The Heart of Baker’s Bay

by Danielle Jacks

  The Heart of Baker Bay

  Danielle Jacks

  Contents

  A note to the reader

  1. Jody

  2. Jody

  3. Jody

  4. Adam

  5. Jody

  6. Jody

  7. Adam

  8. Jody

  9. Jody

  10. Adam

  11. Jody

  12. Jody

  13. Adam

  14. Jody

  15. Jody

  16. Adam

  17. Jody

  18. Jody

  19. Adam

  20. Jody

  21. Jody

  22. Adam

  23. Jody

  24. Jody

  25. Adam

  26. Jody

  27. Jody

  28. Adam

  29. Jody

  30. Jody

  31. Adam

  32. Jody

  33. Jody

  34. Adam

  35. Jody

  36. Jody

  37. Adam

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by Danielle Jacks

  The Heart of Baker Bay Synopsis

  Jody

  Being fired is not a pleasant experience, although it’s something I’ve become good at. I’ve had more jobs than most people have in a lifetime. When my gran has an accident, I find myself volunteering to manage her seaside café. I’m the last person anyone should rely on, but for some crazy reason, I’m on my way to save the day. What could possibly go wrong?

  Adam

  Clover Bay is my home. Keeping my head down and enjoying the simple life is all I want. Jody’s temporarily staying in the village to help her grandmother. At first, she seems high maintenance, but it isn’t long before I can see through the cracks. I don’t want to like her, but there is something about her I can’t stay away from.

  Can one small village set two hearts free, or will Clover Bay become a distant memory of summer dreams for Jody?

  The Heart of Baker Bay is written in British English. This book is the work of fiction. Any names, characters, places, and events are either creations of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarities are purely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2021 by Danielle Jacks.

  All rights are reserved. Published in the United Kingdom by Danielle Jacks.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced without the author’s written consent, except in the case of a brief quotation to enhance reviews or articles.

  Cover design: Shower Of Schmidt Designs.

  Editor: Karen Sanders.

  Proofreader/Beta Reader: Mich Feeney.

  Formatter: Phoenix Book Promo.

  Created with Vellum

  A note to the reader

  This book is written in British English. The author is from England, United Kingdom. British spellings and phrases are used throughout this story. The legal age for drinking alcohol in the UK is eighteen years old. The age of consent for sexual activity is sixteen; although there is no explicit content within these pages the act is implied.

  One

  Jody

  Monday

  I’m having a bad day. The drizzle of rain wetting my brown hair is the least of my worries. My phone easily slips between my fingers as I pass it back and forth between my hands. I don’t want to call my sister, but I’m out of options. Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly then hit the dial button and hold the phone up to my ear.

  “It’s a bit early for you to be on a break, isn’t it?” Hannah asks.

  “Can you come to pick me up?” I reply, cringing.

  “Jody Marie Evans, what did you do this time?”

  “Don’t call me that, you’re not my mother. I was on a trial. The probation period has come to an end which means I’m free to go. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

  I wipe my sweaty palms down my grey dress. I didn’t change out of my uniform after I was called into the hotel manager’s office. My only goal is to get out of here as quickly as possible, and after collecting my bag from my locker, I practically ran out of the door. Being a failure is something I’ve become good at, although each disappointment still shocks me.

  Why can’t I get it together?

  Hannah’s quiet for a moment before she replies, “I’m on my way.”

  “Thanks.”

  As I end the call, I catch sight of Kristie, the bossy hotel manager. She doesn’t speak. Instead, she signals for me to take the dress off. A few of the other maids are watching from the upstairs windows. It’s Monday morning and most of the guests have already left. Kristie needs to lighten up. It’s a minimum wage job. I’m not going to put my all into something like that. Just because I’ve turned twenty-two, doesn’t mean I’m ready to get serious. Work is supposed to be a way to make friends and have a little fun. Surely no one wants to be a maid. Who cares if I borrowed some chocolate from the minibar or shampoo from the trolley? They’re perks of working in a hotel.

  It’s too bad. I really liked the other girls, even though I’ve only been here a couple of weeks. It shouldn’t be a sackable offence to take a shower in one of the hotel rooms. I was going to clean it afterwards. I’d slept on my best friend’s sofa and didn’t have time to freshen up before the start of my shift. It wasn’t my fault I had a late night. My best friend, Sarah, needed me. Her boyfriend is on a stag do in Magaluf; I had to remind her Aiden is besotted with her and she has nothing to worry about. A bottle of red wine with a cheeseboard solved the problem but did nothing for my head.

  I let out a huff, drop my bag to the ground, and lift the dress over my head, letting it freefall. Kristie screams at me, but I block out her words. I don’t need to listen to her anymore, and I refuse to step back inside Foundations Manor. Being a maid wasn’t for me, and upper-class hotels are now on the list of places to avoid. I pull my shirt over my head and secure my skirt around my waist. Once I’m decent, I take a seat on the wall and swing my legs like I don’t have a care in the world. Kristie snatches up the discarded uniform from the floor and storms back inside the hotel.

