Okay, good point. I assume that’s put an end to your mother’s matrimonial dreams?
Let’s hope so! On the car journey home she said that she understood I would find the right person when I was ready. Although she did add that she wished I’d hurry up! Honestly.
Ha! Some progress though. You must be pleased. Still on for Friday?
Oh yes. I think I deserve a drink.
You deserve the world. It was Kam’s turn then to hit the backspace button and tap out ‘See you then, then’ instead. But he knew both were true.
Chapter Thirty-four
Half-term week had whizzed by in that way that school holidays do: incredibly fast and filled with the awareness that this was it now for another few weeks. In Kam’s case it was especially bittersweet because for him the end of the summer term would not just mark the start of six glorious (well-earned) weeks of holiday but the end of his time at Penmenna.
He knew Sarah Fielding’s post had been advertised just before the end of term and that interviews would occur at the very start of July, but despite Rosy telling him about the vacancy all those weeks ago when he’d first started, she had said nothing since. Kam was usually prone to optimism, but in this case he couldn’t help but fear that no news was very definitely not good news.
He supposed on the positive side of things that he would be staying in Cornwall. He had four other interviews lined up in June, he could get lucky and get one of those. All were for permanent full-time positions, which would give him the security he wanted. If all of those failed, there was always supply work or hours with Ben, and once he wasn’t working alongside Pippa then he could finally nail his colours to the mast and see if she felt the way he did. He hoped she did. At times, like on the footpath at Porthcurno or as they had been falling around on space hoppers, their chemistry was so intense, sparking between them, fizzing and shivering in blue spiky jags of desire, that he had to suspect she felt as keenly as him. He was also aware that she was so full of sunshine that she was lovely to everyone, making whoever she was talking to feel like they were on top of the world, the only person in the room. It was possible that she may not be attracted to him at all and her presence just made him feel special, like it did everyone else.
In which case he’d feel like a real idiot.
His mum and sisters had headed home yesterday and had declared the visit a success, which meant they’d be back in the summer, possibly twice. Hema had spent the days after their trip to Pippa’s Vintage and Craft Fair whispering plans about how to seal the deal, each one more ludicrous then the rest. Her very last suggestion being trails of vintage shoes à la Hansel and Gretel to his bedroom. Although all that would prove was that Pippa really liked shoes. He wanted to try without the trickery when the opportunity presented itself, once they were no longer working together and he had a secure position in place.
Tonight she was coming out with him and Ben and he was determined that they have a good time. He had wanted to pick her up but she insisted she’d be already in Newquay meeting friends. He was a little disappointed. He liked the idea of picking her up; it felt gentlemanly plus he wanted to see the inside of her flat, if for no other reason than checking out the freakiest stuffed animals man had ever seen. That stoat she had brought to the fayre had crossed eyes which, combined with its tutu and cane, made it one of the oddest things he’d seen.
Instead though, she’d be meeting him at the club itself, he forgot that with her being born and bred in the area she was going to more au fait with things down here than he was. He wondered if he would have simply met her out one night. Maybe, maybe they were meant to meet, job or not.
He stood nervously at the bar waiting for drinks whilst Ben tried to sweet talk a girl he had seen around town and taken a liking to. Like most of Ben’s crushes Kam wasn’t convinced this one was going to pan out well either, but he had to give his mate points for tenacity. Perhaps if he had his friend’s courage he wouldn’t be feeling quite so sick now.
‘Kam!’ He heard his name a split second before he felt arms around his neck giving him a kind of backwards cuddle. His sickness and nerves disappeared in that moment; he turned and couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face, surely marking him out as hopelessly besotted, as he saw Pippa standing there, a lopsided smile on her face. ‘Yay. We’re out, finally! We should have done this ages ago. We’re going to have the best night.’ He looked at her and thought it was quite probably true.
‘We should have, but we’re doing it now. What do you want to drink?’
She ordered tequila, managing to drag the word out for its full three syllables and add a whooping noise as she said it. She then downed it with considerable skill – not a wince in sight– hinting at experience, and managed to persuade Kam into having one too. And then another.
