Robin tipped her head on one side, considering. ‘Possibly. Anyway, he’s not sure what to do with the house. He’s made noises about selling it, but I think he’s a long way off making that decision.’
‘So you have time, then.’ Molly made a few swift clicks with the mouse, and then joined Robin on the sofa.
‘Time for what?’
‘To get him to change his mind, to convince him not to sell.’
‘Why would I want to do that?’ Robin asked, although she knew what Molly was going to say, and she had a couple of reasons of her own that had nothing to do with Tim or Malcolm.
‘To protect Goldcrest Road, of course. God, Robin, haven’t you been paying attention to anyone? To Mrs Harris’s mad tirade, to Tim’s blue-eyed, weaselly charisma.’
‘That’s not how you described him last night!’
‘Oh come on, he’s gorgeous, but we both know he has his sights fixed firmly on number four. If Will’s there dealing with his aunt’s stuff, all vulnerable and confused, Tim’s going to pick him off like a duck at a fairground. We need to launch a campaign, and you need to be at the heart of it, because you’ve already wormed your way in. He’s in your guesthouse, under your roof, drinking your tea.’
Robin pressed her fingers to her lips. ‘I offered to help him with Tabitha’s house,’ she murmured. ‘Why did I do that? I don’t have the time.’
‘There you go, then,’ Molly said triumphantly. ‘You’re already doing it. You’re in the perfect place to prove to Mr Nightingale just how great Campion Bay is, and that Tabitha’s house, once it’s been put right, is an ideal second home for him – or first home – whatever.’ She sipped her tea and beamed at Robin.
‘Why do you care so much?’
‘Because I’m here too, silly. I don’t want Tim turning this place into some swanky seafront apartment building, or a bloody Costa Coffee.’
‘Even if you end up with lots more rich clients on your doorstep?’
Molly shrugged, not quite meeting Robin’s gaze. ‘I’m not selfish, and I know that, as much as it’s tempting, it’s not going to suit everyone. If this Will bloke is decent, then much better that he keeps the house intact, or sells it privately. So, what shall we call our campaign? It has to have a catchy name – or a code name, so he doesn’t find out what we’re doing. The Campion Bay Crusade, or Will he, Won’t he. How about Where there’s a Will there’s a way? What would that acronym be? WTAWTAW. That’s almost catchy – how about “Tawtaw” for short?’
Robin shifted on the sofa, uneasy with the idea of launching a campaign to keep Will here, as much as she agreed with the outcome. ‘It doesn’t have to be an official campaign,’ she said. ‘Let’s just show him how lovely Campion Bay is. We’d welcome any new neighbour like that.’
‘Don’t be such a wuss, Robin. What’s wrong with Campaign Tawtaw?’
‘It’s too close to twat for my liking.’
Molly rolled her eyes. ‘If you don’t go into this with any oomph then you won’t get the right result. Anyway, you didn’t answer my other question. Is this Will guy attractive? Does he up the totty-factor in Campion Bay? Oh,’ she said, inhaling sharply, ‘don’t tell me, I can see it all over your face. It’s like a bloody map of your heart.’
‘What’s wrong with my face?’ Robin asked aghast, feeling heat creep across her neck. ‘I haven’t formed any meaningful opinions about him, other than that he seems fairly nice and he’s got a cute dog.’
‘Cute dog? Is that what you’re going with? You’ve already picked out chair coverings for your wedding. Oh, Robin, what a turn up for the books this is, huh?’ She stood as the doorbell went, signalling the arrival of her next client. ‘So much landing on your doorstep, and so soon after opening, too. You’d better book yourself in for that manicure – and a facial while you’re at it. Hello, Mrs Wilkinson, make your way through and I’ll be along in a moment.’
Molly led Mrs Wilkinson into the treatment room and then turned round to give Robin a direct stare. ‘Campaign Tawtaw,’ she said in a loud whisper. ‘I can see you’re already invested in it. Get the hottie and his dog to stay, and the residents of Goldcrest Road will be indebted to you forever.’ She closed the door behind her, leaving Robin alone in the airy reception room, the purple orchid on the windowsill dancing gently in the breeze.
