My mint green kitten heels are the one luxury item I didn’t think I was going to use, but tonight, it feels appropriate. These are my favourite pair of shoes, and they remind me of my life in Manchester. Matched with my denim skirt and a strappy white top, I look like the old me, more than I have in days. The thing is, the longer I spend in Clover Bay, the less I feel like the old me. I didn’t care about much when I lived at home. Now, I have the café, and I’m enjoying the responsibility.
I take the lid off my pale pink lipstick and apply the colour to my lips. I blot the excess off with a tissue and stare at my reflection. I still look the same, even if I don’t feel it. A knock at the door brings me out of my daze. I add a spritz of perfume and put on my cropped white denim jacket.
After retrieving my purse and keys, I slip out of the door. Adam stops me in my tracks. He’s wearing a smart blue polo shirt, black jeans, and he’s styled his hair with wax. I inhale deeply, taking in his delicious woodsy smell.
“Wow,” I say, almost speechless. He looks great.
“Isn’t that my line?” Adam asks, smiling. His pupils dilate like he means it.
“I thought you didn’t like me all dolled up?” I gesture to my outfit.
“That’s not what I meant. It’s not that I don’t like you dressed up. It’s just you’re beautiful whether you’re in yoga pants or a fancy skirt. If the way you look is for you, then I like you however you come.”
I lightly touch his arm. “Adam, I’m shocked. Are you flirting with me?”
“No.”
I laugh. “You’re wasting valuable wine time then. Come on.” I tug on his elbow.
“Do you wish I was flirting with you?” He looks at me with curiosity as we start to walk towards the Clover and Bee.
“No.” I smile and shrug like I don’t care either way.
“Okay.” He frowns, but quickly looks away.
“You’d only regret it because you’re hung up on the fact that I’m an outsider and it’ll only lead to awkward tension. Kissing you wouldn’t be worth it.”
He laughs. “Is this reverse psychology?”
“Anyone would think you’ve got feelings for me.” I spin around with a playful energy, even though I’m mainly joking.
“I told you you’re pretty.”
“That’s a cheap shot. I’m pretty but have no brain cells.” I tap the side of my head twice.
“Now you’re putting words in my mouth.” He rubs his chin like he’s not sure what to say.
“I’m only playing with you. We’re just friends; I get it.” It feels kind of sad to say we aren’t any closer than that.
Adam holds the door to the pub open for me. After getting a drink, we join Kayleigh and Peter.
“Is that really you, Adam? I didn’t think you knew how to enter a pub?” Peter asks. Kayleigh swats him on the leg.
“Nice to see you too, Peter,” Adam says with a smile. They tilt their glasses of beer at each other.
“Are you up for some karaoke, Jody?” Peter’s face lights up with hope.
“After a few more drinks, I’m sure I can handle a song or two.”
“You sing?” Kayleigh asks.
“I never said I was any good at it. I have no problem embarrassing myself.” Everyone laughs.
“You’re braver than me,” Kayleigh says.
“You only live once. Live a little.” This is normally her line, so it feels good to be the daring one.
“I’m not getting up on stage for anything.” Kayleigh shakes her head. Peter holds his pint up to me and I tap the edge with my glass. We turn to look at Adam.
“Sorry, guys. I’m with Kayleigh on this one.”
“Spoilsport.” I pout.
Peter thuds his glass down on the table and heads towards the stage.
“What’s he doing?” Kayleigh asks, but the answer is fairly obvious. Peter picks up the microphone, tapping it a few times as he steps into his role. The music begins as the words begin to flow across the screen. Peter transforms into character. He gives the best performance of Smells like Teen Spirit I’ve ever seen. When he’s finished, a few people, including me, clap loudly.
“What a show-off,” Kayleigh says, rolling her eyes.
Peter makes his way back to the table.
“You were really good.” I continue to clap until he takes a bow, which earns him another eye roll from Kayleigh.
