Seaside Manor Bed and Breakfast

by Lilly Mirren

  She paddled back out to him. “That was graceful…”

  He laughed. “Yeah, but for a second I was very impressed.”

  “Really?” She pursed her lips. She’d gotten rusty during her years living in the city, but gradually the techniques and skills were coming back to her.

  He laughed at the look on her face and leaned over to kiss her. His strong brown arms closed around her. His face hovered close to hers and heat traveled up her body, burning in her cheeks. She swallowed hard. Then he pushed her forward and she was moving, carried forward by the wave. She stood to her feet in one movement, tried another cut-back, this time nailing it.

  She hooted in celebration, then leapt from the board before the wave petered out.

  When she stood and waved to Mick, he pumped a fist in the air. Sarah paddled back out to meet him and they surfed together that way for another hour, enjoying the togetherness, the flirting, the fun. She’d never been so relaxed with anyone before — she could be herself around Mick and he accepted her, every part of her, without question. It was invigorating.

  Finally, when she was exhausted, she paddled to shore and waved to Mick, then left his board in the sand as she gathered her things together. Mick reached her soon after, and ran up the beach, panting and soaking wet.

  “Hey, don’t you want to keep going? I’m loving this… it’s so great sharing this experience with you.”

  He looped his arms around her wet waist and smiled down at her, his eyes sparkling as droplets of water fell from his hair onto her swimsuit.

  She shook her head with a smile. “That was amazing. Thank you. I really enjoyed it, but I’ve got to get home. Oscar will wonder where I am.”

  “So… what are you doing for dinner tonight?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “I was thinking baked beans on toast.”

  He laughed. “I think I can do better than that. How about I come over and cook us something. We can sit in front of the fire or watch a movie…”

  She reached up to kiss his soft lips, happiness filling her soul. “That sounds perfect.”

  “I’ll see you then,” he said, caressing her cheek.

  “See you!”

  She ran up the beach, her towel wrapped around her waist, shoulder bag bumping her leg with each step. When she reached the footpath, she leaned down to slip on a pair of sandals, glanced back over her shoulder at Mick who was watching her leave, then hurried to the car with a bounce in her step.

  Chapter 17

  Emily

  “Did you get the mini apple pies in the oven?” asked Emily.

  Sondra, her new hire nodded. “They’re warming now. They’ll be ready for morning tea. I’ve got some chai tea brewing as well, thought it might go nicely with the cinnamon in the pies.’

  “That sounds great. Thank you.”

  Emily rinsed off a breakfast plate, scrubbing the egg that’d stuck to the white china like cement. She’d hired Sondra to help manage the Manor since they were pushing to grow their bookings and Diana had laid off the previous assistant manager when their vacancy rates rose. She’d argued back and forth with herself over the decision, finally realising that if she wanted to grow the business, she’d need more hands on board. And since business was picking up and she’d laid off the majority of the part-timers when she first started managing the place, she needed the extra help.

  “I can do the dishes if you’d like,” offered Sondra.

  Emily took a step back, wiped her hands on her apron. “Thank you. I have to do some admin, so that would really help me out.”

  “No worries.”

  Emily set her apron back on its peg and headed for the front door. She skipped down the path to the mailbox, revelling in the feel of the sun on her face. She’d barely stepped outside for more than a few minutes each day in the past week. In fact, she hadn’t had a day off since she’d started working at the Manor. Not that she was complaining. For the first time, they’d have a full house that night. Bookings were up. The pagoda was complete, and she’d managed to paint two rooms. Things were going well, better than she could’ve hoped. Still, she was exhausted.

  She stopped at the mailbox, pulled open the metal door and retrieved a handful of envelopes and junk mail. With a quick glance at each, she flicked through the pile. Nothing but bills and advertisements.

  With a yawn, she tucked them under her arm and was about to return to the Manor when she saw a figure in the distance, running towards her. It was Ethan — out for another run. He went every day. Surfed each morning too, if the wet hair when he arrived at the Manor around nine a.m. was anything to go by. She’d been up preparing and serving breakfast since five a.m. but he dropped by the kitchen to eat before work, all tanned and smiling. Sometimes she wanted to slap him, only he was too nice to her.

  He stopped at the mailbox, barely puffing. “Hi Emily. How’s your day going so far?”

  “I thought you were working on the bathroom in the room upstairs,” she replied.

  “It’s Saturday.”

  She pushed a strained smile onto her face. “I know it’s Saturday. We’re fully booked, and it would’ve been really great if that room was ready since I had to turn people away.”

  “Sorry… don’t worry, it’ll be done before you know it.”

  She spun on her heel and headed for the door.

  He called out. “You know, you should take the day off as well.”

  She stopped. “I can’t take the day off. Someone has to be responsible around here. There’s a business to run.”

  He chuckled. “I know, that’s why you hired staff. Come on, let me take you fishing. I’m going anyway, and you can finally have some downtime. You’ve got a mobile phone if anything goes wrong.”

