The Seaside Cocktail Campervan

by Caroline Roberts

‘A glass of chilled champagne to start?’

  ‘Wow, well that’ll do nicely, Jeeves. Oh, I mean, Jack.’ She put on a posh voice and then started giggling.

  He popped the cork with a flourish, and it was indeed the real thing – someone was pushing the boat out here. And you know what, it was rather lovely to be spoilt for a change.

  ‘Here you go.’ He passed her a flute of fragrant champagne, which was popping away deliciously. His feet were bare in the sand, with the bottom inch or two of his smart black trousers rolled up.

  ‘Cheers.’ Lucy raised her glass, with a broad smile.

  ‘Cheers.’ He grinned back.

  He’d gone all out with an Italian theme on the canapés too – tomato bruschetta, the cheeses were mozzarella balls and gorgonzola on crispy bites of toast. There were Parma ham and cantaloupe melon chunks on sticks; sweet, refreshing and salty bacon-flavoured all at once. Everything was so tasty, and evidently thought through.

  ‘This is lovely, thank you.’ The champagne was slipping down nicely, and Lucy found herself starting to relax. Jack really had gone to a huge effort on her behalf.

  ‘Is this for anything special?’ she quizzed, coyly.

  ‘Nope, just the chance to enjoy good food, good drinks, the best table in the house … and good company, of course.’

  ‘Aw, well it’s just fab.’

  Being sat mid-beach on a summer’s evening with full table and chairs, they did get a couple of odd looks from passers-by, as the two of them sat chatting and eating. A spaniel arrived excitedly at the scenario, having spied the dachshund there too, stopping to cock its leg for a quick pee against the table; its owner arriving seconds later red-faced and very apologetic. Lucy and Jack laughed it off, no harm done. Lucy was just relieved that it wasn’t Daisy up to mischief for a change.

  The last beach visitor was an old lady who paused to say good evening, adding that it was a wonderful sight to see such a handsome young couple enjoying themselves. Lucy felt herself blush a little. After all, they weren’t a couple at all. Then the last of the walkers went home, the beach was theirs alone – give or take a couple of seagulls – and the sky began to soften into pastel watercolour shades of gold, peach and grey.

  They chatted about the music festival, and the storm that night, neither of them mentioning the fact that they’d ended up sleeping only inches away from each other.

  Then Jack created a gorgeous champagne cocktail for her. Lucy watched as he mixed the sparkling wine with Amaretto and fresh orange juice, decorating it with a stylish curl of orange peel.

  ‘Sunset amaretto fizz,’ Jack announced. ‘Perfect for watching the sun go down with.’

  ‘Oh, thank you. And that is delicious,’ declared Lucy after taking her first sip. It tasted like a warm summer’s evening, and was golden-orange like the sun that was starting to set. ‘You really are spoiling me.’

  ‘I just wanted to make this evening special, that’s all.’ His smile was tender.

  Lucy looked at him, her heart beating nervously. ‘Thank you.’

  Liam had never done anything like this for her, not even on the night he’d proposed. That had been a formal affair in a very nice, traditional restaurant, with a very nice traditional ring. Typical of Liam, in fact; measured, all done with quality in mind, and she had to confess to feeling happy at the time, but there was nothing that was very magical or even personal about it, nothing that had strayed outside of the well-presented box.

  Tonight, even Daisy had been catered for with her own portion of mini sausages, as well as Jack having brought a water bowl for her. He’d definitely softened towards the little dog lately. Towards them both, if this evening was anything to go by.

  This seemed very much like a date, like she was being wooed. And Lucy still felt that familiar conflict between heart and head rising up.

  ‘Jack, this is all very lovely, but … what are you wanting from me?’ Her tone was blunt; she didn’t want to get caught up in any of Jack’s charming playboy act.

  ‘Well, I wanted to give you an evening to remember. And yeah,’ he paused, looking her in the eye, ‘I have to admit I would like to get to know you more. Not just when we are working.’

  Lucy wasn’t sure what to say.

  ‘Hey, let’s just roll with it and see,’ Jack continued. ‘That is, if you want to meet up again, outside of work …’ He suddenly sounded less sure of himself than usual; the mask of cocky, confident Jack sliding as his feelings were put on the line.