“Are you scared yet?” Adam asks.
“If I said I am, would you sing with me?”
He fakes a laugh while shaking his head. I screw up my face.
An older woman sings a tribute to Annie Lennox, followed by a terrible version of Robbie Williams’ Angels by a group of rowdy guys. It’s four glasses of wine later before I’ve built up my courage. I make my excuses before going to the bathroom. Instead of going back to the table, I take a look through the list of songs. Most are old school, which means I’m out of my comfort zone. Usually, I wouldn’t care if I got the words wrong or my singing is out of tune. I decide to play it safe. I choose one of my favourite songs by one of my favourite artists.
The music starts and I take my position. I sing my heart out to Bad Romance by Lady Gaga. When I’m done, Kayleigh is cheering the loudest. I can’t hide my smile, even though my performance was average at best. The rest of the night passes quickly, and my friends walk me home, singing loudly out of tune.
Twenty-Two
Adam
Sunday
I throw a pebble into the sea as Dax chases a piece of driftwood. The sun’s rays are warm on my face. The sea air makes me feel more awake than lounging around the house. I’ve spent most of the day drifting in and out of sleep. After last night, I’m sluggish on my feet. It was fun, but it won’t be a new lifestyle choice. I’m no big drinker or socialite. I’ve lost most of my day to feeling out of sorts. Wasting a day in bed without reading a book is not something I want to do regularly, but seeing Jody enjoy herself was worth the time I’ve lost. It’s early evening, and I haven’t done much since I got up. This is my first walk along the beach with Dax instead of my third. It’s at a slower pace than usual, but we manage the distance.
Cold hands cover my eyes when I’m halfway back across the beach. I can’t help running my tongue along my lips before smiling. I put my hands over hers, knowing instantly who it is. Her soft touch and sweet summer scent washes over me. I entangle her fingers with mine while pulling her arms down to my sides. She moves closer to my body as we stop walking. It’s an intimate action, but I can’t help myself.
“It’s a beautiful night,” I say in a gravelly voice.
“All day I’ve been waiting to go to bed so I can sleep off this demon of a hangover, but now I’m wide awake.”
When I turn to look at her, she’s her usual beautiful self. There isn’t a hint of sleep deprivation. Her messy hair and minimal make-up are perfect. This is the Jody I like to see. It’s just her; plain, simple, and totally gorgeous. Something inside me has slowly been changing. I like her, even though I wish I didn’t. The urge to resist what’s happening isn’t as strong as the need to surround myself with her. I tighten my hold on her hand as we stroll down the beach, following Dax back towards my house.
“At least I didn’t have to get up at dawn. I needed today off.”
“I’m not going to lie, all day long my smiles have been false. I couldn’t wait for everyone to leave the café.”
“Did you at least have fun last night?” I hope she did. I didn’t allow her to completely railroad me. I didn’t get up to dance or sing with them.
“I had so much fun. Lady Gaga would be proud of my impersonation.”
“I think you have to do more than karaoke to be an impersonator.”
“At least I got up there. What happened to you?” She turns her palms over and gives an over-exaggerated shrug before taking my hand once more.
“I didn’t want to embarrass you.” I try to play off the fact I’m too chicken to do anything like that. She nudges me with h
er elbow.
“Hey! I wasn’t that bad.”
She thinks I mean she wasn’t any good when I’m actually thinking about myself. I’m not a risk-taker. I don’t put myself out there. I like to put my bets on the sure thing or not at all. I’m no singer, therefore, I’d never consider karaoke, even on a quiet night.
“You were great. If I sang up on stage, cats would join in. Nobody needs to hear that awful sound.”
She smiles wickedly. “You can’t be good at everything. I had to be better at something.”
Satisfaction is written all over her face, which makes me smile. She’ll never believe me if I tell her how special she is. She doesn’t see her good qualities, but I do.
“So, what are you doing with your free time?” I ask.