  Emily’s nostrils flared, but she didn’t react. He had a point. Why bother hiring staff if she wasn’t going to let them run the place so she could have a break? But, fishing with Ethan? She wasn’t sure that was what she wanted to do with any precious time off she had. Still, what else was there to do in Emerald Cove? She was too exhausted to be creative, and she hadn’t really made any friends since she’d arrived since she’d been so busy.

  “Fishing? Beach or freshwater.”

  “Beach,” he replied.

  She squinted into the morning sunlight. “Okay, let’s go fishing.”

  Ethan

  It felt like a date. It wasn’t a date, he was showing a colleague around town, taking her fishing, that was all. So, why did it feel like a date?

  Sweat cooled Ethan’s palms and he rubbed them down the front of his pants before walking into the Manor. The back door was unlocked, and the kitchen empty. He scanned the living room, there were a few guests sitting around in front of the roaring fire, reading books, chatting. But no sign of Emily.

  He found her in the office, finishing up some paperwork. She’d changed clothes since he last saw her, and she was dressed more casually now in jeans and a long-sleeved flannel shirt. Her hair was pulled into a cute ponytail that made her look younger and more carefree, and sunglasses perched on her forehead. He knocked on the open door as he peered through it with a smile.

  “Ready to go?”

  She sighed, pursed her lips. “I don’t know. Maybe I shouldn’t leave Sondra on her own yet. We haven’t had so many guests in a long time…”

  He shook his head. “Come on, they can handle it. She doesn’t have to do much except answer questions and make sure the cleaner does her job - which she always does. It’s not rocket science.”

  “Okay, fine. You have a point. I guess I should get out and see the Cove a little bit. I’ve hardly stepped foot outside the Manor since I got here. If I’m not careful, I’ll become a recluse.”

  He chuckled. “Well, we can’t have that.”

  She stood, pulled a small bag from the floor, and slipped the strap over her shoulder. “Okay, I’m ready. Lead the way. I’ve packed us a few things to eat.”

  She patted the side of the bag.

  “Soun
ds perfect.”

  He walked with her to his ute and opened the door for her. It was strange how natural it felt, being with her. They talked about the weather, his surf that morning, how her aunt and uncle were settling into their retirement community. It was easy, relaxed, and he found himself wondering why there’d ever been tension between them.

  When they reached the secluded southern end of Emerald Cove, Ethan led Emily down a winding path from the top of the cliffs to the beach below. They clambered over black rocks, around squat bushes, and finally reached the sand. Ethan kicked off his thongs and picked them up with one hand, the fishing rods in the other, the bait bucket swinging from his forearm.

  “Wow, it’s so beautiful here. And peaceful too.” Emily removed her sandals and followed him with wide eyes.

  “Most people stick to the northern end of the Cove. This place is hidden by that rocky outcropping. I find it tends to keep the tourists away. The path we followed is the best way to get down here, and it’s not easy to find unless you know exactly what you’re looking for.”

  There was one last rock to hurdle, Ethan set the rods and bait on the sand next to his thongs and reached for Emily’s hand to help her over it.

  She crouched low to climb on the rock’s hard surface, then sighed when her feet hit the sand again. “The sand feels good between my toes. I should come down here more often.”

  “You live at the beach now, it’s time to embrace the lifestyle.”

  She chuckled. “You’re right. I’ve been so caught up in making sure I don’t let down Auntie Di and Uncle Rupert… I haven’t taken the time to enjoy being here.”

  “They’d want you to love the Cove as much as they do. Besides, you can hardly recommend outings to the guests if you don’t know the place and haven’t been anyway.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “It’s only good business to make sure you relax and experience everything the Cove has to offer.”

  She laughed. It was a contagious sound that came from the gut. She threw her head back, eyes squeezed shut. Her blonde ponytail lifted on the breeze and the sun glowed on her upturned face. His heart skipped a beat.

  He turned away from her, anxious to hide his reaction from her. He couldn’t let her see how he felt, what she made him feel. She wouldn’t like it — she’d made it very clear that things between them were professional. Nothing more. And sometimes barely even that. But he couldn’t seem to help the attraction he felt for her. There was something different about her, it reminded him of childhood summers with bare feet and bicycles, of the scent of heat and salt spray, of home. She wasn’t like the women he’d dated in Brisbane, she was coastal, like him. And the connection they shared was like a siren call to him.

  Instead of showing her his reddened cheeks, he focused on the task at hand. He set up each of the fishing rods, checked the reels, made sure the lines would throw cleanly and weren’t tangled, then he attached hooks and baited them with the squid he’d bought on the way to the beach from his favourite bait and tackle shop.

  While he worked, he sensed Emily had gone for a stroll along the beach, although he had his back to her. He had to pull himself together. The most he could hope for was that they’d be friends. If he could manage that today, he’d be happy. He wanted her to see him as a business partner, a friend, someone she could count on. To put down the jousting stick and give him a chance — that was his goal in taking her fishing — not romance. That wasn’t an option. She didn’t see him that way, and even if she did, it would complicate their business relationship.

  Finally, he was done — he called Emily over and handed her one of the fishing rods. She studied it, took a look at the squid on the hook, and smiled. “Thanks.”

