Spring Tides at Swallowtail Bay: The perfect laugh out loud escapist romantic comedy for summer! (Swallowtail Bay, Book 1)

by Katie Ginger

  After a quick breakfast, Stella took the ugly angry tortoise cushion and placed it on the wingback chair she’d positioned in the corner, next to the till. Frank sniffed at it then pulled it off onto on the floor and sat on it. ‘You can’t sit there, you silly dog. You’ll get in the way of the masses of people queuing at the till.’ Fetching his basket, Stella placed it at the end of the counter but with just enough room to move around. Mindful of his quick escape last time, she clipped on his lead and tied it to her stool. She’d tuned the portable radio to a jazz channel and at exactly nine o’clock opened the shop for her first day’s trading. She took a moment to stare at the full-length shop windows. The old white paint was chipping a little on the door and window frames, but it was nothing a coat of paint couldn’t fix. Before long, the tired and worn facade would be shiny, bright and new.

  Even though she hadn’t expected a queue waiting at the door, a little part of her had hoped all the same. ‘I’m sure we’ll get some customers soon, Frank,’ she said as, unimpressed and still damp from the morning walk, he went to sleep. Gazing around at all she’d achieved over the last few days, Stella beamed proudly. She hadn’t painted the walls yet, but one was hidden by paintings and the other was covered by the dressers she’d painted in cream chalk paint. The shop was now light and airy and while there was still work to do, it was slowly getting there.

  About an hour later, a steady stream of customers began to arrive and more came throughout the morning, happy to see the shop open once more or just so see if anything was different. A lot of the ugly rugs were sold now the price was knocked down, and by lunchtime, Stella was happy-dancing as she’d even sold some of the ugly crocheted cushions – the squinting giraffe had gone, as had a rather gormless-looking fish and a pouting Schnauzer. When things quietened down, Stella read her book, reminding herself that there were slow periods in every shop. It was nothing to worry about.

  ‘Oh, wow.’ It was Lexi, the waitress from next door, looking absolutely incredible. Her curvaceous, hourglass figure had been poured into a 1950s tea dress in emerald-green with a sweet little collar. Her black hair was piled up into a high bun and wispy strands fell from it, softening her face. Bright green eyes stood out thanks to a thick swipe of eyeliner that flicked up at the ends. Stella looked down at her baggy jeans decorated with paw prints left by Frank, and her thick cable-knit jumper flecked with dog hair, and made a mental note to sort herself out.

  ‘I can’t believe this is the same shop,’ said Lexi. ‘It looks amazing. So bright and sunny. Is this all Herbert’s old stock?’

  Glowing at the compliment, Stella replied, ‘At the moment it is. I’m trying to sell off some of the old tat and then I’ll get some new pieces in. I’m thinking nice ceramics and glass, maybe some jewellery too. I want to keep the paintings and find some different local artists as well. Maybe broaden the range.’

  ‘You’ve done such a fantastic job.’ Lexi placed a tray of takeaway coffee cups and a white cardboard box on the counter. ‘I brought you coffee and cake to celebrate opening day.’

  Stella paused. ‘Really? Oh my gosh, thank you. That’s so kind. If it’s as good as the cake I had the other day I’m in for a treat.’

  Lexi smiled back, evidently pleased that she’d made Stella’s day. As Stella opened the box Lexi said, ‘I wasn’t sure what you liked so got a piece of Victoria sponge, and a bit of chocolate mousse cake.’

  ‘I can’t possibly eat all this on my own. Will you share some with me?’

  ‘No, no, I can’t do that. I brought it for you.’

  ‘Please? I really can’t eat all this on my own or I’ll fall asleep at the till this afternoon.’

  Lexi smiled again. ‘Okay then. Shall we have one each or just dive in and share?’

  ‘Let’s share.’

  ‘And I remembered how you liked your coffee so here’s a latte for you and a cappuccino for me.’

  Stella couldn’t believe that a stranger could be so kind. Oxford was friendly enough but she’d never got to know her neighbours when she and Isaac were together, and when she’d moved into her little flat after the divorce, she hadn’t felt able to. Mourning the end of her marriage, she couldn’t bring herself to pretend she was fine and be cheerful and jolly. The warmth of Lexi’s smile radiated through Stella. ‘I’ll grab some forks.’ She ran out to the kitchen and checking they were actually clean – she hadn’t sorted the kitchen out yet either – brought them through.

