The Holiday Cottage by the Sea: An utterly gorgeous feel-good romantic comedy

by Holly Martin

  She nodded. ‘That would be great.’

  He kissed her briefly. ‘Sweet dreams, Tori Graham.’

  ‘Oh, I’m sure they will be.’

  He smiled and walked away.

  She headed into the cottage and closed the door, noting that there was no sign of Beast this time and she wondered idly where he was. She put some food down for him outside the back door, noticing that the bowl she’d put out for him the night before had actually been taken. Maybe Beast had dragged it into the shed. She’d look for it later.

  She walked back inside and upstairs to her bed. She was tired now and starting to ache a little. She pulled off her top and her shorts and flopped face down on the bed. The sun was pouring through the skylight and she couldn’t be bothered to move to close the blinds.

  She closed her eyes and felt herself falling asleep with a huge smile on her face.

  * * *

  Aidan knocked on the door of Blossom Cottage later and then turned and looked out over the valleys and hills that made up Heartberry Farm. The sun was shining again, making the fields look like meadows of emerald and gold. The sky was a wonderful gas-flame blue today. It was a great day to remember a friend.

  He turned back to the door, which was still closed. He peered through the window next to it but there was no sign of life inside. He knocked again and waited a few minutes but there was still no response.

  He turned the handle and it opened. So, she hadn’t locked it earlier that morning, which made him frown, although he couldn’t remember the last time he had locked the door on his own house. He stepped inside.

  ‘Tori?’ he called.

  There was no answer. Maybe she had gone out.

  He wondered what to do for a moment, whether to wait for her or go on to the memorial celebration without her, although they still had plenty of time before it started. He’d planned to take her on a coastal drive first, so she could see more of the village and the local area.

  He decided to just check upstairs in case she was in the shower, although of course he wouldn’t go in there, but he could at least hear if the shower was running from the bedroom.

  Aidan climbed the stairs and smiled when he saw her face down on the bed, fast asleep. She’d pulled a sheet over herself at some point, so it was half covering her back and legs, but she was wearing very little else. The morning light caught her hair like fire, her skin was a wonderful pale cream, her long lashes dusting her slightly freckly cheeks. She looked glorious.

  He wanted to crawl under the sheet with her and hold her as he slept beside her.

  Aidan grinned when his eyes fell on the ridiculous tattoo. He wouldn’t tell her but several people in the village already knew about her tattoo, they’d spoken to him about it that morning. That had to be Agatha’s doing; she wasn’t going to leave this alone.

  He sat down next to her on the bed and stroked his hand through her hair.

  She stirred slightly, a smile spreading on her face, although her eyes didn’t open. He stroked her again, his hand lingering on her back, relishing the feel of her skin.

  She stretched and her eyes fluttered open and then closed again. ‘What a wonderful way to be woken up,’ she said, sleepily.

  He kicked his shoes off and lay down on the bed next to her. She didn’t hesitate, immediately cuddling up to him and laying her head on his chest with her arm around his stomach.

  How had they arrived here so quickly? A few days ago, they had sat outside Blossom Cottage on Tori’s first day where they both had said they weren’t looking for a relationship, and that nothing was going to happen between them, and now they were cuddling in bed as if they’d been together for years. And he couldn’t be happier about it.

  He would have thought he would be having doubts. This was the first woman he’d been involved with since Imogen had left him at the altar. He had guarded his heart so fiercely, not getting involved with anyone for fear of getting hurt again, and here he was snuggling up to this wonderful woman. And this couldn’t possibly have a happy ending. She was leaving in less than two weeks. There was no way she would stay in Sandcastle Bay, she had lived in London her whole life, what could this tiny village offer her in comparison to London? In reality, he should end things now before they got any closer. He knew that if he let things continue, he could easily fall in love with her. But he couldn’t walk away from her either. He was enjoying himself way too much spending time with her to put an end to it now. He would just have to make sure he didn’t involve his heart in this. This was a fling, nothing more, and he was damned well going to enjoy it now before it ended.

  He looked down at her, her eyes still closed, a smile on her face, and he stroked a finger down her cheek. Whatever happened, he needed to make sure that Tori wasn’t hurt through this thing between them.

