by Nell Dixon
* * * *
Adam adjusted the foil survival blankets around the shivering bodies of the two young boys the crew had plucked from the sea. The coxswain had radioed ahead to alert the ambulance service and to relay the news to their anxious parents that the kids were safe. What had possessed the boys to set to sea in a homemade boat on a cold December day, he’d never know. From their blue, pinched faces and anxious eyes, he was certain they regretted their decision now.
A small crowd had gathered next to the boathouse on their return. Adam didn’t bother to see if Meg was amongst them. He knew she wouldn’t be there. The shop was probably busy, and she always avoided the lifeboat station. He assisted the paramedics to transport the boys to the waiting ambulance and reassured their parents before entering the changing room to swap his clothes for his work suit.
He checked his phone to see if there were any messages from the surgery. Fortunately he’d just finished seeing the last of the morning’s list of patients when his pager had sounded. There was nothing from the practice, only a text from his mother reminding him that she’d invited Henrietta Swift, the daughter of one of her friends, to stay for the carnival weekend.
Adam suppressed a sigh. His mother’s attempts at matchmaking were relentless. Etty Swift was a junior doctor at the local general hospital, and his mother was always hinting at how suitable she would be as Adam’s bride. He’d met Etty many times before and although he was fond of her, it was as a friend, not as a girlfriend. The only girl he was interested in having as his girlfriend happened to be a spiky brunette who managed an upmarket clothing store on the seafront.
He slipped his mobile phone into his pocket and collected his coat. Now he would be expected to entertain Etty all weekend instead of trying to spend his precious free time with Meg.
“Thank you, Mother,” he muttered and slipped out of the boathouse to walk back towards the medical practice.
The wind stung his face as he walked, prickling his skin with tiny ice needles. He shivered and turned up his coat collar, quickening his pace to get out of the cold.
As he rounded the corner into the side street, he was forced to step into the inside of the footpath by a large white van turning into the narrow road. His pulse quickened when he spotted Meg’s distinctive red jacket coming towards him. From the brown paper package in her hand, he guessed she’d been to the deli to collect her lunch.
“Hi Meg.” He really needed to work on his pick up lines.
“The emergency’s over then?” A pink flush spread over her cheeks. “I thought I saw you go past the shop. Was everything okay?”
“Yes, it was two kids in a homemade boat. Luckily, we reached them before it started to sink.” He dreaded to think of what would have happened to the boys if the lifeboat hadn’t been there.
“I’m glad everything was all right.”
“Me too. Kids, hey?”
She gave a small smile. “I should get back to the shop. I’ve been gone for ages; I got chatting in the deli.”
He stepped back to allow her to pass him. “Will you be at the Mermaid tonight? It’s the Christmas quiz.”
“I expect I’ll be at the pub later. I’m helping Dan and Erin get the youth club float ready for tomorrow night.” The colour in her face deepened.
“I guess I might see you later, then.”
“Sure.” Her smile widened, and she eased past him to continue on her way back to the shop.
Adam carried on walking to the practice, replaying the conversation with Meg in his mind. Why didn’t he have the gift of easy conversation with girls? Every time he met Meg, it was as if his tongue glued itself magically to the roof of his mouth and every intelligent thought left his head.
He’d tried hinting at taking her on a date several times, but somehow it always came out wrong. They’d continued on as friends, hanging out with the same group and meeting up at the Mermaid or the seafront café where Erin worked. It was okay, but he wanted Meg to see him as more than a friend.
His mobile rang as he reached his car. He retrieved it from his pocket to find Etty’s number on the screen.
“Hi Adam, I hope it was okay with you that your mum invited me for the carnival?”
“Of course, it’s always nice to see you.”
“That’s good. I’m really looking forward to a break.” There was a wobble in her voice, and Adam knew something was wrong.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, just feeling a bit stupid and getting over a broken heart. No big deal.”
