, swirling past with a barely-there touch.
''I was fourteen. It was so long ago, but it's burned into my memory.'' She gazes out at the sea, her eyes are glazed over with the memory. ''I was down at the Bay, with my friends at the time, and there was a group of guys there. One of them approached me – they were older, about seventeen, so I was flattered – and started chatting me up. He said he wanted to get to know me, so we broke off from the group and sat on the other side of the rocks. I was too young to know it was a bad choice.''
I reach over and hug her arm, resting my head on her shoulder. She takes a deep breath and continues.
''We talked for a few minutes, then he tried to kiss me. I kissed him back, at first, then he started going further and I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't. He said I'd asked for it, that I wanted it.
''He pushed it until I finally thought to scream. Your father and his friends must have just arrived at the beach, because thirty seconds later he appeared, saw what the guy was trying to do and beat the living shit out him.''
''Mum!'' I gasp. ''You don't swear, ever!''
''I do when you're not around.'' She smiles at me slightly. ''He drove me home, told your grandparents what he'd seen and Dad tried to get me to go to the police. I refused, I just wanted to forget.''
''I'm sorry I made you remember, Mum.''
''Don't be.'' She pats my arm. ''It's good to remember, sometimes. Do you know, that was the night I realised I was falling in love with your father?'' She looks at me slyly out the corner of her eye.
''I'm not likely to fall in love with Bing, Mum, so don't worry about incest.'' I snort and step away.
''Oh, I'm not talking about Bing. I'm talking about the dashing young lad that could barely take his eyes off you as he walked you to the front door last night, despite your brother being there.''
A small sigh escapes me and I sit on the iron-cast bench.
''Alec.''
''I think I know where this is going.'' Mum sits next me.
''He's dangerous, Mum.''
''Dangerous in the way he'd hurt you, or dangerous because he makes my control-freak daughter lose control?'' She raises her eyebrows and I nod, begrudgingly.
''Dangerous because he can break my heart. Dangerous because I'm scared he's already taking it.''
''It doesn't look like he's got breaking your heart on his brain, Lexy. From what I could see he wants to take it, and keep it.''
''He doesn't do keeping hearts, Mum, he takes them and breaks them. Believe me.''
''Have you ever seen him do such a thing?''
''Well, no, but Jen's told me..''
''Jen's told you, are the main words there. So he's broken some hearts in past, so what? If he was around when I was your age I would have let him break my heart. He's a bit of a looker.'' She winks at me and I smile. ''His past is irrelevant, baby. It's the present and the future you should be worried about. Don't think about what he did before he met you, that doesn't matter. Sometimes in life you meet one person that changes the way you think, alters your perception of life and nothing else matters apart from them. I call them 'bada bing people'. Maybe you're that person, to him. Maybe you're the one who's changed the way he thinks, altered his perception of life. Maybe, Lexy, his pet name for you is more than a casual name-''
''You've heard that?'' My eyes widen at her.
''Uh, yes, Lexy. Does he even know your real name? Cause all he calls you is Princess - but it ain't the fact he says it, girl, it's the way he says it. And the way Alec says it, I'd place a bet on the fact you're his bada bing person.''
Uncertainty rises in me and for some inexplicable reason I feel tears prick at my eyes. I blink them back and take Mum's hand.
''Thank you,''
She stands. ''Go easy on him, baby. Let him show you who he is, not stories you hear from everyone else. You might be surprised at what you find out.''
''Funny,'' I say quietly, looking out over the Bay. ''He said pretty much the same thing.''
Mum strokes my hair once and goes back inside.
I said to Alec I would drop all the judgement, forget everything I'd been told about him, but can I really do that?
Can I really let myself trust him enough to let him show me?
Maybe I just have to open my heart to him, just a little.
~
''Emily.''
''No, mother.''
''Please, dear.''
''Mother, I am not getting you the Vino. You may have one glass tonight before you go to Bingo. That's all.''
''You're such a spoil sport.''
Mum kisses her cheek. ''Women of your age shouldn't be drinking Vino the way you do.''
''Oh, pish, Em, it's only a few glasses a week.'' Gram waves her hand dismissively.
I shake my head at her and log into Facebook. Both Mum and Gram carry on bickering in their loving way. In two weeks, I've gone from hating the idea of a summer in Lilac Bay to loving it.
Go figure.
I've barely signed in when my chat box pops up.
Princess. What are you doing tonight?
I try to hide my smile.
It's Sunday. TOWIE is on, of course.
''She's talking to her boy,'' Gram says knowingly.
''Shut up,'' I mumble.
''Oh, so you admit he's your boy?'' Her eyes twinkle as I look up at her, and a smile is playing on her rosy pink lips.
''I have no comment,'' I sniff.
Of course. Want some company?
''Emmy, you'll have to watch these two tonight when I'm at Bingo. I remember the trials and tribulations of young love all too well.'' Gram nods at Mum.
Maybe. Gram's going off on one again.
''Mother,'' Mum begins.
''No, no, I can see it in her eyes. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes are sparkling and she's trying to keep the smile off her face, I'll give her that, but she ain't tryin' hard enough. That's the signs of young love, that is. Why, Em, I remember the same look on your face the night you realised you were in love with Si.''
''Gram,'' I groan.
What about this time?
''I'm just sayin', Lexy girl. You could do worse than Alec Johnson.''