The Little Shop in Cornwall: A heartwarming and feel good beach read

by Helen Pollard

  ‘That’s very thoughtful of you.’ Claudia turned to Jason. ‘Off work?’

  He jerked a thumb at his daughter. ‘Too young to leave for an entire day. You know that old saying: While the cat’s away.’ At that, Claudia looked worried, prompting him to ask, ‘Are you okay?’

  ‘Hmm? Yes. Considering.’ She smiled at Millie. ‘You really want to paint?’

  ‘Yep. So does Dad. Don’t you, Dad?’

  A sharp kick to Jason’s shin had him saying, ‘Absolutely’, making Claudia laugh – something he was willing to get a bruise for.

  ‘I’ll order coffees to show my appreciation, then open up.’

  Five minutes later, Evelyn came out with their drinks. ‘Flat white for Jason. Mocha for Millie.’ Indicating the wall, she said, ‘Shame yesterday’s coat wasn’t enough to cover it properly.’ She looked up at the clear sky. ‘Good day for it to dry, though.’

  ‘Yep. We’ll do a final coat later.’ Millie sipped her drink, glancing at the sign over the bookshop. ‘That’s a great name – The Porthsteren Page Turner.’

  Evelyn smiled. ‘Do you know how it came about?’ When Millie shook her head, she said, ‘Would you believe that my surname’s Turner and Sarah’s mother’s maiden name was Page?’

  Jason grinned. ‘That’s fantastic!’

  ‘Serendipitous, certainly.’ When Jason’s gaze drifted to the sign over Claudia’s, Evelyn said, ‘Claudia came to Porthsteren to heal. The sea does that for her. And then there’s the play on words – something coming at you in waves. In this case, Healing Waves.’

  Just like Claudia, with me and Millie, Jason thought. Every time we need her. Isn’t it time I do something for her?

  That thought stayed with him all day, through the painting and the food shop and the putting away and the drive back to Healing Waves late in the afternoon. His brief conversation with Claudia cemented it.

  ‘Good day?’ he asked her, noting the worry lines.

  ‘I, well…’ She glanced over at Millie, busy prising the lid off the paint tin, oblivious. ‘Quiet. Well, not quiet, but people only wanted to talk about the damage.’ She sighed. ‘Not many tourists, either. Maybe the half-covered graffiti put them off, or they’d seen the news. Who knows?’

  ‘I’m sorry. I hope it picks up soon.’ Jason kept his voice low. ‘Claudia, we should talk about… You know.’

  She nodded understanding, then jerked her head towards Millie. ‘Yes, but some other time.’ Then louder, ‘Well, I’ll leave you to it. Thank you.’

  Jason’s heart stuttered. Knowing she understood his situation meant a great deal.

  And that was it for him. Her worry over her takings, the shock and hurt she had to absorb every time something like this happened… The storm was just an act of nature, but the accusations over gossip, the radio interviews, and now the graffiti? It was too much.

  ‘Millie, I forgot something at the other end of the village,’ he said. ‘Can I leave you to it for ten minutes?’

  ‘Sure.’

  The drive only took him a couple of minutes.

  The greeting he received was frosty. ‘We didn’t expect to see you in here.’ The red-headed one raised an artificial brow. ‘We gather you disapprove of Hester’s Cauldron.’

  That took him aback. He’d only been in here once.

  The other girl joined her partner. ‘You’re the one who said we were frauds.’

  Ah. That would explain the frostiness.

  ‘And we know you’re tight with the owner of Healing Waves.’ She said ‘healing’ with a sneer. ‘Miss Sweetness-and-Light. All of Porthsteren knows she disapproves of us even more.’

  ‘That’s what I came to speak to you about,’ Jason said, desperate to get a handle on the conversation. He hadn’t expected them to be so aggressive. He’d also expected the shop to be almost empty at this time of day, but it wasn’t – although he saw no one he recognised, thank goodness.

  He lowered his voice. ‘You must be aware, surely, that it was you who made all this spiral?’

  ‘We didn’t ask Ms Bennett to diss us on the radio.’

  ‘Claudia would never have spoken publicly if you hadn’t pushed her into it.’

