Autumn Antics: Escape to the seaside with the perfect autumn read! (The Boardwalk by the Sea Book 2)

by Georgina Troy

  “Nothing,” Lexi said, looking shame-faced. “It has to be you because you’re tall and hunky and she thinks you’re hot,” she explained. “And they’re not going to be interested in pictures of her with us.”

  Bella was glad Lexi had been the one to explain the reasoning to Jack. “I’ll try to persuade Megan to go out, while you four work out where we should drive to.”

  She walked upstairs to Megan’s room and knocked on the door. “Only me,” she said when she’d received a sullen invitation to enter. She took a deep breath and explained their proposition to the reclining girl. “You never know, you might quite like it here.”

  Megan’s gaze rose from her mobile screen slowly until she was eye-to-eye with Bella. “You think so?”

  “Fine,” said Bella, not in the mood to waste her time with someone who had no intention of helping themselves. “You stay up here and wallow. I’ll go home and get on with some work.”

  She turned to leave the room when Megan sat up. “Wait, please. Sorry, I don’t mean to be a cow, but I can’t help panicking that they’re going to forget me.”

  “Then let’s give them something to write about, shall we?” Bella said, as it occurred to her that the girl was genuinely frightened. She probably thought that her future was already over, and, thought Bella, it just might be. Determined to help, she said, “We thought we could pretend we’re trying to sneak out, but let them follow. If it works, then you might get photos in the papers to remind your fans you’re still around. If not, then at least we’ve all done something to alleviate the boredom of hanging around until this fog lifts and your shoot can get underway.”

  Alert to the idea, Megan looked excited for the first time since her arrival. “OK. We can give them a bit of a runaround and let them take some pictures.”

  Relieved Megan had thought of the same idea, Bella continued, “Why not? It should be fun.” She smiled. “Let’s go down and tell the others, shall we?”

  “I love it,” Aunt Rosie said, pretending she hadn’t been told the plan only minutes earlier. Bella wasn’t surprised by her reaction. Jack’s aunt had always enjoyed a bit of intrigue. Rosie was the most glamorous person she’d ever met and was apparently having a secret romance with a gorgeous actor who had been to the island a few times recently.

  “Great,” Bella said, enthused as the plan progressed and they discussed it further.

  “Are you certain you need me?” Jack asked, turning to leave.

  “Yes,” Megan shouted, grabbing his arm and pulling him back into the room. “You’re my secret dalliance.”

  He looked at her and grimaced. “I’m not the only bloke living in the village, why not ask someone else?”

  Bella couldn’t help being amused by his disdain for the idea. “Because you’re here now and we don’t have time to waste.”

  “But I have things to do.”

  “Like what?” Aunt Rosie asked. “Come along. You’re a hunk of a man and exactly what these celeb mags will want to write about. It makes perfect sense.”

  “It does?”

  “Yes,” Rosie, Bella and Lexi chorused.

  “And I won’t have to swap coats with you, Mum,” Bella teased. She looked at Lexi. “Do you have a spare jacket Mum could borrow for today?”

  “I’ll go and get it.”

  Ten minutes later, they were ready. Bella and Megan had swapped jackets and Megan wore one of Bella’s bobble hats, while Bella wore one of Lexi’s.

  “Right,” Bella said. “Mum and Rosie, we’ll leave first. Let’s go out of the back door. Make sure they see you, but act as if you’re trying to be incognito.”

  It was difficult not to show her amusement as she hurried out with the two older women, heads down as they hurried along the path in front of the cottages.

  “Hey, ladies!” one of the paps shouted. “Give us a smile, won’t you? It’s nippy as all bollocks out here.”

  Claire held her hand up. “No photos,” she said, putting her arm around Bella, as Rosie did the same. They marched off up the hill towards the park across the road.

  “What are they doing?” Bella whispered.

  “Two of them are taking photos,” Rosie giggled.

  Bella glanced back at the cottage and noticed Jack, leading Lexi and Megan from behind the cottages.

  “What’s happening?” her mum asked quietly. “Can you see if they’ve seen the others yet?”

  “Not sure.”

