The Boardwalk by the Sea

by Georgina Troy

  “Better not,” Sacha said, feigning horror. “Think how hysterical you’d be if you broke a nail.”

  Bella visibly shuddered, and Sacha felt mean, teasing her. Being a hand model had sounded glamourous to her when she first discovered what her neighbour did part-time. As they got to know each other better, she learned how careful Bella needed to be to keep her hands pristine in case she was lucky enough to get a gig.

  “It’s a nightmare.” Bella tilted her head to indicate her cottage. “Why I ever thought this would be a fun job, I don’t know. I’m thinking of giving up the modelling and sticking to selling my antiques.”

  Sacha was stunned. “But you love going to London for shoots, you always say so when you come back.”

  “That’s probably because I’ve been paid, or at least am about to be.” She shrugged. “I love going to London, but taking care of my hands is constant hard work. The shoots are exhausting, trying to reach around a rude celebrity and leaning at awkward angles for hours until the photographers get the picture they want.”

  “I see what you mean,” Sacha said, glancing down at her tanned scrubbed hands with their short varnish-free nails. “I didn’t know there was such a thing as a hand model until I met you,” she admitted, making Bella laugh. “That’s probably because it’s an odd job to have and no-one boasts about doing it for a living.”

  Sacha spotted a convex brass mirror with candle holders on each side, hanging on the wall across the room. She’d tried not to like the mirror too much, but sometimes she forgot she didn’t have as much spare cash as when she worked in finance. She was tempted to buy it though. “You’d miss it, if you did give it up,” she said, trying not to look at the mirror.

  “Yes, but I never know when I’m going to be booked for a campaign and it can be months in between them,” Bella said, taking off her gloves and inspecting her hands for what was probably the twentieth time that day. “Being ridiculously careful about my hands is a pain, especially when I’m dealing with awkward items here.”

  Sacha could see her point. “Think about it before doing anything radical though, won’t you? I’d hate you to regret giving up something you enjoy.”

  “I will. How’s that delicious brother of yours? I made a few unnecessary stops at your café while you were away, just to check on the place.” She winked at Sacha. “I wish he lived over here permanently. We could do with a bit more eye candy down here. There’s only that gorgeous fisherman, but he’s too grief stricken to look at anyone.”

  Sacha tapped the side of her nose. “You never know. My brother might just end up moving back...”

  Bella’s large eyes widened. “I do hope so.” She pulled her gloves back on and straightened them at the wrist. “Has he finished with that dreadful girlfriend yet?”

  Sacha thought of Nikki. She was different to any of Jack’s previous girlfriends. Most of them had been fun-loving and pleasant, but Nikki was harsh and demanding. Secretly, Sacha wouldn’t mind him moving on from her and finding someone friendlier and more fun to be around. Like Bella. Sacha mulled over the idea for a bit. No, she mustn’t think that way.

  “Don’t get your hopes up,” Sacha smiled. “Knowing Jack, he’ll go back to Nikki and carry on with his life. I think being here has given him a taste of freedom that he didn’t expect to enjoy quite so much, which is probably why he doesn’t want to leave. That and being able to get to the beach in a matter of seconds if he chooses to go kayaking.” She noticed Bella chewing her lower lip, thoughtfully. “I think he must love her though, otherwise it wouldn’t be such a difficult decision to make, would it?”

  “Shame. I’ll just have to hope for the best then, won’t I?”

  “How about this prosecco?” Sacha said, changing the subject and trying to remember what it was that she’d been meaning to ask Bella. “I’ll pop through to the back and grab us a couple of glasses.

  Bella locked away two silver salvers. “A new customer was looking at these earlier,” she mused. “Sadly, he didn’t think to buy either of them, but promised to come back again.”

  “Shall we go out and sit on the boardwalk?” Sacha suggested.

  “How about the beach? We can sit there and natter until the tide comes up.”

  “Perfect, I’ll leave you to lock up the shop and grab a towel,” Sasha said, going through to Bella’s tiny kitchen for the glasses. “I’ll meet you down there.”

