Summer at Lavender Bay

by Sarah Bennett

  The early morning shadows crept across her wall, turning the room from black, to dim grey, to hints of the sunshine to come. Gritty-eyed, she turned her pillow over to try and find a comfortable spot for her aching head. Eliza squeezed her eyes shut and begged her brain to stop with its internal movie show. The little girl from the playground was all grown up now; the idealistic bride had seen too many of her dreams pushed to one side. Martin wasn’t a monster, but he wasn’t the happy-ever-after she hoped for either.

  A pair of warm hazel eyes filled her mind’s eye, the hint of a dimple skirting the edge of a pair of smooth lips quirked into a half smile. Flopping onto her back, she flicked her eyes open and stared up at the ceiling as though there were answers to be found in the stippled white surface. ‘Oh, Eliza, what are you doing?’ she groaned aloud.

  ‘Talking to yourself?’

  Her brother’s gently mocking tone from the doorway sent her sitting bolt upright. ‘What are you doing creeping about like that?’

  He held up his hands. ‘Not creeping, it’s my turn to cover the breakfast shift and I just wanted to look in on you as you were still sewing away when I left last night. Beth sends her love and asked me to remind you that you’re expected at six-thirty, just in case it had slipped your mind. She said to take your toothbrush and your PJs so I’m guessing I’ll be making use of my room here tonight.’ Propping one shoulder against the doorframe, he frowned at her. ‘Everything all right?’

  It was on the tip of her tongue to dismiss him but she found herself saying, ‘Not really.’

  Sympathy filled his green eyes. ‘Want to talk about it?’ When she nodded, he straightened up. ‘I’ll stick the kettle on and get some bacon in the pan. Wash your face and come and find me in the kitchen.’

  Having splashed cold water on her face and cleaned her teeth, Eliza entered the kitchen feeling halfway human. A steaming mug of tea sat in front of a placemat on the table and she slid into the chair and wrapped her hands around the hot ceramic.

  ‘D’you want a roll or a sandwich?’ Sam asked from his position by the breadboard.

  ‘Roll, please. Wholemeal.’ She watched in silence as he sliced and buttered a couple of bread rolls then crossed the kitchen to place the butter back in the fridge.

  Tucking his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, Sam leaned back against the fridge and stared at her, concern etched into his face. ‘Spill it.’

  ‘Leaving Martin was the right thing to do.’ She hadn’t meant to phrase it as a question, but if she could hear the uncertainty in her voice, Sam surely could too.

  ‘Are you asking or telling, because I think you know my opinion on that.’ He’d never made a secret of his apathy when it came to Martin, that was for sure.

  ‘Telling. Only…’ She shrugged. ‘I don’t want everyone to think he’s the villain of the piece. It takes two to make a marriage, and two to break it. If he’d cheated on me or been horrible then maybe it would be easier to just shrug it off and move on.’

  ‘Move on to what?’ His brow furrowed. ‘Did something happen yesterday between you and Jack?’

  Eliza ducked her head over her tea. ‘Not really. We got a bit confused for a moment, but we’ve both agreed it’s a bad idea.’

  ‘But you like him?’

  There was no censure in his tone, but that didn’t stop her face burning. ‘That’s not the point. It’s too soon. I need to get things sorted out with Martin before I even think about getting involved with anyone else.’ She forced herself to sit up straight. ‘Besides, I’ve got too much to do setting up the new business.’

  ‘I think the lady doth protest too much.’ Sam muttered the old phrase just low enough for her to pretend she hadn’t heard it.

  Taking a mouthful of tea, she tucked her leg underneath herself and shrugged. ‘I didn’t sleep well so you can ignore my nonsense. This pity party is officially cancelled. Now, where’s that bacon roll you promised me?’

  Thankfully, he let it go though she was sure she hadn’t heard the last of it. Once Sam got the scent of something he was like a bloodhound. His question about Jack had caught her off guard, she would have to be better prepared before she sat down with Beth and Libby later for their girls’ night in. Especially once the wine started flowing.

  The scent of hot bacon filled the air and within a couple of minutes her brother was setting a plate down in front of her. ‘Why don’t you take that and the rest of your tea back to bed? I can cover things this morning and you can try and get some sleep if you’ve had a rough night.’

