Bella stopped what she was doing. “I’m sorry, I had no idea you even knew Megan, let alone that you two have some sort of issue with each other.”
“I don’t know that cow,” Megan said without moving.
Which was probably a good thing, Bella mused, as the room seemed rather full with the five of them in it. “Okay, so why all the drama then?”
“I caught her getting off with Jack.”
Bella stopped what she was doing, her heart constricting with… what? Envy, jealousy, or was it simply disappointment in Jack? She certainly couldn’t blame Megan, especially as he was single, whatever Nicki was insinuating.
Bella cleared her throat and took the brownies Sacha had packed for them out of the basket without turning to face the others.
“When did this happen? I’ve only been gone half an hour and Megan hasn’t been here very long.”
Megan pushed past Nicki and then Bella and flounced out of the living room and up the stairs, shouting, “Why won’t you listen to me? Nothing happened.”
“She’s a bloody liar,” Nicki snapped. “I know what I saw. If I hadn’t been walking up from the boardwalk, I wouldn’t have seen them all over each other, on the doorstep.”
Lexi put everything away in the two small cupboards. “Nicki, whatever you saw, you aren’t seeing Jack anymore, so I really don’t understand what it’s got to do with you, or why you think you’ve got the right to barge into one of my cottages and shout at my guest.” She walked to the front door and opened it, waving for Nicki to leave. “I think it’s time you left Megan to settle in, don’t you?”
Recalling that Megan’s visit was supposed to be a secret until after the interview, Bella ran to join them and explained. “Please keep her visit to yourself, won’t you?”
Nicki shook her head. “I’ll do what I damn well choose.”
Bella and Lexi stood on the doorstep and watched Nicki marching down the hill towards the hotel.
“Bugger,” Bella said. “I have a feeling that Megan’s secret visit will soon be common knowledge.”
“So do I.”
Bella sighed. “Don’t worry, I’ll go and see if she’s okay. I know she’s a bit of a pain, but Nicki can be fierce, and she didn’t deserve an attack like that.
She decided it was her responsibility to sooth any bruised egos. She was the one who had got them all involved in the magazine-shoot issues. She reached Megan’s bedroom and knocked lightly on the door. “Megan, are you okay?”
Hearing sobbing, Bella opened the door slowly and peered into the room. Megan was sitting on the bed, stifling her sobs with the pillow.
She spotted Bella and threw the pillow behind her, wiping at her eyes. “What are you doing in here?”
“I knocked first,” Bella said, surprised to see the younger girl hurrying to hide her distress. “Nicki’s gone now. Why don’t you come downstairs? It’s only Lexi and me down there now.” She took a clean tissue from the box on the small dressing table and handed it to Megan.
She blew her nose before standing up to check her reflection in the mirror. “I look horrendous.”
Bella didn’t like to agree, but her cheeks were awash with mascara. “Take a few minutes to sort yourself out and I’ll open one of those bottles of bubbly.”
“It’s only lunchtime, too. You do live dangerously on this island.”
Her sarcasm didn’t worry Bella. “Only occasionally.” Her glimpse into Megan’s fragility had surprised her. Maybe there was more to this defensive girl, after all. She didn’t like the fact that she had been so quick to judge Megan as hard and unfeeling. “I’ll see you downstairs then.”
“How is she?” Lexi asked when Bella joined her in the kitchenette.
“Crying like she’s heartbroken. It was upsetting to see.”
Lexi took the cabbage loaf out of its white paper bag and slammed it onto the counter. “I think you need to have a word with Nicki, or I can. She’s very quick to assume we all want what she’s got.” Bella didn’t reply. “You okay?”
She nodded. “I think I might have misjudged Megan, you know?”
Lexi stared at her briefly. “I think you’re overtired or something. Now, help me make some sandwiches. I don’t want this loaf to go to waste.” She cut neat slices and handed them to Bella to butter. “I thought ham and a few cheese and tomato.”