  Sacha looked down at the golden sand from the boardwalk, marvelling as she always did at the beauty of the place. She wasn’t surprised that on a warm evening like this there were groups of families and friends cooking their supper on disposable barbecues. Children kicked footballs, and because it was after six, people were allowed to bring their dogs onto the beach without them having to be on leads. She spotted a quiet place in between two large rocks and decided to see if it was free for her and Bella to settle down there.

  As she walked down the granite steps to the sand, Sacha thought about how meeting Bella had helped her settle in to life in the small village. Bella was a little eccentric, and very different to her, but they’d connected immediately. It was easy to be friends with Bella, and everyone in the area loved her. She was a great friend, as was Jools from the second-hand book shop, and Lexi who lived in one of the three fisherman’s cottages on the hill that she ran as holiday homes for her artist father. They’d helped Sacha through several difficult times after her break up with Giles and she looked forward to catching up with the other two soon.

  She was happy to find that the sandy area she’d chosen from the boardwalk was indeed free, and pushed the bottle into the damp sand shaded by one of the rocks to keep it cool. Resting her bum on a soft part of the stone, Sacha watched the people making the most of the long summer evening. She thought back to her trip and how much she’d enjoyed being on the ship, and the places she’d visited. Rome. A picture of Alessandro’s handsome face appeared in her mind. Was it possible to miss someone you’d only spent a couple of days and magical evenings with, breathing in the warm, herb-scented Italian air? She recalled their walks, taking in the exotic vistas, the sights of the Keats Shelley Memorial House, and the dramatic sunsets from Gianicolo above the Trastevere district. It seemed so long ago. She sighed, wishing she could keep her emotions in check a little better.

  “What’s that for?” Bella asked, appearing around the rock, two towels and a large packet of nachos in her hands.

  “What?” she said, embarrassed to have been caught thinking about him.

  “That sigh,” Bella raised an eyebrow. “I’m going to want to know what caused it, you know that don’t you?”

  “I think we need to open that bottle,” Sacha said. “And quick.”

  While Bella lay down the towels, Sacha unscrewed the bottle top, thinking how horrified her father would be to see her drinking something that came from a bottle without a cork. She poured them both a glass of the golden, fizzy liquid and handed her friend one.

  It dawned on her what she had been meaning to ask Bella. “Any lodgers at the moment?”

  Bella made the most of her three-bedroomed cottage, not only by using her living room as a shop, but also by renting out her two spare rooms during the summer months, when local hotels or guest houses were full. It worked out well for both of them. The lodgers had to enter by the back door, so that they could reach their room without going through the shop, which was locked each night. Because Bella only offered lodgers tea and biscuits laid out on a pretty tray in each room, they usually made the most of Sacha’s café by eating their breakfast and sometimes their supper with her.

  “Only one, but she leaves tomorrow. She’s a teacher and comes back to visit family each summer, but doesn’t want to stay with them, so always books up with me.”

  “It’s not like you to have a spare room at this time of year, though.”

  Bella scowled. “I know. I turned down two couples who were hoping to book both rooms, because a young couple had booked one of them first. Then the bloke
phoned me last night to let me know they’d split up, so wouldn’t be coming over to the island on holiday now. Really bloody annoyed me, I can tell you. I could have done with the cash, too.”

  Sacha thought of her brother and smiled. “Jack might want to rent one of them,” she said, hoping he hadn’t changed his mind when Bella’s face lit up in delight. “I don’t know for certain yet, but I can let you know as soon as he’s decided if he’s going to stay.”

  “That’ll be brilliant,” Bella said.

  “I’ll chase him to make a decision. Anyway, I’m sure something will crop up for the other room,” she said, taking a sip of her drink. “It always does.”

  They drank in silence relishing the warm, lowering sun on their skin.

  “So, tell me about this trip of yours,” Bella said. “Meet anyone nice on that ship?”

  Sacha thought of Alessandro. “Yes, but the person I want to tell you about was the man Aunt Rosie hired to give me a tour around places in Rome.”

