Summer at West Sands Guest House

by Maggie Conway

  Molly listened trying to picture Tom’s life on the tour and found herself wondering about Jen. Tom’s tone had been even, not giving much away and Molly couldn’t work out if that was because it no longer mattered to him or because it was painful for him to talk about. She couldn’t help wondering if he still had feelings for her and if they would have stayed together if Tom was still on the tour.

  He looked across at her. ‘How are you feeling now?’

  ‘Better,’ she replied truthfully.

  ‘If you ever want to talk again you know where to find me.’

  ‘Thanks.’ His words gave her a warm, safe feeling inside. It was nice to know she could meet someone who seemed genuine, someone she might even become friends with. Because she knew that’s all they could ever be, despite feeling drawn towards him. Molly knew that to trust someone again was going to be a monumental hurdle for her.

  Chapter Ten

  ‘I can’t believe how much I’ve enjoyed this!’ Judy beamed.

  ‘Didn’t I tell you?’ Molly replied happily. It had taken her and Judy just over two hours to complete the nine-hole course and now they were making their way to the last green.

  ‘I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure about playing golf. But it’s actually been very relaxing,’ Judy admitted.

  Molly had managed to coax Judy onto the course, promising her it would be relaxed and informal with absolutely no scorekeeping. Judy had dug out her husband’s rather rickety trolley and old set of golf clubs.

  ‘You’ll think I’m a silly old fool but using George’s clubs and trolley makes it feel like part of him is with me,’ Judy had confided.

  ‘I don’t think that at all, I think it’s lovely,’ Molly told her. She was delighted that Judy seemed to have enjoyed herself so much. They had chatted about lots of things as they ambled their way round the course. Judy listened with interest as Molly described the work she’d been doing for the events company during the past year and aired some of her ideas about freelancing in the future. Judy obviously knew about Joe’s wife being poorly and the possibility of the junior tournament being cancelled.

  ‘That would be a terrible shame.’ She had frowned, looking thoughtful. ‘Do you think it would be possible to help out in anyway?’

  ‘I had been wondering about that too.’ To Molly, the proximity of the inn to the golf course made them a natural partnership. The two businesses working together could be mutually beneficial and, as they continued round the course, Molly articulated some of the ideas that she realised had been bubbling around her head.

  She inhaled deeply now, casting her eyes out to where the hazy blue sky met the glittering sea. She didn’t think it possible to ever tire of that panorama. It lifted her spirits and made her feel anything was possible and she was filled with a sudden surge of energy and happiness.

  It seemed her meltdown yesterday had done her the power of good. Bawling her eyes out in the middle of a beach had been quite cathartic and she hoped maybe she had turned some sort of corner. Now that she had faced up to how hurt she was, maybe she could start to move on.

  Of course, she wouldn’t have chosen Tom Kennedy to witness her breakdown but he had been understanding and she had felt surprisingly comfortable in his company.

  She had seen a very gentle and caring side of him and snippets of their conversation from yesterday kept replaying in her mind. He had seen her in a vulnerable moment – her confidence was low and so was her trust in men for that matter. But the way he had looked at her and listened to her had made her grateful she had met him.

  She didn’t see any point lying to herself about the fact that she found him attractive but that was totally different from saying she wanted anything to develop between them. It would be easy to mistake physical attraction for something more meaningful. The time she had spent with him yesterday had almost felt like time away from the real world. Quite why she had confided in him she didn’t know; looking back it was like she felt compelled to. Perhaps the old adage that it was easier to talk to a stranger was true except he didn’t feel like one anymore.

  After they’d left the café, he had insisted on walking Molly back to the guest house, checking several more times she was going to be all right. At the door he had gently caught her fingers in his, giving them a gentle squeeze.

  ‘You know where to find me.’ He had held her gaze, his voice low, and the way he had spoken, the way he had looked at her had left her feeling more than a bit flustered. She had to take a moment to compose herself before opening the front door.

  In the house, she’d found Anna and Stuart sitting at the table, a bottle of wine between them and the decision made to put an offer in for the townhouse. Stuart and the kids had loved the house too and Anna’s inheritance meant that they could make a good offer for it. Molly was excited and happy for them but after sharing a glass of wine with them, she had gone to her room early, feeling drained after all her emotional outpouring.

  She’d done a lot of thinking in the last twenty-four hours and although the pain and hurt was still there, she didn’t feel quite so hopeless. Very slowly she was putting her marriage with Colin in some sort of perspective. She realised she had swept so much of what she had been feeling away, ashamed her marriage had failed.