  ‘It must be hard moving to a new place and not knowing anyone. I think you’re incredibly brave.’

  ‘Or stupid,’ Stella replied. ‘I’m leaning more towards stupid at the moment.’

  ‘Nonsense. You’ve done amazingly well already. This place looks so different. Old Herbert was lovely but the shop was a mess. I remember it always felt so dark and crowded. There was just stuff everywhere.’

  Stella forked some of the chocolate mousse cake into her mouth and gasped. ‘This is amazing.’

  ‘I know,’ Lexi replied, having some herself. ‘Raina’s an incredible baker.’

  ‘There’s still quite a lot of stock in the living room,’ said Stella. ‘I couldn’t get it all in here. But I’m hoping most of that will come in tonight when I restock ready for Monday. I noticed none of the other shops are open tomorrow?’

  ‘No, Sundays are dead. I wouldn’t bother if I were you.’

  Frank woke up at the smell of food and stretched in his basket. Lexi bent down and gave him a fuss and he pushed his head into her hands. ‘He’s gorgeous,’ she said. ‘What’s his name?’

  ‘Frank,’ Stella replied. ‘And he’s an absolute tart. He’s on his lead at the moment because we had a bit of an incident the other day.’

  ‘I heard,’ said Lexi, taking a fork and cutting a piece of the Victoria sponge. Jam and cream oozed down the sides. ‘Miles told me about it.’

  Stella felt a chill as Lexi said his name. Was he telling everyone about her vicious dog and warning them to stay away from the shop? She tried to keep her voice casual. ‘Did he?’

  ‘Don’t worry, he wasn’t rude about you. Just said that your dog nipped him, but I can’t imagine that,’ Lexi said to Frank.

  ‘He was just scared because what’s his name grabbed his collar.’ She’d been about to call Miles Mr Handsome but pulled it back just in time. Stella felt as protective towards Frank as other people did their children. ‘Frank’s a bit scared of men. He was a rescue puppy. I got him when he was six months old and he’d been treated quite badly, I think. He’s really nervous around blokes but he loves children.’

  ‘I think he’s lovely,’ said Lexi, forking off another bit of cake. ‘Don’t worry about Miles, his bark’s worse than his bite. He was probably just jealous because he wanted this place.’ She motioned around at the shop.

  ‘Did he?’ Stella was astounded. She couldn’t imagine that man losing out on anything he wanted. Or being the type to want to run a shop for that matter. He’d have to be nice and talk to people, which didn’t seem to come naturally to him at all.

  ‘Yeah. He thought he could make a better go of the business than old Herbert had and he was close to getting it because there hadn’t been much interest until you. Herbert said you swept him off his feet.’

  ‘Me?’ It had been a long time since Stella had swept anything except the floor and considering how rejected she’d felt by Isaac who’d gone headlong into a new relationship the moment their split was official, the compliment lifted her spirits.

  Lexi chewed another piece of cake. ‘He thought you were lovely and just the person to take over from him. But Miles is a nice bloke too. He just doesn’t do well not getting his own way. I think Herbert enjoyed teasing him about it actually.’

  ‘So they knew each other quite well?’

  ‘Very well. I think Miles had tried a bit of a charm offensive but Herbert saw through it. Miles kept popping in as he lives just over the road there but charm isn’t exactly his thing. Shame really, as you’re neighbours.�
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  Miles had said they were neighbours and the idea of living near him after the start they’d had made Stella slightly panicky. She didn’t like awkwardness or confrontation and tried to keep any hint of worry from her voice. ‘Where exactly “over the road” does he live?’

  After taking a swig of her coffee, Lexi walked to the side window and pointed down the road. ‘He lives in that cottage there. The one with the white shutters and blue front door. It’s called the Old Post House.’

  Stella followed and looked to where Lexi was pointing. He lived in one of the larger cottages and the property was definitely worth a few quid. Mr Handsome must be loaded. ‘What does he do?’

  ‘He’s a salesman for a big pharmaceutical company. He travels a lot. That’s why he wanted to buy this place and really settle down.’

  For a moment Stella felt a little guilty, but just as quickly the feeling disappeared. On balance, her need had probably been greater than his. Finding this place had saved her from feeling so utterly hopeless. Plus Miles was awful.

