by Heidi Swain
‘We were a couple for quite a while,’ she told me. ‘We were only young, but it was love at first sight and it lasted a good while. We actually used to come right here,’ she smiled, pointing to the back of the beach huts, ‘and snog for England.’
I bet Joe would remember those kisses, even if he’d forgotten mine.
‘We were still together after the crash,’ she said, the smile now banished as she sat in the shade of one of the closed huts, ‘but not for long.’
‘How come?’ I asked, shielding my eyes from the glare of the sun as I looked down at her.
‘We fell out over Sam,’ she explained. ‘Joe couldn’t understand why I kept visiting him in the hospital. He said it was completely wrong that I still wanted to be friends with him and, in the end, we broke up over it.’
‘That must have been really hard for you.’
‘It was,’ she swallowed. ‘I was in love with Joe and of course I could understand that he was destroyed by what had happened, but Sam was my friend too. I wanted to support them both.’
I could understand that. Poor Hope had found herself in an impossible position and they had all been so young, not to mention traumatized. It was hardly the ideal time to make big relationship decisions, but then when had life ever presented perfect timing?
‘And now Joe’s back,’ she said, ‘and I can’t help thinking . . .’
Her words trailed off and she stared out at the sea, her forehead furrowed in a deep frown.
‘What?’ I asked. ‘What do you keep thinking, Hope?’
‘I don’t know,’ she said, holding out her hand so I could pull her back up. ‘I just can’t seem to get him out of my head.’
‘Given the history between you all,’ I said, heaving her to her feet, ‘that’s only natural.’
‘Everything’s all so stirred up,’ she said, brushing the sand from the back of her legs.
‘It will settle again.’
‘Will it?’ she asked.
There was a look of desperation in her eyes and I wondered if she was referring to the memories of the crash or her feelings for Joe.
‘Of course,’ I nodded. ‘You just need to give it time.’
‘I daresay you’re right,’ she said, after mulling the idea over for a few seconds. ‘I just need to avoid him, don’t I? Joe, I mean.’
That wasn’t going to be easy in somewhere the size of Wynmouth.
‘Do you fancy a paddle?’ she asked.
‘What, now?’
‘Why not?’ she said, running down to the shore.
Immersion in the freezing North Sea would be one way of forgetting her worries, I supposed.
‘Last one in has to buy lunch!’ I shouted as I ran to catch up with her.
Chapter 16
Having finally started to get to grips with my own problems, I discovered I couldn’t resist the urge to help certain other people with theirs. Having seen first-hand the impact Joe’s presence was having on Sam, I became resolved to try to do something about it. Apparently, being involved in breathing new life into ailing local businesses and reinvigorating the entertainment scene was no longer enough; I was now intent on trying to mend lives and heal rifts too.
‘This is the last of them,’ I told Sophie when I delivered the final batch of flyers for the beach party. ‘But I can arrange to get more if you run out.’
She picked one up and read it again.
‘I can’t imagine there’s anyone left within a five-mile radius who hasn’t got one or seen one now,’ she chuckled. ‘Or noticed the posters that have popped up everywhere.’
She was probably right; throughout the week the flyers had been disappearing as fast as I could hand them out. I had even spotted a few taped on the inside of car windows, so word was definitely spreading.
‘Everyone’s very excited about it, aren’t they?’ she said, a wide smile lighting up her face. ‘It’s going to be a busy night.’
Even if half those expected turned up it was going to be an exceptionally busy night.
‘I just hope the weather doesn’t let us down,’ I frowned, ‘and that as many people turn up to clean the beach the day before as come out to celebrate the solstice the night after.’
‘I’m sure it will all be fine,’ she said reassuringly. ‘You worry too much, Tess.’
She was probably right, but my experience of the industry I had until recently been operating in, together with working for a perfectionist like my father, meant that I always checked, checked and then re-checked every last detail, even those that I couldn’t control, like the weather, so it was force of habit really.
