The Holiday Cottage by the Sea: An utterly gorgeous feel-good romantic comedy

by Holly Martin

  Melody reached across the table to grab a napkin and caught the handle of the teapot with her elbow, sending it flying across the table. Tori grabbed it quickly before it could spill too much of its contents and laughed as she and Melody quickly mopped up the damage.

  ‘Some things don’t change,’ Tori said.

  ‘Is that tomato ketchup down your top?’ Melody said, pointedly.

  Tori laughed. ‘Probably.’

  Melody shook her head, fondly. ‘I have to get back to the shop soon too.’

  ‘How are things in the fast-paced world of jewellery making?’

  ‘Good, really good. I’m probably making half what I was when I owned my own shop in London but then the overheads are so much cheaper here and everyone is so much friendlier. It’s definitely a slower, more relaxed pace of life here and I really love it. In fact, I needed it.’

  Tori nodded. She totally understood that; she felt like she could breathe here.

  ‘You’ll have to come down and see the shop.’

  ‘I will, definitely.’

  ‘The whole of Starfish Court is worth a look actually. There’s a gorgeous chocolate shop that makes handmade chocolates, there’s pottery, glass, and you should check out Stormy Skies, opposite mine. The sculptures in there are incredible. I could honestly spend hours in there looking at them all.’

  Was it Tori’s imagination that Melody was blushing a little when she was talking about Stormy Skies?

  ‘Klaus makes these wonderful driftwood pieces and Jamie makes these amazing masterpieces out of clay, I’ve never seen anything like it. What he can do with his hands, it’s like magic.’

  There was definitely more to this than Melody was letting on.

  ‘Jamie as in Emily’s brother?’

  ‘Yes, have you met him?’

  ‘Briefly, he seems nice,’ Tori fished.

  ‘He is,’ Melody said, her smile filling her face, before she cleared her throat and distracted herself with cleaning the already spotless table. Clearly realising that Tori was seeing way too much in this conversation, Melody stood up. ‘I really better get back to the shop, I’ll see you tonight.’

  ‘Yes, looking forward to it.’

  Melody gave her another big hug before running out the door.

  Tori leaned back in her seat with a smile on her face.

  ‘She’s going to marry him,’ came a voice from the next table. Tori looked over to see an elderly lady with bright green hair sitting at the next table holding a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey, though it seemed that the conversation at their table had been much more interesting than the book.

  ‘Jamie?’ Tori clarified.

  ‘Yes. They will get married, I have seen it.’

  The lady gave Tori the once-over, looking down at her flip-flops, taking in her outfit and then up at her hair. Tori wondered if she passed muster.

  ‘Aidan Jackson,’ the lady said, decisively.

  ‘I’m sorry?’ Tori asked in confusion.

  ‘That’s who you’re going to marry.’

  3

  Tori stared at her for a moment. ‘I think you have me confused with someone else. I’m not marrying anyone.’

  ‘Not yet, but you will,’ the lady said.

  Emily came over and rolled her eyes at the lady with an affectionate smile. ‘This is Agatha, she has a gift for predicting who will marry who,’ she said as she cleared away the lady’s empty cup and swapped it for another cup of coffee. She leaned over to tidy away the dirty napkins from Melody’s spillage from Tori’s table and then whispered so only Tori could hear, ‘Not a very accurate gift.’

  ‘Some call it a gift, some call it a curse,’ Agatha said, taking on a mystical voice.

  ‘Who have you predicted that Tori will marry, Agatha?’ Emily said, clearly not taking anything that Agatha was saying remotely seriously.

  ‘Aidan.’

  Emily laughed as the phone rang behind the counter. ‘Oh well, Aidan and marriage aren’t really a good mix.’

  ‘That’s because that last woman was a slut,’ Agatha said, simply. ‘Everyone could see that she was completely wrong for our Aidan. But Tori is his soul mate.’

  Emily smirked and winked at Tori as she hurried back behind the counter to answer the phone.