  They headed back to the counter and tucked in to more cake. Stella’s mind turned over everything Lexi had told her and even when she tried to pull her thoughts away from Miles they didn’t seem to want to budge. It was a shame he was such a snob.

  ‘I really can’t believe how different this place looks,’ said Lexi while Stella cleared away the box and forks. ‘You’ve made it so bright and clean. Even the old rubbishy stuff looks good.’

  Stella had artistically draped some horrid blankets and the ugly cushions over the wide windowsill in one corner of the room, and beside them stood a large wicker basket containing long rolls of fabric. Old Herbert really had offered an eclectic range of things. He must have purchased whatever he fancied selling at the time or what was at a knockdown price. Lexi wandered over and studied the bolts of cloth.

  ‘How much are you selling the teapot print for?’

  ‘I’ve knocked it down to six quid a metre but they’ve been here for ages according to Herbert’s records. Why? Are you interested?’

  ‘I make dresses,’ said Lexi. She held out the skirt of her own dress. ‘This is one of mine and I really like this mustard colour. It’ll be lovely for autumn.’

  Stella hadn’t been sure about the mustard fabric with little black teapots on but she wasn’t about to turn down a sale and to be fair, it was obvious Lexi knew much more about fashion than she did. ‘It’s a forty-metre roll but I’ll let you have it for a hundred quid if you want the whole thing?’

  ‘I can’t really afford that. I can’t even afford the few metres I’d need for a dress,’ Lexi replied, sighing. ‘I’ve got a phone bill to pay this month. Never mind though.’

  Stella couldn’t imagine anyone else buying it; so far that morning, no one had even looked at it. Lexi had been so incredibly kind, Stella found herself saying, ‘I tell you what, if it’s still here at the end of the day I’ll let you have it for fifty and you can pay me later.’

  ‘It might have to be in tips,’ Lexi said. ‘Or a little bit each week.’

  ‘That’s fine,’ Stella replied. ‘It’s the least I can do as you’ve been so welcoming.’

  ‘Cooee?’ An elderly voice sounded from the doorway and in walked a very glamorous old lady. She wore a large woollen coat, a black pillbox hat with a small veil, and her aged but smiling face was made up with mascara and a dab of blusher.

  ‘Vivien,’ Lexi replied, giving her a hug. ‘You look lovely today, as usual.’ Stella couldn’t tell how old Vivien was but her slim, frail frame and slight stoop was that of a woman pushing eighty. ‘Come and meet Stella.’ Lexi held her arm out for Vivien who took it and leaned on her walking stick with the other.

  ‘I love what you’ve done with the place, young lady,’ Vivien said as they approached the counter.

  ‘Thank you. Would you like a chair?’

  ‘Oh, that’d be lovely. Thank you.’ Stella motioned to the wingback chair and Vivien lowered herself into it. ‘You’ve done wonders here already. Herbert was a lovely old man but a terrible shopkeeper. No head for business.’ She shook her head, then peered around like an owl.

  ‘Did you know him well?’ asked Stella, moving back behind the counter and edging onto her stool while Lexi fussed Frank who was wagging his tail delightedly.

  ‘Yes, dear. I’ve lived here for nearly sixty years and Herbert was born and bred here.’

  ‘Vivien was an opera singer,’ Lexi said. ‘She’s our local superstar.’

  ‘Really?’ asked Stella, as Vivien puffed with pride. ‘How exciting.’

  ‘Oh yes, dear. It was a long time ago now but I remember it so vividly. I sang all across the world, you know. London, New York, Vienna, Rome. And I used to record the screams for the Hammer Horror films back in the Sixties.’

  ‘That’s amazing,’ Stella replied, genuinely impressed. She loved those films. There was nothing better than snuggling up on a Saturday night with a terrible movie and a bucket of popcorn. Isaac had hated cheesy movies though, so she’d often watch them on her own while he did something else.

  Strangely, the small, frail woman who had entered her shop seemed to fill the chair, her personality making her seem bigger. ‘I made my name in London when I was very young, quite by accident. I was working in a club and one night the cabaret didn’t show so I volunteered to sing. It went down a treat.’

  ‘Sounds wonderful.’ Glancing at the takeaway cups on the counter, Stella felt like a terrible host. She cleared them away and turned to Vivien who was plumping one of the awful crocheted cushions and placing it behind her back. She was clearly here for a while. ‘Would you like a cup of tea, Vivien?’