They found themselves on the dance floor, her arms in the air and Kam getting completely lost in the music, caught up in the bliss of being out with Pippa and seeing her throw herself fully into enjoying the evening.
She seemed to know most people here and Kam noted, many of them remarking that they hadn’t seen her out for ages. To which she’d grin and say she was here now, and then introduce Kam. Introductions that, as the evening progressed, became more and more elaborate. By the time midnight had struck he was the best teacher in the world ever, and apparently had adorable eyelashes! She had taken to stroking his face as she pointed out this feature, to emphasise what she called his beauty. It made little sense to him, but he did know he was having fun and didn’t want this evening to end.
However, soon the club played its last track, with Pippa still jumping around like a lunatic. He wasn’t sure how she did it; he was beginning to tire but then he guessed he had been up at six to catch the dawn waves. He stood back to watch her as she bounced around like Tigger, high-fiving people she knew, and not just shaking but downright rattling her head to the beats. She danced as she lived. No half measures for Pippa Parkin.
As they all piled out the club, Ben invited everyone back to his, but the truth was, even though he didn’t want the evening to end, Kam knew it made more sense to head back to Treporth now rather than later, and had already made arrangements.
‘Are you going back to Ben’s?’ Pippa bumped her hip into him to get his attention.
‘No, I’m going to head home. Not as young as I used to be and I pay a price for an all-nighter now.’
‘Tell me about it. In that case wanna share a cab back?’ She grinned at him winningly and again he felt like the luckiest man in the world.
‘Of course. Being dead grown-up and sensible I’ve already booked a cab for Treporth. I’m sure they won’t object if we go via Penmenna.’
‘Fab, let’s go then.’ They both did the whole round of goodbyes, Ben giving him one of those you-lucky-sod-all-your-dreams-come-true kind of looks and Kam shook his head subtly to make sure Ben knew that was not the case. He and Pippa were not going home together. He was just making sure she got back safely. It was important to him that Ben understood that this was not some kind of post-club hook-up.
He and Pippa piled into the cab, all jumbled legs and laughter and carried on giggling at all sorts of nonsense on the journey home, when Pippa’s phone binged.
‘Oh damn.’ She checked the screen.
‘What’s wrong?
‘Oh it’s okay. It’s just Lottie has been on a Tinder date and brought her back to the flat.’
‘And you don’t like Lottie having Tinder dates?’ If Pippa had a mad crush on her flatmate then Kam may as well give up right now.
‘Oh, I don’t mind at all. She’s always much nicer after a successful date. Sometimes when she’s snappy I pull the app up for her and practically force her out the house.’ Kam breathed a sigh of relief, that did not sound like crush like behaviour. ‘It’s just that she can get quite loud, if you know what I mean.’
‘Oh, yup, I do.’
‘And as much I love her, listening to her having sex all night – and
she goes on for hours. We’re not talking a five-minute quickie here. I swear the walls shake and even the seagull in the bathroom looks frightened – is my own personal idea of hell. I’d rather she stuffed my bed full of her disgusting creatures, than listen to that again. I wish she had said sooner. I would have stayed in Newquay. I guess I could try and get into Mum and Dad’s. I suspect the key is still under the squirrel. Oops, I shouldn’t have said that.’
‘You can stay at mine.’
‘Really?’ Pippa gazed up at him. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Of course, I changed it all after mum left, so it’s spankingly clean, screaming out for a visitor.’
Pippa giggled drunkenly. ‘Spanking and screaming huh?’ she said as Kam blushed. He hadn’t meant it like that. He just wanted her to feel welcome. He tried to think of some witty reply that would assure her he wasn’t attempting anything sleazy but was so flustered he couldn’t get a word out.
Pippa didn’t seem to notice and sank against him. ‘You’re such a nice man, such a nice man. How on earth are you still single, huh?’ He didn’t have an answer to that. He just let her rest against him and found himself wordlessly stroking her hair as she chattered away.