  The redhead folded her arms, her stance confrontational. ‘She’d already spoken publicly, hadn’t she? Telling everyone what she thought.’

  ‘No. She was overheard chatting to friends. There’s a difference.’

  ‘I don’t see how, if those friends tell someone down the pub who tells the postman who tells Libby at the General Store.’

  She was right, of course. But you’d have to keep your mouth permanently closed in a place like this to avoid it.

  ‘That wasn’t her intention,’ Jason insisted. ‘You’ve forced the issue and created this ridiculous feud.’

  ‘I wouldn’t call it ridiculous. I’d call it protecting our business interests.’

  Jason gave her a knowing look. ‘Any publicity is good publicity? You wanted everyone talking about Hester’s Cauldron, and now they are?’

  The dark-haired girl waved her hand around the store. ‘It hasn’t done any harm. How busy is Healing Waves right now?’

  Don’t rise to the bait, Jason. Say what you came to say and get out of here. ‘Look, the reason I’m here—’

  ‘Yes, why are you here? To protect your girlfriend?’

  ‘Claudia and I are just friends.’

  Another arched brow from the redhead. ‘The kind of friends who leave each other’s flats first thing in the morning?’

  Ah.

  Jason took a deep breath, marshalling his thoughts. ‘I came to talk to you as two sensible, mature business owners, but since that’s getting me nowhere, I’ll just spit it out. What you’re doing to Healing Waves has to stop. Verbal sparring is one thing. Physical damage is another. I suggest—’

  ‘Stop right there.’ The redhead held out a hand, palm facing him. ‘We have no idea what you’re talking about.’

  ‘Oh, I think you do.’

  ‘If you’re referring to yesterday’s incident, Raven and I have been nowhere near Healing Waves. I suggest you think very carefully before you throw accusations like that around. We have lawyers.’

  Jason couldn’t help himself. He’d heard their backstory from Evelyn on one of his visits to the Page Turner. ‘Daddy’s lawyers?’

  She gave him a long, cool stare. Jeez, these women were ice queens.

  ‘Does it matter, as long as they’re good at their job?’ she said. ‘Which they are, by the way. Very. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, we have customers to serve. Don’t hurry back.’

  Beaten, Jason stepped outside and leaned his back against the cool stone wall of a nearby cottage.

  Well done, Jason. Talk about how to make a bad situation worse.

  He waited for his heartbeat to slow and his temper to fade, but that was too big an ask. How could a man who led meetings at work with competence and quiet authority, mediating between clients and contractors and authorities, be reduced to a blethering idiot by two twenty-somethings? The uncomfortable idea that he’d been unable to keep his emotions in check because this involved Claudia surfaced, but he ruthlessly buried it again.

  Still, he wouldn’t have had to go in there if Claudia would forget this rising-above-it-all stuff and allow him to talk to the police properly.

  At Healing Waves, Millie had just finished painting, and Claudia was locking up.

  ‘Where did you disappear off to?’ she asked.

  He couldn’t face confessing. Claudia wouldn’t approve, even if it was for her sake. Maybe she wouldn’t find out…? Yeah, right.

  ‘Nipped to the General Store. Ready to go, Millie?’

  ‘Yep.’ Millie stood and brushed off her jeans.

  Claudia frowned. ‘I can’t tempt you to a cuppa?’

  Jason could see that Millie wanted to, but he needed to go home and lick his wounds. ‘Sorry. We have to get back.’

  He saw the brief flicker of confusion and hurt on Claudia’s
face before she said, ‘Okay. See you tomorrow, Millie. Thanks for painting.’

  ‘Wasn’t that a bit rude?’ Millie challenged him as they climbed into the car.

  ‘I have a banging headache. I need to get home. Take some painkillers.’ Lie down in a darkened room.

  ‘I’m sure Claudia would’ve had something that might help.’

  ‘What, like weed-of-hedgerow tea?’

  Millie spluttered out a laugh, then let him be.

  As the car climbed the hill, Jason allowed his analytical mind to take over. He’d found out two things. One – those women were enjoying this debacle, or at least, they didn’t mind the publicity. And two – they were denying responsibility for the vandalism at Healing Waves. Well, they would, wouldn’t they? It didn’t mean they weren’t behind it. Who else had anything to gain from making Claudia’s life difficult?