  Her breathing was slightly heavy, little warm puffs of air tickling his neck, and he realised she was still half asleep.

  ‘Are you enjoying your time here in Sandcastle Bay?’ he asked, softly.

  ‘I can’t remember the last time I’ve been this happy,’ she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper.

  He smiled at this. He shouldn’t feel so protective of her. She was a grown woman who could make her own decisions. They both knew this was a short-term thing and if it made them both happy, then there was nothing to worry about.

  She opened her eyes and smiled when she saw him.

  ‘I brought you something,’ he said, proffering the lilac paper lily.

  Her smile grew and then she leaned up and kissed him. There was something so wonderful about kissing her, it filled him with this glorious feeling of excitement. He felt a connection to her he’d never felt with anyone before. Something pulled him to her. But it wasn’t love, it was lust, that’s all it was. He needed to keep telling himself that.

  Tori pulled back a little. ‘What time is it, are we late?’

  ‘We have time.’

  She grinned. ‘Time to continue doing this?’

  ‘Absolutely.’ He bent his head and kissed her again, he didn’t know if he could ever stop.

  Eventually, Tori pulled back again. ‘I need to get a shower before we go out, want to join me?’

  He laughed. ‘Have you seen the size of that shower? I wouldn’t fit in there by myself, let alone with you. Besides, lying here in bed kissing you is hard enough without taking it any further. I don’t think us both being wet and naked together is going to help my restraint.’

  ‘Fair point.’

  She slipped from the bed and walked into the bathroom, wearing only her knickers and bra, and he quickly averted his eyes. Although it didn’t seem she was shy, and he’d already seen her half naked the night before when the bat had attacked her, it didn’t seem right to ogle her in that way. He smiled. At least not until they’d slept together.

  The shower started running and suddenly her bra came flying out of the bathroom and landed on the bed, followed by her knickers.

  He laughed, and she peered round the door, only her face and her bare shoulder showing. She smiled mischievously and then ducked back inside the bathroom.

  Maybe they would be together a lot sooner than he thought.

  16

  Tori looked out over the sea as Aidan pulled the car into the cliff-top car park. A gazebo had been decorated in fairy lights and Star Wars bunting and Tori smiled. She hadn’t been sure what to wear to Matthew’s memorial, though Aidan had assured her it was very casual. Judging from the array of jeans and Star Wars t-shirts on display, she could see that she had been right to wear her shorts and t-shirt and sweep her hair up into Princess Leia buns.

  They got out and, as they walked along the path towards the gazebo, Aidan took her hand.

  It was a lovely gesture of support and solidarity but she suddenly worried what Isla and Melody would make of it. They had only just found out about her and Matthew and now she was turning up to his memorial hand in hand with somebody else. Was it inappropriate or thoughtless? Would they think she
didn’t really have feelings for Matthew at all if she had started something with Aidan only a few days after they’d met? The very last thing she wanted was to do anything to hurt Melody and Isla, especially not over Matthew.

  She let go of Aidan’s hand and made a show of checking her hair buns, so it wasn’t so obvious. When she put her hand back down, she didn’t take his again and made sure that she was slightly further away from him, so he couldn’t take hers either. She chanced a glance at him, hoping he hadn’t noticed, but from his expression, she guessed that he had definitely noticed and wasn’t particularly happy about it.

  Before she had the chance to explain, Melody came bouncing down the hill to welcome her. She hugged Tori.

  ‘I’m so glad you’re here.’

  ‘I’m glad to be here too. I brought the top of the cake.’ Tori held up the tin.

  ‘Oooh, let’s see.’

  Tori popped off the lid, and presented the large circular cake topper with the Millennium Falcon painted on top. As Melody admired it, Tori noticed Aidan leaving her side and making his way into the party by himself. Crap, she’d hurt him.

  ‘Elliot will love this, come and show him,’ Melody said, linking arms with her and escorting Tori into the gazebo.

