The Boardwalk by the Sea

by Georgina Troy

  He looked hurt. “I will leave you now, but I will return and see how you are later, if that is okay with you?”

  “Yes, that’s fine,” she said, wishing she hadn’t teased him. He might have been the reason she wasn’t concentrating when rushing up those steps, but it wasn’t his fault she was a clumsy oaf. “And thank you for doing this,” she pointed to her bandaged foot. “If you leave the keys there and just drop the latch on the door, that’ll be fine.”

  “Latch?”

  “Lock.”

  He bent forward to kiss her cheek then seemed to change his mind and left. She didn’t bother tidying up and went into her bedroom and lay down. She closed her eyes but even though she was tired, the pain in her foot and upset at what had happened kept her awake. She touched her lips with the tips of her fingers remembering how Alessandro’s lips had felt on hers. Why was there always a catch, she wondered, reminding herself that whether his father had set up the business or not, there was still the matter of Alessandro’s grief for Livia. Sacha turned on her side, staring out at the dawn sky. Why couldn’t things in her life ever be simple?

  She must have dozed off because she was woken by a buzzing noise. Reaching out, she patted the top of her alarm, but the buzzing kept going. Waking slightly, she recognised the sound of the ringtone on her mobile and grabbed it from her bedside table.

  “Yes?” she said, her voice gravelly from sleep.

  “Alessandro said I must come and run the café for you today,” Jack said. “But I can’t find the key you gave me when you went away. I think I must have left it in your flat.”

  “Jack,” she shook her head. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll throw the keys down, so you can let yourself in.”

  She dragged a hairbrush through her bed hair and found Jack’s keys sitting by the small treasured picture of their grandparents. She limped over to the balcony, called for him to catch the keys, and returned to her bedroom.

  “Sorry, sis,” he said running up the stairs a short while later. He looked down at her bandaged foot. “You been to the hospital?”

  “No,” she said, glancing down at Alessandro’s neat handiwork. “Alessandro dressed it for me.”

  “Proper Florence Nightingale, isn’t he?”

  “He was very good actually, so don’t be sarcastic.” Jack went to argue, but Sacha quickly added, “I know we were angry with him, but I now know he was in a difficult position with his father and had very little choice but to come here and do what he’s done.”

  “Yeah, whatever,” Jack said. “I need to make something to eat before I do anything else. Bella occasionally makes us breakfast, but I didn’t have time to eat it this morning.”

  “Help yourself,” Sacha said, relieved he’d changed the subject. Jack never could cope with anything on an empty stomach. She lay back against her pillows and stared out of the window at the blue, cloudless sky. She could hear Jack slamming down pans and stomping around the café. He was obviously still angry with Alessandro. She needed to have another word with her brother and explain everything properly, before he had the chance to bump into Alessandro again.

  Sacha dozed off, waking a little before noon. Unable to spend any more time doing nothing, she found a pair of sandals she rarely wore because they were a little too loose on her, put them on and went downstairs to help Jack. It was busy in the café and Jack was chatting to a group of elderly ladies sitting at one of the tables. At least this had taken his mind off his annoyance with Alessandro. She said hello to customers, making small talk as she walked between tables to get to the counter where Lucy was busily making up a large strawberry sundae.

  “Oh, I didn’t see you there,” Lucy said, when she looked up and saw Sacha.

  “I didn’t like to disturb you,” Sacha said. “Need any help?”

  Lucy looked down at the creation she’d just made and shook her head. “I’m only making the one, for table three. Do you want me for something?” She placed the large glass on a saucer with a long-handled spoon. “I’ll just go and serve this.”

  Sacha stood back to let Lucy past and wiped up the mess she’d left, enjoying the sweet smell of fresh strawberries. She surveyed her café and couldn’t help smiling. This really was the best job in the world.

  Lucy came back to join her. “How’s your toe? Jack said you’d hurt yourself when you and Alessandro were on the beach in the middle of the night.”