  Did she want to meet up again? Becky would bloody well kill her, but all that was years ago. For Jack to go to this much effort … The way she’d felt lying next to him in that two-man tent … How much she’d been thinking about him ever since. It was time to give him a second chance.

  Lucy took a slow breath, and found herself saying, ‘Yes.’

  ‘That’s cool.’ He smiled, with warmth and tenderness. ‘And now I have dessert – well, cake. I made it myself.’

  ‘You’ve made me cake?’ This man, dressed in a tuxedo on a beach, needed a medal, or perhaps a kiss at least.

  ‘Yep, gin and tonic cake, in fact. Well, the recipe looked good, and more importantly, easy … to be honest, my baking repertoire doesn’t stretch to much! It’s either that or rock cakes – and mine did actually turn out like rocks at school.’

  ‘Hah, well thanks.’

  He served her a slice. The cake was gorgeous; a loaf cake, drizzled with gin, tonic and zingy lime juice.

  The sun was setting and night began to draw in gently around them. Lucy popped on her fleece and settled to watch the sea and sky soften with an infusion of peach and gold, deepening into a cornflower dusk.

  With the cake and the remaining champagne shared between them, plus a few sneaky crumbs finding their way in Daisy’s direction, it seemed the perfect finale for the evening. Lucy felt slightly tipsy, but in a pleasantly relaxed way. It also seemed to relax her tongue a bit. There was something she was curious about. He was guarded when he’d talked about his brother before, but perhaps him opening up would help to solve the mystery that was Jack.

  ‘Jack, a while ago, you mentioned losing your brother. What happened to him?’

  Jack looked out to sea, and then took a slow breath. ‘He was away at uni, playing football, some inter-college match …’ He stopped, Lucy saw him bite at his lip. ‘He was playing football, and … that was it, he just dropped down dead.’

  ‘Oh god.’

  ‘He was twenty … just twenty years old. He had his whole life ahead of him, Luce.’

  ‘Oh no, that’s so awful. What caused it? Did he have a medical condition or something?’

  ‘Not that we knew of. He was Mr Sporty Kid, well, we both were … But yes, he did. A heart condition, one that can go undetected for years, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. None of us had a clue. It was so sudden that day … There was nothing anyone could do …’

  Lucy reached out her hand to gently cover his. She couldn’t imagine losing her own brother in such a tragic way, and at such a young age. She had tears in her eyes, feeling Jack’s pain too.

  Jack continued, ‘He’d just gone back off to uni for the start of his third year. He was doing Medicine at Leeds. He was always the bright spark, my brother.’ Jack sounded proud rather than envious. ‘I waved him off, got on with life back here at home; Sixth Form, parties, the usual. Then, we got that call … It was crazy, unbelievable. That I’d never see him again … only stone cold in a fucking coffin.’

  ‘Oh, Jack …’ Words failed Lucy. Her heart felt so much for this man beside her in his grief. She wished she hadn’t brought it up now, spoilt the magic of this evening and all of Jack’s efforts, by reminding him of past tragedies. But also, somehow, she sensed that Jack might in a way be relieved to share that sad, sad history, and that she might now be able to understand him a little more.

  They sat for a few quiet moments, watching the glistening pewter waves roll to shore, when it suddenly dawned on Lucy that the shore was actually
very close indeed. Water pooled in a little rush around her feet, soaking her deck shoes.

  ‘Oh, bugger,’ Jack cursed, as the water splashed up his bare ankles, wetting his suit trouser legs.

  ‘Damn,’ Lucy jumped up. Daisy was already straining on her lead, ready to head up the beach. The little dog hated water at the best of times.

  ‘We need to move … and fast.’ Jack sprang into action.

  They went from grief to giggles in that moment, and started dashing up the sands with chairs, table, dachshund, glasses and plates, up to the safety of the top beach area by the dunes. Reassembling their drinks and nibbles scenario, a little more slap-dash than in the first instance, they sat back down, with legs soaked through, and a soggy dachshund, still laughing.

  ‘Whose bloody idea was it to do cocktails and canapés by the sea?’ Jack asked, ironically.

  ‘Well, I thought it was a marvellous idea.’ Her voice then softened, ‘I really did love it, Jack. No-one’s ever done anything like that for me before.’

  ‘So, your ex never came up with any romantic dates?’