  There were about twenty people there, including Leo, Jamie, Emily and Agatha and several others that Tori didn’t know. Everyone was sitting around chatting, drinking and eating. As with most parties, the men were together in one part of the gazebo and the women were together in another. No sign of Melody and Isla’s mum though.

  ‘Your mum couldn’t make it?’ Tori asked delicately.

  ‘She didn’t think this kind of celebration was appropriate,’ Melody said. ‘“I’m still grieving,”’ Melody quoted in a haughty voice. ‘The implication being that I’m obviously not. “I’m not ready to celebrate the death of my son just yet.”’

  ‘It’s a celebration of his life, not his death,’ Tori said.

  Melody shrugged. ‘I’m happy she’s not here, she would be bitter and angry the whole time and that’s not what today is about.’

  Melody brought Tori over to the men’s section where they were all drinking from bottles of beer and laughing loudly at some joke one of them was telling.

  Elliot was sitting on Leo’s lap, Leo with one arm around him as he chatted to him about something Elliot was playing with. Tori smiled because this was very much a manly corner but the fact that Leo was there playing with Elliot seemingly wasn’t odd for any of the other men.

  They both looked up as Tori and Melody approached.

  ‘Hey, I’m glad you’re here,’ Leo said. ‘I’m sure Matthew would be happy too.’

  Another punch of guilt kicked her in the stomach. It was Matthew’s birthday and she had spent the morning lying in bed kissing another man. Quite honestly, Matthew had barely entered her mind.

  She smiled at Leo and then addressed Elliot. ‘I have the cake topper.’

  ‘With the Millennium Falcon on it?’ Elliot’s eyes lit up.

  Tori dropped to her knees in front of him and showed him the cake top.

  ‘That’s amazing, exactly like the one we had last year. Can we put it on the cake now?’

  ‘Sure we can.’

  Elliot climbed down from Leo’s lap and took Tori’s hand and pulled her over to the cake, which had been decorated haphazardly with several stars around the outside that were definitely Elliot’s handiwork.

  ‘So, we need to put a little bit of icing on top of the cake,’ Tori explained. ‘Then we can stick the Millennium Falcon on the top. I’ve brought some soft icing with me, do you want to take a spoonful and spread it out over the top of the cake.’

  Elliot nodded seriously as he carefully did what Tori asked. She lifted the cake topper out of the tin and passed it to him. Reverentially he placed it on top of the cake.

  ‘Now press down really gently in the middle and around the edges of the topper,’ Tori said.

  Elliot did as he was told and then stepped back to admire his handiwork.

  ‘I think Dad would have loved this,’ he said, quietly.

  ‘I think so too,’ Tori said.

  Marigold came bouncing over, dragging Aidan behind her. She was a mass of blonde curls, and dressed in a pink glittery top that had a My Little Pony on the front and pink sparkly leggings. She even had My Little Pony trainers.

  ‘Marigold! Look what we did,’ Elliot said, proudly.

  Marigold studied it for a moment. ‘Wow, that Millennium Falcon is even better than the one Han Solo flies.’

  Tori laughed. It was so unexpected that this vision in pink knew about the Millennium Falcon.

  ‘Her dad is a big fan,’ Aidan explained, dryly. ‘He makes her watch it and in return she makes him watch all the Disney films. It’s a fair exchange.’

  ‘Daddy says his favourite is Lion King but secretly I think it’s Frozen; he knows all the songs,’ Marigold said.

  ‘I love Frozen,’ Elliot declared. ‘Olaf is my favourite, he’s so funny.’

  ‘Elliot, I have a secret I’m not allowed to tell anyone. Want to know what it is?’ Marigold said.

  Elliot nodded.

  ‘Maybe you shouldn’t be telling anyone if it’s a secret,’ Aidan tried.

  Marigold rolled her eyes. ‘Elliot isn’t anyone.’

  She grabbed Elliot’s hand and ran off with him to the other side of the gazebo and whispered in his ear.

  Tori was left with Aidan and for the first time since they’d met it was suddenly awkward.

  ‘Are you angry with me?’ she asked, quietly.