‘All the mean ones, they have women coming out of their ears, but the nice ones, the ones like you, well, it just doesn’t make sense.’ She placed a hand on his chest and sat up, as if she were trying to right herself. ‘Ooh, ooh.’
‘Oi mate, your girlfriend had better not be sick, that’s fifty quid extra if she don’t get out my cab in time. Bloody Newquay.’ The taxi driver issued his warning and then trailed off muttering about the evils of drink and the youth. Kam felt quite pleased to be called youth. Being nearly thirty he didn’t think he qualified any more but the driver was right, Pippa was looking distinctly queasy.
‘Are you okay? We can get the cab to stop if you want. Have a walk around for a couple of minutes, that would be alright, wouldn’t it?’ He addressed the latter bit of his sentence to the driver.
‘Yep, better that than my upholstery getting trashed. I’ll be keeping the meter running though.’
‘No, no need. I’m absolutely scrum-dabbi-doozily fine,’ Pippa slurred her words before lying her head back onto Kam’s chest and beginning to snore.
Chapter Thirty-five
‘Hmmm… ummm… yummm… hmmm.’ Pippa snuggled in deeper to Kam’s chest. He could have happily stayed like that for a fair bit longer, but the taxi driver was definitely not of the same cheerful disposition.
‘Mate, your girlfriend snores like a warthog. I’m sure it’s dead romantic that you don’t seem to mind, but I don’t want to be parked up all night while you look like some moony teenager and she sleeps the night away. Wake her up and get her inside. She can snore as loud as she likes in there.’ He waved his hand towards Kam’s apartment building.
‘Yep, fair point.’ Kam wanted to revel in the ‘your girlfriend’ bit but appreciated the cabbie would not be willing to indulge any more ‘teenage’ behaviour. Kam shook Pippa very gently and then, when that clearly wasn’t working, a little bit harder. She made a few more nuzzling noises and then her eyes fluttered open a bit and she smiled the biggest smile that Kam had ever seen.
‘That’s nice to wake up to. Hello, gorgeous. Mmmm.’ And then her eyes closed again.
‘Hey, hey. Pippa. We’re back at mine. We need to get out of the cab.’
‘The what… oh… oh, of course. I must have fallen asleep. Sorry.’ She smiled up sleepily at Kam and then lent herself forward to apologise to the taxi driver as well.
‘That’s alright, love, just get out now, eh,’ the taxi driver said, considerably nicer to Pippa than he had been to Kam.
‘Oh yes, yes, of course. That I can do. Ooh…’ Kam opened the car door and the cold air hit them both like a slap in the face. Summer may be here but nearly three in the morning was still pretty chilly. Pippa missed her footing, as she climbed down from the cab and stumbled slightly with Kam catching her arm and helping her up. ‘I think I might still be a bit drunk… yep, def a bit wobbly still. Sorry.’
‘Don’t be daft, you’re fine. Let’s get you to bed.’ Kam made sure she was steady on her feet.
‘Oh yes, please. I thought you’d never bloody ask. Oh shit, did I just say that out loud?’
‘You did.’ The grin wasn’t leaving Kam’s face, although he didn’t dare to dream that she had meant it.
‘Um, can you forget I said that? More than a little bit embarrassing.’ She giggled, and the pitch he recognised as the one she used when she was even just slightly mortified.
‘Of course, I’ll chalk it up to that last tequila. You were a demon this evening.’
‘Were? There’s no past tense about it. Pete always gets cross that I’m half his size and can drink him under the table. Bit like the chin, I blame my father.’ Kam wasn’t entirely sure what the last bit meant but wasn’t at all surprised. He reckoned based on tonight she could probably outdrink the local rugby team.
‘I believe you.’
‘I don’t drink very often though, before you go thinking I have some kind of problem, but I haven’t had a blow out in months and months and it is the holidays.’ She gave him her most winning smile and swept her hand across the marina, the lights twinkling on the jetties down to the boats all moored up. ‘Do I have to go to bed just yet? Look how beautiful it is. And I bet the beach is empty.’
