The Waffle House on the Pier: A gorgeous feel-good romantic comedy

by Tilly Tennant

  She left the room and made her way along the corridor, her brother’s laughter fading with every step, and a few doors later she came across Luke’s room. She knocked lightly and then went in. He was sitting up in bed, looking as annoyed to be there as Ewan had earlier. She took a seat beside him. Neither spoke; they simply looked at each other for the longest moment. Sadie didn’t know what to say and it seemed Luke didn’t either. Eventually, she broke the silence.

  ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘For what?’

  ‘For all this. You shouldn’t be in here right now; it’s my fault.’

  ‘I chose to jump in.’

  She was silent again. ‘And did you know who you were jumping in to save?’ she asked finally.

  ‘Of course I did.’

  ‘And yet you still did it?’

  ‘What else was I going to do? Leave him to drown?’

  ‘Some people might have done.’

  He frowned. ‘Would they? I don’t like the sound of them. He’d done me no harm.’

  ‘But what I told you about him—’

  ‘Made him even more important. If he meant that much to you then I had to try to help.’

  She smiled. ‘I’m glad you didn’t die.’

  ‘I’m fairly chuffed about it too. How is he?’

  ‘Dec…? He’s OK. He’s gone home with Melissa to work things out.’

  ‘What needed working out?’

  ‘That’s kind of what was happening on the pier when you saw us. Melissa had dumped him and he wasn’t handling it well.’

  ‘Oh. I had wondered…’

  ‘Whether it was a thing between us?’ She shook her head. It had been that too, sort of, but she felt certain that it had been resolved, once and for all. For her, it had, and she didn’t see the point in raking it all up now. Whether Declan and Melissa worked it out was up to them but, as far as Sadie was concerned, with Melissa was where he belonged. And if that meant she couldn’t spend time with Declan as Melissa had demanded, she wouldn’t like it, but in time she supposed she’d get used to it. And she had Luke now, and he deserved better than that anyway. At least, she thought she had Luke. Right now she wasn’t sure if that was still true.

  ‘What about your brother?’ Luke asked.

  ‘Oh, he’s fine. Smarting that he had to be rescued; thinks his reputation is in tatters now.’

  ‘You know, for a few scary minutes out there I thought…’

  ‘So did I. I thought I’d lost you both. I thought I might go with you. Let’s just say I’m not in a rush to repeat the experience.’

  ‘Me neither. There’s nothing like a near-death experience to focus the mind.’

  ‘One good thing has come out of it – Ewan can hardly be grumpy with you now for the boat thing because he owes you big time for tonight.’

  ‘I didn’t exactly do anything useful in the end except keep him company until we got rescued.’

  ‘But the intention was there and that’s what counts. You went in for him. You went in for Dec too and that makes you a hero.’

  ‘Does it?’

  She nodded.

  ‘I’ve never felt much like a hero before.’

  ‘You just needed the right circumstances to bring it out in you. After all, most of us never need to be heroes, so how do any of us know if we’re up to the job? It’s only when the moment comes that you know if you’re capable or not.’

  ‘Hmm.’ He closed his eyes for a moment.

  ‘You’re tired,’ she said. ‘Maybe I should go so you can sleep.’

  ‘No. Not yet.’

  ‘I’m tired too, come to think of it. And I need to shower; my hair is full of sea.’

  ‘Like a mermaid…’ he murmured. ‘Sexy.’

  ‘I don’t think sexy is the word I’d use to describe it. I look like I’ve been through a washing machine with a load of very muddy trousers.’

  He opened his eyes. ‘OK,’ he said.

  ‘What?’

  ‘If you need to go that’s OK.’

  ‘Now I feel bad.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because you looked so sad when you said it.’

  ‘I will be sad when you’ve gone; I like having you here.’

  ‘Oh,’ she said. ‘Well then, I suppose I ought to stay.’

