Bella’s relief that Nicki wasn’t about to ask Jack to marry her after all was soon dispelled when she saw the look of horror on the poor man’s face, as he stood, statue-like, in front of her.
“Poor bastard,” Megan said. “He looks as if he’s hoping his world will implode.”
He did, Bella thought, sensing his agony. Nicki, still on one knee in front of him, clasped his left hand in hers. Bella couldn’t imagine what he could possibly do next. “This is horrible,” she said, under her breath to Jack.
“You’re not kidding.”
A cheer came from the table closest to Nicki. “Well, answer her, you berk.”
It was like being a spectator sensing that a crash was about to happen. Bella wanted to look away, but couldn’t.
Oliver pulled Nicki to her feet and tried to lead her away from the stage, but Bella’s relief that the spectacle was about to end was short lived.
“No, Oliver darling,” Nicki said, giving a fake giggle. “You need to give me a reply. Our audience is waiting.”
“This is horrible,” Bella murmured. “Why would she do something like this?”
Oliver Whimsy let go of her wrist and prised her hand from his. “Enough,” he said, loud enough for them to hear. “I don’t know why you’ve arranged this charade, Nicki.” He scowled at her. “But as far as I’m concerned, we haven’t known each other long enough to even contemplate getting married. I’m not sure it’s something I ever intend doing.”
The guests stared silently at them, waiting to see what happened next. Bella wished she could leave, but daren’t draw attention to herself by moving. She noticed someone discreetly filming the entire event and couldn’t imagine why they would want to record someone’s humiliation in this way.
“Come on, Oliver,” Nicki said. “Why not be brave and go for it. I have a registrar waiting to make this legal.”
“Sorry, what?” He glanced briefly towards the gawping guests and back at Nicki. “This is insane. You do realize that, surely?”
Nicki reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. “No, it isn’t, baby. It’s fun. All you have to do is say yes.” She smiled at her captive audience. “Doesn’t he, everyone?”
“She’s trying to embarrass him into agreeing,” Jack said, quietly. “Poor sod.”
Oliver stared at Nicki, as if he was seeing her for the first time. “No.”
And without saying another word, he pushed her hand away and marched out of the room.
Nicki stood for a second with her mouth open at her intended fiancé’s reaction.
“Poor, silly, cow,” Megan said. “She’s got balls, I’ll give her that.”
“She’s arrogant and controlling, is what she is,” Sacha argued. “That woman is always determined to get what she wants. Unfortunately for that poor guy, she wanted him.”
“He didn’t look that nice, anyway,” Lexi said. “I wonder where he went?”
The band struck up, once again, and Nicki, her face like a smiling mask, called them all onto the dance floor.
“What about the food?” Bella heard one man asking.
Bella glanced around her table, desperate to go home. “Shall we leave?” she said. “I don’t think I can stomach any more of Nicki’s ridiculous behaviour.”
Without another word, Bella, Sacha, Lexi, Megan and Jack stood up and quietly made to leave the ballroom.
“You’re not staying for the meal?” Nicki said, reaching the door before them and standing in front of Jack. She seemed amused, rather than embarrassed by what had happened, and Bella had to wonder at her mental state.
“You didn’t really invite us for a meal though, did you?” Jack stared at her. “I knew you enjoyed a masquerade, but this evening was a farce. Did that poor bloke even suspect you were up to something?” When she didn’t react, he shook his head. “I thought not.”
“Just be grateful it wasn’t you she’d set her sights on,” Sacha said, taking his arm and leading him out.
Bella was grateful, and wondered whether this meant that Nicki and Jack were completely over. She hoped so, but knowing their history, she couldn’t be sure that they wouldn’t get together, yet again. Had Nicki chosen Jersey as the place to propose to Oliver simply to make Jack jealous? She wouldn’t put it past her.
They congregated in the reception area. “Where’s that cute guy that took our coats?” Megan asked. “I hope Nicki didn’t scare him off, too.” The joke broke the tension in the air and they all laughed. “That has to be the worst party I’ve ever been invited to,” she added.