  Then, she walked to the water’s edge and waded into the waves. “Oh… cold.”

  He laughed. “Yeah, it’s a bit nippy this time of year, but I don’t have any waders. Sorry.”

  “No worries, it’s nowhere near as cold as the water down south.”

  He followed her, pushed one end of his fishing rod into the sand and stepped closer. “So, this is an Alvey sidecast reel — it’s pretty simple to cast. There aren’t any buttons or anything.” He reached for the fishing rod, his arms closing around her. He pulled back the rod, her back pressed to him. She was warm and smelled faintly like vanilla and chocolate.

  “Now, you pull it back like this… and then flick forward…” He did the move slowly, demonstrating the move without casting the line. Her hair tickled his nose. She didn’t resist, moving with him instead. He released the fishing rod and stepped back.

  She grinned. “Thanks. I think I’ve got it.”

  With a nod, he collected his own pole, and carried it a few metres away. He watched as she deftly stepped forward and flicked the line overhead — it sailed far out over the breakers, the bait landing softly in the water and sinking fast.

  Ethan gaped. “Uh… yeah, just like that.”

  “I’ve been fishing my whole life, but thanks for the lesson,” she quipped with a wink.

  His face flushed with heat. “Oh… right. Sorry…”

  “No, it’s fine. It was… nice.” Her smile was warm, genuine. Then she focused her attention on the line.

  His cheeks flamed. “Good to know.”

  He cast his own line, reeled it in slowly, his thoughts whirling. Was she flirting with him?

  It was nice.

  What did that mean? Was she only teasing him? That was a far more likely alternative.

  He noticed she was reeling her line in more quickly. “Have you got something?’

  “I think so.” She reeled faster, and soon a fish skipped through the shallow water. It was small, silver, the afternoon sun blinking off its side as it turned over. Water bubbled and frothed around it, then she was holding it off the ground, studying it as it turned slowly on the hook.

  “It’s a tiny little flathead,” she said.

  He nodded.

  She tugged it gently from the hook, held it in the water and let it go.

  “Hey, that could’ve been dinner,” he objected.

  She shook her head. “Too small. Besides, I only do kiss and release.”

  “What?” He chuckled. “Don’t you mean, catch and release?”

  She giggled. “That’s what my mum always called it, kiss and release. Of course, I gave up kissing the fish when I was about thirteen years old.”

  Her smile faded, and she fell silent.

  His lips pursed. “It sounds like she was a good mother.”

  She nodded. “She was.”

  Sadness rolled off her like the waves that lapped at his feet. He inhaled a slow breath. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to grow up with only one parent, and then to lose them while they were still so young. He loved having a big, raucous family. Even his parents’ separation had shaken him to the core, and yet he still had both of them. His family had changed, but they were still around.

  “I know I should’ve gotten over it by now. It’s been three years… but I don’t think I’ve ever grieved properly. It’s a hard thing to face. I’ve felt so alone since she died.”

  She hesitated and swallowed.

  He didn’t know what to say. There wasn’t anything he could say that would help. So, he simply threw out his line again.

  “I know Auntie Di misses her too, but I haven’t spoken to her much about it. Mum was her sister, they were close, but I hate talking about her because it hurts too much. Does that make sense? I’ll bet I sound ridiculous — I’m an adult, I should be able to face my grief and deal with it. I don’t know why I’m telling you this…” She forced a laugh.

  He shook his head. “It makes complete sense. I don’t know if I’d be able to talk about it either if it happened to me. Your parents are… well, they’re always there. To lose them unexpectedly like that… it would be so hard.”

  She nodded. “Thanks for understanding.”

  “Of course.”

  She caught his gaze, squinting into the
sunlight with a half-smile. “You’re not so bad, Ethan Flannigan.”

  He chuckled. “Thanks, that’s quite a compliment coming from you, Em.”

  Her cheeks looked pinker, but it might’ve been the wind on her skin or too much sun.

  Chapter 18

  Diana

  A pair of hooded plovers circled overhead as Diana pulled her car into the parking lot at the Emerald Cafe. She should’ve told Ben to meet her somewhere else when he called, only he’d sounded so excited to have found a great place for them to meet for lunch she didn’t have the heart.

  Her only hope was that Cindy wasn’t there. She hadn’t told anyone yet about Ben, about his looking for her, the letters or that he’d shown up at her door unannounced. Even Rupert didn’t know her secret yet. She knew it was a matter of time before she’d be forced to spill the beans, but she hoped to wait a little longer. Keep him to herself for a few more days at least. It was such an adjustment. A life lived without the children she’d always believed and hoped would come. And now, here he was — the child she’d given up so many years ago, believed she’d never see again. It was almost too much. And yet, the joy she felt was tinged with fear over what might come when the truth about who he was found its way into the open.

  The air was light, the sunshine warm as she made her way into the cafe. She glanced about, her heart in her throat.

  “Is Cindy in today?” she asked the young waitress who sang most evenings. She couldn’t remember the girl’s name. Something exotic.

  The girl shook her head, smiled. “No, not today. Can I seat you outside?”