‘I’m just thinking about Hope,’ I said. ‘She’s really thrown herself into setting up the beach clean initiative so she deserves it to be a success. If it takes off it could have a long-lasting impact on the landscape around here and even further afield.’
Sophie nodded in agreement.
‘That’s typical of my girl,’ she said proudly, ‘she always has to be doing something.’
She sounded a lot like me in that sense.
‘But you were the one who came up with the idea, weren’t you?’ Sophie reminded me.
‘Sort of,’ I said, ‘but it had been on Hope’s mind for ages. My mention of it just got her fired up. She’s the real brains behind it. She’s the one who has actually made it happen. Is she around, by the way?’ I asked. ‘I need to run something by her.’
‘She’s out the back. You can go through.’
I found her in Sophie’s office, surrounded by spreadsheets and notes.
‘All right?’ I asked. ‘I can come back later if I’m disturbing you.’
‘No,’ she said, ‘it’s fine. I was about to take a quick break.’
‘What are you doing?’
‘Working on my business plan,’ she said seriously. ‘Mum and I have decided to add cookies to the dessert part of the party menu, so I’m using it as an opportunity to work out costs as well as gauge reactions. It will be a great opportunity to find out what folk think.’
‘You’re going to be measuring yummy noises, you mean?’ I grinned.
‘Hopefully,’ she said, crossing her fingers.
I had no doubt her clever combinations would be a hit with everyone. I, for one, had eaten more than my fill of the coconut cookies during the last few days.
‘Well, you certainly look organized,’ I said, with a nod to the table.
‘I don’t think I’ve forgotten anything,’ she said, biting her lip. ‘Did you want to talk about the party?’
‘No,’ I said, ‘the boys.’
‘Oh, right,’ she said, wrinkling her nose because she knew exactly who I meant. ‘I’ll make us some iced tea and we’ll sit outside where no one can hear us.’
Her first words, once we were settled at a table, were proof enough of just how worried she was and I felt more determined than ever to bring the situation to a head.
‘Sam’s been like a bear with a sore head this week,’ she told me.
‘I know,’ I agreed. I had heard for myself just how het up he had been. ‘He practically bit poor George’s head off yesterday when Skipper upset his water bowl.’
‘Someone mentioned that,’ Hope said, biting her lip. ‘This is all Joe’s fault. He should never have come back.’
‘I don’t think that’s very fair, Hope.’ I pointed out as gently as I could. ‘Like I told your mum, his hand has been forced. He’s had no choice but to come back because he’s needed at the farm.’
‘Oh, I know,’ she said, stirring her tea with a paper straw. ‘It’s just all such a mess again and I can’t stand it.’
‘It is,’ I agreed, ‘and that’s why we need to do something about it. Avoiding the situation and avoiding Joe, like you suggested before, just isn’t working is it?’
‘No,’ she admitted.
‘If anything,’ I quickly added, sensing I had got her onside, ‘this week feels even worse than the last.’
‘I can’t deny that
,’ she conceded, taking a sip through her straw. ‘So, what do you think we should do?’
I didn’t try and ease into it because there was no point.
‘Get them together.’
Poor Hope spluttered loudly and started to choke.
‘Are you mad?’ she coughed, sounding shocked as well as short of breath.
‘Probably,’ I said, patting her on the back, and giving Sophie, who had rushed to the café door, a thumbs up to indicate the situation was under control, ‘but they can’t carry on just circling around each other like this, can they? I think we need to set a situation up which will give them the opportunity to clear the air once and for all.’
It would be risky, a make-or-break face-to-face meeting, but I couldn’t think of any other way out of the deadlock.
‘And how exactly are we supposed to do that?’ Hope demanded, her tone suggesting that I had completely lost the plot.
‘Board game club,’ I said simply. ‘The next session is tomorrow night.’
‘Board game club,’ she echoed doubtfully.
‘Yes,’ I said, ‘I thought the four of us could play Monopoly or something. The boys could talk without having to look at each other, and . . .’