  ‘Liam? Hah, no, nothing like this. He was much more traditional, a red roses on Valentine’s Day, occasional meal out, kind of guy.’

  Come to think of it, he wasn’t very spontaneous at all. She was suddenly hit by an uncomfortable flash of memory. One time, he’d ventured to have sex – wait for it – in the bathroom of their home. A highly unusual and wild suggestion from him. And as they stood up in the bathtub (there wasn’t a lot of space in their niche bathroom), he’d caught sight of the mirror, and tutted that it hadn’t been cleaned properly, that there were smear marks. It would have been funny, if it wasn’t so damned sad. Liam was far too bloody sensible. Thinking about it, she should have got right out and run for her life, right then! She didn’t care to share that particular memory with Jack.

  ‘You okay?’

  ‘Oh yeah, fine.’ She brought herself back to the here and now. ‘Just feels like I wasted seven years of my life on that man.’

  ‘Tell me …?’ Jack prompted gently.

  ‘Oh … I spent five years waiting for a wedding that was never going to happen. Not that I knew that. We were engaged, he managed to ask the question a couple of years in, but … then it was never the right time, we needed to save more, needed the bigger house, new car, better job … And fool that I bloody was, I went along with it. Not that I’m in any rush for any of that now though,’ she was sure to clarify. ‘Life’s not always straightforward, is it?’

  ‘We can all make mistakes, Luce.’

  ‘Yep, and Liam was one bloody massive mistake. I’ve come to realise it was a lucky escape now.’

  ‘Yeah, live and learn, that’s what life’s all about, Luce.’

  ‘It is, isn’t it?’ She smiled, feeling a bit warm and fuzzy as Jack smiled back at her.

  Tiny beads of stars began to glimmer in the fading sky. It would soon get dark out here. Time to pack up, to go home, back to the cottage.

  As if reading her mind, Jack said, ‘I thought I’d pitch my tent out here in the dunes overnight.’

  Ah yes, they’d shared champagne and cocktails. He’d not be able to drive Ruby away. The memories of sleeping in that tent on Holy Island with him right beside her filled her mind, adding even more to that warm, fuzzy feeling. Was it time? Time to take that plunge? Time to live life to the full?

  ‘Ahm … You can come back to mine … if you like.’ The words were instinctive, and now out. Lucy really didn’t want this night to end, not yet.

  Their eyes met. Jack’s gaze was intense, as an understanding passed between them. ‘You sure?’ he asked gently.

  ‘Yes,’ her voice was clear, and warm, and sensual.

  Both took a deep breath, and then after finishing their drinks, they packed up the remnants of the food, the glasses, plates, folding up the chairs and the picnic table.

  Walking somewhat awkwardly with all that gear back up and into the dunes, Lucy managed to steal a shy, yet hungry, look at him. Oh my goodness, she’d be seeing, touching, his bare flesh very soon! Oh, blimey. Oh, wow. Oh, bloody scary. And bloody hell, no-one had seen hers in an age …

  Jack glanced back over his shoulder at her with a rakish grin.

  A late-night dog walker passed by, with a brief ‘hello’ cast their way. Lucy felt like the middle-aged guy might be able to read her mind or something. She blushed as she recognised him and his Labrador from her regular beach walks, answering with a polite, yet slightly husky, ‘Hi.’

  As dusk fell deeper, they loaded all the gear into Ruby. And then, as they headed up the lane that led back to the village, Jack took her hand in his, threading his fingers through hers – like a real couple. Everything around and within her felt alive, hyper-sensitive.

  A small bird tweeted, darting in and out of the hedgerow beside them, ready to settle for the night. The seagulls had already gone to roost. The world began to hush. Just the distant whisper of the waves rolling to shore.

  Soon they were walking by the first row of cottages, and next, they’d turned into her little street. The horsebox was parked up there beside her cottage. Her cottage … where they were about to go in, together. She fumbled clumsily for her house keys in her jeans pocket. Managed to get the front door open, and ushered Daisy swiftly through to the kitchen where she had her bed and her water, closing the door on her with a soothing, ‘Night, Daisy.’ Coming back to the hallway where Jack was waiting, leaning against the wall and looking so bloody gorgeous. Yet, he seemed a little anxious too, giving a cautious smile.

  Lucy moved in towards him, so very close. So, this was it.

