Chapter 23
As predicted, The Mermaid was absolutely heaving. Clearly the prospect of live entertainment, even if it was from three local bands they’d heard a hundred times before, was enough to pull in quite a crowd and there were already small groups of early evening revellers spilling out on to the pavement.
The weather was hot and humid and I was pleased I had opted to wear a light cotton dress and cardigan rather than jeans and reminded myself that sticking to tonic water or lemonade was going to be the best option this evening. Matt didn’t know it, of course, but I had business with Jemma to discuss so I needed to keep my head clear and I was also determined to have my ears open for any more gossip.
My date had just put his foot inside the pub door when Will came striding out at speed, ducking low to avoid the door frame. At the same time calling over his shoulder and laughing to someone in the bar, he was completely unaware that he was on a collision course and sent Matt, who hadn’t time to step out of the way, flying. A jeer went up from the rowdy crowd and Matt went bright red as he scrambled to grab a chair and regain his balance along with his dignity.
‘Mate,’ said Will. ‘I’m so sorry.’
‘You want to watch where you’re going,’ Matt growled, self-consciously brushing down his shirt and readjusting his collar.
‘Oh, it’s you,’ said Will, the remorseful tone banished in a heartbeat. ‘Had I realised, I wouldn’t have bothered apologising.’
Matt took a step forward and then thought better of it. Standing at well over six foot and with shoulders the width of the pub door, Will was an impressive sight. I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to take him on, not in the confrontational sense anyway. My mind thought back to what was lurking under that unassuming plain grey T-shirt and gave an inner sigh.
I hastily reminded my lusty inner stirrings that Will was my nearest neighbour and now, thanks to my storm-chasing antics and his offers of help, we were fast becoming friends as well and that was all I wanted us to be. It was a shame, of course, that he and Matt seemed determined to cling to this mutual loathing and posturing, but that was nothing to do with me. They were big boys and would just have to get on with things.
Will stepped aside to let Matt pass and he disappeared inside without another word.
‘Hello,’ I said, feeling it would be rude not to say anything.
‘Lottie,’ Will beamed. ‘Hi. How are your knees?’
Another cheer went up from the crowd.
‘Hey mate, I bet that’s what you ask all the girls the morning after!’ shouted some anonymous jester.
Will rolled his eyes, but didn’t shout back.
‘Much better, thanks,’ I told him, hoping that my face wasn’t as flushed as I thought it might be. ‘And you’ll be pleased to know that the electrics are now all sorted, along with the shower.’
‘Brilliant,’ he smiled. ‘I bet that’s a weight off your mind.’
‘It is,’ I nodded. ‘And Simon, the electrician, said I’d picked the best sort of shower given the water pressure, so thank you for your advice on that. You’ve no doubt saved me some hassle there.’
‘You’re welcome,’ he said and then, bending low so only I could hear him, added, ‘but you’re always welcome to come and use my shower again should you have any problems.’
There was that heady scent: masculine, spicy and warm. I drank it in. The temptation to lean a little closer and kiss his tanned neck was almost irresistible.
‘I might just take you up on that,’ I whispered back.
He quickly straightened back up, obviously as shocked that I’d decided to play along as I was.
‘I mean, if I get a problem,’ I stammered, backtracking as if my life depended on it. ‘If this new shower doesn’t work or something . . . ’
‘Don’t ruin it,’ he grinned, recovering far more quickly than I had.
‘Lottie,’ called Matt from just inside the door. ‘Are you coming, or what?’
‘Sorry,’ I called back. ‘Yeah, I’m on my way.’
So entranced was I by Will, I’d completely forgotten I was supposed to be with Matt. That kind of behaviour was completely out of character for me and I couldn’t help wondering what Gran and Gwen would have made of my conduct. To be honest, they’d probably think it was more spirited than rude.
‘You’d better go in,’ winked Will, stepping neatly around me, but still within tantalising reach. ‘Don’t keep him waiting. His ego’s taken enough of a battering already.’
‘We’re just going to talk about jobs at the cottage,’ I said, even though there was no reason in the world why I had to explain.