  Just at that moment the paps behind them stopped snapping pictures. One yelled, “Hey, wait!” pointing at Jack and the girls, and they all turned to run after them.

  Lexi unlocked her car and she, Megan and Jack, scrambled in, laughing. They drove a few yards, to where Bella, Claire and Rosie were waiting, and once they were all in the car they continued up the hill.

  “Do you think they’ll follow?” Megan asked, her pretty face beaming for once.

  Bella turned to look. “Yes, there are two hire cars after us. Great. Put your foot down, Lexi. Let’s at least try to appear as if we’re trying to lose them.”

  “I’m not going over the forty miles per hour limit,” Lexi said.

  “Goody two-shoes,” Jack teased.

  “You can walk if you don’t like it.”

  “Nah, you’re all right.” Jack laughed, turning to look out the back window at the convoy behind them. “This is fun. Where shall we take them?”

  “I think we’ll make the most of the country lanes. We want them to get lost but not lose us.” Lexi changed gear and turned left.

  Bella undid her window slightly to let more air into the stuffy car. Lexi’s old banger came useful for lots of things, but she was aware that she needed to buy a van at some point and stop asking to borrow this vehicle. She looked out of the back window. “They’re still with us.”

  “Good,” Lexi said. “Time for a little lane manoeuvring.”

  “This is great fun, thanks everyone,” Megan said. Bella noticed that her hand was on Jack’s knee. “We can’t drive forever, though. I think we need to stop at some point and Jack and I should go for a bit of a walk. Give them something to write about.”

  Bella had to agree. “You’re right. This is only going to keep them interested for so long. Where should be drop you off? Jack, any ideas?”

  He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and seemed to notice the placement of Megan’s hand for the first time. “We need to be dropped off quick enough for you to then drive on, but take long enough that they see where we are and take the bait,” he said. “How about somewhere along the cliff paths?”

  Megan gave a little squeak of horror.

  Bella smiled at her. “It’s okay, we won’t expect you to go anywhere dangerous, or muddy,” she added, knowing Megan didn’t have the right footwear for such terrain.

  “It’s foggy, of course, so you can’t be too far in front of them or they won’t get the photos,” Rosie said.

  “Every where’s going to be foggy today,” Claire laughed. “How about The Esplanade?”

  “No, that’s too open and anyone driving past can see them,” Bella said, trying to think.

  “It needs to be a fairly open stretch,” Jack argued. “How about the pier at La Rocque harbour? It’s not too long, but a picturesque background for any photos with that Victorian house behind.”

  “Perfect.” Bella nodded, screeching as Lexi took a sudden right and Jack, Megan and Claire fell against her, pushing her against the car door. “Take it easy, Lexi. This isn’t an episode of Line of Duty you know.

  “I wish it was,” Lexi said. “I really fancy that Martin Compston.”

  “Can you just concentrate on your driving, please,” Aunt Rosie said. She was a fine one to criticize, Bella thought. Her driving was the most erratic of anyone she knew. Many times, she’d seen Rosie racing past the turn off to the boardwalk in her red sports car without a care in the world for anyone else.

  Eventually, after several sets of road work traffic light stops, which ensured the paps’ ca
rs kept up with them, Lexi drove down Gorey hill and along the coast to La Rocque. She stopped in one of the parking spaces just before the start of the peaceful pier. “Get out here and we’ll circle back to meet you here again.”

  Jack stepped out of the car, glanced briefly at Bella, and got out. “Why don’t we finish our walk along the beach and meet you at Green Island? It’ll look a bit more authentic if we’re actually aiming for somewhere.”

  “Good idea,” Lexi said. “If you take too long, we’ll go inside the café to wait for you.”

  He made a point of looking around him, pretending to check that no one was around to see them, then leaning in, took Megan’s hand and helped her out.

  “Good luck,” Bella and Lexi shouted, before the car moved off. “Don’t go too far in front of them, remember. We don’t want you two disappearing into the fog, or all this will have been for nothing.”

  Bella looked back out of the rear window as they drove off. Jack had his arm around Megan’s shoulders and she had an arm around his waist. Her heart sank, seeing how perfect they looked together. Stop it, she scolded herself. He was only playing a part. He was doing it well though. Megan seemed happier than she had ever seen her before. Bella didn’t blame her.