‘You seriously think,’ Hope cut in, sounding incredulous, ‘that pitching the pair against each other in a competitive gaming environment will be the way to resolve a broken friendship which has been torn asunder for the best part of fifteen years?’
‘Did you really just say torn asunder?’
‘Did you really just make such a crazy suggestion?’ she shot back. ‘Do you seriously think this is the solution?’
‘It might be,’ I swallowed.
Now she’d spelt it out, the idea did sound a little off the wall.
‘And it might not,’ she quickly countered.
‘But it can’t make things any worse, can it?’ I insisted, sticking with the plan. ‘And we do have to do something, because I don’t know about you, but I’d quite like to have the Sam who was here when I first arrived back. I miss him.’
Hope looked at me over the rim of her glass and I felt my face colour.
‘All right,’ she relented. ‘We’ll give it a go, but only if you take full responsibility. I’m holding you entirely accountable and when it all descends into chaos, I’ll be pointing the finger firmly at you,’ she warned me.
‘I can live with that,’ I shrugged, but I wasn’t sure I could.
*
Before I left the café, I picked out a bucket and net from the selection Sophie had on display and the next afternoon, when the tide had receded, I headed down to the rockpools. The beach was quiet and it wasn’t long before I was immersed in the mysterious underwater world and feeling about ten years old again.
Thankfully, my fear of finding the pools contaminated was completely unwarranted and they sparkled and shone in the sunshine, just as much as they always had. The only thing missing was Mum in her yellow sundress, occasionally looking up from her book to admire my treasured finds.
I stared in renewed wonder at a brightly coloured exotic-looking beadlet anemone as it gently swayed and then jumped when a long-spined sea scorpion darted out from under the rocks. It was so well camouflaged I hadn’t spotted it before. By contrast, the progress of two starfish was uncommonly slow, but I didn’t mind that. I had been biding my time for the perfect moment to explore and I was happy, having found everything as it should be, to hang around for them. My patience had been rewarded with an exceptionally packed pool and I was pleased that I had waited so long to rediscover it.
Almost too soon, it was time to tear myself away and I released the three little crabs, (two edible and one hermit), that I had carefully scooped up and deposited into the bucket for closer inspection. Checking my watch, I headed back to the cottage, intent on issuing Joe an invitation to the pub, even if it did mean having to fire up my phone to do it.
‘Oh,’ I smiled, as I turned up the lane and discovered I could leave my phone where it was because the man himself was here.
It took me a couple of seconds to realize who he was talking to and even though I tried not to, I couldn’t help but stare. Out of view of the pub, Joe was talking to Hope. Not that it was any of my business, but I wished I was close enough to hear what they were saying. I also wished I could see the expression on Hope’s face, but she turned away when Joe raised his hand to acknowledge me. They swiftly parted and he jogged down the lane to meet me.
‘This is a bit of a coincidence.’ I smiled, deciding not to comment on the exchange I had just seen.
‘What is?’
‘I was just about to message you,’ I said, as I dumped the damp bucket and net on the path and unlocked the door. ‘Come in.’
I filled the kettle while Joe made himself at home.
‘What have you been up to this week?’ I asked, further swallowing down my curiosity about his chat with Hope.
‘Not staying out of your way because I embarrassed myself over a goodnight kiss,’ he said, ‘if that’s what you’re thinking?’
‘Of course not,’ I said, relieved to hear that he was joking. ‘I haven’t given it another thought.’
‘I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse,’ he laughed.
I didn’t dwell on the fact that now he knew how I felt!
‘What I mean,’ I said, ‘is that I’ve been so preoccupied with thoughts of our inimitable, never to be repeated, Elton and Kiki duet, that nothing else has really stood a chance.’
‘Never to be repeated,’ he said, sounding crestfallen. ‘I was rather hoping that was going to become a regular thing.’