  ‘It would make me happy,’ he said with a tired smile and closed his eyes again. ‘And it’s the least you can do. After all, I am a hero…’

  Chapter Twenty-One

  By the time the day of the annual midsummer fireworks party arrived, it was almost as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened in Sea Salt Bay. There had been gossip, of course, when the news first broke of the drama in the sea the night Sadie, Ewan, Luke and Declan had all gone in. There had been speculation aplenty about what might have happened between them all to cause such a disaster, and the stories that had emerged from that speculation had grown and grown, until they were a world away from the actual events of that night.

  Everyone involved had their own reasons for not bothering to put anyone right. Melissa didn’t want anyone to know what had happened between her and Declan because, in light of the events that followed her dumping of him, she felt a bit stupid. Declan didn’t want to tell anyone because he felt stupid too. Getting blind drunk and falling off the pier wasn’t a good look. Luke didn’t say anything about it because he didn’t feel it was his place to, and Ewan didn’t want to look like less of a swimmer than he was, still concerned that if people found out he’d needed rescuing when he was supposed to be the sort of man who did the rescuing he’d be a laughing stock. Kat simply rolled her eyes and told him not to be ridiculous, but they all knew that it wasn’t going to change anything. And Sadie didn’t put any of the gossipers straight out of respect for all the others.

  The important thing was that a week had passed and everyone was getting on again. Except, things were different than they had been before it had happened. Melissa and Declan were back together, but Melissa looked at Sadie differently than before. Sadie didn’t know why, and Declan didn’t tell her, but perhaps that was because he’d kept his promise to Melissa and kept his distance. She’d thought about phoning him to talk about things and see if he was really OK but decided against it. Sometimes you just had to let it go, even if it went against everything that you believed ought to happen. Gammy had forgiven Sadie, and after the drama in the sea she had found it in her heart to forgive Ewan too. And, a few days later, she had clean forgotten that she had ever been annoyed at either of them in the first place.

  As for Sadie, she’d barely spent a moment out of Luke’s company, and he seemed to like things that way. Their relationship had even been given the seal of approval from the Schwartz family, but then, they could hardly have withheld it because, as Sadie pointed out, he was a hero and they owed him even if they didn’t like him. Then Ewan decided that he did like him and, to Sadie’s great shock, took him for a pint at the Listing Ship. Sadie had grilled her brother and then Luke afterwards to find out what they’d talked about, but both of them had simply grinned and told her to mind her own business, which made her more insanely curious than ever and, thus, even funnier to them both. If she’d featured heavily in the conversation (and it stood to reason that she would) then she was never going to find out what they’d said. But the main thing was that they were finally getting along and perhaps that was all that mattered in the end.

  In fact, the only thing still hanging over her, unresolved, was the fate of the waffle house.

  The fireworks party always started with a barbeque that was organised by Declan’s parents. Tonight, Declan’s dad had left the chip shop in his assistant Nessa’s capable hands (she hated fireworks anyway, and didn’t care for most of the people in attendance that much either) while he came to set up. Declan’s mum, Declan and Melissa were both helping him. By the time Sadie had arrived there with Luke, her parents, Ewan and April (Kat was following with the kids), the coals were already smoking and the first of the burgers were on
the grill, the smell of cooking meat rising on the gentle breeze that rolled in from the sea. The weather was being kind to them too, far kinder than it had been the week before, and Sadie still gave an involuntary shudder whenever her eyes happened to settle on the spot beneath the pier where four of Sea Salt Bay’s residents had almost drowned.

  As they wandered over to the barbeque Declan left his station at the salad bar and jogged over to greet them. He shook Luke’s hand and then Ewan’s in turn. His smile for Sadie was rather less certain.

  ‘How are you all doing? On the road to recovery?’

  ‘Fine,’ Ewan said. ‘How about you?’

  ‘Ah…’ Declan shoved his hands into his pockets and hunched his shoulders. ‘I still feel like a total dick about the whole thing, but…’

  ‘We’ve all done stupid things from time to time.’ Ewan clapped him on the back. ‘I wouldn’t let it worry you.’

  Declan gave a sheepish grin. ‘Easy for you to say.’

  ‘It is, but I’m saying it anyway.’