“I’ll go and find him,” Bella said, hoping they could collect their coats and leave the hotel as soon as possible. She walked through another door and down a hallway, listening out for voices. Hearing a male she thought might be Charlie, she followed the sound and reached a small ante room to find him having a cup of tea. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
Blushing, he placed his cup on the small table next to him. “No, I apologise for not being at reception. It’s been a bit of a chaotic night, with one thing and the other.”
Bella sighed. “I know Halloween is supposed to be a strange evening, but this one beats anything I’ve experienced before.”
“Me too,” he laughed, leading the way back to the others. “Sorry for keeping you all waiting. I’ll fetch your coats now.”
They watched him disappear into the cloakroom and waited as he kept returning until all the coats had been collected and put on.
“Thanks,” Jack said. “I hope the rest of your evening isn’t as odd.”
“So do I.”
They walked back to the boardwalk in a muted silence, which Jack eventually by saying, “To make up for tonight, I think we should definitely have that bonfire on the beach some of us have been talking about.”
“Yes, good idea,” Sacha said. She looked at Megan, “Will you still be here for it?”
“One part of me hopes not, because I need to get back to work,” said Megan. “But the other half doesn’t want to leave now I’ve got to know you lot better. You’ve shown me more fun than I’ve experienced in ages.”
Bella couldn’t help thinking that if Megan had been a little more pleasant during their photo shoot then she would have had a much better time. She hoped that Megan’s time on the island would soften her a bit and give her the confidence to believe she could survive the weird world of celebrity that she desperately wanted to remain a part of.
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” Lexi said, giving Bella and Sacha a kiss on the cheek. “Megan and I are going back to the cottages.”
“I’ll accompany you both,” Jack said, pushing his hands into his coat pockets.
“We’re fine, thanks,” Lexi said, smiling at him. “I don’t think the bogey man will find us between here and home.”
“Shut up, you,” Megan argued, nudging Lexi. “If Jack wants to walk us home, then I for one am happy to let him do it.”
Bella stood with the others, watching as they began their short trek up the hill. Feeling raindrops on her face, she held out her hand to make sure. “Quick, it’s starting to rain,” she said, linking arms with Jack. “The wind has picked up.”
“Good,” he said. “Maybe the fog will lift by the morning and Megan’s team will be able to fly in for the interview and take the photos they need.”
“Time we all went home, I think.”
Lying in bed a short while later, Bella closed her eyes and listened to the wind howling around the headland on the other side of the boardwalk. Her last thought was that Jack hadn’t yet returned home. She knew she shouldn’t, but couldn’t help imagining him finally succumbing to Megan’s advances.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Bella was folding the top of a box of small collectibles she had just finished packing to take to a sale, when Jack raced in early the following morning. She glanced up to see that his hair was damp and so were his jeans, and he was carrying a rolled up towel, and she wondered whether he’d stayed out all night
.
“You’re up,” he said his eyes wide.
She wasn’t sure why he seemed so startled to see her. “Are you okay?” she asked, concerned. “Have you been surfing in this weather? No, forget I asked that. I can see that you have.”
“I needed to clear my head after last night.” He stared at her and took a deep breath.
Did he mean Nicki’s disastrous party, or what had happened after he’d reached the cottage where Megan was staying? Bella didn’t dare ask.
“You shouldn’t wear your jeans over a wet swimming costume,” she heard herself scold, sounding like a schoolteacher. “You’ll catch a chill.”
Jack’s steps hesitated. “I’m not.”
“But your underpants must be wet.”
“I’m not wearing any,” he said, sounding like he had a smile on his face as he continued on his way up to the bathroom to shower.
Bella went to carry on, choosing what pieces to pack for the antiques fayre she took part in several times each year to bolster her income, and was closing the next box. She could sense he wanted to tell her something, so sat back on her heels and looked up at him. “What is it?”