‘No way,’ I laughed. ‘For a start, I’ll be leaving before the end of the summer and you said the trick was to always leave them wanting more, didn’t you?’
‘Oh yeah,’ he said, scratching his head. ‘I do seem to remember saying something like that.’
‘So,’ I said, tracking back to my original question. ‘How’s your week been? Have you been busy?’
He didn’t answer until I carried our drinks through.
‘You could say that,’ he said, taking a mug from the tray. ‘And Charlie’s still digging his heels in.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ I said. ‘I was hoping you might have found some common ground by now.’
‘Me too.’
It was sad to think that between them they couldn’t work it out.
‘Well,’ I said, trying to inject some cheer into the conversation, ‘you can forget about Charlie and the farm for a while over the weekend, because I have plans for you, Joe Upton.’
I was hoping that if I kept my tone light and made it sound like a fun night out, then he might just get swept along and agree to it before he realized exactly what it was.
‘No can do, I’m afraid,’ he said, shooting me down before I’d even pitched the idea. ‘I’ve got to go away for a bit.’
‘Oh no,’ I said, ‘when?’
‘This afternoon,’ he said, nodding at the clock on the bookcase, ‘almost this minute, in fact.’
‘That’s such a shame,’ I huffed. ‘I was going to enter us as a team in the board game club competition.’
The expression on his face pretty much matched the one Hope had worn when I first aired the idea to her.
‘The board game club that happens at the pub?’
‘Yes.’
‘The club that Sam runs in the Smuggler’s next door?’
‘The very same.’
‘You’re kidding, right?’
‘No,’ I said, swallowing down a mouthful of the still too hot coffee. ‘I thought it would be fun.’
Joe leant forward and put his mug down on the table.
‘Fun,’ he laughed, but he didn’t sound happy. ‘I think you and I have very different ideas about the meaning of the word fun, Tess. I’m the last person Sam wants to see in his pub. You saw the look on his face when I turned up the night of the power cut and when we spoke it was as awkward a
s arse.’
‘But the pair of you can’t carry on like this,’ I told him. ‘If you’re really going to be back here for a while Joe, then you need to at least try . . .’
His jaw began to grind and I stopped talking. I had been considering throwing in a ‘for Hope’s sake’ comment, but decided against it.
‘Please don’t interfere in this, Tess,’ he said, sounding more upset than angry which made me feel even worse. ‘Don’t go getting ideas about trying to fix this because you can’t, okay? It’s beyond that, way beyond that.’
‘It wasn’t just my idea,’ I said, thinking perhaps I could get away with mentioning her after all. ‘Well, it was to start with, but someone else agreed to it.’
‘Who?’ he demanded. ‘Who in their right mind would agree to something as stupid as this?’
‘Hope,’ I said.
‘What?’
‘I ran it by her too, and she thought it was about time the pair of you made your peace.’
Joe’s jaw stopped grinding and his cheeks began to flush.
‘Well, she would, wouldn’t she?’ he swallowed. ‘No doubt she wants to help clear her boyfriend’s conscience.’
‘I’m pretty certain she wasn’t only thinking of him,’ I said softly. ‘She told me that the two of you used to be a couple. That you were together for a long time . . .’
‘What does that matter?’ Joe snapped, sounding upset. ‘She’s with Sam now, isn’t she? Just as I always knew she would be.’
‘Yes,’ I said, ‘she is with Sam, but that doesn’t mean . . .’
‘Oh, Tess,’ Joe butted in again, ‘just leave it, all right. I daresay your heart’s in the right place, but you should be grateful that I’m going away because had you got me to the pub under false pretences, then it really would not have ended well.’
He stood up and made for the door and I followed him back outside.
‘I’m sorry,’ I said as he struggled with the gate. I was grateful that it had stopped him rushing away. I didn’t want to leave things like this. ‘I just thought . . .’
‘That you could make it all better,’ he sighed.
‘Yes,’ I nodded. ‘Exactly that.’
He left the gate and came back and pulled me in for a hug.