Bella vaguely heard her speaking and did what she had suggested, but couldn’t get the sight of Megan out of her mind. “I think that maybe Jack should be the one to approach Nicki about what happened today. After all, he is her ex and was the one supposedly caught kissing Megan. He should be the one to put things right.”
“I agree,” Lexi said, washing and drying the knife before putting it back into the drawer. “She doesn’t seem to like you much anyway, so I doubt she’ll entertain anything you’ve got to say.”
“True.” Bella placed the sandwiches on a plate and took three smaller ones from the cupboard overhead. “Though I’m not sure why she’s so odd with me. It’s not as if I’ve been caught kissing Jack.” More’s the pity, she thought.
“She probably doesn’t like your closeness,” Lexi said, grabbing three champagne glasses. “You two are like little besties nowadays.”
They both looked up as Megan entered the room. Bella couldn’t believe how immaculate she looked. Her eyes weren’t even puffy. It was as if she’d imagined it all.
She caught Lexi looking at her questioningly as she placed a tea towel over the top of the champagne bottle, gripping it tightly as she turned it, until the cork was released with a popping sound.
“Are you feeling better?” Bella asked Megan.
“I’m fine now. She took me by surprise, that’s all.” She gave a brief smile. “I didn’t, you know.”
“What?”
“Kiss Jack.” She waited while Lexi poured the champagne into the glasses and took one. “Thanks.” Turning her attention back to Bella, she added, “I don’t care what that cow thinks of me, but you’ve been kind to me and I didn’t want you to think that I had.”
Bella was relieved to hear it. “Let’s get comfortable and make the most of this lovely champagne.”
After several minutes enjoying their extra special lunch, Megan said, “I want to apologise for being such a bitch at the photo shoot. I know it’s no excuse, but I’m exhausted since coming off the show. My manager said that I have to make the most of my fifteen minutes of fame, so she’s accepting everything that’s being offered to me. It makes sense, I suppose, but I’ve been desperate for some time away from it all.”
Bella could see now how vulnerable Megan was. She was nothing more than a frightened girl, trying not to miss any opportunity that came her way.
“Then why not treat this brief stay on the island as a mini break? It’s peaceful here.” She laughed. “When you haven’t got visitors, and people giving you a hard time.”
“Yes, we’ll show you around a bit, but let you have a lie in and catch up with some sleep,” Lexi said, wiping her mouth with a sheet of kitchen roll. “I’m staying next door at the moment,” she said, pointing in the direction of the cottage on the left. “I’ll do my best to ensure you’re left alone when you want to be, and you can always come to mine for a chat, if Bella is working.”
“That’s so kind,” Megan said, her eyes welling up again.
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” Lexi said, taking Megan’s empty glass and refilling it. She widened her eyes at Bella.
Unsure what to do, Bella cleared her throat. It occurred to her that maybe Megan was missing her family, or lonely without any familiar people around her. “I know we didn’t get off to the best of starts, but you are with friends here. We’ll look out for you, if that’s what’s bothering you.”
“You don’t understand,” Megan sniffed. “Since being out of the programme it’s like everyone I meet wants a piece of me. It’s been horrible and not at all like I expected being a celeb would be. You two, and Jack, have been the firs
t people to be kind to me and not want something back.”
Surprised to hear her being so open, Bella smiled. “That’s good to know. Well, not the bit about everyone being horrible, but the bit about us.”
“Yes,” agreed Lexi. “Treat this place like your home while you’re here and chill.”
There was a knock on the door.
Megan stood up. “I’ll get it. If it’s that Nicki, I’ll give her a mouthful.” She smiled at the others. “I’m feeling much better now.” She walked to the door and opened it.
“Is Bella here?”
Recognizing her mother’s voice, Bella shouted, “It’s okay, you can let her in!”
“I’m her mother,” she heard Claire say to Megan. “Sorry to barge in, but I—” She gazed around the cramped living room. “Am I missing a party?”
“No, Mum. Anyway, why are you here?” After all she had said to Megan, she didn’t want her thinking that the entire village was going to invite themselves to the cottage.