‘Campaign Tawtaw,’ she murmured. ‘Ridiculous idea.’ She left her friend to it, closing the front door and hurrying down the steps, turning not towards the guesthouse but crossing the road towards the promenade and the beach. The best place to clear her head and sort through her thoughts was beneath the cliffs on Campion Bay’s wild beach.
The waves crashed beside her as she walked, a constant and steady rhythm that Robin found comforting. Molly was right – a lot had happened in the last few days, and that was if she put aside the opening of her new business, welcoming holidaymakers through her doors, seeing the new, improved Campion Bay Guesthouse become a reality.
She’d known it would only be a matter of time before she saw Tim, but for him to be so attentive and keen to see the rooms, to seem to want to slot himself back into her life, was unexpected. Had she encouraged him? She couldn’t believe that a man like him, with charm and ambition and those golden curls, would be single for very long. But maybe old habits died hard, and she wasn’t the only one he was being attentive to.
Then there was Tabitha’s house. It was, in essence, an empty house. But now it was at the centre of a tug-of-war that Robin didn’t think she had fully grasped the extent of. What was it Molly had said? The residents of Goldcrest Road will be indebted to you forever. Were they all as passionate as Mrs Harris – Ashley and Roxy, Stefano and Nicolas at the taverna? Robin didn’t want the beautiful seafront houses being developed – they had history, and looked out to sea with a grandeur Robin had always loved. But was there a strong underlying current that Robin had missed since she’d been back?
She jumped as a loud wave crashed alongside her, and realized she had unconsciously steered towards the water. Was it Tim and Malcolm’s influence that had led to Will turning up? Had they tracked him down and called him, told him not to mention their involvement to anyone else he met in Campion Bay?
She had offered to help him clear out Tabitha’s house, but didn’t feel like she’d been fully in control as she’d spoken the words, as if there were stronger forces at work. It made her think of Neve’s belief in destiny. Robin couldn’t fully agree with her friend’s convictions, not least because of the unfairness of what had happened to her, but there were certain things about the last few days that were making her wonder. They had started to distract her from thoughts of the guesthouse, of future check-ins and the shopping she needed to do over the next few days.
She’d had no choice but to put Will in Starcross and then, when she’d been with him in Tabitha’s house, her last memory of Neve had returned as powerfully as a blow to the stomach. Robin hadn’t felt that way for months; since focusing on the guesthouse she’d started to see her grief as a permanent, but manageable, part of her life, and had been completely unprepared to be taken back to that night.
Eventually Robin began to make her way back to Goldcrest Road. The sun was sparkling on the water, and the breeze was gentle with a promise of summer warmth. Skull Island was full of people taking advantage of the good weather and the last day of the weekend, and the smell of fish and chips wafted through the air, making her stomach rumble.
She looked up at the seafront houses as she passed them; the teashop that Roxy and Ashley ran, Mrs Harris’s net-curtained guesthouse, the pink front door of Groom with a View. Will’s Alfa Romeo was parked outside number four, and while the downstairs curtains were open, Robin couldn’t see any movement inside. She was worried that she’d unnerved him with her offer of help, and that he was planning on waiting until after dark to sneak back into Starcross so he could avoid seeing her.
As Robin crossed the road she saw the taillights of a black Audi, braking hard and
turning up a side street towards the centre of Campion Bay. She thought of Tim’s assurance that no plans had yet been made about Tabitha’s house, and Molly’s insistence that Robin could play a role in convincing Will not to sell. As she stood in front of her guesthouse, Robin took a deep breath.
She had been worried when she’d made the decision to move back to Campion Bay that she’d be bored; that the sleepy seaside town wouldn’t come close to the excitement she’d had in London. Her new business had been open for twenty-four hours and, while the guests themselves were no trouble at all, she didn’t think boredom would be on her list of problems. If anything, she would struggle to fit everything in, but already the thought of taking back her offer to Will, of not helping him go through Tabitha’s things or spend time getting to know him, left her with a dull ache in her chest.