  Smiling gratefully at his understanding, Eliza gathered her plate and mug. ‘You’re not all bad you know, Sam Barnes?’

  He pressed a finger to his lips. ‘Shh. Don’t tell anyone or I’ll get chucked out of the big brother club.’

  ‘You’re such a goof.’ And the best big brother any girl could ask for. Pausing at the threshold, she remembered something. ‘Hey, Sam? Can you double-check the diary, I think there’s a new guest arriving today? He said he’d stayed here before when I took the booking last week. A solo guy…Owen something.’

  Sam froze with his roll halfway to his mouth. ‘Coburn?’

  ‘Yes, that’s it.’

  ‘Well, that’ll be something to look forward to.’

  His sarcastic tone confused her. Sam was just about the most laidback person she knew. It took a lot to rub him up the wrong way, but it sounded like whoever this Owen guy was, he’d managed it. ‘Is there a problem?’

  Sam shook his head. ‘Not really, he’s just a bit of pain in the arse. Last time he was here he was sniffing around Beth…’ Her brother scowled. ‘He’d better not hassle her about selling the emporium again, or I’ll be having a quiet word with him.’

  Worried now, Eliza frowned. ‘Did I make a mistake in taking his booking? Neither of you have ever mentioned him to me.’

  ‘No, I’m sure it’ll be fine. He’s a property developer interested in the bay for some reason. He made an offer to buy next door when Eleanor died.’ Sam closed the distance between them and kissed her cheek. ‘Don’t fret about it. Go and get your head down. Mum and Dad can handle things downstairs, so I’ll sort Owen Coburn out when he arrives and then I must get the lighting scheme for the restaurant finalised.’

  Mention of Subterranean never failed to put a sparkle in his eyes, and she felt a frisson of excitement. ‘How’s it all going?’

  Sam beamed. ‘Fantastic. The main contractor is ready to go, I’m just waiting on the bank to approve the loan application and then we’ll be full steam ahead.’ His smile dimmed a little. ‘I had to give them another set of projections. I’m not sure they get the concept. I really hope they don’t try and water it down into something more mainstream as a condition.’

  She’d been so caught up in her own little bubble, she’d had no idea that was even a possibility. ‘Oh, bloody hell! That’ll ruin the whole thing if they do. What do they want, some boring little bistro with red and white checked tablecloths?’

  ‘Probably.’ He shrugged. ‘I’ll cross that bridge if we come to it. I believe in the concept, and I have to hope and pray they will too.’

  ‘Let me know if there’s anything I can do, okay?’ A huge yawn cracked her face. ‘But maybe wait until my brain is functioning again.’ She shuffled out, eyes already drooping.

  The bacon roll was gone within a few bites, the remnants of her tea drained down to the dregs. It crossed her mind she should clean her teeth again, but a stomach full of warm food and drink was doing a grand job of making her drowsy. This time when her head touched the pillow she was out like a light.

  With her tamed curls still damp from the shower tied back with a scrunchy, and wearing her oldest, most comfortable, yoga pants and a long T-shirt, Eliza ducked out the back of the pub with a shouted goodbye to her parents. She secured the gate behind her, then stopped short at the sight of a familiar black car in the alley way. A smiling Davey closed the boot, clutching a stack of cardboard trays. ‘Well, that’s goo
d timing! As soon as I saw the order I knew you three must be having a girl’s night in.’

  ‘Hello, Davey, lovely to see you again.’ Davey and his wife, Gina, ran one of the local takeaways. Their pizzas had the thinnest, crispiest bases and were always loaded down with toppings, not like the heavy, doughy things the big chains seemed to churn out. Her tummy gave an appreciate rumble as she adjusted the bag over her shoulder holding her overnight things and the bottle of wine her mum had thrust into her hands as she was leaving. ‘Here, I’ll take them.’ She held out her hands.

  ‘If you’re sure you can manage? Shall I get the gate for you? Beth said on the phone that she’d unlock it for me.’ Davey handed over the pizza boxes then scooted around her to push open the entrance to the back yard behind the emporium.

  Ever since a vagrant had broken into the back yard and caused an accidental fire which nearly destroyed the shop, Beth had been paranoid about security. Using her elbow, Eliza pressed the buzzer for the intercom. ‘I’ve got pizza and wine!’ she called into the speaker when Beth answered.