  He smiled sadly. ‘I’m not angry. We both agreed that we didn’t want to give the villagers any fuel for their gossip and we didn’t want to encourage Agatha either.’ He nodded in Agatha’s direction and Tori looked over and saw that she was watching them intently. ‘It’s fine.’

  Before she could explain that that wasn’t the reason she had dropped his hand, Leo suddenly burst out laughing.

  She looked over at him. Elliot was standing next to him looking excited, obviously having just imparted this wonderful secret to his godfather.

  Leo looked over at Emily and raised his glass. ‘Congratulations, Sis.’

  Tori glanced at Emily, who was suddenly blushing. Tori noticed the glass of orange juice in her hand and guessed the secret herself.

  ‘Marigold Breakwater,’ Emily admonished, her hands on her hips.

  ‘I only told Elliot that you were pregnant, no one else,’ Marigold said and there were cheers from the rest of the people there. Emily looked aghast and then smiled as Aidan moved to hug her.

  ‘It’s very early, we’re not telling anyone yet,’ Emily tried and then laughed as Jamie and a few others moved to hug her as well. She looked at the man next to her for support, presumably her husband Stanley, but he was laughing too.

  ‘I told you not to tell Marigold yet,’ Stanley said.

  ‘I wanted her to be a part of it… Oh, bugger it, I don’t suppose it matters.’

  Tori went over to offer her congratulations as well and there was lots of chatter about how long they’d known and when the baby was due and whether Emily thought it was a boy or a girl.

  As everyone returned to their own conversations, Tori moved over to Isla and Melody, still not entirely happy with how things stood with Aidan. She needed to talk to him to explain but as he was chatting with Leo and Jamie, now clearly wasn’t the best time.

  ‘How did the first berry-picking go?’ Isla asked.

  Tori couldn’t help blushing as she remembered her first kiss with Aidan, the way he had held her, the way he tasted, his gentle touch, how it had felt more incredible than anything she had ever experienced before. She remembered the kisses on the blanket under the stars when they had taken a break and watching the sunrise together. Were there any words she could use to describe how wonderful the night before had been? And in reality, she couldn’t tell them. Not now, anyway. This was a day to remember Matthew, to celebrate his
life. She couldn’t tell his sisters that her every single thought was occupied with Aidan Jackson.

  She realised they were still waiting for an answer.

  ‘It was nice,’ Tori said. Although clearly, they were waiting for more. ‘Umm, berry-picking is very therapeutic. And working at night is rather beautiful, just you and the stars.’

  ‘You, Aidan and the stars,’ Isla said.

  ‘Sounds very romantic,’ Melody said, dreamily.

  This was a dangerous road to go down.

  ‘A bat attacked me,’ Tori blurted out, trying to change the subject.

  ‘What?’ Melody said.

  ‘Yes, it got stuck in my hood and then fell down my top, it was very traumatic,’ Tori played it up. It was a great anecdote, although it had resulted in Aidan ripping her clothes off. Maybe she’d leave that part out of the story.

  ‘Oh my god, that sounds like my worst nightmare,’ Melody shuddered.

  ‘I’ve always liked bats,’ Isla said. ‘There’s something so fascinating and kind of creepy about them. I love watching shows about them, but that’s too up close and personal, even for me.’

  ‘What happened? Did it bite you? Are you going to become a vampire?’ Melody teased.

  ‘I don’t think it bit me, but I did wake up this morning with a sudden aversion to garlic, so who knows.’

  They laughed, and she was relieved that the topic of Aidan and the romance of being together under the stars seemed to have passed.

  Agatha came over to join them, a mischievous grin on her face. ‘So, did you have a good night last night?’

  Her eyebrows waggled, the spark of amusement in her eyes. She couldn’t possibly know what they had got up to. Tori knew that small village gossip spread like wildfire, but they had been completely alone when they had kissed. Or she bloody hoped they were. Had there been any stragglers that had seen it? No, they had definitely been alone.

  ‘Yes, the fruit-picking was fine but nothing else happened thanks to your insane tattoo.’

  ‘What do you mean; my tattoo choice for you was inspired.’

  ‘You let Agatha choose a tattoo for you?’ Isla asked. ‘Are you crazy?’