Summer Season on the Seafront

by Katie Ginger

  In a throaty whisper he replied, ‘Yes, please,’ before kissing her again.

  ***

  Lottie opened the door and as soon as Sarah saw her face she sang, ‘I slept with Finn last night,’ waving the carrier bags of food she’d brought with her in the air and doing a happy dance, all thoughts of Vince forgotten.

  ‘You did not!’ Lottie’s eyes widened.

  ‘I did. I did. I did, I did, I did.’ Sarah was twisting around on the spot while Lottie laughed. She’d never been so happy. Even the situation with her dad couldn’t dampen her mood.

  ‘You’d better come in and tell me all about it then.’

  Finn had stayed the night and it had been the best sex Sarah had ever had. He’d been gentle but passionate. Just being near him made her happy. He was everything she’d been looking and hoping for. This morning they’d lazed in bed, making love one more time before he made them a cup of tea and some toast. And then, near lunchtime, he left, but there was no sneaking out as if it was all a horrible mistake, silently scrabbling around for clothes then doing a runner. He’d kissed her gently before getting dressed and then again on the doorstep as he said goodbye. The look in his eye had made her want to pull him back into the house and start all over again but he had to go. For the rest of the day Sarah had danced in her house while she cleaned, keeping herself busy just waiting for the evening to come so she could tell Lottie.

  Lottie took one of the carrier bags from Sarah and led the way to the kitchen. Lottie’s house had a wonderful, messy lived-in feel. She’d always lived there with her nan until she’d passed away last year, and Sarah could see why Lottie would never want to live somewhere else. Pictures adorned the walls and it was a wonderful, cluttered, untidy home, not just a place to live. ‘I thought you had rules about not doing anything on a first date?’ Lottie asked.

  ‘Yeah, but that was with strangers. I’ve known Finn for a year already. And believe me, I’ve waited for this moment for a long time.’ Lottie unpacked the ready meal Sarah had brought and turned the oven on to heat up. Sarah found the bottle opener in its usual drawer and uncorked the bottle of white wine. No screw tops today. She was treating them to a decent bottle worthy of Gregory and Cecil – they had something to celebrate.

  ‘So are you seeing him again?’ asked Lottie, looking over her shoulder as she found the plates and cutlery, and stacked them on the side.

  ‘We haven’t arranged anything yet, but I’m sure we will. Oh God, it was amazing, Lottie. He’s just the nicest person I’ve ever met. He’s so funny and kind and caring and—’

  ‘Okay, okay, calm down,’ Lottie teased. Dreamily replaying the night’s events in her mind, Sarah stared out of the window. When she realised Lottie had left her in the kitchen and made her way back to the living room, Sarah grabbed her glass and hurried after her.

  ‘So,’ said Lottie. ‘Do we think your heart has officially mended?’

  Sarah smiled and plonked down on the sofa. ‘I think it has.’

  ‘Good. About blimmin’ time. Vince the Prick doesn’t deserve any more of your time.’

  ‘I know.’ And talking about him, her heart hadn’t even twinged once. ‘How’s Sid enjoying his teaching job?’ she asked, moving the conversation along. Since he and Lottie had got together, he’d been taking his life much more seriously and had quit mooching to start teaching journalism at the local adult education centre on a Saturday afternoon. Since then he’d been feeling much more fulfilled, according to Lottie, and had begun talking about their future which, Sarah hoped, might feature a wedding one day and a pretty bridesmaid’s dress for her.

  ‘He absolutely loves it,’ said Lottie. ‘He’s got such a zest for life again. I’m so proud of him.’

  Sarah moved a record from the arm of the sofa and put her glass on the floor. There were boxes and boxes of old vinyl records everywhere, along with some other boxes stuffed with his beloved Lego models. ‘He’s brought a lot of his stuff over, hasn’t he?’

  ‘Hmm?’ A faint pinkness was beginning to colour Lottie’s cheeks. Sarah narrowed her eyes.

  ‘What’s going on?’

  ‘Nothing.’ This was exactly why Lottie wasn’t an actor in the Greenley Players. She was terrible. Utterly, utterly terrible. Especially when it came to telling lies, which was essentially what acting was. As their chairman she was fantastic, but she couldn’t act if her life depended on it.