  Sadie glanced across at the barbeque. Melissa was standing with Declan’s mum, and although she was talking to her, she was watching them now. More specifically, Sadie. Or at least, it felt that way. Perhaps she was being paranoid. In the week since the incident (the second incident, Luke had christened it, the first being the boat accident that had caused them to meet) she hadn’t spoken to Melissa, and to Declan only in passing. But Melissa would have known what had passed between Sadie and Declan that night because, Sadie assumed, Declan would have told her everything in a bid to fix things with her. Well, almost everything. Sadie hoped that some things they’d said that night would forever stay just between them because they weren’t for anyone else to hear and nobody else would really understand them. Some of the things they’d said might cause a lot more problems if other people got to hear them too.

  As the men exchanged pleasantries, Sadie broke off and went over to Melissa, who’d just left Declan’s mum to cut some lettuce.

  ‘Hi,’ she said. ‘How’s the barbeque going?’

  ‘Oh, it’s early yet,’ Melissa said. ‘I expect we won’t be able to cook fast enough in a couple of hours.’ She paused, thoughtful for a moment. Sadie waited for what might come next, aware that anything was possible right now and wondering if she’d be ready for it. ‘You’re with Luke Goldman now?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And it’s going well?’

  ‘I think so.’

  ‘Good.’

  Sadie wanted to ask if things were OK between her and Declan but she didn’t dare because she didn’t know what that would unleash.

  ‘I think I owe you an apology,’ Melissa said.

  ‘You really don’t.’

  ‘No, I do. I told Declan that he wasn’t to speak to you again and that was wrong. It’s just… you have no idea how hard it’s been knowing that you two had this special bond. I’ve always felt like the face at the window, you know?’

  ‘Well,’ Sadie said. ‘If there are apologies to be given, then I owe you one too. I should have respected that things had changed and that we couldn’t be like we were anymore because his priority should have been you. I gave him up all those years ago and he moved on…’ She shrugged. ‘I guess it took me a while to deal with the fact that I couldn’t just come back and have everything the same as it was before I went. He loves you more than life itself and it was always going to be you.’

  ‘He told you that?’

  Sadie nodded.

  ‘Wow…’ Melissa shook her head. ‘I don’t know what to say.’

  ‘There’s no need to say anything. I just wanted you to know. I hope maybe we can be friends now. Of sorts, anyway.’

  Melissa gave a small smile. ‘Sure. I think that would be OK. And if you… you know, if you feel the need to talk to Dec once in a while…’

  ‘Thanks. I’ll try not to make it too often if I do.’

  Melissa looked at the salad spread out before her, still waiting to be prepared. ‘We’re not ready yet but… can I get you something to eat?’

  ‘Not just yet, but thanks. I’m sure we’ll be popping back later. Burgers happen to be Luke’s favourite food.’

  ‘Right. So we’ll see you later.’

  Sadie smiled and turned to rejoin the others. Declan gave her a curious look but he didn’t ask what she’d discussed with Melissa. Perhaps he’d been reassured by the fact that they’d both been smiling as she’d walked away.

  ‘I’d better get back to it,’ he said. ‘I’ll see you later?’

  ‘You can count on it,’ Luke said. ‘Those burgers look amazing.’

  ‘Oh, they are,’ Ewan said. ‘Dec’s dad makes them every year and you’ve never tasted anything like them.’

  As Declan went to rejoin his parents on the barbeque stand, Ewan went to chat to Henny, Graham and April, who were standing with Vivien from the Ship. Luke slipped his hand around Sadie’s and smiled down at her. ‘Doing a bit of fairy-godmothering over there, were you?’

  ‘How did you know?’

  ‘Just a wild guess. And have you fixed everything?’

  ‘I don’t know about that. I’ve done what I can to put her mind at rest, but there are some things only they can fix. I hope I’ve done enough though.’

  ‘You care about him a lot, don’t you?’

  ‘Yes, but before you get all jealous I’d just like to remind you of some rather vigorous exercise we enjoyed this afternoon before we left your house to come here.’

  ‘House? It’s more like a building site. It’ll never be finished if you keep coming round with your distractions.’

  ‘You can always tell me to leave.’

  ‘You’re joking, right? That’s never going to happen.’

  Sadie grinned, but then she heard a squeal and saw Natalie and Georgia rushing over to them.

