Summer Sundaes: Escape to the seaside with the perfect summer read! (The Boardwalk by the Sea Book 1)

by Georgina Troy

  Bella thought about what she’d said. “Like those VIP cordons, you mean?”

  “Yes,” Sacha said. “It’s a little different and would go with the eclectic style of the shop.”

  “I like it,” Bella said, smiling. “I’m going to do that.” She tapped Sacha’s knee. “You’re so clever sometimes, do you know that?”

  The couple decided to buy the vase, and while Bella served them Sacha went to look at the new stock. She especially liked the vintage cocktail hats Bella had recently acquired. She knew it was good for her bank account that her flat was so small, otherwise she’d have a hard time not treating herself to many of the beautiful things she discovered in this little shop. She was about to try one of them on when she heard the little brass bell announcing that the door was being opened, and waited for the customers to close it behind them.

  “Good sale?” she asked Bella.

  “Yes, I got that for a bargain, but it is a beautiful piece and they’ve not done too badly either.” She sat back down. “Right, what were we talking about? Oh yes, your issue with Alessandro.”

  “I really like him,” Sacha admitted. “But, however I try to look at it, there’s no point in allowing myself to get involved with someone who’s opened up an ice cream parlour in direct competition to mine.” Bella went to argue, but Sacha carried on before she had the chance. “Look, I know he’s doing it for his father, so I get that he probably can’t really not do it, but it makes things very difficult between us.”

  “I can see why,” Bella said, giving Sacha a sympathetic look. “Does your dad know about all this yet?”

  “No,” Sacha said, dreading the prospect of him coming down to the boardwalk and causing a fuss. She loved her dad, but he was a big local character and seemed to believe that he had some sort of entitlement to have a successful business there. She was still surprised that he’d suggested she take over this particular café. It had been the first one he’d set up, years before, with several following whenever he could afford to start them up.

  “It’s all a bit of a mess and I know he’s not going to take the news well. I was hoping you might help me come up with a way to make both businesses work successfully.”

  “You just want to find a way to stop him returning to Italy and his life as an archaeologist.” Bella winked at her.

  “It’s more complicated than that,” Sacha said miserably. She thought of the pictures she’d seen of Alessandro and Livia and explained about his past.

  “I thought he looked familiar, but I never thought he was someone I’d recognise from magasines.” Bella stood up. “Keep an eye on the shop for a second and I’ll make us a cup of tea. I think we both need it.”

  Sacha agreed and when Bella disappeared into her tiny kitchen, she stared into space for a while. Annoyed at the downturn in her mood, she got up, needing something to take her mind off her problems. She spotted an aqua cocktail hat with a short veil that took her fancy. Maybe, she mused, as she picked it up, it wouldn’t be too bad if someone took over the gelateria and then Alessandro would be distanced from it. She was being ridiculous. Whether she liked it or not, he was connected to it and she was just going to have to deal with it and work extra hard to be inventive and ensure her business didn’t suffer.

  She suggested this to Bella, who was making a noise in the kitchen. Bella eventually shouted back, “You’ll make it work, you’re determined.”

  “I don’t really have much choice, do I?” she said, mainly to herself. If she lost the café then she’d have to move out of her flat and not wake up to that view each morning. No, she would simply have to find a way. Feeling a little better at her own positivity, she studied the little hat, entranced by how it was made with some form of wiring inside.

  She placed it on her head, moving it a little until she was happy. The hat held itself in place without a hat pin or elastic, and standing in front of a fifties-style mirror, Sacha pulled down the fine net veil to cover her eyes.

  “Maybe your dad can come up with some ideas, or your mum?”

  The thought of her father becoming involved; arguing with Alessandro and ordering her around, was not the answer she’d been hoping for. “No chance. Maybe your dad might be a good person to ask such a thing, but not mine.”