  Tori decided to just indulge the crazy old lady’s whimsical predictions.

  ‘So, I’m going to marry Aidan Jackson?’ she said, taking a sip of her tea.

  ‘Yes, five children.’

  Tori choked on her drink.

  ‘Are you here for the Heartberry Love Festival, dear?’ Agatha asked, putting her book back in her bag, clearly deciding that tormenting Tori was far more interesting.

  ‘No, I’m not sure what that is.’

  Agatha looked surprised. ‘You come to Sandcastle Bay at the end of May and you don’t know about the Heartberry Love Festival?’

  Tori shook her head.

  ‘It’s a festival to celebrate the picking of the famous heartberry. You know about the heartberry?’

  Tori considered lying and saying she did, but she knew she’d get caught out. Her silence had already let her down anyway.

  ‘The heartberry is a rare heart-shaped red berry that brings luck in love to anyone that eats it. People from all over the world come to celebrate the harvest and taste the berries so they can be as happy in love as the people of Sandcastle Bay.’

  Tori smiled at the lovely sentiment of a magical love berry.

  ‘Are the people of Sandcastle Bay happier than anywhere else then?’ she asked.

  ‘Happy in love. Lowest divorce rate in the whole country,’ Agatha said, proudly.

  That was hardly a fair comparison. With one of the smaller populations in the country, of course they would have a lower divorce rate than somewhere like London or Manchester; there were fewer people living here.

  ‘The heartberry is magical, you mark my words,’ Agatha said; clearly she could see the doubt on Tori’s face.

  ‘So, what happens in this love festival?’

  ‘Well, lots of things but one of the biggest events is the boat race. All the local businesses make their own boat. Well, I wouldn’t call them boats as such, some have wings and giant wheels and are more for show than anything else, but they are designed to float on water. Of course, most of them fall apart as soon as they come in contact with something wet but that’s half the fun. The boats try to make it to the little island in the middle of the River Star and the villagers from Meadow Bay on the other side of the river also join in. Those that make it can eat the famous heartberry cake or share it with a loved one. There’s lots of other things going on, but that’s the main event. Then there’s always fireworks and dancing afterwards.’

  ‘Sounds like fun.’

  ‘It is and it’s also the time in the year that some people receive gifts or tokens of love from their secret admirer.’

  ‘Oh, like a second Valentine’s Day?’

  ‘Well yes, but this is much more important in the eyes of the Sandcastle Bay residents.’

  ‘I’ll be sure to check it out.’

  ‘Make sure you bring Aidan with you.’

  Tori smiled.

  Just then the café door was pushed open and the light from outside was temporarily blocked out completely by the huge hulking shape of a man as he stepped inside. He was still silhouetted against the sunlight but, as he closed the door behind him, Tori couldn’t help but stare. He was wearing a flat cap and wellies and there was something so ruggedly sexy about that… or maybe it was just him that was ruggedly sexy. He was wearing a pale blue shirt, which bulged out in all the right places, the sleeves were rolled up and he wore it loose over dark blue jeans that hugged his large thighs. Black curls stuck out from underneath the cap, but his face was the thing that she was drawn to. She felt like she knew him, that she had met him somewhere before. He had soft grey eyes and a gorgeous smile which he flashed towards Emily and then waved at Tori. She found herself on her feet. He recognised her
too. She saw his eyes flick towards her as she waved back and to her shame she realised he hadn’t been waving at her at all but at Agatha.

  ‘Parker,’ Emily called him over and he looked away from Tori as his sister talked to him. ‘I’m glad you’re here, this is Tori, she’s going to be helping you up at the farm for the next two weeks. If you’re free now, you could take her up to Blossom Cottage so she can get settled in.’

  He looked back at Tori and his whole face broke into a huge smile, making her feel slightly less awkward at the embarrassing waving mistake.