  It wasn’t quite how she’d have described it and she explained what had happened, leaving out the bit about Alessandro’s ice cream parlour being set up a few doors away.

  “Ouch, poor you,” Lucy said, frowning. “I can come in on my day off, if you need me to, I really don’t mind.”

  Jack hurried over. “Hi Sis, how’s the injury?” He put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a brief hug. “You really are the clumsiest person I know.”

  She was. The amount of times she’d fallen up the stairs and down on the pavement when there was nothing at all to trip her up was embarrassing. “The injury is fine, thanks Jack,” she said, pulling a face at him. “Can I let you know about the extra hours?” she asked Lucy.

  “Yes, of course,” Lucy said, giving Jack a quick smile before going into the kitchen.

  Jack looked at Sacha, he seemed confused. “I’m not sure what she means half the time,” he whispered. “She’s always giving me strange little looks. She’s nice and I don’t want to risk upsetting her by asking her, so I pretend I get the meaning behind them.”

  Sacha rolled her eyes. “Just be pleasant to her,” she said, hoping Lucy would soon find another crush instead of Jack. “Don’t encourage her if you’re going back to Nikki, it wouldn’t be fair.”

  Jack looked horrified. “I’m not doing anything of the sort.”

  “What? Flirting with Lucy or going back to Nikki?”

  “Flirting. I’m not sure about Nikki yet.”

  The rest of the day passed quickly. Sacha stayed down at the café, taking over the making of the meals from Jack in the kitchen, so that he could serve in the café until the last of the rush was over.

  “Why don’t you go and see Bella,” Jack suggested. “Lucy and I’ve got it covered here and we don’t need three of us now.”

  She wasn’t used to not being needed in her own café, but liked the idea of confiding in Bella about what Alessandro had told her. “Okay, but I’ll be back in an hour or so and then you can get off and go kayaking or something. It’s glorious out there and it would be a shame for you not to make the most of it.” She pulled him discreetly to one side. “Have you thought any more about whether you’re going to give it a go here, over the summer?”

  He sighed, his happy mood slipping. “Yeah. I told Nikki the other night and she wasn’t at all happy. She’s sure there’s someone else and had a bit of a rant, but I think I finally persuaded her that there wasn’t anything going on with anyone else.”

  “Good,” Sacha smiled at him. “You’re not that kind of guy, thankfully. Right, I’ll get going before you change your mind. See you in a bit.”

  “No worries, you take your time.”

  Sacha grabbed her spare sunglasses from the drawer by the kitchen door and saying goodbye to the customers she knew, left the café. The heat hit her. She hadn’t realised how hot it was and closing her eyes, she pushed her glasses on and breathed in the familiar sea air. “Perfect,” she said.

  “I agree,” said a cheeky teenage boy as he cycled passed giving her a wink.

  Sacha laughed as she walked slowly along the pavement, watching the families and youngsters laughing as they enjoyed themselves.

  Reaching the once vacant shop with its door closed and workmen busily updating the insides, her mood dipped. She had to give Alessandro credit though, it was summer and the work was being carried out quietly. There’d been very little extra noise intruding on any of the other businesses or homes nearby. She stopped and looked up at his sign now saying that the opening would be in a few days’ time. What was she going
to do about this, she wondered. Peeking inside, she walked a little faster catching Alessandro’s gaze. She wasn’t ready to speak to him again yet, not until she’ had thought it through a bit more.

  “Sacha,” he called, rushing out to join her.

  Sacha stopped and turned to face him, a fixed smile on her face.

  “Your foot, it is a little better?” he asked, looking down at her neon pink sandals, which didn’t go with what she was wearing.

  “Yes, it’s not throbbing as much,” she said, determined to be polite. “Thanks for all you did earlier, it was kind.”

  He shook his head. “It was the least I could do, after all that’s happened between us.” She started to continue on her way when he began walking next to her. “We must speak about what is happening with our businesses, Sacha,” he said. “Maybe we can find a way that helps both of us.”