  Assuming it would take the couple about twenty minutes to half an hour, depending on how slowly they walked, they continued along the coast, pulling into the car park at Green Island to wait. They sat quietly in the car for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts as the wind whipped up the sand on the small beach between the car park and the small island. It was mostly shrouded in fog and would be cut off from the rest of the island at the next high tide.

  “Why don’t we all get out and stretch our legs?” Bella suggested.

  “Good idea,” laughed Claire. “I don’t know about you two, but I could do with a bit of fresh air after Lexi’s driving.”

  Lexi giggled. “Cheek. If you weren’t Bella’s mum, I’d make you walk home.”

  “What, all the way to the boardwalk?”

  “Yes.”

  Bella smiled and zipped up her jacket. “Come on. Let’s go before they get back and we have to continue with our charade.” Without waiting for them to sort themselves out, she got out of the car, pulling her bobble hat down over her ears. Taking a pair of ever present gloves from her pocket, she slipped them on. She breathed in the fresh sea air, and felt the tenseness in her shoulders dissipate. She could hear Lexi, Rosie and her mum chatting and laughing as they got out of the car.

  “Let’s go then,” Claire said, walking up to her and linking her arm through Bella’s.

  They walked down the slipway onto the fine, pale gold sand, the sight of which never failed to relax Bella. Hearing the other two following behind them, she squeezed her mum’s arm gently and said, “I’m loving having you back here on the island.”

  “Are you?” Claire asked, seeming genuinely surprised.

  “Yes, very much. I wish you’d consider staying here for good, but I know that won’t happen.”

  They walked on for a few paces. “Maybe you’re enjoying it so much, because you know it won’t last,” Claire said thoughtfully.

  Bella stopped, hurt by her mother’s words. “That’s a dreadful thing to say.”

  “Is it?”

  “Yes.” Was it, though? she thought, as they carried on walking. Maybe her mum was right. It was easier to make the most of someone if you knew there was going to be an end to it shortly. She considered her mum’s words. No, she wasn’t. “You’re wrong. It is wonderful getting to know you again. Properly. If you go again, then fine, I’ll understand. If you ever did settle here, I really would love having you around all the time. Honestly.”

  Claire pulled her to a stop and kissed her on the cheek. “Gosh, your face is cold,” she said, placing her hand on it briefly. “I suppose mine must be too.”

  Bella laughed. “You must be frozen after being in Sri Lanka for so long. How are you coping with this miserable weather?”

  “I don’t mind it at all,” Claire said, reaching down to pick up a small bit of worn driftwood. “I thought I’d hate it, to be honest. I expected to miss Sri Lanka dreadfully, but, I don’t know, maybe the time is just right for me to have come back here.”

  Bella didn’t want to raise her hopes, or make her mother feel pressured, but couldn’t help asking, “Would you seriously consider coming back here to stay, do you think? I mean, travelling is all you’ve really done since you were eighteen.”

  A small Jack Russell ran past, chasing a ball. They waved at the owner who seemed to be looking for him, and Bella pointed in the direction of the little dog.

  “I would,” Claire said, quietly.

  Bella wasn’t sure whether to take that as a definite prospect, so dropped the subject. “It’s eerie here today, but I love it. It’s not often I’ve been down here in such thick fog.”

  “I don’t recall ever doing so,” her mum said.

  Bella spotted two distant figures through the mist. Judging by the height and broad-shoulders of the taller one, and the petite person next to him, it must be Jack and Megan.

  “Do you think that’s them?” she said, almost certain it was when they got closer.

  “Yes.”

  They stopped walking, watching in silence as Jack appeared to take Megan in his arms and kiss her. Bella gave an involuntary gasp, immediately furious with herself for doing so.

  “He’s only acting, remember,” her mum whispered.

  “It’s fine,” Bella said, forcing a smile. “I’m just being foolish.” They began making their way to the car. “I hope the paps got their photo.”

  Her mother didn’t reply for a little while, then broke the silence by saying, “It’s fine to be upset, seeing the man you love kissing someone else.”