  He moved quickly towards her, and for a wonderful moment he looked like he was going to hug her. She opened her arms to reciprocate before he opted for a handshake instead. She quickly dropped her arms and tried to make it look like she was simply stretching as she took his hand, but as Agatha snorted with amusement behind her, she guessed that her premature hug had been noticed by her, at least, if not by Parker as well. His skin was rough but warm and she knew she was holding onto his hand longer than was socially acceptable, but she couldn’t let him go either.

  ‘Great to meet you.’ His eyes shifted down briefly to look at where their hands were still joined but the genuine warmth in his expression didn’t falter. ‘I’m so pleased to have you here.’

  ‘You are?’ Tori asked before cursing to herself. Of course, he meant about helping with the fruit-picking. Not actually her.

  ‘We have a lot of fruit to pick,’ he said, skating over her embarrassment.

  She nodded. ‘I’m looking forward to it.’

  What was wrong with her? She was acting like a school girl with a silly crush. She never acted like this around men. For one she simply wasn’t interested in a relationship, so men were either colleagues or friends, never anything more. Most of her team were men and, yes, some of them were pretty cute, but she viewed them in that detached way you might view a nice cake: tasty but ultimately bad for you and best to be avoided. So why was she reacting to Parker like this? True, he was probably the most attractive man she’d seen in a long time. Or ever. But nothing was going to happen. So why the bloody hell was she still shaking his hand?

  She finally managed to remove her hand from his and, for a brief second, she thought she saw Parker’s mouth twitch in a smirk.

  ‘We can go now if you like,’ Parker said.

  ‘Don’t you want to get something to eat first?’ Tori said, wanting a few moments to compose herself before she went anywhere with this man.

  ‘Oh, I’ve already eaten, I just came in to talk to Emily, but it can wait.’ He gestured to the door.

  Tori hesitated then wrapped her doughnut up in a napkin and grabbed her bag. Agatha gave her two thumbs up and an over-the-top wink. First, she was trying to set her up with Aidan Jackson, whoever he was, and now Parker. She glanced over at Emily who also gave her a wink. Maybe it was time she invented an imaginary boyfriend to stop everyone in this village trying to set her up with someone. Melody had certainly never mentioned how keen the villagers were to see everyone married off. She wondered if Melody had received this kind of welcome when she had moved there.

  She moved over to the counter to pay for her drink and doughnut, but Emily waved away her money.

  ‘Have fun,’ Emily said, giving her an enormous grin.

  Tori turned for the door which Parker was already holding open for her and then he followed her outside.

  A dusty blue jeep sat outside, and he held the passenger door open for her. ‘It’s cleaner inside than on the outside, I promise.’

  ‘It’s totally fine. Melody’s car is always filled with McDonald’s wrappers and KFC boxes. After being in her car, I can pretty much face anything,’ Tori said.

  She slid into her seat and, to his credit, it was a lot cleaner on the inside.

  Parker walked around to the other side and got in too. As soon as he closed the door, his wonderful scent washed over her. It was salty and tangy like the sea air mixed with the clean smell of apples and the spice of ginger. It was heavenly.

  She quickly tore her eyes away from him and unwrapped her doughnut, taking a big bite. If she was going to be tempted to have something that was bad for her, she might as well go for the doughnut. The effects wouldn’t last as long or be as devastating.

  He started his engine and drove off, following the coastal road so Tori had a dazzling view of the sea as the sun glittered over the waves. Children were playing on the beach and dogs chased balls as parents sat back in deckchairs and tried to forget the stresses of the world. It was Saturday, the first weekend of the May half term, so people were clearly making the most of the sunshine before the kids went back to school in a week’s time.

  ‘So, is this your first time to Sandcastle Bay?’ Parker asked.

  ‘Yes, my friend Melody and her sister Isla live here but I haven’t been here since they both moved here about a year ago.’

  ‘I get the impression from what they say about you that you and Melody are really close.’

  She smiled. Of course, Melody had talked about her.

  ‘We have been best friends as far back as I can remember. She’s always been there. Our mums were friends so we were brought up together. Went to school, college, university together, and then ended up living together in London. I love her. She’s like a sister to me. When Matthew died, and she moved down here to help Isla with Elliot, she left this gaping hole behind.’