  Fifteen agonising minutes later, Hannah’s beat-up old Beetle speeds up the drive and she parks in the disabled bay. A few of the girls are still staring from the upstairs windows. I hold my head up high as I walk around to the passenger door and climb inside the car. I lift her nail technician bag onto the back seat and try to act causal.

  Getting fired doesn’t mean I’m a bad person, right?

  “You owe me. Now I’m going to be late for my ten o’clock,” Hannah snaps.

  “I’ll do your laundry when I get home to make up for it.”

  She smiles weakly. Hannah hates washing. After working in an industrial laundrette for a month, I’ve got pretty good at removing stubborn stains, and I don’t mind washing dirty clothes. It’s a shame they had an electrical fire and it had to shut down. Simply Laundry was the best company I’ve ever worked for.

  “I should be mad you messed up another job. How are we supposed to pay the rent when you keep losing your chances to earn money?”

  “We can’t all be perfect like you, Hannah. Housekeeping was never going to be a permanent thing for me. Granted, I expected to be there longer than a week, but it means my next adventure will start sooner.”

  Searching through my bag, I find a brush. It slips through my wet hair with ease as I pretend not to be upset about my latest disaster.

  “You shouldn’t have dropped out of beauty school. Then you could be working alongside me instead of wasting your time with these lame jobs.”

  Hannah was Beauty Student of the Year two years running, whereas I struggled to stay awake during the
lectures.

  “It wasn’t for me.”

  “Nothing seems to be.” She sighs heavily.

  My mum’s old words run through my mind. “Why can’t you be more like your sister?”

  I’m the underdog of the family, the last one to finish any race. I love my sister, but I’m not like her or my workaholic mother. I’m trying to figure out what I should do with my future, I truly am, but nothing seems to be a good fit. I wish I could be more like them, but I’m not.

  Hannah has always had a plan, and the pieces seem to fall into place easily for her. She has her life together, which only makes me feel worse. She’s the perfect older sibling who sets a good example. She has a good career and a long-term boyfriend, Tim. Her grades were always higher than mine, and she got fewer detentions. I don’t have a plan mapped out or career goals in mind. My longest relationship only lasted six weeks, and it was always on the rocky side. It sucks I haven’t found something or someone for me, but I’m not going to force a situation that isn’t meant to be.

  I can’t seem to find someone who likes me for who I am. I don’t want to change because someone else thinks I should. Not for a man or a job. My mum never got married, so at least I have that going for me. Not that a relationship is going to help me in this situation.

  Hannah parks her Beetle in the small car park in front of our block of flats. The streets aren’t as busy at this time of day, and she manages to get a space close to the entrance. We live on the outskirts of Manchester; not close enough for people to park their cars and walk into the centre, but close enough for us to be true city girls.

  After climbing out of the vehicle, I make my way up the narrow path. The echo of a car door shutting means my sister is following me. I guess being on time for her next client can’t be that important.

  I pause for a split second before putting the key into the lock and turning it. I push down the door handle and step inside our small, ground floor flat. The door swings wide open, but Hannah will close it. The landline phone rings while we’re in the hallway, and I use the opportunity to escape the brewing storm I sense is coming.

  Once inside my bedroom, I listen to her muffled voice as she talks to the caller. It doesn’t seem to be one of her usual clients as she isn’t talking in her professional voice, but I don’t linger on the thought for too long. When she hangs up, I grab a celebrity gossip magazine from my shelf and move farther into the room. Her footsteps echo through the hallway as she draws closer. I put a fake smile on when she opens my door, hoping to avoid a lecture.

  “We need to talk about this, Jody. How did you get fired?” Hannah asks.

  “I was not fired.” I pout.

  “Did they say they would think about hiring you on a permanent basis?” She looks optimistic, and I cringe.

  “Well… err, No.”

  “Or at least keep you in mind if another position opens up?”

  “Nope.” This conversation can’t end quickly enough.

  “So, they dismissed you?”

  I rub my arm. “It was a trial. They liked the other girl better,” I say, like it’s no big deal.

  “What did you do?”

  “I didn’t do anything wrong, so there’s no need to lose sleep over it. There are plenty more opportunities out there. I’m sure the next job will be a better fit.”

  I try to sound positive, even though my sister seems disappointed in me. It’s frustrating to think she has so little faith in my ability. A few tiny mistakes don’t make me a complete disaster, or unemployable. Take my last big failure, for instance; forgetting to clean the filter before turning on the dryer doesn’t make the electrical fire at the laundrette my fault. I’m unlucky in the workplace, that’s all. I’ll find something I‘m good at, even if I have to try every rubbish job there is.