  “I can’t see how,” she said, not in the mood to discuss it right now. “I really should be going. I’m on my way to see Bella about something.”

  He smiled, began to walk away, but changed his mind. “Come in and have a look.” When she faltered, he added. “One minute only, maybe two.”

  It wouldn’t hurt, she thought. It wasn’t as if Bella was expecting her and she was curious about what was going on inside his new shop.

  “Fine. Just briefly, though.”

  Alessandro led the way, stopping to open the door and wait for her to walk in. She pushed her sunglasses up onto the top of her head and squinted. It was so bright outside that it took a few seconds for her eyes to get used to the darker room.

  The two men working near the counter stopped what they were doing. “We were going to take a quick break, if you’d like us to leave you in peace for a few minutes,” the older one said.

  “Yes, thank you.” Alessandro stepped back, waiting for them to leave, and closed the door behind them. “It is much smaller than your café,” he said, stating the obvious. She suspected he was hoping to persuade her that his new business wasn’t going to be such a big opposition to her café.

  Sacha took in the area. The counter, slightly smaller than hers, ran along the right-hand side, from the window by the door to the back of the room. Whereas her refrigerated counter held ice cream filled containers without lids, his were replaced by round metal things that looked like large, shallow thermos flasks. There was a room at the back of the area, and what looked like a further small room at the rear, where she assumed his sink, loo and storeroom must be situated. In front of the door was the seating area. She had enough for thirty-five covers, he looked as if he only had enough for a maximum of ten to twelve customers.

  “It’s tiny,” she whispered to herself, trying to picture how it had looked when Mrs Le Breton ran her wool shop from here.

  “It is,” he agreed.

  Embarrassed that he’d heard her comment, she added. “Sorry, I just meant…”

  “No, it is okay. This is a very small gelateria. I have permission for two small tables out of the front, but I am happy with this.”

  She tried to picture which of her customers might be enticed to come here. Recalling the delicious gelato she and Alessandro had sampled in the tiny gelateria he’d taken her to that first day in Rome, she realised he was copying the concept. Then it dawned on her.

  “You’re using the same canisters,” she said, pointing to the empty ones in the counter so that he knew what she meant. “That gelateria you took me to was your fathers?”

  “No,” he said. “It was my uncle’s. My father’s other brother. He also is in the same business.”

  She looked at the ultra-modern interior, so different from her vintage themed café. “It is very different to my place, and I suppose you’ll be serving your home-made Italian ice creams.”

  “Si, and you will serve your locally made Jersey ice creams. We will be similar, but I believe different enough to be able to run businesses in the same area. Do you agree?”

  She could see he was trying to convince her. She wanted to be convinced, but wasn’t sure that she would be.

  “I don’t really have much choice, seeing as you look like you’re almost ready to open.” She tried to sound jovial, but failed.

  He straightened up a table and she wondered if he was trying to give himself time to think what to say next. “I will have an opening event on Thursday evening,” he said. “After your closing time. You will come, I hope?”

  She closed at six on a Thursday, only staying open until seven-thirty on Friday and Saturday evenings, so couldn’t refuse without being rude. “Yes, I’ll be there.”

  “Thank you, Sacha,” he said. “I understand why this is not easy for you and I would not be opening this gelateria here if I had any choice.”

  She pulled her sunglasses back down to rest on her nose. “It’s fine, Alessandro,” she fibbed. “Sometimes we have to fit in with what our family wants and put their decisions before our own.” She walked to the door. “It looks lovely in here,” she said, wanting him to know that she was impressed that he’d changed the dingy old-fashioned wool shop into a brighter, more welcoming space. “I think it’s going to do really well.”

  He watched in silence as she opened the door. “Thank you, Sacha,” he said. “I’m happy you like it. As you can see it is very much in the same design as my uncle’s gelateria in Rome. I have not had to think too much about décor.”

