I shook my head. ‘I think he fancies the arse off you too and the baby should make sod all difference to you getting together.’
She wasn’t buying it, insisting he’d made it clear that all he wanted was friendship since finding out she was pregnant. Bollocks. Friends do not look at each other the way Stevie had been looking at her all night.
When I spotted him returning, I suggested she give him some sort of sign that she was interested because I was certain he’d respond. I hoped she’d be brave enough to give it a go.
When the coffees had been served, the conversation turned to what everyone was planning for Christmas and New Year. Arse. Worst subject in the world, ever. Sarah’s Auntie Kay told us her plans, then her partner, Philip, looked towards me. Oh no! Here goes…
‘What will you do, Clare?’ he asked.
I gritted my teeth. Must try to sound light and friendly. ‘Absolutely nothing.’ He stared at me, frowning, and I realised I wasn’t going to get away without explaining it. I took a deep breath. ‘Christmas is family time. As far as I’m concerned, I have no family. Therefore, I don’t do Christmas and I’ve always hated New Year.’ There. I’d said it! I hoped nobody had noticed the shake in my voice.
‘What about you, Elise?’ Philip asked, quickly averting his gaze from me.
‘I’m going to my sister’s for Christmas…’
Everyone continued to chat about their plans while I shrank back into my chair, hoping nobody would try to bring me into the conversation. Surely my response to Philip had given the very clear message that Christmas and New Year were taboo subjects.
Ben turned to me and said quietly, ‘If you’ve got no plans for Christmas, why don’t you join me at Mum and Dad’s? It’ll be strange with no Sarah.’
I was very aware of Elise listening and could almost hear her willing me to say yes. No doubt, she couldn’t bear the thought of anyone being on their own on Christmas Day. ‘Thank you, but no thank you,’ I said. ‘I’m fine on my own.’
‘New Year, then?’
‘No, again.’
‘Please.’
‘Why? Why would anyone subject themselves to hot, smelly pubs packed with obnoxious, drunk eejits, then pay five times the normal taxi fare to get back home? Assuming someone hasn’t already nicked their pre-booked taxi, that is. I can’t think of a more hideous way to spend an evening.’
‘And that’s not how we’d be spending it,’ Ben countered. ‘I’m going to a party at Pete’s house and it’s walking distance from mine so you can crash in your old room.’
‘No thanks.’
‘Why?’
‘Because it’s New Year’s Eve. I don’t care whether it’s spent in a pub, at a house party or at home in front of the TV. I still hate it.’
‘But—’
‘Ben! I suggest you drop the subject. Right now!’
Desperate for some space away from the questions and judgemental looks, I grabbed my empty wine glass and a part-finished bottle. ‘I’ll be going to freshen up,’ I muttered to nobody in particular. ‘See you later.’
Without waiting for a response, I stormed across the room, through reception, then took the stairs two at a time until I reached my bedroom.
Empty wine glass and bottle still in my hands, I pulled open the doors to the Juliet balcony and gulped in the cool night air, waiting for my heartbeat to return to normal and the butterflies in my stomach to settle. Every year. Every single year. They’d done this to me. They’d turned me into this. I hated this time of year, thanks to them. Hated it.
But I hated them more.
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We hope you enjoyed this exclusive extract. Coming Home To Seashell Cottage is available to buy now by clicking on the image below:
About the Author
Jessica Redland is the author of nine novels which are all set around the fictional location of Whitsborough Bay. Inspired by her hometown of Scarborough she writes uplifting women’s fiction which has garnered many devoted fans.
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Visit Jessica’s website: https://www.jessicaredland.com/
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Also by Jessica Redland
Standalone Novels
The Secret To Happiness
Christmas at the Chocolate Pot Café
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Welcome To Whitsborough Bay Series
Making Wishes at Bay View
New Beginnings at Seaside Blooms
Finding Hope at Lighthouse Cove
Coming Home to Seashell Cottage
About Boldwood Books
Boldwood Books is a fiction publishing company seeking out the best stories from around the world.
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First published in Great Britain in 2020 by Boldwood Books Ltd.
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Copyright © Jessica Redland, 2020
Cover Design by Charlotte Abrams-Simpson
Cover Photography: Shutterstock
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The moral right of Jessica Redland to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Every effort has been made to obtain the necessary permissions with reference to copyright material, both illustrative and quoted. We apologise for any omissions in this respect and will be pleased to make the appropriate acknowledgements in any future edition.
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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
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Paperback ISBN 978-1-83889-162-6
Ebook ISBN 978-1-83889-164-0
Kindle ISBN 978-1-83889-163-3
Audio CD ISBN 978-1-83889-243-2
MP3 CD ISBN 978-1-83889-753-6
Digital audio download ISBN 978-1-83889-161-9
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Finding Hope at Lighthouse Cove Page 32