“You’re not expecting me to turn up and harass you tomorrow? I’m shocked. I thought you knew me by now.” She holds her hand to her head, faking an over the top reaction.
“It’s not harassment when you’re welcome, but don’t you want to explore? You’ve come all this way, and so far, all you’ve done is work.” I like having her with me, but I don’t want her to miss opportunities.
“That’s not true. I’ve seen the caves, horses, and the beach. I can’t help it that I like spending time with the locals.” She smiles, and I return the gesture.
I pick up a pebble and skim it across the water so I have something to do. The urge to kiss her is becoming stronger every day. I’m beginning to forget the reasons I should stay away.
“I could find a tour bus if you’d like to see more than the village has to offer. This part of the coastal line is very beautiful, and before you start, I’ve been outside of Clover Bay to other seaside villages, just not for a while.”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” She picks up a pebble and tries to copy me, but it thuds into the water. I suppress a smirk, knowing she wouldn’t appreciate me gloating. I throw another pebble, trying to show off my technique.
“You’re the one that doesn’t want to bake with me.”
She rubs her neck as she appears to ponder my words. “I didn’t think you wanted to be alone with me after our awkward sleepover talk.” She makes bunny ears while saying the last part.
“We’re alone most of the time.” I turn to face her. My eyebrows knit together in confusion. “Only in the daylight.”
Has she been avoiding spending time with me in the evenings? “Do you turn into a vampire at night or something?”
Her lip twitches in amusement. “No. I want us to be good friends.”
I’m not following why she thinks it should be awkward between us. I rub my head, hoping my next statement doesn’t offend because I already consider us friends. “Then stop acting weird.”
She pushes me towards a wave. I grab her arm and pull her into the sea and she screams between laughing. I pick her up and spin her around before pulling her into a hug. She smells so good.
“Will you watch a movie with me tonight?”
I place her back on the sand. “Okay, buddy.”
“Now who’s being weird?”
“You started it.”
We continue our walk, but I’m still two steps behind with the conversation.
“Anyone would think you want to go back to being hostile Adam.”
“I wasn’t hostile.” I shrug off her comment with a flip of my hand.
“You weren’t very welcoming when I arrived. You were a little mean at first. I’m beginning to see a change in you though. You’re going soft around the edges, not that I’m complaining. Helping the Out and About club, talking to tourists, and going to the pub with me are just some of the nice things you’ve done. You’re not the hard guy you pretend to be. Underneath that tough exterior, you’re a soft cookie, really.”
I screw up my face, even though I don’t disagree with her. “It’s you. You’re the thing that’s changed me.”
“Well, thank you for the compliment.” She smiles.
We extend the walk I intended. After a few lengths of the beach, we drop Dax at home before heading to Jody’s house. I make drinks while she raids her grandmother’s movie collection. Once we’re ready, we settle on the sofa together.
“Please tell me it isn’t another romance movie.” I groan.
“Nope, but it’s another classic.” She rubs her hands together like an excited child.
After a few adverts, the intro music begins to play, which I recognise instantly. “Home Alone?”
“Yes. There’s zero chance of me giving you the wrong impression with this.”
I’m beginning to think I offended her when I turned her down for a sleepover. “And what impression is that?”
“That I’m offering pillow talk.”
I laugh. “I didn’t think you were hitting on me.”
It was myself I didn’t trust. Spending the night with Jody would be torture; I wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink.
“Good. I like you and wouldn’t do anything to scare you off.”
“I like you too.” I rub her knee. “Enough of this mushy stuff. I’m a guy. We don’t talk to our friends like this.”
“I bet you’re a romantic at heart.”
I smile. It’s been a while since I’ve tried to impress anyone. “Girls like that sort of thing, and I know how to treat a lady.”
She matches my smile with her own. “Your mail order bride is going to be so lucky.”
My stomach sinks. That’s what I said, but I’m in charge of my own destiny. I don’t want to end up alone. There could be someone out there for me if I took a risk. I either make things happen for myself or I limit my options. Am I ready to take a chance on someone else? On her?