  ‘Is Sid moving in?’ asked Sarah, unable to keep the surprise from her voice.

  The splotchy pinkness spread down Lottie’s neck. ‘Maybe.’

  ‘Eeeeeeeeeeek!’ Sarah grabbed Lottie in a bear hug, filled with happiness for them both. It had taken them long enough to get together so it was wonderful they were now taking the next step. Sarah sat back and picked up her glass again, proposing a toast. After they’d clinked glasses, she said, ‘So Sid’s moving in here, is he? What about his flat?’

  ‘He’s going to sell it.’

  ‘I’m so happy for you.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Lottie beamed a big cheesy grin. ‘Have you seen the posters in the outside poster cases? They’re finally up.’

  ‘No, are they hideous?’

  ‘No. Look. I’ve got spares here.’ Lottie grabbed a brown cardboard poster tube and wriggled out a poster. She unrolled it and Sarah winced. As feared, her face was absolutely enormous.

  ‘My face is huge. And I can see that spot I tried to cover with a mountain of concealer.’

  Lottie studied the poster again. ‘It looks fine.’

  ‘It looks like a second head. We could draw a face on it and it could have a part in the play.’

  ‘Rubbish.’ Lottie tutted then giggled. ‘I think it looks really good actually.’ It didn’t but Sarah was in too good a mood to worry. Nothing could be done about it now anyway. ‘How did the coaching go with Nate Thursday night?’

  ‘Urgh.’ Sarah sucked in a deep breath then blew it out puffing out her cheeks. She’d been tempted to phone Lottie Thursday night and explain what had happened, but her brain had been all over the place and by the time she’d calmed down she was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to climb into bed. Plus it was one of those things you had to explain face to face. ‘It was disastrous.’ She paused. ‘Well no, maybe not that bad, but not good either. It was sort of terrible, but—’

  Lottie shook her head. ‘That makes absolutely no sense at all.’

  Sarah laughed and explained what had happened, including her revelation and Gregory and Cecil’s ridiculous interruptions. Lottie’s expression changed from one of surprise to concern and then eventually back to surprise when Sarah described the scene with Nate at the beach. ‘God, it’s like something from a movie,’ she said at last.

  ‘I know. Just without the moving soundtrack and flattering lighting.’

  ‘So you and Nate Hardy of the lovely bum had a moment on Greenley beach.’

  ‘I wouldn’t say we had a moment,’ Sarah replied. ‘Besides, he must think I’m gross because at one point he accidentally touched my hand and couldn’t get his away fast enough. It was like I had the plague or hepatitis or something.’ Thinking about it, it had all been so intense at the time. If they had had a moment it wasn’t a moment moment. It was more a mutual appreciation for how shit life could be rather than anything else. ‘Anyway, I think it may have actually helped. Now I know why I didn’t like Miranda, I can deal with it and start actually playing her. It is just a part after all. Urgh, that sounds super pompous and acty, doesn’t it?’

  ‘Are you going to carry on with the coaching?’

  Sarah had thought about it a lot since that night, unsure if it would be too awkward to see Nate again. But she wanted to talk to him. Maybe help him with what he was going through, the way he’d inadvertently helped her. ‘Yeah, I think so. I hope so. I’ve got a lot to learn from Nate and he’s a good teacher. He certainly made me see my character differently. I just hope Gregory and Cecil can control themselves next time.’

  ‘Hey,’ sa
id Lottie, suddenly perking up. ‘Why don’t you use Sid’s flat? It’s just round the corner from Gregory and Cecil’s place, so Nate could get there without being seen. And you’d be alone.’ She raised one eyebrow suggestively. ‘He’s just as handsome up close and personal, isn’t he? I found it quite off-putting talking to him at the theatre. How does a person actually go around being that attractive every day? Do you think they know that when they’re having a conversation people are just staring and thinking, “My gosh, you are completely gorgeous.”’

  ‘It’s horribly unfair, isn’t it? Why should one person get that much gorgeousness and the rest of us have to go around with big noses, or wonky eyes, or double chins.’ She pulled her head back to give herself a double chin which made Lottie giggle.

  ‘Do you think he thinks he’s attractive?’