  ‘Oh, that would be lovely. Yes, please.’

  ‘I’m Stella by the way. Stella Harris.’ She held out her hand for Vivien to shake and the old lady gently held the tips of her fingers.

  ‘Vivien Griffen. Very pleased to meet you.’

  Stella nipped out to the kitchen and put the kettle on. She searched for a nice cup and saucer but all she could find were builders’ mugs ringed with tea stains. They were fine for her, but not suitable for a lady like Vivien. In the shop there was a range of pretty floral hand-painted cups that Stella had marked down. She ran back to grab one. When she re-entered the shop saying, ‘I won’t be a tick,’ Lexi gave her a knowing look. ‘Do you take sugar, Vivien?’ Stella called on her way back to the kitchen.

  Vivien must have been a little deaf, as it was Lexi who answered for her. Stella made the tea and returned with the cup and saucer.

  ‘How lovely. So pretty. Thank you so much, my dear.’

  ‘Have you got your shopping list prepared?’ Lexi asked Vivien, finishing with Frank and standing up.

  She took a sip of her tea, slurping a little. ‘It’s in my bag. And there’s the cash too.’ Vivien picked up her bag and took out her wallet. She removed the list and some notes and passed them to Lexi. ‘Make sure you get yourself a little something as well, won’t you, Lexi.’

  ‘No, I won’t and you know it.’

  ‘But you do this every week for me. I’d like you to get yourself a little treat. You work too hard as it is.’

  ‘It’s no bother,’ said Lexi. ‘I’ve got my own shopping to do anyway. I’ll drop your stuff in later.’

  Stella marvelled at Lexi. She was a mum, working in the café virtually full-time, and helping out this lovely old lady too. She was very kind. ‘Where are your cute kids today?’ asked Stella, realising they were missing.

  ‘They’re with their dad. We’re divorced and he has them every other weekend. I don’t get them back till tomorrow afternoon.’

  ‘Oh, right.’ Stella blushed. ‘Sorry, I hope I haven’t upset you.’

  But Lexi gave a bright cheerful smile. ‘Upset? Why should I be upset? Honestly, honey, I’m happy to have a break from them for a bit. I love them more than anything, but there are only so many arguments you can referee before you go a bit bonkers.’

  Relieved, and feeling
a kinship with Lexi, Stella ventured, ‘I’m divorced too. But we never had any kids.’

  ‘I was nearly married so many times,’ said Vivien, sitting primly with her cup and saucer in front of her. ‘I must have been asked … oh, at least five times in my prime. And once or twice when I was past it.’

  ‘You’ve never been past your prime, Vivien,’ Lexi replied. ‘You just get better and better with age.’

  Vivien guffawed. ‘You have to play it cool, you see. Like you wouldn’t even notice if they were around, that’s the key. That’s what I did and nearly every man I sang with fell madly in love with me.’

  Stella repressed a smile and a hint of one passed over Lexi’s lips. ‘I’m sure they did,’ Lexi replied. ‘I’m sure you were the sexiest thing they’d ever seen.’

  A group entered the shop and began cooing over the artwork. Sensing a potential sale, Stella got up and went to greet them. She had researched the artists on her laptop and was giving a good pitch, even talking about where the painting had been done. If she could sell just one piece it would make her day. At three hundred pounds it would be a very good day’s work, but not wanting to push she left her customers to it.

  ‘Right, I should be going,’ said Lexi. ‘Or I’ll get in your way. It’s great to see you busy.’

  ‘It’s been lovely. Thank you so much for stopping by.’

  ‘Yes, I should be off too,’ said Vivien. ‘Miles is coming to see me later.’

  Stella’s ears pricked up at the mention of his name. Whatever did snooty boots Parker want with lovely old Vivien? Not that she could ask.

  ‘Tell him,’ said Lexi, ‘not to eat all the biscuits again.’

  Again? So he was a regular visitor? Stella could feel how much she was scrunching her brow in confusion and made an effort to relax her face.

  Lexi was just about to leave when she hesitated slightly. ‘Hey listen, I’ve got a great idea. Why don’t we have lunch together tomorrow, Stella? My kids don’t get dropped off till late afternoon. We could have a nice Sunday roast at the Admiral Drummond?’