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

by Holly Martin

  ‘It’s not a date, just dinner,’ Tori tried, knowing it was no good. ‘And why didn’t you tell me yesterday that the Aidan Jackson that your aunt was predicting I would marry was the brother I was going to work for?’

  ‘I’ve mentioned Aidan before, in our emails, I’m sure I have. I thought you knew.’

  ‘No, actually you never mentioned his name, just referred to him as your brother. I didn’t really think much of it at the time. And yesterday you called him Parker.’

  ‘Oh yes,’ Emily laughed. ‘Sorry. But I hear you two have hit it off already, so maybe Agatha will be right after all.’

  Tori shook her head, laughing. ‘Never going to happen.’

  ‘We’ll see,’ Emily said, disappearing back behind the counter.

  Tori turned back to Melody. ‘What is it with this village and their desire to see everyone married off?’

  ‘I think it’s the silly legend surrounding the heartberries and that all those that eat them will be happy in love. They have this heartberry festival which is basically a big festival of love every year, I guess they have something to prove to the outside world. The more loved-up couples the better. Don’t take it personally, they try to get everyone together.’

  ‘Who are they trying to fix you up with?’ Tori asked and watched Melody blush.

  ‘The other Jackson brother.’

  ‘Jamie?’ Tori had guessed as much. ‘He seems nice.’

  ‘He is, he’s so lovely. Of course, Agatha announcing to the world that me and him would get married has made him keep his distance a bit. Bit awkward really when we work in the same courtyard and get to see each other every day. His studio is right opposite my shop, I literally look out my window and see him working away. He’s caught me staring a few times, but I’ve caught him staring too. He never really says a lot to me, smiles at me, occasionally waves. I’ve tried talking to him a few times, but I never know what to say to him.’

  Tori had wandered round Starfish Court that morning, a little alleyway just off the beach that had a collection of crafty shops, including Melody’s jewellery shop, a pottery store, a shop that sold handmade chocolates, Jamie’s art studio and a few others. It was a cute little place. Melody had been dealing with a customer at the time, so Tori hadn’t gone in, but she had seen Jamie and he had been staring across the alley into Melody’s shop at the time. Maybe the two of them needed a little help. Tori shook her head at that thought. She didn’t like the villagers interfering in her love life, why should she interfere in Melody’s?

  Just then the door opened, and Agatha walked in. Tori almost didn’t recognise her at first, her hair was a candyfloss pink today.

  Agatha went over to the counter to chat to Emily, no doubt putting in her order, and then came straight over to their table and plonked herself down.

  ‘Love the hair, Agatha,’ Melody said.

  ‘Thank you, thought I’d go pink, it is the colour of love. I might even add some red for the festival.’

  ‘And do you have a date for the festival?’ Melody asked, and Tori liked that she had turned the tables on Agatha for once.

  ‘Well, I’m hoping that sexy Stefano from the Italian might ask me. He’s been giving me the eye every time I walk past. Of course, at our age, it could be cataracts or glaucoma that makes his eyes go funny, not me, but we’ll see,’ Agatha said.

  The café door opened again and this time Jamie walked in with a young pretty blonde in a pink flowery dress. They were laughing and chatting easily, and Tori wondered what Melody’s reaction would be to seeing him with another girl.

  She glanced at Melody. Although she was looking wistfully over at Jamie she didn’t seem too perturbed about the other girl.

  Tori noticed that some of the old folk had gone quiet since they had walked in and some were even glaring at them, well mainly at the girl, not Jamie.

  ‘That’s Rosie,’ Agatha whispered. ‘She and her wife Eva have just moved to Sandcastle Bay. They have a young daughter, Merry. But nobody is particularly happy about them being here.’

  Tori stared at her in shock. ‘Because they’re gay?’

  It seemed strange that in the twenty-first century there were still people who had homophobic views, but for a whole village to think like that really surprised her.