  Hannah stares at me, waiting for me to offer more, but what can I say? The truth isn’t an option, and she’d see straight through a lie. Instead, I make a dramatic huff and bury my head in the magazine. It’s an immature move, but I don’t feel like adulting right now. She flings open my bedroom door and it slams loudly behind her.

  Way to go, Jody. I’ve managed to get fired and piss off my sister all before midday.

  Two

  Jody

  My stomach rumbles with hunger, reminding me I have to leave my room at some point. It’s late afternoon, and the flat has gone deathly quiet. My sister probably left for work a couple of hours ago. I open my bedroom door and listen for any signs of life. Once I’m certain I’m all alone, I make my way into the kitchen. I click the kettle on and head to the laundry basket. With a pile of dark clothing under my arm, I head back to the kitchen.

  The landline phone rings as I pass it in the hall. The washing tumbles out of my grasp while I stay frozen to the spot. I’m on edge since the argument with my sister, and I hope it’s not her calling to check up on me. Wishing I was telepathic, I stare at the phone. Maybe it’s a company returning their call from one of the other interviews I’ve had. The phone rings four times before I snap out of my daydream. I can’t take any more bad news today, but if I don’t answer it, I could miss a potential job opportunity, although I’m not sure why they wouldn’t call my mobile. After stumbling over the washing, I pick up the receiver.

  “Hello, Evans residence. How may I help you?” I say politely.

  “Hello. Is Hannah Evans there?” a husky male voice says. Most of my sister’s clients are female, and this guy definitely isn’t Tim. The mystery guy sounds kind of hot from the tone of his voice. Although, the radio presenter I thought I had a crush on turned out to be a forty-year-old man. His online picture was a huge letdown and erased all my faux fantasies.

  “No, sorry. She’s not available at the moment. Can I take a message? I’m her younger sister.”

  I sound fairly professional, which already has me dreaming of my own office desk and a headset. A call centre might be the right job for me.

  “Do you know when she’ll be home?”

  “No. If you’d like to leave a message, I’ll be sure to get her to call you back.”

  The caller mumbles under his breath and hangs up. Well, that was plain rude. Before I can stop myself, I hit the return call button.

  “Hello, The Botanist Tearoom. How may I help?” the unmistakable male voice says.

  My breath catches in my throat. This is Grandma Evans’ café. Why would the mystery guy be calling from there? “Can I speak to Molly Evans, please?”

  “Get your sister to call me when she gets home, okay?” He hangs up on me again.

  I listen to the dial tone for a few seconds before putting the phone down. See, that’s the sort of person who should be fired, not me. I’m always polite to customers. Why would my grandma let him make her calls? My mum’s mum is also business-minded, so you’d think she’d want the right person to front the café. If we lived closer to her, I’d tell her I could replace him in a heartbeat.

  Voices come from behind me as the front door opens. My sister and her boyfriend are talking loudly as they enter the flat. I quickly scoop up the washing and put it into the machine. After shaking the powder into the drawer and setting the spin cycle off, I make three cups of tea. Hopefully, she’s had time to get over my dismissal.

  Once I have the cups and a packet of biscuits on a tray, I make my way into the living room. Hannah and Tim are chattering about the latest True Crime podcast. I don’t listen to the show, so I can’t offer any insight. I place the tray on the coffee table and sit in the armchair.

  “Any luck finding a new job?” Hannah asks optimistically.

  My eyes widen. “I haven’t had a chance to look yet. I’ve been doing washing and tidying up.”

  It never occurred to me to browse the job websites for something new so quickly. I’m still mourning the loss of my last one. I spent the morning napping to catch up on my sleep. I’m still tired after my late night, but I don’t tell her any of this. My social life won’t impress her.

  “Give her a br
eak, Han. She’ll work it out in her own time,” Tim says, giving me a reassuring smile.

  I’m grateful he tries to fight my corner at times like this. He often acts as a buffer between Hannah and me, even though he’s ultimately on her side. Today, I really need someone on my team or I’ll lose my cool. I don’t need reminding I’m a failure. I already know I royally fucked up.

  “She’s had enough chances. She needs to get a grip on the situation and start getting serious about her future. She can’t fool around for the rest of her life. Now is the time to start climbing the career ladder. By her age, I already had my own business.”

  A small squeak escapes the back of my throat. I’m lucky to have my sister, even if she’s a hard ass every once in a while. I need to change the subject fast before I say something I’ll regret later. “The Botanist Tearoom wants you to give them a call back.”

  “Did Grandma Evans ring?”

  “No. It was some rude guy.”

  She pokes her tongue into her cheek like she does when I’m confusing or frustrating her. “What did he want?”

  I shrug. “I don’t know. He said for you to call.”

  “You didn’t ask what the problem with Gran was?”