  Jack tenderly brushed away a lock of her hair that had tumbled down across her eye. He grazed a fingertip slowly along the side of her chin, which he then pulled ever so gently towards him. Placing his lips on hers. And that was it, the match ignited. A passionate kiss, that warmed her from her fingertips all the way to her toes, and lit those sensual parts which had been pretty damned dormant for almost two years now, making her whole body tingle with anticipation. A gasp escaped her lips, as their kiss ended. Oh my.

  Would they have sex right here in the hallway? Did she want that?

  She began unbuttoning his shirt, greedily reaching inside to touch his warm, toned chest. Jack kissed her again, moving closer to press his thighs against hers. She pushed back, crushing him against the wall, feeling the hard heat of his erection through their clothes. Bloody hell, this was really happening. She’d never had sex with Liam like this. Like they couldn’t wait. Like it needed to happen right here, right now.

  ‘Oh god, Lucy.’ Jack was pulling off her T-shirt over her head.

  Suddenly, she realised she didn’t want this to be fast and furious and over in a minute in a hallway. She wanted to make it last, to relish every damned gorgeous second. She grabbed Jack’s hand and led him up the stairs. He didn’t need asking or explaining. Once in her bedroom, the door left ajar, she stopped to undo the buckle on his belt, pulling down the waistband of his smart black trousers with a sense of delicious anticipation.

  Again they kissed, mouth on tender mouth, not rushing now, taking it deliriously slowly in fact, both knowing what was to come, but not quite how it would happen … yet.

  A new burst of sensual energy and a tangle of jeans and underwear coming off. Jack reached around her, to unclasp her bra, her small breasts bared.

  ‘Oh, Luce. You’re beautiful.’ He was gazing at her, smiling.

  His words melted her.

  As they lay on the bed, both naked, she traced the contours of his chest, trailing her fingers over his butterfly-trembling stomach, down to his slim hips. His low groan, as she touched him, oh so lightly there, was such a damned turn-on.

  His turn now, trailing kisses from her neck down to her breasts where he lingered, teasing a nipple into his warm mouth. Sucking and licking, as he moved a hand to touch her gently below, in a rhythmic rub – deliciously all at the same time. He was an accomplished lover, con
siderate and evidently well-practised, that thought slid into her mind but she pushed it straight out again. No place for those concerns here. This was about them, her and Jack, and this moment.

  Oh – my – god, he so wanted her. Her touch just before, had sent him over the edge. He wanted to know her, inch by yielding inch, to make love with her. It was heady and he had to admit a little scary too, but there was no going back now. Jack could hardly wait, but he needed to know that she was absolutely okay with this. It seemed like she was very okay, from her eager responses. But he couldn’t get this wrong; needed to show her that respect, that care.

  ‘Luce, is this okay?’

  In all honesty he hadn’t expected this. Tonight, the set-up on the beach, that really had all been about getting to know Lucy more, seeing how things went. That maybe it could be the start of something … Well, it seemed like it had got off to a flying start.

  ‘Yes.’

  That one word igniting him even more.

  Her lightly tanned body laid out before him. The yearning so strong within him. He was ready, had a condom beside the bed, but took the time to kiss her once more, to elevate them both back to that same sexy plateau they were at, before the necessary precautions were in place. Fingertips tracing her breasts, her stomach, back to base until her low oh-so-sexy moan was impossible to ignore.

  ‘Now?’

  She nodded, with a smile and a clear soulful whisper, ‘Yes.’

  Jeez, this was it. He felt on a beautiful knife-edge as he moved above her gorgeous body, the tight pressure of resistance, and the glorious give. That warm internal embrace. The rhythmic push and pull. Her back now arching towards him, and he wanted so much to be part of her. To give, again and again. Deeper. Harder. Her soft moans driving them on. Then, that moment of teasingly-wonderful tension and exquisite release.

  ‘Lucy. Oh, Luce.’ He was lost to her. He wasn’t even sure if he’d said her name aloud or merely heard it echoing beautifully in his mind.

  ‘Aahhhh.’ Him.

  ‘Ooooooh.’ Her.

  And they lay in each other’s arms, with a tenderly sated sleepiness taking them over. Curled up together, Lucy leaning against Jack’s chest, his arm angled gently around her, legs entwined. Wow.