  Agatha looked aghast. ‘Of course not, what kind of backward regressive place do you think this is? We have several gay people that live here in Sandcastle Bay, no one cares. No, it’s because they’ve opened up a tattoo studio in Starfish Court. Rosie is a wonderful tattoo artist and her wife does body piercings. Many folk think that Sandcastle Bay and especially Starfish Court is not the right place for a tattoo studio. Starfish Court has been associated with art, sculpture, paintings, jewellery making for many years, it’s supposed to be a place of culture and art. Tattoos are not everyone’s idea of culture. The young people of the village think it’s great. The old fogies are too stuffy in their way of thinking.’

  ‘But tattooing is a form of art,’ Tori protested.

  ‘I know, I think it’s wonderful. The village needs some fresh life. These people need to wake up and move with the times. I’m going to do something about it,’ Agatha said.

  ‘You going to get a tattoo then?’ Tori teased.

  Agatha nodded. ‘That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Rosie! Rosie dear, come over here.’

  Tori’s eyes widened in surprise. Agatha was well into her eighties. Was she really going to get a tattoo?

  Rosie smiled at Agatha and wandered over, leaving Jamie by the counter.

  ‘Rosie, I would like a tattoo,’ Agatha said, loudly, so everyone in the café could hear. ‘I’ve always wanted one but never got around to doing it.’

  ‘Oh, that’s great,’ Rosie said. ‘What would you like?’

  Agatha faltered, clearly not having thought that far ahead. She looked over at Tori for some suggestions.

  ‘I’ve always fancied getting a dragon,’ Tori said. ‘Maybe you could get your favourite animal.’

  ‘Yes, there you go, me and Tori will come and get a tattoo on Monday. She’ll get a dragon and I’ll get a giraffe.’

  Tori’s eyes widened in shock and Melody giggled.

  ‘Wait, I’m not sure if I want something permanent. I can’t change my mind if I don’t like it. And I’m not sure if I want something that would be visible all the time.’

  ‘Of course, you do,’ Agatha said. ‘What’s the point of getting one if no one sees it?’

  ‘Lots of people have them hidden,’ Rosie said. ‘It’s a private thing just for them or for their partners to see. If you’re not sure you want to commit to something permanent, I could do you a henna tattoo, they wash off in a couple of weeks, then you can get used to having it before you go for something permanent.’

  ‘Well, that might be a good idea,’ Tori said.

  ‘And maybe somewhere a bit discreet,’ Melody suggested. ‘So if you really didn’t like it, no one else would see it. Maybe on your back.’

  ‘I can do that,’ Rosie said.

  ‘Let me choose one for you,’ Agatha said, excitedly, clearly getting into the swing of things. ‘If it washes off anyway, why not let me choose one for you, something that I think would suit you perfectly.’

  Melody subtly shook her head at that suggestion, but Tori was distracted by Emily’s assistant who came over with a tray and placed their order on the table before hurrying back behind the counter.

  Tori picked up her mug of chamomile tea, playing for time before she answered. Did she really trust Agatha to choose something tasteful for her? Although, if it was going to wash off in a few weeks and it was hidden on her back, it didn’t really matter what tattoo she had done. And if it made Agatha happy then why not? If Tori was going to follow the fun path for a while, she could start with something small like a temporary tattoo.

  ‘Sure, you can choose for me,’ Tori said.

  Melody’s eyes widened in shock, but Tori just shrugged. What was the worst that
could happen?

  Agatha clapped her hands together happily. ‘I have the perfect design for you. I’ll draw it out and bring it along on Monday.’

  ‘Great. I might even get my belly pierced,’ Tori said.

  ‘I might get a piercing too, maybe a nose stud,’ Agatha said. ‘I’ve always thought they look so exotic.’

  ‘Oh, my wife can do that for you.’ Rosie looked really pleased to have this new custom, even if it was through an unlikely source. ‘I better get back, she’ll be wondering where her lunch is. I’ll see you Monday. Pop in any time.’

  Rosie moved back over to the counter and took a brown paper bag from Emily, before waving goodbye to them and Jamie.

  Jamie took a brown paper bag from Emily too and was just about to leave when Agatha called him over.

  ‘Jamie! Come and join us for lunch,’ Agatha yelled across the café.

  ‘I probably should get back,’ Jamie said, eyeing Melody who had suddenly gone several shades of pink.