Robin opened the front door and took a second to listen, to see if any of the guests were home and in need of a mid-afternoon cuppa. When she was met with silence, she went into Sea Shanty to check Will in on GuestSmart. She found that she was grinning as she typed his name. She hit enter, and a blue box in the top of the screen flashed: Fully Booked.
It was her first weekend, and she was fully booked. Being back in Campion Bay was starting to feel like coming home, but a fresh, sparkling home with a new coat of paint and more intrigue and opportunities than she had ever imagined. Reopening the guesthouse, Robin realized, was just the beginning.
If you enjoyed Open for Business, we’re delighted to invite you to return to Campion Bay.
The next instalment in Cressy’s new series, Fully Booked, is available to pre-order now
Click here to pre-order FULLY BOOKED now 978-0-00-821925-3
Coming in February 2017
Looking for more adventures from Cressida McLaughlin? You’ll love THE CANAL BOAT CAFÉ: the perfect feel-good romance, available as a four part e-serialisation and a full novel.
Summer Freeman returns to the waterside village of Willowbeck to rescue the Canal Boat Café, her late mother’s picturesque narrowboat, which has run into choppy waters. A family friend, Valerie, has been trying to keep things afloat, but the coffee machine is jammed, the cake offerings are paltry, and not all of the locals want to see the café succeed.
Help comes from the boat next door, in the shape of handsome wildlife photographer, Mason, and his naughty Border Terrier, who are showing more than a passing interest in Summer and her adorable Bichon Frise, Latte. But is Mason being honest about himself? Or does he have something to hide?
As her life and the community of Willowbeck begin to entwine, Summer finds herself setting sail on a new adventure. Will the anchor of a steady life on land be too strong, or can Summer learn to cut loose and embrace life afloat?
Click here to buy THE CANAL BOAT CAFE now 978-0-00-813604-8
* The Canal Boat Cafe was first published as a four-part e-serial*
And don’t miss Cressy’s Primrose Terrace series, a heart-warming romance featuring Westies, Spaniels, Retrievers and Terriers – every dog will have its day!
The full Primrose Terrace novel, titled A CHRISTMAS TAIL, is available to buy now!
Catherine ‘Cat’ Palmer realizes that bringing an adorable puppy into work is a bad idea when it gets her the sack. Deciding it’s the perfect opportunity to launch her dog-walking business, Cat enlists the help of flatmates Polly and Joe. After all Primrose Terrace, the street where they live, is full of home-alone hounds.
Getting to know the owners and their precious pooches isn’t all plain sailing, but soon Cat is making friends, particularly with sexy Mark and his Collie, Chips. With her talent for misadventure, Cat’s new life starts to show some cracks, and when one of the street’s loveable schnauzers gets ill, it looks like this Christmas could be turning into a dog’s dinner. But Cat has never given up on anything in her life – and this is one Christmas that’s definitely worth saving …
Click here to buy now 978-0-00-813602-4
* A Christmas Tail was first published as a four-part serial set in Primrose Terrace*
About the Author
Cressy was born in South East London surrounded by books and with a cat named after Lawrence of Arabia. She studied English at the University of East Anglia and now lives in Norwich with her husband David. When she isn’t writing, Cressy spends her spare time reading, returning to London or exploring the beautiful Norfolk coastline. She is also the author of A Christmas Tail and The Canal Boat Café, both available in four-part serializations and as complete novels.
If you’d like to find out more about Cressy, visit her on Twitter and on Facebook. She’d love to hear from you!
/CressidaMcLaughlinAuthor
@CressMcLaughlin
Also by Cressida McLaughlin
Primrose Terrace series
Wellies & Westies
Sunshine & Spaniels
Raincoats & Retrievers
Tinsel & Terriers
A Christmas Tail – The Complete Primrose Terrace Story
Canal Boat Café series
All Aboard
Casting Off
Cabin Fever
Land Ahoy!
The Canal Boat Café – The Complete Story
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
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Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
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Canada
HarperCollins Canada
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HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited
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http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
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London, SE1 9GF
http://www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
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New York, NY 10007
http://www.harpercollins.com
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