Her tone was over-bright and he suspected she was trying not to cry.
“Nothing like a few days by the sea, and the New Bay carnival to repair broken hearts.”
“Thanks, Adam, you’re such a good friend.” This time there was a touch of laughter in her voice.
“Get here early enough tonight, and I’ll take you to the pub. It’s time for the annual Christmas pub trivia quiz. I’m reliably informed that you could win a free-range turkey.”
“You’re on.” This time her laughter was more obvious.
He chatted to Etty for a few more minutes until he was satisfied that she sounded more cheerful. The icy wind made him shiver, reminding him he was standing in a cold and deserted car park. He climbed inside his car and blew on his fingers to warm them before starting the engine.
It wasn’t like Etty to be upset, he mused as he drove. Last time he’d seen her she’d been dating one of the surgical registrars at the hospital where she worked. She’d been pretty loved up, but now it sounded as if her romance had foundered.
He sighed as he paused for the traffic lights near Meg’s shop. Beach Diva’s shop front was decked out with red and green sweaters, scarves and hats with pretty silver glitter snowflakes dancing across the square windowpanes. It looked Christmassy and romantic in the dull grey light of the early afternoon.
The lights changed and he pulled away, turning towards his family home on the outskirts of New Bay. He couldn’t help wishing some Christmas romance would rub off on Meg. Maybe then she might start to see him in a different light, instead of ‘good old Adam’.
* * * *
The shop was full with people when Meg returned. She left her sandwich and her coat in the staff room and went to help her mother serve the customers. By the time the bell over the door sounded a farewell to the last customer, Meg’s stomach growled.
She hurried into the back room to retrieve her lunch, finally acknowledging the rumbles of complaint from her stomach.
She took a large bite from her brie and cranberry sandwich, chewed and swallowed. “Yum, this is heaven.”
“You know if you made your own sandwiches it would be a lot cheaper,” her mother tutted as she moved around the shop tidying as she went.
“I do make my own most days. Some days though it’s nice to have a treat.” Meg took another bite.
“Did you hear anything about the lifeboat call out?”
Meg licked a crumb of cheese from the corner of her mouth. “Yes, it was two kids in a homemade boat. I met Adam as I was walking back and he told me.”
Her mother paused as she straightened up a basket of shell jewellery. “I’m glad everyone was all right. I assume they were all safe?” she asked, clearly fishing for information.
Meg nodded as she swallowed another morsel of her lunch. “Yes, the kids have gone to the hospital, but they’re fine.”
“Good job Adam was on the boat then.”
“Mum, let’s not have this discussion now. You know how I feel about Adam being on the lifeboat crew.”
Val pursed her lips. “What happened to your dad can’t be undone, love. New Bay men have always gone to sea, that’s how it is. Adam does a vital job for the lifeboat. They need young strong men like him, and his medical know-how is a real bonus to the crew. If he hadn’t been on the boat when they pulled young Brad out of the water a few months back, he wouldn’t be here to tell the tale.”
Meg shivered. In her heart, she knew her
mother was right. Brad had been surfing when he’d been caught in an undertow. Without the bravery of her friend Erin’s boyfriend Dan and Adam’s medical skill then Brad would have drowned.
“Dad went to sea because he was a fisherman. It was his living. Adam is deliberately putting himself in danger every time the boat goes out.” Her voice shook as she spoke.
Her father had been drowned when she’d been a teenager. His boat had been caught in a terrible storm a few miles from the safety of the harbour. She’d seen and felt first hand what losing someone you loved to the sea could do.
“And if it weren’t for men like Adam there’d be more folk lost. There’s danger everywhere, Meg. I could have lost your dad to a road accident or cancer.” The lines on her mother’s face softened, and she rested a gentle hand on Meg’s shoulder. “Think about it, Meg, and give Adam a chance.”