  She laughed. “Maybe not, but it does fit in to this area, strangely enough. I wouldn’t have thought it would if I’d seen this on paper. Now, I really must get on and get to Bella’s.”

  He followed her outside and kissed her on both cheeks. “I will see you soon. Ciao, Sacha.”

  “Ciao, Alessandro,” she said.

  She heard him go over to the workmen and chat to them as she walked towards Bella’s shop. He really had done a fine job with the tiny space and she hoped that it wouldn’t detract too much from the appeal of her café. She supposed it would depend on the holidaymakers visiting the beach and what they were looking for. If his idea was going to work then they would have to come up with a clever marketing plan. Both needed to ensure there would be enough call for ice creams during the summer and winter months to make their ventures work. It wasn’t going to be easy. Then again, a bit of hard work had never deterred her before now, why should this be any different?

  Chapter Seven

  Sacha reached Bella’s cottage and opened the shop door, hearing the familiar tinkle of the little brass bell above her. Seeing a couple of customers looking at Bella’s selection of vintage compacts, Sacha approached the counter to speak to her friend.

  “Have you heard?”

  “What? About your stubbed toe, or Alessandro’s new business venture?” she asked, raising her perfectly threaded eyebrows.

  “The business venture,” Sacha said, disappointed that, yet again, Bella already knew everything that was going on in the village. She sat on the beautiful balloon backed chair next to her.

  Bella grinned and came around the counter to join her. “Yes, I thought you’d mean that.” She punched Sacha’s shoulder, playfully. “Don’t pout, it’s not as attractive as you imagine.”

  Sacha stuck her tongue out at her friend. “Better?”

  “Not really.”

  “Anyway, how do you know all about it?” Sacha asked. “Was it Jack, or the instigator, Alessandro?”

  “Jack,” she laughed. “He was raging when I came down this morning. I was going to offer him breakfast, but he went on and on and so I told him I had to be somewhere. He stormed out before I had the chance to say anything else. Bless him, I don’t fancy Alessandro’s chances if he gets to him.”

  Sacha grimaced. “He already has, but thankfully I think the only things that were exchanged were a few angry words from Jack.”

  “That’s a relief,” Bella said. “I like Alessandro and I love Jack, so I’d hate for them to fall out, especially as they’re staying here at the cottage.” She groaned. “This place is far too small f
or people to have a problem with each other.”

  Sacha looked around the small living room. It never ceased to amaze her how Bella managed to fit in so much furniture and stock to sell. She was impressed with how the place felt like you were in someone’s home, but still knew that everything was for sale. Bella was the only person she knew who didn’t seem attached to objects, despite loving her antiques. She seemed happy enough owning them even for a short time and never worried much about parting with things.

  “There really isn’t anywhere to hide, is there?” Sacha said smiling. “I love this place. I never know how this room is going to look when I come here because it’s always changing.”

  Bella laughed. “I know. I want people to feel like they’re at home and comfortable enough to look at everything without feeling like they’re in a shop.”

  “And it works well.”

  Bella glanced over at the customers, who were now looking under a large pottery vase and inspecting the markings. “I had to stop those two from going upstairs. They thought that they could rummage around in all the rooms, so I had to explain that this was the shop and the rest of the cottage was my home.”

  Sacha covered her mouth so her giggles couldn’t be heard. “You can’t blame them, I suppose. You should probably put up a sign so people know this is the only room that’s incorporated into the shop.”

  “I don’t like the idea of having signs all over the place. As it is, I have to have that exit sign there so that people know the way out.” Bella explained. “Though if they can’t remember coming straight into this room from the pavement, then the sign won’t be much good.”

  Sacha thought about a solution for her. “Maybe you should hook up a thick burgundy cord across the entry way to the back of the house. It can be unhooked whenever you, or your lodgers go through, and kept across the doorway the rest of the time so customers know not to go through there.”

  Bella thought about what she’d said. “Like those VIP cordons, you mean?”