  ‘Nonsense, that young Klaus can take care of things for a bit, surely you can spare a bit of time for your dear old aunt. I might be dead in a week and then you’d regret not having lunch with me.’

  Jamie smirked and then came across the café toward them. Agatha immediately shuffled around and grabbed a seat from a nearby table and pulled it over, so it was next to Melody. Jamie awkwardly sat down in the empty seat.

  He cleared his throat. ‘Hi Melody.’

  ‘Hi,’ Melody said, smiling at him and then, clearly embarrassed, she focussed her attention on her food. She scooped up a bit of cheesy waffle on her fork but before it reached her mouth it splatted on the table, which actually was a step up from splattering down her top, which was what normally happened with Melody.

  Jamie handed her a napkin as she blushed furiously. He then opened his bag and spent a long time unpacking his lunch onto the table.

  Silence descended in their little corner of the café and Tori looked at Agatha in exasperation. Agatha rolled her eyes.

  Jamie turned his attention to Tori. ‘So, how are you settling in? I hear you had an intruder last night.’

  Agatha gasped. ‘Someone broke into Blossom Cottage?’

  ‘No, Beast turned up to give her a welcome party,’ Jamie laughed. ‘Apparently he was hoping to spend the night in Tori’s bed.’

  Tori marvelled over how easily he could talk to her and with Rosie when he had come into the café, but found it so impossible to talk to Melody.

  ‘He didn’t spend the night in my bed. I drew the line there, but he did sleep on the sofa. He was gone again this morning when I got up, no doubt off to terrorise some other poor unsuspecting soul, but I guess he’ll be back again tonight for his dinner.’

  ‘Oh, that bloody dog,’ Agatha said. ‘I don’t know how Aidan expects to run a professional holiday let from the cottage when it comes with a stray dog. It’s hardly a selling point.’

  ‘What can he do though?’ Tori said. ‘He’s called the animal shelter to come and get him and he’s escaped from them three times. Blossom Cottage is Beast’s home.’

  ‘Aidan encourages him. You know there’s a mattress and a heater in the shed, so the dog has somewhere to go if it can’t get in the house.’

  ‘I think that’s really sweet that he’s done that,’ Tori said before she could stop herself and Agatha’s eyes lit up.

  ‘You think he’s sweet? Oh, this is wonderful, you like him. Oh, you two would be perfect together.’

  ‘No, I just think it’s sweet, it’s not—’

  ‘I knew it!’ Agatha said, practically bouncing out of her seat.

  ‘There’s nothing to get excited about, we barely know each other,’ Tori tried.

  ‘But you do have your hot date tonight,’ Jamie said, grinning as he added fuel to the fire.

  ‘Oh yes, you do,’ Agatha said. Rooting around in her handbag, she pulled out a handful of condoms. Jamie choked on his sandwich and Melody stifled a giggle as Tori stared at them in horror. There were five strawberry and three chocolate-flavoured ones and they looked like they had probably expired a long time ago. ‘Take these just in case.’

  ‘Agatha, why do you have condoms in your bag?’ Jamie asked.

  ‘Well you never know, do you dear? One day, I might go into Stefano’s Italian to get my meatball Bolognese and he might just decide to have his wicked way with me right there on the restaurant floor or on one of his pristine white tables. I mean, just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it will never happen. I like to be prepared.’

  ‘Well, I don’t want to ruin your chances by taking all your condoms,’ Tori said, trying to push the condoms back across the table towards Agatha.

  ‘Oh, no need to worry, I have loads in here.’ Agatha peered in her oversized handbag. ‘There’s probably fifty of them in there. I have mint-flavoured too but I find that a bit tingly. You take them and go and enjoy yourself.’

  Melody snorted, and Tori was aware of the muted conversations in the café as everyone tuned in to what was being talked about at their table. She looked around and saw a few people looking over in their direction. She firmly pushed the condoms back across the table.

  ‘It’s not a date Agatha, no matter how much you’d like it to be, it’s not. It’s dinner and he will probably want to talk me through the berry-picking and how to do it,’ Tori said. Though she was aware that, after their interactions the day before, they had already progressed much further than talking about work.