Will shrugged his shoulders to confirm that he felt it was none of his business either, and I felt a bit of an idiot for having said anything at all.
‘Just don’t forget, my offer still stands,’ he said. ‘I can help you out if you want me to, and I’m a good teacher.’
Another cheer went up.
‘You lot are like a load of bloody kids,’ Will laughed before leaving the half-drunk rowdy bunch to enjoy their innuendos.
Pushing my way through the crowd to reach Matt, who was now sporting an even deeper scowl, I bumped into Chris and Marie.
‘Well, well, well,’ boomed Chris with a wink. ‘Has the cuckoo finally left her nest?’
Marie dug him sharply in the ribs, clearly unimpressed that he had used my nickname even though it was only in jest.
‘Just for this evening,’ I said, in a voice which I hoped was loud enough to carry to anyone present who doubted my determination. ‘But I’ll be back there later and if you carry on like that, Mr Dempster, you can go without that Sunday cuppa you keep threatening to call in for.’
‘Ignore him, love,’ said Marie. ‘He’s only teasing.’
‘I know,’ I said with a smile, ‘and to tell you the truth, I don’t mind. In fact, the name’s rather growing on me, although given my size perhaps wren would be more appropriate, although that little bird would never commandeer another’s home, would it?’
Marie winked, guessing that I was ready to give back as good as I was likely to get.
‘So what have you been up to?’ she asked as Chris continued to massage his side. ‘Simon’s been telling everyone that Gwen’s set up some sort of storage facility in one of the barns.’
‘Has he now?’
‘Yes,’ said Chris, sounding confused. ‘Are you sure about that, Lottie? Because when I took Gwen to pick up those caravans I didn’t think . . . ’
‘Sorry,’ I said, cutting him off and waving at Matt, who was still scowling, ‘I have to go. Matt’s been waiting for ages.’
I had no desire to get drawn into a conversation about what Gwen may or may not have had in mind for the vans or stand by while Chris announced their presence to everyone who might have missed Simon’s earlier proclamation.
‘Of course,’ said Marie. ‘And don’t worry, love. I’ll try and stop this one unwittingly fanning the flames.’
‘Thanks, Marie,’ I said gratefully. ‘I’ll see you later.’
I eased my way through the crowd to Matt and sipped at the glass of ice-packed lemonade he passed me.
‘So what did he want?’ he demanded, with a nod to the door.
‘What, Chris?’
‘No,’ he snapped. ‘Will. Is he still looking to get into your good books after running you off the road?’
‘Of course not,’ I said, following on behind as he made his way towards the little garden at the back of the pub. ‘That’s all water under the bridge now. He just wanted to remind me that Minnie’s due to have her booster jab soon.’
‘Is that right?’
I knew I could just as easily have said I was thanking him for his help with the electrics, but I didn’t feel my honesty would add anything to the evening, which had already got off to such a rocky start. Given Matt’s lowly opinion of my neighbour, confirming him as my storm-busting hero would only have made things worse.
‘Hey, Lottie!’
I spun round to see Jemma waving at me from the other side of the pub and I tapped Matt on the shoulder.
‘Sorry,’ I shouted in his ear above the noise of the crowd. ‘Do you mind if I just go and have a quick word with Jemma?’
‘Why not,’ he shrugged. ‘You seem to be Little Miss Popular this evening. I’ll be out here with Simon.’
‘Thanks,’ I said, squeezing his arm in the hope that a show of affection might alleviate at least some of the guilt I felt for deserting him again so soon. ‘I won’t be a minute.’
I knew he wasn’t impressed that I was off again, but this was too good an opportunity to miss.
‘Hey,’ I said when I finally reached Jemma. ‘I was hoping to see you tonight.’
‘Snap,’ she said, taking hold of my hand. ‘Follow me. It’s a bit quieter through here.’