  Sarah pondered. The man she’d met wasn’t affected with any sort of over-confidence or vanity. In fact, he’d been incredibly normal. ‘I don’t think so. I get the feeling he’s a bit … I don’t know … shy, maybe?’

  Lottie sipped her wine and shook her head. ‘How can you be shy if you’re an actor? Your job is to literally stand up in front of loads of people and show off.’

  ‘I know but, one-on-one he’s different. More vulnerable. I don’t think this whole situation with that model and his wife is as simple as the papers make it out to be.’

  ‘Have you seen the latest?’ asked Lottie, handing over a folded tabloid newspaper. On the front cover was a picture of Hannah Salgado who was quite attractive in a trashy, fake tan and brown lip liner kind of way. She pouted at the camera, resting a hand on her flat, rock hard stomach.

  Sarah felt her mouth fall open. ‘She’s pregnant?’ She scanned the pages, speed reading. They were making him out to be a neglectful husband and total scumbag who’d been shagging around for years and Hannah was saying Nate had offered her money to stay quiet. The back of Sarah’s neck prickled as she read on, and yet, she couldn’t reconcile the events she was reading with the man she’d started getting to know. He’d said it was complicated and that he wasn’t the man he was being painted as. Was that true?

  ‘Did you get Gregory’s cryptic text message?’ Lottie asked, finding it on her phone.

  Sarah nodded, reciting the message. ‘More bad news coming for Nate, but all is not what it seems. He needs our support. Please keep everything quiet.’ Knowing Gregory’s dramatic tendencies, she hadn’t really paid that much attention. Obviously she’d been intrigued to know what the bad news was, but she had been too full of endorphins from her night with Finn to think on it. ‘Do you think he’ll be going back to London now?’ asked Sarah. She hadn’t realised how much she was looking forward to seeing Nate again. Or at least looking forward to their coaching session, she corrected herself.

  ‘I don’t know,’ answered Lottie. ‘I guess we’ll find out more tomorrow at rehearsals.’

  Sarah stared out of the open sash window. Lottie’s house sat on the brow of a hill and the views reached out over the whole of Greenley like a still life in which nothing moved. A moment caught in time. In the distance she saw the sea and the small fishing boats moored in the harbour. The heat was astonishing this summer. She’d never known anything like it. Her time with Nate felt like a strange alternate reality totally devoid from her normal life but still it had affected her deeply. She’d felt a connection with him she couldn’t explain or even fully understand. There was a strange tugging in her chest but Sarah put it down to the heat. It wouldn’t be long until Nate returned to London and it all ended. With a shake of the head she dismissed the thought that she might miss him. She didn’t even know him.

  Chapter 15

  ‘Don’t forget to sniff him,’ said Sarah with a nudge as Nate arrived at rehearsals Sunday morning alongside Gregory and Cecil. Lottie winked and a cheeky smile played on her lips.

  ‘Good morning, everyone,’ said Gregory, waving. Nate followed along behind, his head slightly bowed as if he was trying to make himself smaller, and his hands shoved deep into his jeans pockets. He was wearing a prosthetic nose Gregory had commandeered from the wardrobe department that looked more like a flesh-coloured sex toy purchased from a dubious online retailer. No wonder he was trying to make himself small. Once he was near the front he began peeling it off. The weather had cooled a touch lately and clouds were gathering in the sky threatening the first real rain of that summer. Sarah was wearing jeans and a vest top just in case the rain descended, and gave Nate a polite smile. She was feeling nervous but slightly less terrified about reciting her lines this time round. She had a long way to go yet but at least she was making progress. For the first time in ages they’d turned on all the theatre lights as the dense clouds darkened the sky outside.

  Gregory, Nate, and Cecil formed a semi-circle, chatting to Conner, and Sarah watched from the corner of her eye as Lottie snuck up behind them. Swiftly, her head popped up behind Nate’s shoulder, she sniffed, then ducked back down again out of sight. Nate spun around and Lottie, now bright pink, pretended to check a scratch in the floor before scrambling away without looking at him. Sarah turned and buried her head in her handbag she was giggling so much. Lottie then rounded to her side and in between bursts of laughter said, ‘You’re right, he smells lemony. I bet it’s either a really expensive aftershave or lemon washing-up liquid.’