  Sacha wondered if her mum would be helpful. She doubted it, especially as her mother would more than likely agree with her father’s thoughts on any matter. Her mother had worked as hard as he had over the years. Her business acumen had played a big part in the success of his businesses. Sacha thought back to when she was small, and all the times her mum had left her and Jack with their grandparents, or a willing neighbour. She remembered occasions when her mum had needed to cover an absent employee at one of the cafés, or had taken Sacha and Jack with her to buy supplies if they couldn’t be delivered early enough. No, her parents pretty much stood together on anything to do with their businesses. Sacha knew it was their united front and support of each other that had helped make them so successful.

  “Very pretty,” Bella said, walking into the room, carrying a small tray with mismatched cups and saucers. “I’ve treated us to a custard cream each, too.”

  Sacha laughed. “Lovely, my favourites.” She tilted her head to one side and then the other. “So, you think I should buy this hat?”

  “I do.”

  Sacha put her hands on her hips. “Where would I wear it, though?”

  “You don’t have to wear it, just have it on display.” Bella thought for a moment. “Did your mum ever have those polystyrene heads? Mine did, she kept one for wigs and hair pieces. Maybe you could get something like that and display it on there. Put it on your dressing table?”

  Sacha vaguely knew what she was talking about. She liked the idea, although she had no idea where she’d find such a thing. It was something to look out for, though.

  “Yes, I’ll buy it. Can you keep it for me until tomorrow and I’ll pay for it then?”

  “You can take it now, you don’t have to wait,” Bella said, shaking her head.

  “No, tomorrow’s fine. I don’t really know where I’m going to put it until I get that head thing sorted.” She took a sip of her tea.

  “Anyway,” Bella said, thoughtfully. “If Alessandro found someone to take over from him at his place then surely it would mean he’d go back to his archaeological work?”

  “He has to find someone to manage the place,” Bella said, chewing her lower lip. “He’s not licenced to work here.”

  “No, he isn’t,” Bella said, frowning. “So, once he does that, then he’ll have no reason to stay.”

  “No.” Bella was right, if he didn’t have the gelateria keeping him here, then he’d move on. Sacha sighed, miserable at the thought, then decided that if she couldn’t ever be with him, then maybe it would be easier if he left, once everything was sorted out. It would take her time to get used to him not being around, but it was better than having him here and knowing he was still pining for Livia.

  She noticed Bella seemed a little sad. “Is something bothering you?”

  Bella frowned. “You probably haven’t heard about Betty’s cottage?”

  “No,” Sacha said, forgetting her worries about Alessandro. “Why? What’s happened?”

  “She’s very private and usually keeps everything close to her chest, as you know,” Bella said. “But I popped in to see her last night with some apple crumble I’d made for her, and found her in tears.”

  Sacha gasped. Everyone was fond of the petite stalwart of their village. Betty was well respected and independent despite being ninety-three and rather frail. “I hope she’s okay,” she said. “I’ve only seen her from a distance since coming back from my trip. It did occur to me that she hadn’t popped in to the café, like she usually does a couple of mornings each week.” Sacha’s heart pounded with fright. “I thought she had other things going on. I hope nothing bad has happened to her.”

  “She’s fine physically, if that’s what you mean,” Bella
said. “No, it’s just that she received a letter from some administrator who looks after the company that owns her cottage.”

  “But I thought she owned it,” Sacha said, confused. “Though thinking about it, I only assumed that because she’s always been there.”

  “I thought so, too,” Bella said, miserably. “She was in such a state that I asked to see the letter she was holding and it turns out that the lease on the cottage is up in a couple of months and she needs to either renew it, pay for an extension of five years, which is something they’ve offered her, or find somewhere else to live.”

  Sacha felt sick. “But that would kill her. What can we do?”

  Bella shrugged. “I phoned the number on the letter for her and explained that she couldn’t afford the extra money. To be fair, the woman I spoke to was very sympathetic. She explained they don’t usually offer five-year extensions, but are doing this for Betty because they’re aware of her age and the fact that she’s lived there for the past fifty years.”