  ‘Oh, and here’s a little something from me and Gina, I almost forgot.’ Eliza turned to find Davey holding a white carrier bag.

  The door to the emporium flew open and Beth grinned at her before her eyes skipped past to fix on the bag. ‘Ooh, is that what I think it is?’

  Davey’s smile widened to reveal a set of dimples that hinted at the handsome young man Eliza recognised from one of the many photos that Gina had decorated the back wall of the takeaway with. ‘Gina’s homemade tiramisu, and it’s on the house before you say anything.’

  Beth raised an eyebrow but didn’t protest as she accepted the bag. It was an old argument, one they knew from experience they had no chance of winning. ‘Well, thank you both.’

  ‘Yes, you’re very kind,’ Eliza added.

  Davey left with a wave, looking pleased as punch. Beth trailed him to the gate and locked it behind him. After securing the back door, she ushered Eliza upstairs. ‘Libby’s already here.’

  Eliza headed straight for the living room to drop the pizzas on the coffee table. Libby bounced out of one of the armchairs to peck a kiss on her cheek, then sank back down and grabbed an already open bottle of wine. ‘I started without you! Grab a glass, and hurry back or I’ll scoff all this pizza too, I’m starving.’

  It always amused her how anyone who worked in a fish and chip shop could be hungry all the time, surely dealing with food all day would put her off? Eliza pulled the bottle of wine out of her bag and placed it on a shelf in Beth’s fridge. Then again, working in the pub hadn’t lessened her admiration for a nice, dry white, had it? Grinning to herself, Eliza returned to the living room and claimed her usual spot on one end of the sofa, a bookend to Beth.

  Libby took her glass, poured a generous measure and handed it back with a grin. ‘So, Beth tells me you were whisked off by some dark, mysterious stranger yesterday morning.’ She waggled her eyebrows.

  Knowing she’d have to spill the beans, Eliza decided to make them stew for a few moments. She took a sip of her wine, then put her glass aside to tug the pizza boxes towards her. ‘We should eat before this gets cold.’ It was hard not to smirk at the two sets of stony glares fixed upon her. ‘What?’ Helping herself to a slice from the top box she settled back into her corner of the sofa. ‘I spent the morning with a sexy, brooding farmer who kissed me. I don’t get what the big deal is…’

  If only she’d had a camera to hand because the stunned look on Libby’s face was an absolute picture. Trying not to smile, Eliza nibbled at the slice of pizza in her hand. The silence lasted for a whole five seconds before Beth and Libby exploded into action. A barrage of questions flew from their lips, but she resolutely ignored them until she’d finished the slice.

  She reached for her wine, only to have Beth snatch it away and lean back as far as she could to keep it out of Eliza’s reach. ‘No way! Not another drop until you tell us what you’re talking about. I was only teasing you this morning, I can’t believe you let him kiss you—you barely know the man!’

  Libby perched on the edge of her chair, nodding like one of those little plastic dogs people put on the parcel shelf of their cars. ‘Exactly, exactly! God, Eliza, what if he’s a serial killer?’ She gulped a mouthful of wine then waved the glass around. ‘Or, even worse, what if he wears budgie smugglers when he’s on the beach?’

  Eliza snorted. ‘You’re being ridiculous. He’s a nice guy. We had a look around the farm, he kissed me and we both decided it was a huge mistake. There was plenty of time for him to bump me off if that was his plan.’ She’d meant the last as a joke, expected her friends to laugh, but they both just stared at her. A seed of resentment formed in her middle. She knew telling them about the kiss, about her confusion over her attraction to Jack when things were still so raw after Martin, would be awkward so she’d tried to make light of it. You’d think she’d told them she’d been rolling in a haystack with him! When Beth had been sneaking around kissing Sam it had been a different story—Eliza had been expected to be excited for her. Not that she and Jack were sneaking around—or planning on anymore kisses.

  Feeling annoyed, she stood and marched into the kitchen to fetch a fresh glass and poured herself some wine from the bottle in the fridge. When she returned to the living room, Beth and Libby were whispering furiously, their foreheads almost touching. Eliza leaned against the door frame. ‘Something the two of you want to share?’

  Beth at least had the decency to look guilty as she glanced up. ‘We’re just worried about you, that’s all.’