“You’re Bella’s mum? That’s amazing,” Megan said, shaking her hand.
There was another knock. “I wonder who this is?” Megan said, grinning as she went to answer it.
“Sorry, we didn’t mean for your stay to be like this,” Lexi said, pulling a face at Bella.
“It’s fine. This is like being back at home with my family, I like it.” They waited as she opened the door. “Oh, it’s you.”
By the flirtatious tone of her voice, Bella assumed it was Jack. She was right.
“Hi, I was… bloody hell, am I missing a party?”
“No,” Lexi and Bella said in unison.
“We’ve finished the first bottle,” Lexi said. “We thought we should keep the second one for later, in case Sacha joined us.”
Jack grinned. “I wasn’t hinting about the booze. I came to tell you that Nicki found me and gave me a mouthful about, well about you,” he said to Megan. “I wanted you to know that I’ve put her straight. There’s no need to worry about it happening again. I’m sorry about that,” he said. “She can be a bit overbearing sometimes.”
“I’d call it ignorant and rude,” Megan replied, showing the side of her that Bella recognized best. “I hope she’s going to apologize.”
“I told her she should, but I wouldn’t hold your breath. I’ll do it on her behalf.”
“Thank you,” Megan said, sounding genuinely pleased.
“Right, I’d better go. Nicki said she had something she needed to discuss with me and, as much as I’d rather stay here and chat to you all, I’d better go. Otherwise, she’ll probably come up here looking for me again and I doubt any of you want that.”
“No, we don’t.” Lexi laughed.
“Have I missed something?” Claire asked.
Someone’s mobile rang. After a moment of the four of them checking their phones, Megan stood up and waved her mobile in the air. “My manager,” she said, leaving the room and going back upstairs.
“I’ll tidy this lot. You can get off if you like, Bella,” Lexi said. “I’m sure you have loads to get on with. We can always meet back here later. I’ll check with Megan what she wants to do when she’s off the phone and let you know.”
“Great. Come along then, Mum,” said Bella. “You sure you don’t want me to help wash up?”
“No, you two get on.”
Bella and Claire shivered as they stepped outside, both doing up their jackets and pushing their hands deep into their pockets.
“It’s freezing,” Claire grumbled as they began walking down to the boardwalk.
“Almost,” Bella said. She couldn’t stop worrying about Jack and wondered if Nicki was going to tell him about her wedding plans. She should have pre-warned him. Why hadn’t she gone with her gut instinct and done so?
“What’s the matter with you?” Claire asked, linking arms with her. “You look very pensive today. “Is it something I can help you with?”
Bella shook her head. “It’s nothing, don’t worry.”
Claire pulled her to a stop and studied her face. “I know there’s something troubling you.”
“It’s a secret,” she said, aware that her mother wouldn’t give up until she said something. “I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”
“What did you promise exactly?”
“Mum, it’s nothing and I’m fine. Honestly.”
Bella tugged gently, forcing her mum to continue walking with her.
“You do know that it helps to share a problem.”
“There’s no problem,” she said, tired with the questioning. “At least not for me.”
Claire pulled her to a stop again.
“Mum, I can’t tell you, so leave it. Please.”
“No, I won’t. You’re worrying me. I won’t drop the matter until I know what’s going on.”
Bella sighed. She knew when she was beaten. “Fine, but you’ve got to promise not to tell anyone. Okay?”
“Cross my heart,” she said, winking at Bella triumphantly. “Who knows, I might already have been told whatever it is that’s worrying you.”
“I doubt it.” Bella shivered. “I’ll tell you while we walk home.” She proceeded to tell her mother everything that Jools’ grandmother had overheard. It wasn’t easy. She hated betraying a confidence, but in this case, she held no loyalty to Nicki and did care, very much, that Jack was being lied to.
“What do you think?” she asked, after giving he mother time to contemplate what she’d told her. “Should I tell Jack?”
“Do you want to?”
“Yes.”