“Your mum asked me to let you know she’s over at Betty’s,” he said frowning.
Bella glanced upstairs realizing she hadn’t heard her mother get up. “Already?”
“Betty had a fall last night.” Bella gasped. “She’s going to be fine, but your mum’s going to stay with her for a few days, to look after her.”
Bella sat back on her heels. “Sorry? What happened?”
“She went outside to call the cat in and slipped on some wet leaves near her front door.”
She stood up, wanting the full story before going to find her mother and see Betty, immediately forgetting all about the fayre. “How do you know, and I don’t?”
Jack placed a calming hand on her shoulder. “Hey, don’t panic. She’s had a bit of a shock, but she’s going to be fine. Her wrist is broken and has a little bruising, but she’s in good spirits.”
“Go on.”
“I went with her to the hospital.”
Bella couldn’t understand when all this could have happened and asked him to elaborate.
“I was on my way home after a quick swim,” he shrugged. “Hence the lack of underpants. Come to think of it, I must have left them on the beach. Damn.” He shook his head, looking annoyed at himself. “Anyway, I was about to come inside, when I thought I heard a moan. I looked towards Betty’s home, where I thought the sound had come from, and checking closer, found her lying there.”
“That’s awful, poor Betty. Had she been there long?” Bella asked panicking at the thought of how cold it was last night. “She must have been frozen.”
“I covered her with my coat and sat next to her. I didn’t want to lift her in case she’d broken something that should be left, if you see what I mean.”
Bella did. “Then what happened?”
“I called for an ambulance on my mobile and they were here in five minutes. I went with her to hospital and she had an X-ray and plaster put on her arm, and was told that she could go home, but had to take it easy, especially in view of her age.”
“Poor thing. Shouldn’t she still be in hospital though?” Bella was shocked and close to tears.
“She refused to stay there. I promised the doctors I’d accompany her home and explained that we were a tight-knit community and she wouldn’t be left alone. Your mum popped in just after seven and said she was happy to sit with her.”
“I’ll go and see her now.”
“I thought you might want to. I’ll join you,” he said, grabbing his coat.
They stepped outside and, despite the sunshine, the chill in the air took Bella’s breath away.
“At least the fog has lifted for Megan,” Jack said as they walked towards Betty’s home. “She’ll be able to give that interview, her photos taken and go back to her busy life.”
Bella could picture how relieved the girl would have been this morning as she looked out of the window at the sunshine. “I suppose they’ll be flying in this morning.”
“I guess so. She was saying last night that she’s going to ask the magazine to take photos in Sacha’s café, Jools’ bookshop, your antique shop, and Lexi’s cottages, to say thank you for keeping her entertained. If you all agree, of course.”
Bella wasn’t sure whether she wanted photos to be taken of her home, but assumed that her friends would be delighted as their businesses relied more on how they looked.
“That’s very thoughtful of her,” she said. “I’m not sure about The Bee Hive though.” She tried to picture her living room plastered across one of the glossy mags. “I change my stock so often, it’s not a fixed view.”
“What?”
She smiled when she saw his confused expression and realized how odd she must have sounded. “Ignore me, I’m talking nonsense. If they do want to take photos, I’d be happy to let them.”
“It makes sense. Free advertising and all that.” Jack stopped to let her walk in front as they reached Betty’s house. Bella knocked lightly on the door, pushed it open and walked in to find Betty, paler than usual, sitting in her favourite armchair, her left arm in plaster and a red plaid blanket over her legs.
“Betty, are you okay?” she asked, kneeling at her elderly neighbour’s feet.
“I’m fine now, pet,” she said, her voice quieter than Bella was used to hearing. “Young Jack here found me and was a real hero.”
“I was nothing of the sort,” Jack said, his face reddening.
“Yes, you were, Jack,” Claire said, walking into the room with two cups of tea. “Want one?”
They shook their heads.
“No, thanks,” Jack said, sitting on the arm of Claire’s chair as she sat down.