The restaurant was still busy, but the level of chatter was much quieter and we grabbed a couple of chairs next to the thankfully unlit fire and settled down for a quick tête-à-tête. I couldn’t help noticing there were a few glances thrown in our direction, but whether that was because we had just walked in or because everyone had spotted the ‘cuckoo’, I couldn’t be sure.
‘Look,’ said Jemma, discreetly pointing to a table at the other end of the room.
‘Finally,’ I whispered as I spotted David and Angela with their heads together, deep in conversation.
‘This is the third time they’ve been out,’ Jemma confided. ‘I’ve been meaning to tell you, but I haven’t had a chance. Once they got the so-called awkward first date over with last week they haven’t been out of each other’s sight.’
‘That’s wonderful,’ I smiled, feeling secretly pleased that I had been right about their mutual attraction.
‘So come on,’ said Jemma, her eyes bright with excitement. ‘How are you getting on with the conversion?’
I explained that the insides of the Bailey were now prepped and primed ready to be painted before the new upholstery, fridge and fittings were installed. Jemma was thrilled and as keen as ever to come out and have another look before I started the next phase. She had chosen a similar colour palette to the café, and the same cupcake-patterned fabric Lizzie had designed, to tie the two schemes together, and couldn’t wait to see it transferred from the mood board to reality.
‘And how have you found the work?’ she asked. ‘Not too complicated, I hope. As you know, I had been planning to take a look before now, but I just haven’t had time for those “baby steps” we talked about. I feel like we’re at more of a gallop already!’
‘Well, the work has been pretty straightforward,’ I told her, ‘I haven’t stumbled across anything out of the ordinary yet so it’s all progressed pretty quickly. In fact, I’m just about ready to have someone check over the electrics. Obviously I’m not qualified to deal with that myself.’
‘Of course,’ she said. ‘That’s fine. Perhaps you could ask that cousin of Matt’s.’
‘I suppose I could,’ I said, thinking that if I did then what was really going on in the big shed would be common knowledge soon enough, although given what Chris had just told me, it already was, to a certain extent. ‘He’s been working at the cottage today actually.’
‘Well, that’s great,’ smiled Jemma, ‘so you already know him.’
‘Yes,’ I hesitated.
‘What’s wrong?’ she frowned. ‘Aren’t you happy with his work?’
‘Oh, the work’s fine . . . ’
‘But?’
‘Well, he came down to the barns earlier and spotted the vans and now he’s going around telling everyone that Gwen was renting the place out as a storage facility. He also saw me working on your Bailey, so I’m afraid keeping it under wraps for much longer is going to prove difficult. I’m certain no one knows it’s connected to you just yet, but it’s only a matter of time.’
‘Oh never mind,’ she said, ‘I’m surprised folk haven’t got wind of it before, to be honest. Don’t worry, it’s not a problem.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Absolutely, when it comes to tradesmen, better the devil you know, I always think.’
That had certainly been my way of thinking when it came to taking on the builder Gwen had already lined up. Perhaps, given everything else that had happened today, it was time to stop being so secretive about my plans. If the townsfolk heard about the conversion job first they might not be so surprised by the glamping idea. Well, that was the theory. Perhaps this really was the final push I needed to come clean and get the ball rolling?
‘OK,’ I said, taking a big breath. ‘As soon as I’m ready I’ll ask Simon to take a look.’
‘And I’ll come out and see you as soon as I can,’ said Jemma. ‘Just to check the paint colour and deliver the fabrics.’
‘Sounds good to me,’ I said, taking another sip of lemonade.
‘And of course we need to sort out the cost of everything,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘We haven’t exactly gone about this in the most professional way, have we?’
‘No,’ I said, ‘I guess not.’
‘Well, don’t worry,’ she said. ‘We’re more than happy to pay the going rate for the whole package, so please don’t be thinking that we’re expecting you to do it for a song. Lizzie and I know exactly how much time and effort you’ve been putting in, along with exactly how much these vintage vans are worth.’
‘Thanks, Jemma,’ I smiled, feeling relieved.
‘And we’re also desperate to hear what you’ve really got planned for those Cheltenhams,’ she winked.
Yes, this was definitely the time to forge ahead.