  “You? Needing a tour guide?” Bella laughed. “But you’ve travelled to all sorts of places by yourself, why would you need a tour guide in Rome?”

  Sacha giggled, recalling her quarrel with her aunt. “I thought so too, but I soon changed my mind when I met Alessandro.”

  “Ah, I wondered if that heavy sigh before meant you’d met someone. I hoped you would. It’s about time, you’ve been single for far too long.”

  Sacha pulled a face. “The words pot, kettle and black spring to mind. You’ve been single for as long as I’ve known you, almost.”

  Bella nudged her and told her to shut up, so she told Bella all about her trip and how Alessandro had taken her to the best gelateria in the city. “I’ve never tasted such delicious ice cream, apart from my dad’s of course.”

  “Did you arrange to keep in touch?”

  Sacha admitted that she hadn’t.

  “Sacha, what’s wrong with you?”

  She tried to explain the situation. “I’m glad I didn’t. It wouldn’t have been right for either of us.” She could see her friend was confused, but didn’t want to elaborate. “We only saw each other for a couple of days. Although we spent most of the time together, so I suppose it was like going on four or five ordinary dates.”

  “Did you kiss him?”

  “Only goodbye, but it was just the once and I don’t think it meant anything.”

  Bella groaned and pushed Sacha’s shoulder. “You’re so annoying.”

  Sacha was about to agree when she heard her brother’s voice calling her. She glanced around but couldn’t see him. Then noticed him paddling towards them in a kayak.

  “Jack, hi,” Bella called out to him, waving. “Come and join us.” She lowered her voice and speaking out of the side of her mouth, added to Sacha, “You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Not at all,” Sacha said, happy to be able to ask Jack about whether he wanted to lodge in one of Bella’s rooms.

  Jack stepped out of his kayak and pulled it part of the way up the beach, placing the oar inside before jogging up to join them. He shook his head, his shoulder length hair spraying droplets of sea water all over Sacha. It was something he’d always loved to do, knowing it drove her nuts.

  “Stop it, Jack,” she said. “Sit down.” She was tempted not to mention Bella’s room to him, but unable to resist helping her friend, she damped down her annoyance and told him about it. “What do you think? It would be close to the café, so you wouldn’t have to find your way here every morning, and I’m sure Bella wouldn’t mind.”

  She could tell Bella was trying hard not to show her enthusiasm for the idea. “Yeah, sure,” Bella said, her tone nonchalant. “It’s a nice room, light and airy, you’ll like it, and you can come and go as you please."

  Jack, of course, missed Bella’s half concealed delight and sat down on the edge of her towel. “Brilliant. I’d love that. If you’re sure you don’t mind, though.”

  “She doesn’t,” Sacha said, when all Bella did was gaze at Jack.

  “Cool, how soon can I move in?”

  “Tonight, if you like,” Bella said, managing to sound chilled.

  “Right, I’ll go and get my things from Mum and Dad’s place and bring them over to yours. If you’re not there, I’ll come and find you.” He ruffled Sacha’s hair and stood up, running back to his kayak and carrying it into the sea.

  The girls stared after him as he got in and paddled away around the headland.

  “He’s exhausting,” Sacha said, wishing she had half of his energy.

  “He’s heavenly,” Bella smiled cheekily. “Thanks, Sach.”

  Sacha laughed. “He’s renting a room from you, Bella, he hasn’t agreed to become your concubine.”

  They fell back laughing, both spilling drink on themselves.

  “What a waste,” Sacha giggled.

  “What Jack?”

  “No, the prosecco.”

  An hour later, Jack arrived, bag in hand and a wide smile on his face. Sacha hugged Bella and left them to it. She was glad she’d come up with a solution for both of them and hoped Jack and Bella didn’t hit it off too well. She had enough on her hands where he was concerned, what with Lucy’s crush and Nikki’s constant phone calls, trying to persuade him to go back to her.