  “I suppose that’s nice of them,” Sacha conceded.

  “I could tell she didn’t like the situation, but she explained that Betty needs to pay the five thousand pounds for the extension, or they’ll have to lease it to someone else. Apparently, there are people desperate to get their hands on any one of the places along this boardwalk.”

  “I can see why,” Sacha said. Betty’s bad news had put her own issues with Alessandro into perspective. “She should be cared for after all she’s given to this island over the years. We can’t let that happen to her. We have to find a way to help.”

  “I agree,” Bella said. “But none of us has the available cash to pay for the extension.”

  They sat in silence, each slowly drinking their tea and desperately trying to come up with some way of helping their elderly friend.

  “Did you know,” Bella asked, interrupting Sacha’s thoughts, “that all the properties on the boardwalk are owned by the same company?”

  Sacha didn’t. “What, all of them?”

  Bella nodded. “Don’t you think that’s odd? Especially in this day and age?”

  “Mmm.” Sacha mulled over this piece of news. “Maybe we could find the directors of the company and discover who owns everything along here?”

  “And what? Try to persuade them to leave Betty carrying on as she has done, without having to pay for the extension?”

  “It’s worth a try.”

  “It is.”

  “Do you remember the name of the company on the letterhead that was sent to Betty?” Sacha asked.

  “No, but I can pop round to hers now and ask.”

  They decided to go together and knocked on Betty’s shiny red front door. When she didn’t answer, Sacha opened it slightly and called, “Hello?”

  “She could be out the back,” Bella said.

  They walked through the familiar cottage, which was filled with knick-knacks that Betty had collected over the years, careful not to bump into anything and disturb her ornaments.

  “Ooh, girls,” Betty cried, stepping through her open back door and nearly bumping into Bella. “I didn’t hear you there. What a lovely surprise.”

  They sat down and explained their thoughts about her lease.

  “Do you have that letter for me to check the company name?” Sacha said.

  Betty took it from the table next to her chair and passed it to Sacha.

  “Eidolon Holdings Limited,” she read, wondering why the name sounded familiar. It dawned on her that it was the name of the lease of her café. “Of course it is,” she mumbled, remembering Bella telling her that one company seemed to own all the properties along the boardwalk. “We need to discover who is behind this company.”

  “I’m not sure what you hope to gain from doing that,” Betty said. “To be fair, they are trying to help me stay here.”

  “True,” Sacha said. “But if they own all these properties then surely they don’t need to ask you for anything to extend your lease. Surely you’ve been one of their best, and maybe longest standing tenants, and that should account for something?”

  “Business is business,” Betty said, pointing at the letter with the end of her walking stick. “Don’t you two worry about me, something will turn up,” she said, not sounding at all convinced, Sacha thought.

  “We’re not going to leave this as it is,” Bella said, standing up to leave. “You’re staying in this cottage, we’ll make sure you do.”

  “Yes, we will,” Sacha said, smiling at Betty with more confidence than she felt. “You leave it to us.”

  They said goodbye and returned to Bella’s cottage. Sitting back down again, cooling teas in their hands, Sacha groaned.

  “I don’t think we should have promised something we aren’t certain we can make happen.”

  “No, neither do I,” Bella said. “But we have promised her now and we must sort this mess out for her. It’s the least we can do.”

  “Right,” Sacha said. “The first thing we need to do is look up the company on the local company register.” She watched as Bella opened her laptop and typed in the company name.

  “This is all very good, but it only tells us when the company was formed and where the registered office is, and we already know that address because it was on the letter.”

  “We can apply for the company papers,” Sacha suggested. “But first I think we should try and find out who’s behind the company by phoning and asking the same woman you spoke to.”

  Bella frowned. “You really think she’s allowed to tell us anything? Come on, that’s never going to happen.”