CHAPTER TWO
Meg had little time to think about Adam as she helped Erin and Dan prepare the children’s float for the carnival. The town streets were narrow and unsuited for heavy traffic, so the carnival was a walking one with people carrying their float. The procession was an impressive sight when darkness fell and each group were lit with fairy lights and torches.
Every year the carnival committee decided on a theme. This year the theme was to be TV shows. The youth group had selected SpongeBob SquarePants for their float. Meg finished painting the last of the pink crayfish face masks and laid down her brush.
“I’m seeing prawns in front of my eyes.”
Dan laughed as he fastened another string of lights to the fake seaweed panels the group would carry to hide their legs as they walked in the parade.
“I think we’ve probably done enough for tonight. Tomorrow we’ll meet early and get the last things done before the kids arrive and we set off. I think we’re pretty well ready anyway now.”
Meg surveyed their handiwork. The costumes were completed and drying, the lights were fixed and Dan and Erin had organised the children into groups for the parade.
“Time we went to the Mermaid then.” Erin agreed, smiling at Meg. “Will Adam be joining us for the quiz?”
Heat crept into Meg’s face at her friend’s teasing question. “I think so.”
Erin looked as if she wanted to say more in response to Meg’s offhand reply. Instead she stayed silent and slipped her arm through Dan’s, ready for the short walk to the pub.
The lounge bar in the Mermaid was already full when they arrived. A large fire crackled in the inglenook fireplace and festive lights twinkled a welcome above the bar. Meg unfastened the buttons on her coat and slipped her gloves into her pocket.
She looked around the crowded room and spotted Adam waving to them from the table nearest to the large tinsel-covered Christmas tree. Erin and Dan set off towards him, and Meg followed in their wake. An unexpected spear of jealousy caught her by surprise when she realised Adam wasn’t alone. A pretty dark haired girl was by his side at the table he’d kept for their group.
“Looks like a full house for the Christmas quiz. I love these things, even though I never get any of the questions right.” Erin sank down on the bench opposite Adam and Meg joined her while Dan collected some drinks for them all from the bar.
“I know, there were some stinkers last year. So long as we don’t come last we’ll be fine, and all the team entry fees are raising money for the lifeboats,” Adam replied.
Meg slipped off her coat and placed it behind her on the seat, wondering who Adam’s companion might be. She was sure she’d seen the girl in New Bay before.
“This is Etty, she’s a doctor at the hospital, and she’s down for the carnival weekend.” Adam introduced the girl as Dan returned with a tray of drinks.
Meg took her drink from the tray. Why hadn’t Adam mentioned he would have someone with him tonight? Etty laughed at something Adam said, and Meg wriggled uncomfortably in her seat.
Her heart clenched in her chest and envy prodded her in the ribs. She hadn’t realised how much she enjoyed spending time with Adam until this other girl had shown up.
“Hey dudes, room for one more?” Brad, the surfer Adam and Dan had rescued from drowning a few months earlier, hopped across the room on his crutches.
Meg watched as Etty scooted closer to Adam allowing Brad to sit on her other side. The stab in her heart grew sharper when Etty touched Adam’s sleeve and murmured something in his ear that made him smile.
“Are you okay?” Erin murmured.
Meg relaxed her grip around the stem of the glass she’d been holding just a little too tightly and forced herself to smile at her friend.
“I’m fine. Why?”
Erin raised a delicate eyebrow. “Nothing, you seem a bit tense, that’s all.”
The paper and pens for the quiz arrived at their table saving Meg from having to respond. The quiz master explained the rules and the categories causing the participants to laugh and groan in equal measure. The next hour was spent arguing over answers and laughing at bad jokes. Meg tried not to notice how many times Etty smiled at Adam or how many times he looked at her.
Once the answer sheet had been returned to the quiz master there was a short interval for drinks. Adam went to the bar with Dan to top up their glasses.
“How did you meet Adam, Etty?” Erin asked.
Meg had wondered the same thing.