“You’re looking much chirpier now, Betty, I’m relieved to say,” said her mother.
She sounded concerned, and the thought of what might have happened if Jack hadn’t heard Betty’s groan and gone to investigate sped fleetingly through Bella’s brain, causing her to shiver.
“You cold?” Betty asked. “You can turn the heater up if you are.”
“No, I’m fine.”
Bella spotted Betty glance at her mother. She could tell they had something they were keeping from her. “What’s up?” Claire fidgeted slightly, which she always did if she was being secretive. “Mum?”
“Your mum has agreed to move in with me, for the foreseeable future, Bella,” Betty said. “Is that alright with you? I appreciate you’ve only just got her back from Sri Lanka, so do say if you’d rather she didn’t. I’d understand.”
Bella shook her head trying to hide her surprise at her mother’s generosity. “No, of course she must stay with you. I’m only down the road and can pop in to see you both, any time.”
“Thanks, love,” her mum said relaxing into a smile. “And at least this way, you can ask Alessandro to move back in and start earning rent again.”
Bella couldn’t help feeling a little relieved at the thought of having her income topped up once again, but felt guilty that her mother was so concerned by it. “That’s fine, Mum, really, but I was perfectly happy having you to stay with me. You do know that, don’t you?”
“I do, but this way, I don’t feel like a burden to you.”
“And she can look after me,” Betty added. “Good. Now that’s settled, you’d better go and break the news to Alessandro that he’s got his bedroom back, so he can give in his notice at the hotel.”
“If you’re certain?” Bella asked, to be doubly sure they were happy with the move.
“Yes,” her mum insisted. “It suits us all very well. Now, go and tell him before he ends up paying for another night at that place.”
She kissed them both and leaving Jack behind to chat, ran to the Sea Breeze Hotel to try and find Alessandro.
The first person she met was Charlie, the assistant manager from the night before. “You’re not still on duty,
surely?” she asked.
“About to clock off, thankfully.”
She asked if he knew where she’d find Alessandro Salvatore.
Charlie pointed to the restaurant. “I believe he might still be in there. He’s got company though.” He lowered his voice. “By the look on his face when I last saw him, he’ll more than likely be glad of your interruption.”
“Nicki?” Bella asked, wondering how she had persuaded Alessandro to eat at the restaurant when he could have gone to Sacha’s café for breakfast instead.
Charlie nodded. “Yes.”
“Poor man.”
“I agree. Right, time for me to get going. Bye.”
Bella gave him a wave and then bracing herself, went to the restaurant to find Alessandro sitting at a table opposite Nicki, with drinks in front of them. His eyes had a far-away look to them and he seemed to be nodding every so often. She couldn’t help feeling sorry for him. She waited until he’d taken a mouthful of coffee while Nicki ranted, then inserted herself between them and rested a hand on his shoulder.
“Good morning,” Bella said. “Sorry to interrupt.” She wasn’t sorry at all, and Nicki clearly sensed it.
“We’re actually in the middle of an important conversation,” she snapped, glaring at Bella.
“It seemed a little one-sided from where I was standing,” Bella said, a fixed smile on her face. “I’m afraid I need to have a private word with Alessandro. It’s important and it won’t wait. Sorry.”
Nicki stared at her. Bella could tell she didn’t want to leave them, but had no reason to stay. “I’ve said all I need to, anyway,” she grumbled, before standing and marching off.
“Thank you,” Alessandro said, putting down his cup and motioning for Bella to take a seat. “That lady, she is very strange.”
Bella nodded, amused. “Does that mean you’ll be happy not to stay here and risk eating your breakfast with guests like her?”
“I do not understand.”
Bella lowered her voice. “Would you like to return to your old room at my cottage?”
His eyes lit up and he beamed at her, giving her the answer she knew he would. “Very much, Bella. But what about your mama?”
Autumn Antics: Escape to the seaside with the perfect autumn read! (The Boardwalk by the Sea Book 2) Page 15