  “So, should we pay to download the information then?”

  “Why not?”

  By the time Sacha left, they’d downloaded documents and discovered that the directors of the company were nominee shareholders. “So, all we’ve found out is that two companies are the shareholders of the company that owns these properties then?”

  They sat in annoyed silence.

  “We’ll have to go with Plan B then,” Bella said.

  “We have one?”

  “Nope, not yet.”

  “I know,” Sacha shrieked eventually, a delighted grin on her tanned face. “We can arrange a fête.”

  “What?”

  “A fête,” Sacha said, satisfied with her suggestion. “To raise money for Betty’s Fund. It’ll bring all the people on the boardwalk together for one big event and hopefully we can raise enough to pay for her lease.”

  Bella’s eyes widened. “You’re brilliant,” she said, raising her cup and spilling some on her wooden floor. “We can also introduce Alessandro’s ice cream parlour to more people. It’ll be a way to show everyone that there’s room enough for both your businesses.”

  Sacha thought about what her friend was saying. “I suppose we could promote the differences between the two businesses and maybe encourage people to come to the boardwalk to try both. It would be a way to attract attention to the area for those who lived on the island but don’t ever think to come down this way.”

  Excited by her idea, her mind raced with plans for the event. “We could invite others from outside the area to set up stalls. I’m pretty sure that when people discover what’s happened to Betty they’ll want to get involved with their own stalls, and if they don’t have anything to sell then they can donate towards the fund. It would make it a little more diverse. We’ve got my café, Alessandro’s ice cream parlour, your antique shop, and Jools’ second-hand book shop. We could ask that couple with the cider business to set up a stall, and those people we saw at the Christmas market with the lavender cushions, oils and other bits and pieces. We could also ask the family who adapted their tomato farming business to make and sell fresh tomato sauces.”

  “Yes, and Betty can make her Jersey Wonders,” Bella said. “She’d love to be involved. What about the local couple we met a few months ago who make that divine salted caramel sauce? You could use some on your ice creams and maybe some waffles, and then if th
ey like it…”

  “Which they’re bound to because it’s heaven in a bottle,” Sacha said, clapping her hands. This was going to be brilliant, she knew it.

  “Hell, yes,” Bella giggled. “Then you could point them in the direction of the stall to buy their own to take home.”

  Sacha smiled. “I knew we could do this, Bella.”

  “We could get Lexi to set up a stall with her paintings,” Bella added. “She’s always looking for more outlets.”

  Sacha contemplated how else they could make the event successful. “We’ll need to arrange a raffle and some events that people have to pay to take part in.”

  “The stall holders will pay to rent the spot where their stall is positioned and maybe they could give a small percentage to the fund for Betty?”

  “Good idea,” Sacha said. “I’m happy to donate all my profits on the day and I can ask Alessandro and Lexi if they’ll do the same.”

  “I’m happy to,” Bella agreed. “We also need to make the boardwalk look like we’re holding the event.”

  “I know, we can hang bunting from the Victorian lampposts across to the shops. It would look wonderfully colourful. What else could we do?”

  They thought a bit more and Bella stretched across her counter to reach a notepad and biro. “We need to write this down,” she said, making hurried notes.

  “We have to get everyone together and decide on a date that suits everyone here.”

  “No, that won’t work,” Bella said.

  “Why not?”

  “It’ll take too much time. You know how most of them faff about when they have to do anything out of the ordinary.”

  She had a point, Sacha agreed.

  Bella tapped her notes with the back of her biro. “You and I can work out a perfect weekend when this can be held. We only need a couple of weeks’ notice, because we’re already here and the stall holders are used to popping up in different locations all the time, so they’re organised. I think we should save time by deciding between us and making up leaflets to pop though the other doors along the boardwalk, asking if they want to be involved, and give them till this Sunday to decide. We need to get on with it, if we’re going to make the most of any fundraising activities we can come up with.”