  Libby tucked her feet up underneath herself then tugged the baggy front of her jumper down over her knees. ‘I was only messing about earlier, I didn’t really expect anything to have happened between you two…’

  ‘Why not?’ God, why was she being so contrary? Hadn’t she already decided the kiss was a mistake? Eliza tried to get a grip on the unusual flare of temper.

  Tugging at a loose thread on the hem of her jumper, Libby huffed out a breath to blow her peacock blue fringe out of her eyes. ‘Why do you think?’

  Furious now, Eliza gulped at her wine. ‘So, this is about Martin? You hypocrite! Who was practically turning cartwheels of joy along the prom over the fact I’d left him? And now you’re worried because I might be moving on? I was miserable for months, years, for Christ’s sake! What if I did decide I wanted to pursue things with Jack, would it be too much to expect you to support me? Don’t I deserve a little bit of something in my life that might make me happy?’

  Beth shot to her feet. ‘Of course you do!’ Hurrying over, she flung her arms around Eliza. Still angry, she stood stiffly in her friend’s embrace. Beth pulled back a little to meet her eyes. ‘I want you to be happy, we both do, but what if this is a just a rebound? A reaction to all the stress and strain you’ve been under? We don’t want you to get hurt, that’s all.’

  She knew they were right, but she was still so pissed off at them for stealing her thunder, for spoiling the joke she’d been expecting them to laugh over all evening. ‘Like I said, we decided it was a mistake. It was a stupid kiss, nothing more, and we’ve decided to just be friends.’ Knowing she was over-reacting, Eliza tried to shake off her ridiculous mood. Cocking one hand on her hip, she flicked her hair back over one shoulder. ‘Besides, so what if I am on the rebound? You’ve seen Jack! Who wouldn’t want to rebound into six feet of hard-bodied farmer?’

  ‘She’s got a point, B,’ Libby chipped in. ‘I can think of worse ways for her to get over being married to that wanker. I wouldn’t mind rebounding into Jack myself a few times. Now, sit down you two, before this pizza gets cold.’

  And just like that, the tension between the three of them vanished and they were all laughing. Eliza leaned her head against Beth’s shoulder and they exchanged a quick squeeze before resuming their seats on the sofa. When they each had a fresh slice of pizza in their hands, Eliza looked between the two of them. ‘Listen, I’m not going to go and make a fool
of myself over Jack, okay? But just for a moment he made me feel beautiful and wanted, and I haven’t had that in such a long time.’

  A little frown creased Beth’s forehead, but she didn’t say anything, just gave a quick nod. Libby wasn’t so easily cowed though. ‘If he’s that good a kisser, maybe you should think about rebounding into him.’

  Eliza let her mind drift back to that moment in the processing shed, to the heat and light that had radiated from her lips to every molecule in her body. ‘It’s a tempting prospect, but it’d only end in tears.’ She took another sip of her wine. ‘He comes across all big and gruff, but there’s this vulnerability about him once you dig a little deeper. We’re not rushing into anything. I told him about Martin, and he’s got his own issues so we’re just going to be friends.’

  Thinking about what she’d just said, Eliza let out a groan. She wasn’t ready, and from the little glimpses she’d got of Jack’s current situation he certainly wasn’t ready. And yet there was no denying the strength of their attraction. Just talking about him was making her want to see him again, to find out if that little spark between them had been an aberration or a hint of what the future could have in store for her. ‘Oh, Lord, I’m not fooling anybody with that, am I?’ Least of all herself. ‘I’m not saying never, I’m just saying not right now and so is he. It’s not like either of us is going anywhere.’

  Beth mimed zipping her lips closed while Libby settled for shaking her head slowly as she stuffed half a slice of pizza in her mouth. With a sigh, Eliza snagged a piece of garlic bread and chewed thoughtfully. Despite her little flash of anger, she was grateful that she had people around her who cared about what happened in her life, who didn’t want to see her get hurt. But, then again, she’d tried so hard to be careful and sensible and look how that had turned out.

  Maybe she should just stop worrying so damn much about everything. Things with Jack might develop into something later down the line, they might not, but she couldn’t let fear of getting hurt again rule her life. If she didn’t seize every opportunity to live the most fulfilling life she could then what had been the point of turning everything upside down? She might as well have stayed with Martin. Pep talk over, she let herself relax back into the deep cushions of the sofa. ‘Right, enough of that for now, let’s talk about something else.’