  Truth be told, Tori had been heartbroken by more than just Matthew dying. Losing her best friend to Sandcastle Bay had hurt too.

  Parker looked at her sadly for a moment and then back away at the road.

  ‘You’re thinking that, if we’re such good friends, why haven’t I been down here before? I know, I’ve been thinking the same thing. I live in East London and, despite the optimism of Google Maps saying it’s under six hours away, in reality it’s more like seven or eight, especially on a Friday evening when everyone is leaving London for the weekend. I had a massive project on at work that has taken over a year to finish and there never seemed to be the time and I know I should have made the time but… it was the first time I’d been asked to take the lead at work and I wanted to prove I could do it.’

  She sighed because it was probably just an excuse. There had been many times she’d been aware she was using work as an excuse not to come down there. Sandcastle Bay would always remind her of Matthew and the life she could have had if she’d been prepared to take that risk. Matthew had been one of the reasons she had held back from visiting for so long after he’d died, though no one else knew that.

  ‘I wasn’t thinking that,’ Parker said. ‘I was thinking that Matthew’s death had such far-reaching consequences, his family and friends were all affected by it and it’s still having an impact now. Not just emotionally but practically too. Melody left her successful jewellery shop in London and opened a tiny little jewellery shop down here and I know she does OK, but nothing like the money she was getting in London. She left you behind and I know she misses you like crazy and it seems you miss her too. Isla is struggling to find work and look after Elliot. And suddenly being a mum to a four-year-old must have been a shock to the system. One foolish moment and it’s changed the lives of so many people forever. Including yours.’

  Tori swallowed and nodded her agreement and then looked away out of the window for a moment. It was the first time she had really spoken about Matthew’s death with anyone. It had affected her, and Parker didn’t know the half of it.

  ‘Sorry, this is a bit of heavy conversation considering we’ve only just met. So, first time in Sandcastle Bay, let me give you a brief guided tour. This is Sunshine Beach, the main beach. There are a few little secluded coves in the village but mostly people come here.’

  Tori pushed her emotions away just like she’d always done and listened to his little spiel.

  ‘We have a population of just under two thousand people and the village hall is that funny building over there with the red and gold clock tower on the top. It
looks small, but it can hold everyone who lives here with room to dance. The village is getting ready for the Heartberry Festival this coming weekend, hence all the fairy lights and bunting they are currently hanging on the village green,’ Parker pointed. ‘We have one pub, The Mermaid, I think five cafés and two proper restaurants. No McDonald’s or KFC here. We don’t even have a Starbucks. We do have a very tiny Tesco, but most people get their shopping delivered as all the other shops are more touristy than useful. Even the post office sells more buckets and spades than stamps, I imagine. Up there, at the top of the hill, that large white house is my home and all the land between this fence and the house, and from that little pink cottage over there on the right, which is where you’re staying, to the rise of that hill on the left and down to the river on the other side belongs to Heartberry Farm.’

  ‘Wow,’ Tori said, taking in the huge expanse. ‘You’re quite the mogul.’

  Parker laughed. ‘Well, I guess if I was to sell it I might get one or two million for it, but I certainly don’t have that kind of money in my account. Most of it is fruit fields, though some of it is fallow land. This side of the village are the strawberries and raspberries, I also grow apples and blackberries and the heartberries are down by the river and Orchard Cove, which we can’t see from here. What else can I tell you? Everyone knows everyone here and if you so much as sneeze the whole village will know about it by lunch time. So if you’re not keen on people talking about you – I know I’m not – try to keep a low profile, well at least in public. Half the village will already know that we’ve driven off to the farm together and will have embellished that story so we’re practically engaged or having some kind of sordid affair already.’

  Tori laughed. ‘Really?’

  Parker nodded. ‘They’re not all bad though. Everyone looks out for each other. If you have a problem, half the village will turn up on your doorstep to help you. I love it here, but I imagine it’s very different to London. What are your first impressions?’