“Then do it.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The sun didn’t seem to be out when Bella woke the following morning. A familiar dread swept over her, that only those who lived on an island would understand.
“Please no,” she whispered, getting out of bed and pulling open her curtains. She peered at the dense veil of fog shrouding the boardwalk and knew the airport would be closed. “Bugger.” She groaned. “No planes in or out of the island today.” This would delay the photo shoot and Megan’s return to the mainland. Bella assumed that the interview could take place via a conference call, or online. Aware that if Lexi hadn’t broken the news to the girl, then she would have to, Bella’s mood dipped. She didn’t relish the thought and took her mind off the prospect by showering and dressing.
She went to find Jack downstairs, hoping to have a word with him before he went out. It occurred to her that she hadn’t seen him since he had left to speak to Nicki the previous day. If he had come home at all, it must have been late because she hadn’t heard him, which was unusual. She pushed aside the thought that he most probably had spent the night with Nicki. It wasn’t her place to have an opinion on what he did, she thought miserably.
Her mother was still asleep. Wanting to delay the moment she had to speak to Megan, and to take her mind of what Jack might be doing with Nicki, Bella decided to pay Betty a visit. She put on her jacket and stepped outside. It was only just eight in the morning, but she knew her elderly neighbour would be up and about. Bella crossed the boardwalk and leant on the cool iron railings, sticky with salt from the stormy waves that had lashed them during the night.
No one was about, and with the fog resting on the sea, it seemed as if the village was an island itself. There was a peacefulness at times like this, which Bella loved. The fog enveloped the village like a duvet, masking the sounds of cars on the nearby road and the distant roar of jets taking off from the airport a couple of miles away. The only sound came from the waves lapping against the bottom of the sea wall, and everything was calm.
She turned left to continue on her way to Betty’s and spotted some frosted glass on the beach. The pretty colours were displayed in the same symbol that had adorned the boardwalk during the summer. She crouched down to get a better look. They were arranged on the sea wall, between the railings and the beach, and must have been done early that morning before everyone was up. Intrigued, Bella hoped that one day someone would
discover who was responsible, and what the symbols meant. They were obviously important to someone, but whom?
Hurrying to Betty’s, she knocked on the front door.
“Come in, love,” the old lady called, her voice sounding slightly weaker than usual.
She was sitting in her favourite chair overlooking the waves, and Bella walked over and kissed her on the cheek.
“How are you?” Betty asked, motioning for her to sit on the chair opposite. “Your mum driving you mad yet?”
Bella laughed. “No, she’s been fine. I’ve enjoyed having her at the cottage to be honest,” she admitted.
“Not really fair on young Alessandro, having to move out though, is it?” Betty said sagely. “Given any indication of how long she’ll be stopping here, has she?”
“No, none.” Bella wondered if her mother had already begun making plans to leave and hadn’t liked to tell her. She hoped not. She was enjoying catching up with her too much to be ready to say good-bye just yet.
“Hmm.” Betty studied Bella’s face.
Bella smiled, wanting to reassure her friend. “It’s fine, honestly. I don’t think he minds that much.” She had been wondering if Alessandro and Sacha might see this as an opportunity for him to move into her flat above the café, but nothing had happened so far.
“And your Jack. How’s he doing with that nasty piece back on the rock?”
“He’s not my Jack.” Bella wished Betty wouldn’t stare at her so intently. “I’ve no idea about him and Nicki. The last I saw of him he was going to visit her.”
Betty tapped her walking stick on the leg of a nearby coffee table. “That shelf under there, get the brochure for me, will you?”
Bella bent down, and finding what she assumed Betty wanted, handed it to her. “What is it?”
“She was in Sacha’s café the other day, and this fell out of her bag.” She waved the leaflet in the air. “Have a read. Go on. Tell me what you make of it.”
It was a prospectus for a development company. Bella opened it, intrigued.
“They’re looking for properties on the island with sea views.”
Autumn Antics: Escape to the seaside with the perfect autumn read! (The Boardwalk by the Sea Book 2) Page 11