“I’ve managed to take myself to the bookstore. I’m branching out. The girl of my dreams could be closer than we think.”
A frown crosses her face, but she recovers quickly. “I’ve unleashed a monster.”
I laugh. “That’s a little harsh.”
“It wasn’t supposed to sound like that. I mean, look at you. You’re a great guy. You’re fun, smart, and good-looking. Anyone would be lucky to have you.”
“Anyone would think you’re interested in me,” I say playfully.
“Don’t make me do something I’ll regret.” She fakes anger, pointing her finger at me.
We smirk at each other. I’m not an impulsive person, but I’ve been thinking of Jody as more than a friend for a while now. Doing something about it doesn’t feel like a rushed decision. I lean in towards her and kiss her lips softly. After the quick kiss, her eyes flicker open to look into mine. I don’t give her time to overthink before my lips touch hers again. Her hands grab my shoulders as she pulls me closer. My tongue dances across hers as I deepen the kiss. She tastes of candy and sugar. Her fingers move down to the edge of my shirt and, slowly, she begins to lift the fabric. I stop kissing her to look at her.
“Is this okay?” she asks.
“You may be a streetwise city girl, but you’re not taking advantage of me.”
She raises an eyebrow. An understanding passes between us. Our shirts come off, and we kiss like horny teenagers as I pin her to the sofa. My lust for Jody has me climbing all over her. I want to touch every part of her. Her sweet smell is intoxicating, and I’m infatuated with her. It’s dark before we stop kissing to come up for air. The movie has finished and the room is only lit with the glow from the television.
“Our drinks have gone cold,” I say when we break apart.
She lets out a content sigh, making me smile. “It was worth it.”
I bite my lip, already wanting to kiss her again. “Do you want me to make you a new one?”
“No. It’s fine.” She sticks her bottom lip out. “Is this where you say it’s late and you have work in the morning?”
I rub my hand down her leg. “I do have work in the morning, and it is late.”
Her frown deepens. I lightly kiss her until it disappears. I take her hands and pull her up to her feet. I collect the forgot
ten mugs and take them into the kitchen to pour the tea down the sink. I give the cups a quick rinse before leaving them on the draining board. Jody is waiting for me by the door with a pretty pout on her face. I like that she doesn’t want me to leave. I stroke her hair, taking her in. Her eyes hold a heated gaze. I could easily get used to her looking at me like this.
“You’re not going to pretend this didn’t happen tomorrow, are you?”
I kiss her. “I could never pretend this never happened.” I push her up against the wall to help myself to her lips.
“Good. I don’t want you to ignore me.”
“I don’t know what kind of guys you’ve dated in the past, but the second our lips touched, I was committed. I'll give you as much of me as you need.”
She leans over me and locks the door. Taking my hand in hers, she leads me upstairs. There’s no hesitation from either of us; we’re both on the same page. I want to be with her. Diving straight in and taking a chance is the only way to understand what I truly want.
Twenty-Three
Jody
Monday
I had a feeling Adam wouldn’t be here when I woke up, but it still makes me sad. He’s at work, and I slept soundly. My bed smells of his cologne, and I can’t resist inhaling deeply. Adam is boyfriend material, and I hope it’ll happen for us. My luck seems to be looking up for a change. The café is a great job, and Clover Bay could be my home. I sigh. Things are finally working out perfectly.
My phone begins to ring. I savour a few more seconds of my warm bed before answering and putting it on to loudspeaker.
“I sold five-thousand chocolate mint lip balms yesterday,” Sarah says excitedly. She often forgets to start the conversation with a greeting, especially when she’s so happy.
“I hope you’ve sent me one,” I say.
“I need help fulfilling the order, never mind making an extra one for you. When will you be home?” She says the last part in a sad voice.
The Heart of Baker’s Bay Page 12