  ‘Look at you! Where have you been hiding? We haven’t seen you in ages!’ Georgia called.

  Sadie laughed. ‘Yes you have. You saw me last week.’

  ‘That’s ages,’ Natalie said. They both turned to Luke.

  ‘Hi, Luke,’ they said as one, voices loaded with mischief.

  ‘Hi, ladies,’ Luke replied with a mischievous look of his own.

  ‘How are you?’ Georgia asked. ‘Still working hard on that house?’

  Sadie let out a guffaw and both Georgia and Natalie stared at her.

  ‘Yes,’ Luke said. ‘So, so hard… at it day and night, hammer and tongs. Screwing and screwing. I’m exhausted.’

  With every syllable he uttered Sadie’s giggling became louder and Natalie turned to her with a grin. ‘Oh, now I get it. And I suppose you’re at the house all the time now that you don’t have any other commitments… helping…’

  ‘I might be,’ Sadie replied, trying to straighten her face.

  ‘Jammy cow,’ Georgia said, and Natalie gave a sympathetic nod of solidarity.

  ‘My thoughts exactly.’

  ‘I am doing other things too,’ Sadie said. ‘Like trying to find a job.’

  ‘It sounds like it.’

  ‘No, really, I am. In fact, I’m working on Ewan right now to find me something at the dive school because technically it’s his fault I’m unemployed anyway.’

  ‘Oh…’ Natalie winked at Georgia and smoothed a hand over her hair. ‘Talking of Hercules, where is he?’

  ‘Hercules?’ Sadie laughed. ‘Hardly!’

  ‘Not from where you’re standing, sweetie,’ Natalie said, ‘but we wouldn’t expect you to understand.’

  Sadie rolled her eyes. ‘He’s over there with my mum and dad.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘I thought that might put paid to your flirting,’ Sadie said. ‘And Kat’s due any time now.’

  ‘There’s another jammy cow,’ Georgia said. ‘The world’s full of jam for everyone but me.’

  ‘And me,’ Natalie said.

  ‘Yes,’ Georgia replied, ‘but you’ve had two blobs of jam already – it’s not my fault y
ou picked the wrong flavours when you had the chance.’

  Natalie looked across the beach towards the promenade. ‘Talk of the devil.’

  Kat was just arriving with Freddie and Freya. But then Sadie saw that she had someone else with her.

  ‘No!’

  In the next second, she was haring across the beach to meet them, throwing her arms around the newcomer.

  ‘Lucy!’

  Sadie’s older sister laughed and hugged her tight.

  ‘Oh my God!’ Sadie cried. ‘I can’t believe you’re here!’

  ‘To be honest it was a last-minute decision. Kat phoned me and told me about a few things that had been going on here and then she reminded me that the fireworks would be on and… well, I had a couple of days to spare and I thought, why not drop in?’

  ‘Wait until everyone sees you!’ Sadie said, laughing. She held her at arm’s length and regarded her fondly. ‘You look amazing!’

  ‘So do you,’ Lucy said. ‘Your hair looks pretty piled up like that. And you’ve lost weight too.’

  ‘Oh, I look like a country bumpkin compared to you.’

  ‘You look like a natural beauty; you always did. Like someone who’s been able to walk by the sea in the fresh air every day. I spend most of my time cooped up in an office and any glow my skin has comes out of a very expensive bottle.’

  Sadie beamed at her. Then she looked at Kat. ‘How did you keep this a secret?’

  ‘With great difficulty,’ Kat said, smiling. ‘And Ewan found it even harder. But with all that’s gone on we thought it would be a good time to bring our little family together properly, remind ourselves of how important it is.’

  ‘And there’s always one person missing, I know,’ Lucy said.

  Sadie grabbed her hand. ‘Come and meet Luke.’

  ‘Who’s Luke?’ she asked, having no choice but to go with Sadie, who was pulling harder than an excited Labrador.

  ‘My boyfriend.’

  ‘And how long has this one managed to last?’

  ‘Not long,’ Sadie said with a laugh. ‘But the difference is, I think he’s gonna.’

  ‘Going to what?’