  It was a good Saturday at Healing Waves. Claudia had Millie restocking shelves because they really did need restocking, rather than just to occupy the girl – a positive sign. She felt better with the graffiti covered up. And with more tourists than locals in the shop, there wasn’t much idle gossip – a blessing, with Millie there.

  In quieter moments, she chatted with Millie about Devon and asked, as casually as she could, whether she’d caught up with Phoebe and Jessica yet.

  ‘Phoebe suggested a sleepover at hers tonight, with Jessica.’ Millie waggled her phone. ‘I messaged Dad, but he hasn’t got back to me yet.’

  Claudia’s heart began to thud, loud and slow. If Millie went to Phoebe’s…

  Jason and I could spend the night together.

  And Phoebe could have Millie dabbling in sorcery.

  That, I can’t do anything about. Jason, on the other hand…

  When Jason called for Millie at three, his daughter immediately complained about his lack of reply.

  ‘Sorry, kiddo. Didn’t see it. What’s up?’

  When Millie explained, there was the briefest of looks between him and Claudia, before he said, ‘No problem. It’ll be good for you to catch up with them before school on Monday.’

  Hustling Millie out, a wicked smile at his lips, he mimed a texting motion behind his back.

  Claudia waited a couple of minutes, then took out her phone.

  Mine at seven?

  She was afraid he might take it to heart that she hadn’t suggested his house. But she couldn’t invite herself – and the truth was, she’d feel uncomfortable sleeping with him in the home he shared with Millie.

  She needn’t have worried. A simple See you then came back ten minutes later. Perhaps he felt the same way.

  Claudia’s euphoria at the turn of events did not last long, however. First, she had Alice to contend with, an anxious look on her pale face.

  ‘Claudia. I saw all about the graffiti in the papers. I’m so sorry.’

  ‘Don’t worry, Alice – it was just one of those things. But thank you.’ When Alice stood there fidgeting, Claudia said, ‘Not out and about with George today?’

  ‘Saturday afternoons, he’s always at the Smugglers’ Inn,’ Alice said tightly. She glanced at her watch. ‘Better go. He’ll expect his tea promptly when he gets back. Anyway, I just wanted to say I’m sorry for your trouble.’

  Claudia stared after her as she left the shop. What a bizarre conversation. It was good of Alice to stop by, she supposed. But as for the days of having your man’s tea on the table when he got back from the pub… Hadn’t that gone out with the ark?

  At four, Evelyn bustled through from next door. ‘Have you heard?’

  ‘Heard what?’

  ‘About Jason.’

  Claudia’s heart stopped. ‘What? What’s happened?’

  Perhaps seeing that all the blood had drained from Claudia’s face, Evelyn quickly said, ‘Nothing like that. Sorry. I meant about Hester’s.’

  Heaving a huge sigh of relief, Claudia said, ‘No. What about Hester’s?’

  Ten minutes later – breaking off when customers came in – Claudia was up to speed. She couldn’t be sure how accurate Evelyn’s version was, since it all depended on how many mouths it had passed through along the way, but the gist was bad enough.

  ‘I’ll kill him! I told him not to say anything! He just can’t help himself, can he? I’ll…’

  ‘I’m sorry, Claudia.’ Evelyn looked miserable. ‘Sarah didn’t want me to tell you. She said you and Jason are… close, but I said that was all the more reason for you to know.’

  ‘You did the right thing, Evelyn. Thank you.’

  ‘Have a good time. And behave,’ Jason said as he dropped Millie off at Phoebe’s.

  And don’t do anything with that stupid spell book I’m not supposed to know about… other than burn it. Because if it was yours and not Phoebe’s, that’s what I’d be doing.

  Millie rolled her eyes. ‘You always say that.’

  ‘It’s my job.’

  As he drove back into Porthsteren, Jason persuaded himself that he and Claudia needed this opportunity to talk about what was going on between them. But if it led to where it did before… His body was clear on where it stood, but his mind remembered the doubts after last time.

  And yet he couldn’t ignore the way his pulse had quickened when Millie asked about the sleepover; the look Claudia had shot at him across the counter, a look filled with knowing and promise, a look he couldn’t resist.