  “It’s not. There’s nothing between us, and don’t forget Nicki is still on the scene, whatever Jack says. Please don’t tell anyone about Nicki’s wedding plan.”

  “You know I won’t.”

  “Not even Rosie,” Bella said, aware that her mother’s idea of keeping a confidence was a little looser than her own. “You know how she loves to try and make things happen between people. She’s a right matchmaker, given half the chance.” She thought for a moment. “You probably are, too.”

  “A little. But I can’t help it if I’m a romantic at heart.” She nudged Bella playfully. “I won’t say a word to her, or anyone else, I promise.”

  Comforted by her reassurance, Bella shivered. “They must be frozen by now. Poor Megan really feels the cold.”

  “Jack probably won’t even notice,” laughed her mother.

  “You’re right. He loves nothing better than being in the sea and that’s bitterly cold most of the time.”

  They reached the car to find Lexi and Rosie already sitting inside, chatting.

  “You two didn’t last long out there,” Bella laughed, relieved they hadn’t seen her reaction to Jack and Megan on the beach. “Did you even go for a walk?” she asked, getting inside.

  “We reached the bottom of the slipway and decided that was enough for the day,” Rosie said.

  “I wanted to go into the café, like we agreed, but Rosie insists we won’t have enough time to order anything, much less drink it.”

  “She has a point,” Bella agreed.

  “She was the one who wanted to get back to the car,” Lexi giggled. “But I didn’t take much persuasion.”

  They heard Jack shouting and pointing his finger at someone behind him, before running to the car, pulling Megan along behind him.

  “Hurry, get in,” he said, holding the door open for her. “And you two, leave us the hell alone, or I’ll report you.”

  He got in with them. “Better drive on, Lexi,” he said, laughing, slightly out of breath. “I think they took that seriously enough, don’t you?”

  Megan giggled. Her rosy cheeks suited her. “That was the best fun. You’re an awesome kisser, Jack Collins,” she said, pouting at
him.

  Jack cleared his throat. “Er, thanks.”

  “Do you think they got their photos?” Rosie asked. “Or will we have to take you somewhere else for another try.”

  “Ooh, yes please,” Megan said, gazing up at Jack through her false eyelashes.

  Jack smiled at Rosie, then Megan. “I think they got all they needed. We should go back to the cottage now. Or, maybe Sacha’s for a hot drink. Megan must be frozen.”

  “I am a bit,” she said. “Though I didn’t notice when we were on the beach and you had your arm around my shoulders.”

  “Look, there they are,” Bella said, hoping to change the subject. She pointed to the two red-faced photographers running up the beach, still taking photos of them in the car. “Quick, Jack, pretend to shield Megan from them.”

  Megan giggled. “I’m loving this. Who knew Jersey could be so much fun.”

  “Sacha’s it is then,” Lexi said, putting her foot down and leaving the car park, only just missing the first hire car as it stopped to collect the photographers.

  “I think they were a bit lost,” Rosie laughed. “Good.”

  They pulled out onto the road. “I think we’ve given them enough to keep them busy,” Bella said, satisfied that her plan had worked. “Let’s get back to the boardwalk, and this time don’t let them follow.”

  “You can take your time, if you like though,” Megan said sweetly, resting her head on Jack’s chest.

  He gave Bella an alarmed grimace over Megan’s head. “No, I think we need to get back. I’ve got things to do.”

  “Oh? Like what?”

  “Um, I have a thing.” He frowned at Bella. “You know, Bella. That thing we were arranging?”

  Bella thought frantically of something she could use to get him out of his predicament. “You mean planning the beach party for bonfire night?”

  Jack beamed at her and her heart contracted. “Yes, that. You remember, Aunt Rosie? I was telling you all about the silent fireworks I’d ordered, so that none of the pets get frightened on the night.”

  “Ah yes, of course. Haven’t you organized that yet? It’s only five days away, Jack.”

  “It’s for the locals in the village and anyone else who wants to come,” Bella explained to Megan. “Word of mouth is all we need. On our grapevine, that should take about ten minutes.”