“My mother is an old friend of Dan’s mum and we used to see each other around when we were in med school.” Etty smiled at them.
“Wow, so you’re a doctor like Adam? Cool.” Brad nodded his head.
Meg’s spirits sank even further. Etty was perfect for Adam. She was pretty, intelligent and seemed like a nice person. Brad carried on chatting and making the others laugh but Meg hardly noticed.
* * * *
“Etty seems nice,” Dan remarked.
Adam glanced back at the group while he waited for the bartender to fill their drink order.
“She’s okay. She’s an old friend. Mum invited her for the carnival weekend.”
Dan tugged his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. “Are you sure you two are just friends?”
Adam stared at him. “Sure, she’s just a friend. Etty’s a bit down at the moment, so Mum decided to ask her to stay and she was glad of the chance to get away for a few days. Why?”
Dan proffered some notes to the bartender. “You two seem to be quite close. I think Meg ‘s noticed it.”
Adam snuck another glance back at the group. Meg certainly didn’t seem her usual smiling self. “Are you saying you think Meg is jealous of Etty because she thinks she’s with me?”
Why would Meg be upset if he was with Etty? She’d made it pretty clear that she wasn’t interested in him romantically. Hope flickered briefly that maybe Meg was more interested in him than she’d led him to believe.
Dan shrugged. “Well, something’s bothering Meg. She was fine when we were finishing the preparations for the carnival float.”
Heat warmed Adam’s cheeks. His friend had to be mistaken. He carried the tray of drinks back to their table, and Dan followed with some snacks for the group to share.
Adam took his place next to Etty and snuck a quick peek at Meg. Her pretty face was pale, and she wasn’t joining in with the flow of conversation going on all around her. Either Dan had a point or she simply wasn’t feeling well.
The quiz master started to read out the answers from the first half of the Christmas quiz amid much catcalling, cheery insults and told-you-so’s from the various teams. Adam helped himself to crisps and continued to keep a discreet eye on Meg.
A sheet of paper came round for the second half of the quiz.
“Second place, dudes, I knew I was with the smart people.” Brad grinned.
“Yeah, we might even win the free-range turkey,” Erin said.
In the second round, the questions were all about music, something Adam knew Meg loved. When she only ventured a few answers he knew Dan was right, something was bothering Meg.
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At least Etty appeared to be enjoying herself. The colour had returned to her cheeks, and she and Brad were chatting away together like old friends. When she’d arrived at Adam’s he’d been shocked by the unhappiness in her dark eyes. He forced himself to concentrate on answering some of the questions, trying to draw Meg into the conversation. His efforts were mostly in vain.
Once the quiz round had ended and the answers had been given in, Etty went to the bar with Erin and Dan to get the group their final drinks for the night.
“Are you okay?” Adam leaned forward to talk to Meg.
“Sure. I’m a bit tired after being at the shop all day and then helping with the costumes for tomorrow night. Why?”
She’d answered a bit too quickly and a pink flush stained her cheeks.
“You seem quiet. You didn’t mind Etty coming with me tonight, did you?” He could have kicked himself as soon as the words had left his lips. What a dumb question.
Meg’s shoulders stiffened. “Why would I mind if you wanted to invite a friend? It’s none of my business who you take out.” Her lips compressed into a thin line, and she folded her arms.
The others returned, preventing him from answering. Adam suppressed a sigh. He’d never understand women. He took a sip of his pint. If Meg hadn’t said otherwise, her body language suggested that she’d very much minded that Etty had accompanied him to the quiz.
The quiz master announced the winning teams.
“Whoa, third place, awesome.” Brad high-fived Etty.
“At least we get a big tin of chocolates and not the turkey.” Dan placed a tender kiss on the tip of Erin’s nose.
Adam wished he could kiss Meg in the same way.
“Oh, carol singers!” Etty wriggled in her seat as the sound of New Bay’s brass band filled the air.