‘Probably.’
‘Can we go have a wander? I can show you my favourite rock. I’m a bit lightheaded and a bit of fresh air might do me some good.’ She was teetering a little.
‘True.’
‘And if she’s sick it won’t be in your flat. Look, as charming as it is sitting listening to you two lovebirds, I’d like to get back to my own wife now. That’s forty quid mate and can you shut the door so I can get home.’
‘Oops sorry.’ Kam realised he had been so focused on getting Pippa out of the taxi safely, he had forgotten the important things like shutting the car door and paying. ‘Here you go.’
The taxi driver didn’t even bother saying goodbye and zoomed off at great speed. Kam and Pippa stood there watching him race down Fore Street, past the marina and up the hill out of Treporth, presumably home to his wife who was sleeping soundly and not teetering on the pavement in crazy heels and wearing a slightly lopsided grin.
The moon lit the streets and Pippa let out an involuntary shiver before she turned to address Kam. ‘Come on then, let’s go sit on the beach for a bit.’
‘Okay, if you’re sure but here, you’re shivering.’ Kam took his jacket off and draped it over her shoulders.
‘Thank you.’ Pippa looked up at him and then, wordlessly as they started to walk towards the tiny little cove to the side of the village, slipped her hand into his.
He didn’t know what to think but could feel his heart beat faster.
Yes, they had had a fab night, dancing together all night long, laughing like fools and, in truth, for Kam the evening had been about the two of them, the rest of his friends and hers fading into the background while the two of them had inhabited a fun-filled, tequila-fuelled bubble. But her subtly taking his hand… what did that mean? Even with the informality of their night out, Kam was crucifyingly aware that nothing much had changed, apart from the fact that Pippa was now free of James. They still had to work together and he still had to be aware that, despite their working relationship being very much one of two equals, if he made some kind of move it could be perceived as him taking advantage, not to mention the potential awkwardness in the classroom afterwards. And, no matter how strongly he felt about her, and despite the interviews lined up he still wasn’t secure in Cornwall yet, and he hadn’t worked so hard to establish himself, risked so much to mess it up now.
Was her hand a signal of platonic ease or was she trying to give him another message? It was all so complicated trying to decode what he thought was for the best, then throwing what Pippa was saying into the mix was making it all the
more confusing. He decided to just carry on holding her hand and pretend it was about sharing warmth, like brother and sister. He was determined not to read more into it.
‘How you feeling?’ He thought it wise to stick to a safe topic.
‘Okay, tonight was fun, wasn’t it? So much fun, but I think the drink is beginning to wear off a bit. I still feel very – very – whooshy, and light-headed. I’m a bit scared that when I put my head on the pillow then the whole room is going to spin, so like the taxi driver said, a short time on the beach might be sensible. Get me past that phase. Although now I feel guilty for dragging you out with me.’
‘I’m quite happy.’ Kam felt it would be wise to underplay how he was actually feeling, which could be covered by the words: ecstatic, besotted and joyful. He heard the pitch of his voice lower as he tried to mask quite how perfect this evening had been for him. ‘I’m hardly going to be comfortable with you wandering around by yourself.’
‘Treporth isn’t known for violent crime.’
‘And let’s keep it that way, just because somewhere seems incredibly safe doesn’t mean it can’t turn on a sixpence, and I couldn’t bear to tell all those little faces in Class One that I had let their Miss Parkin wander off in the middle of the night and get kidnapped, fall off a cliff, get washed out to sea, that sort of thing.’
‘True. They’d never forgive you, but in all the months I’ve known y—’
‘All the months,’ Kam grinned as he repeated her statement.
‘Shhh, don’t interrupt, in all the months I’ve known you, you’ve never been a negative nelly so what’s with the whole cliff sea death thing? What about Miss Parkin had an amazing adventure and, I don’t know, ran into some pirates – that sort of thing – and set off to sail the seven seas. That would be a tale they loved. I’d send postcards.’
The Cornish Village School--Summer Love Page 19