  On the way, he bought flowers.

  Over the top, Jason?

  Don’t care.

  When Claudia opened the door, he barely got over the doorstep before she laid into him. He certainly didn’t get a chance to hand over the bouquet.

  ‘What were you playing at, going to Hester’s Cauldron yesterday?’

  Not the greeting he’d expected, but perhaps one he deserved.

  Jason closed the door and placed the flowers on the nearest surface. His tone defensive, he said, ‘I went to appeal to their better natures.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘They haven’t got any.’

  Claudia drummed her fingers on the small dining table by the door, setting his teeth on edge. ‘More like you went in there firing off accusations and getting their backs up?’

  ‘I only tried to do what was right, Claudia, and I won’t apologise for it. Those women are behind the vandalism, and you know it. Just because you’re too soft to say something doesn’t mean I have to let them walk all over you.’

  ‘I wouldn’t use the word “soft”.’

  Her eyes narrowed dangerously, like a cat’s about to pounce. If it was Pudding he was facing off against, Jason would have been seriously worried.

  ‘I might use “planning a measured response after weighing all the facts and actually having proof”,’ she said.

  ‘They needed a warning. That’s all I went to deliver.’

  ‘And did it work?’

  ‘No,’ he admitted.

  ‘No. And from what I gather, as well as holding my business in smug contempt, they are now under the impression that I need to be protected by a man because I’m incapable of looking after myself.’

  Jason shuffled, uncomfortable under her livid gaze. ‘That would be accurate also.’ He sighed. ‘I cocked up. I admit it. Happy now?’

  ‘Do I look it?’ Her eyes flashed golden fire. ‘Honourable intentions are all well and good, Jason, but you can’t let your temper get the better of you like that. You need to learn to control your emotions better.’

  ‘Oh, like you? Because I’m telling you now, Claudia, all that serenity crap of yours irritates the hell out of me sometimes. And for your information, I control my temper and emotions just fine when you’re not in the equation!’

  Jason wrenched open the door and started down the steps.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Claudia wasn’t sure whether to be disturbed by that last admission of his or whether to take it as a compliment. She did know she only had a split second to decide whether to leave it at that – Jason stomping off in a sulk, t
heir evening ruined. She’d prepared a meal, despite what Evelyn had told her, although she hadn’t known whether she’d serve it to him or dump it over his head.

  Don’t let him go like this.

  ‘Jason!’

  He was almost at the corner of the building. Claudia saw his hesitation, the determined steps continuing on his way, and her heart sank.

  But then he stopped and turned. ‘What?’

  ‘Come back in.’

  He stood, his chest heaving with temper, before retracing his steps and climbing the stairs. At the top, he declared, ‘I’m not coming back in for another dose of that crap.’

  ‘Okay.’

  Stepping in, he picked up the abandoned flowers and thrust them at her with a gruff, ‘For you.’

  They spent the next ten minutes in awkward silence as Claudia opened wine, handed him a glass, fiddled with a pan on the stove, prepared a salad, sliced rustic brown bread.

  Maybe I should have let him go.

  Jason occupied himself by stroking Pudding with caution, as though the cat might attack him as viciously as his mistress had.

  When Claudia had run out of small tasks to occupy her, from the safe distance of the kitchen she said, ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘Me too. I made a mess of it.’

  ‘Your heart was in the right place. I shouldn’t have got so angry with you.’

  Jason stood and cautiously approached. ‘Well, like I said, your serenity can be overrated. And I know it’s a cliché, but you are beautiful when you’re angry.’

  Her attempt at a smile wobbled, and then his lips were on hers. Gentle, inquisitive.

  ‘We’ve had a rubbish couple of days,’ he said. ‘No chance to discuss anything. Sleeping together… I hadn’t expected it. Not so soon, anyway.’

  Claudia kept her eyes on his. ‘Do you regret it?’

  He gave her that half-smile, the upturn at one corner that she adored. ‘Would I have come here, bearing flowers, if I did?’

  Despite his words, Claudia saw the doubt in his eyes. It was understandable. As she’d said to Tanya, his life was complicated.