  Sarah had to breathe deeply to gain control of herself, her whole body shaking with laughter. ‘Why would he be wearing lemon washing-up liquid?’

  ‘I don’t know. Maybe he did the washing-up before they came out.’

  ‘I can’t believe you actually did that. That was the most sexually aggressive sniffing I’ve ever seen in my life. Your whole head shook.’

  The colour was beginning to fade from Lottie’s cheeks as she calmed down. ‘Well, I wanted to get a good nose full, I might never get the chance again.’

  ‘What are you two laughing about?’ asked Sid, standing behind Lottie and resting his hands on her shoulders. She tipped her head back and he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

  ‘Oh, nothing,’ said Sarah, eyeing Lottie. It was their little secret. ‘Can you believe it’s only been two weeks since Nate arrived? It feels a lot longer.’

  ‘I bet it does to him too,’ Sid replied. Lottie took hold of his hands and intertwined her fingers with his.

  ‘I don’t know,’ she said, still a little pink from laughing. ‘I think he likes it here. Gregory said he seems very much at home.’

  Before they could discuss it any further, Conner took to the stage. ‘Okay, let’s crack on then, we’ve got a lot to get through and we’ve only got a couple of weeks till showtime.’ Inwardly, Sarah groaned, there were a lot of improvements to make in that time, but somehow she knew that if she continued coaching with Nate she’d make it. ‘In a bit I’d like to work on the end of act one where Ferdinand and Miranda meet and get into act two but let’s just quickly run through act one, scene one first. Scripts down though please. Joan, are you ready to prompt?’

  No answer.

  ‘Joan?’ Conner asked a little louder, looking to where she was positioned on the side of the stage. When she didn’t notice him, he resorted to shouting. ‘Joan?’ The old woman looked up, pushed her spectacles back up the bridge of her nose and waved her script in the air. Conner smiled but as he turned to Sarah he widened his eyes in a here-we-go-again way.

  Mrs Andrews sauntered onto the stage in the strangest costume Sarah had ever seen. The Yoda kimono had gone and instead she’d decided to raid her wardrobe for every single scarf she owned and had somehow pinned them onto a white leotard, worn over black leggings. She was fanning herself with a tiny hand-held fan. Mouths fell open as everyone turned to look. She didn’t look like a sprite or a spirit, she looked like there’d been an accident in a textile factory. After the initial shock had worn off, everyone went back to preparing for act one and Sarah gave Mrs Andrews the side eye.

  ‘We really need to sort out a proper wardrobe person ne
xt year,’ Lottie whispered.

  ‘Definitely,’ agreed Sarah as they walked onto the stage. ‘And a new make-up person.’ They were trying out hair and make-up styles ready for the full dress rehearsal. ‘Betty’s got the shakes so badly now she nearly had my eye out. I know she did it when your nan was in charge but she’s a bit of a health hazard now. Look.’ Sarah pointed to where Betty was waving an eye pencil perilously close to Kathryn’s retina. Poor Kathryn had pinned herself so far back in the chair it was like a scene from a horror movie.

  Lottie giggled. ‘Poor old Betty.’

  ‘Poor Kathryn, more like.’

  Rehearsals began well with everyone remembering their lines, even Sarah. She was definitely feeling more at ease playing Miranda and was starting to move about the stage without thinking. It was all going very well. The scenery was helping her get into the role as well. Sean and Leonard, their two burly helpers were silently painting the rocks, and Sarah had to skip over one of their paint trays left in the middle of the stage. She gently nudged it to one side to get it out of the way and carried on with her lines. Sneaking a look, it seemed that Nate was enjoying the performance too; he was sitting in the front row next to Lottie who gave Sarah a big thumbs up.

  Gregory began one of his longer speeches, moving around the stage like a real pro, showing everyone else how it should be done, but he was getting perilously close to the paint tray. Sarah tried to signal to him that it was there, but he just threw her a confused look and continued on with his speech. Then, taking a giant step back with his arms outstretched, his left foot went straight into the paint tray splattering his shiny white loafers and coating the bottom of his pale linen trousers. ‘Oh, for crying out loud,’ Gregory shouted then bent down and pulled up his trousers leg.