  As she walked back to the café, she spotted Betty resting on her walking stick as she unlocked her front door. Sacha called out to her and waved, but although Betty glanced in her direction, she didn’t acknowledge her before stepping inside her cottage. Sacha supposed it was because the old lady’s eyesight mustn’t be as good as her own. Betty would have waved back if she had seen her.

  Sacha thought of Bella’s delight at the thought of Jack moving in to one of her rooms, and then how disappointed Lucy might be hearing the same news. Once again, she was pleased not to be involved with anyone. At least with Alessandro living in Rome she could simply carry on with her life without being distracted by him.

  She walked into the café and smiled. This place never failed to cheer her up. It was as familiar to her as the early family holiday photo of her, Jack and their parents she kept in a silver frame upstairs on the tiny sideboard in her living room. Even now, almost two years later, she still couldn’t quite believe that her father had allowed her to take over the running of this place.

  Sacha walked through the café and passed the counter, through the little corridor to the two bunkers at the back, to check that the old wooden door was firmly locked. It was where a previous waitress had snuck out for a cheeky cigarette, and she knew it was where Lucy went to make the odd phone call, although she never asked who it was that she contacted. As long as she only did it when she was on a break, or there was someone else looking after the café, she didn’t mind.

  Confident the doors were locked and everything was ready for the café to open in the morning, Sacha took the takings from the till upstairs and poured herself a glass of rosé. It was back to reality, and time for a little bookkeeping.

  She was delighted to discover that the café had done well in her absence. Jack, Lucy and Milo had obviously worked very hard. Even though the café was successful for the most part, Sacha couldn’t help experiencing a dip in her stomach every time she thought of going through the takings. It was still strange to her to think that this place gave her the only income she could rely on, as well as providing her with a home. That knowledge, and the fact that Summer Sundaes was the first of a chain of cafés her parents owned, and therefore special to them, made her more anxious and determined to succeed. The alternative was too terrifying to contemplate.

  She loved running a business and being her own boss, not having to take instructions from superiors, or having to sit at a desk for hours each day. The thought of returning to that way of life, where every six minutes of her working day had to be accounted for on a time sheet, her feet throbbing in court shoes, was too awful.

  As she walked upstairs to the flat, Sacha thought about how she’d always hoped her father would see som
ething in her that made him proud and now, running his pride and joy, she could prove to him that she was capable. She had a lot to live up to, and a lot to lose. Shaking the troubling thoughts from her head, she pulled a calculator from a nearby drawer and sat on the floor at the coffee table. Nothing was going to go wrong, she told herself, taking a sip of her cool rosé. As long as she worked hard, was careful with money, and carried on the way she was going, promoting her Summer Sundae Specials, she should be fine. Soothed by her thoughts, she put down her glass and focused on her bookkeeping.

  The following morning, Aunt Rosie arrived at the café before it had even opened. With a silk scarf over her hair, tied neatly underneath her chin, and large sunglasses covering her eyes, she looked like she’d stepped across time from another era.

  “Aunt Rosie,” Sacha beamed, hugging her. “You don’t often come down this way. Can I make you a tea, or coffee,” she asked, knowing her aunt didn’t eat breakfast.

  “Capuccino please, darling,” Rosie said, taking off her scarf and sitting down on the chair nearest the window. “I’m glad I caught you before anyone else arrived, I’ve got something incredibly exciting to tell you.”

  Sacha went to make drinks for them, hoping that her aunt would carry on with what she’d come to tell her, but infuriatingly Aunt Rosie waited patiently for her to finish what she was doing. She rushed, spilling a little into one of the saucers, but keeping that one for herself, placed the drinks down on the table and sat opposite her aunt.

  “You’ll need to hurry, I’ll have customers arriving at any moment.”

  “Alessandro, darling,” Aunt Rosie said, looking, Sacha decided, very smug. “He’s coming to Jersey for a few weeks. Some business project or other, I don’t really know what it is.”

  “He’s an archaeologist,” Sacha said, wondering where he’d be working. “He did mention something about coming here, but not about working.” She was a little taken aback at the thought of seeing him again. “When is he arriving, do you know? I wasn’t expecting him to get here for another week, at least.”