  ‘Berry-picking, my arse, what do you need to know? You pick berries off the plant, it’s not rocket science. And my sources tell me that you said you want to lick him all over, so I definitely think you will be needing these.’ Agatha pushed the condoms back towards her.

  ‘What sources?’ Tori said. Surely Aidan hadn’t told his aunt what she had said.

  ‘Mary Nightingale from the post office was in the pub last night at the next table to you. She said it was quite an informative evening.’

  Tori stared at her in shock and replayed everything that she’d said. Even after Aidan had gone there had been much talk about him. What else had they said that had now worked its way back to Agatha?

  ‘I’m not denying that I find your nephew attractive,’ Tori said, awkwardly. ‘But nothing is going to happen.’

  Agatha pushed the condoms even closer to Tori. ‘Take them, just in case. You never know when the mood will strike, one of those wild, impetuous, go-with-the-flow moments.’

  Tori sighed and decided that just taking the condoms and discreetly changing the subject was a lot easier than arguing against it.

  She picked them up and shoved them in her bag.

  Jamie laughed. ‘Eight condoms. Looks like Aidan is in for a wild night.’

  ‘I’ve been reading this Fifty Shades of Grey,’ Agatha said, rummaging in her handbag again. ‘That bondage stuff does sound like a lot of fun. Why not give it a go?’

  Agatha produced a pair of red furry handcuffs, a blindfold and something long, black and sparkly that looked like it might be a vibrator but there were other bits coming off it, so she wasn’t really sure. Thankfully, it was still in its wrapper and Tori was too afraid to ask what it was.

  Jamie’s laughing went up an octave and even Melody was no longer trying to suppress her laughter, her shoulders shaking, tears running down her cheeks as she laughed so hard.

  ‘What the hell is this?’ Jamie said, picking up the black thing.

  ‘It’s a vibrator, dear,’ Agatha said, simply, and Jamie let it clatter to the table and then burst out laughing again. Melody put her head on her arms, her whole body shaking with laughter.

  ‘I’m not taking those,’ Tori said, looking around the café and realising everyone in the café was suddenly taking a strong interest in what was happening on their table. All other conversations had fallen silent and some people were openly laughing at their exchange.

  ‘Look, just put them in your bag, you and I both know I’m going to win thi
s argument, so you might as well take them now. I’m not saying whip them out on your first date tonight, but maybe on the second date you might like to try a bit of spice in your sex life.’

  Tori grabbed the stuff and shoved it in her bag in the desperate attempt to stop this conversation once and for all.

  ‘You’re going to be sorry I took these once Stefano decides to have his wicked way with you,’ Tori said.

  ‘It’s fine, Mary Nightingale runs a sex toys catalogue in her spare time, I get a discount. You should have a look yourself.’ With impeccable timing, Agatha produced the catalogue. ‘You never know what Aidan might be into.’

  Tori rubbed her forehead. ‘You’re going to be so disappointed when I see you next and you hear that the only thing that happened tonight was dinner and conversation.’

  ‘Ah yes, but it depends on what the conversation is about,’ Agatha said, waggling her eyebrows.

  ‘Berries and berry-picking I expect,’ Tori said and looked around the table at three disbelieving faces.

  Tori sighed because she didn’t believe that either.

  9

  Aidan opened the oven and checked on the chicken kievs for the tenth time. He’d wanted to do something different than his usual curry or lasagne for Tori, though he was beginning to wish he’d stuck to what he knew to be on the safe side. He wanted to impress her, and he didn’t know why. Neither of them were keen on starting anything, both trying to protect their hearts, but they seemed to be accelerating towards something without either of them being willing to put on the brakes. He lifted the foil on the dauphinoise potatoes and, once satisfied they hadn’t dried out completely, he closed the oven door again.

  He eyed the candles on the dining table and wondered if they were too much for a supposedly non-romantic night. But there was no time to think about that as, outside, Tori was approaching his house. She was wearing a pretty yellow dress that sparkled with gold sequins and the setting sun glinted against the gorgeous red curls of her hair. There was something so… magical about her. He didn’t like the way his heart thudded in happiness at seeing her again. Dating, relationships and women went against all his self-imposed rules, but he was enjoying himself too much to walk away.