  Looking back, she could see she had been lonely in her marriage, at least at the end of it. The hours Colin spent at the office – or so he claimed – meant they had been doing less and less together. Little by little Molly realised just how far apart they had grown. Molly almost felt a sense of relief that the affair at least explained what had been wrong. She had known something wasn’t working and had been prepared to blame herself for it. With a jolt, she realised she had allowed Colin to think she was at fault in some way.

  Slowly she was beginning to feel stronger and come to terms with everything.

  Being here with her family was helping and she acknowledged that talking to Tom had helped.

  They had brought their trollies to a stop at the last green now and Molly glanced at Judy. ‘So do you think you would like to play again?’

  ‘I think I would except I’d need a partner, wouldn’t I? Maybe I should set up a singles golf club.’

  ‘That’s not a bad idea, you know,’ Molly laughed. ‘And you know golf is something you can actually get better at as you get older.’

  ‘Well you certainly can’t say that about many things in life,’ Judy chuckled. ‘And we’ve had a very good chat, haven’t we?’ They shared a conspiratorial smile before concentrating their efforts on the last hole, Judy taking several shots before hearing the satisfying plop of the ball land in the hole.

  Molly had seen Tom earlier when she’d set off to play with Judy and she could see him again now with Harry, the widower she had met previously. They appeared to have just finished a lesson and were chatting outside the golf school as Molly and Judy approached.

  After making introductions, Tom was keen to hear how their game of golf was. ‘How did you enjoy it?’ His eyes flicked to Molly and then Judy.

  ‘We had a great game, didn’t we, Judy?’

  ‘It was wonderful. But I must admit I’m ready for a sit down now and a nice cool drink.’ She rested her hand on her trolley at the precise moment the wheel – which had been wobbling throughout the game – finally gave way and fell off.

  Judy stared down at it looking slightly aghast. ‘Oh!’

  Harry stepped up looking very gallant and smiled at Judy. ‘Could I take that somewhere for you?’ he asked.

  ‘Oh, um, thank you. I don’t have far to go, if you don’t mind?’ Judy said, managing to look suddenly very girlish as her cheeks flushed delicately.

  Observing this little interchange, Molly watched Harry and Judy walking off together through the trees to the inn. She turned with a dreamy look on her face to find Tom looking at her, an eyebrow raised.

  ‘What?’ she asked innocently.

  He gave his head a little shake.

  ‘It would be nice, wouldn�
��t it? Harry and Judy?’ She smiled, watching them go off.

  ‘I was going to make tea in the office, would you like one?’

  She followed him through the reception area and into the back office. Molly looked around. There was a desk in the corner piled high with documents and scattered papers, several dirty mugs lying around and a sad-looking ivy plant wilting miserably on the window ledge.

  ‘Excuse the mess,’ Tom apologised with a sheepish grin. ‘Joe and I aren’t exactly on top of the paperwork just now.’

  ‘That’s understandable.’

  Tom moved about the tiny kitchen locating tea things and Molly looked at some framed photos on the wall. They were of Tom and Joe, some formal ones taken during tournaments, others more casual where Tom looked happy and carefree. She smiled, the comradery between them obvious.

  Tom looked over at her and grinned. ‘Joe insists on putting them up.’

  ‘You’re good friends with Joe?’

  ‘Yeah. The tour can be quite gruelling at times but we bunked up on countless nights in the same hotel room. Having someone you get on with makes it easier. Milk?’

  ‘Please.’

  Tom bent down to the fridge, his T-shirt riding just enough to reveal a few inches of perfectly toned skin. Molly swallowed hard and distracted herself by going over to the window.

  The hills seemed to have been painted in a hundred shades of green and rolled into the distance. What an incredible view to have from your place of work, thought Molly, so very beautiful. More than could be said for the little ivy plant sitting in front of her which was looking decidedly saggy.

  ‘Do you have anything to water the plant with – a watering can?’ She gestured to the plant, turning to Tom.

  ‘Er, no. I don’t think it’s ever actually been watered.’ She tutted, rolling her eyes before finding a glass and filling it with water. Gently and gradually, she poured it in, watching as the dry hard compost thirstily soaked up the moisture. She took a step back and tilted her head, sure it looked perkier already.

  She turned to find Tom watching her. His eyes sparkled and he flashed her a grin. ‘Think we’re missing a woman’s touch round here.’ He handed her a mug and the look he gave her sent a flash of heat through her body. ‘Thanks,’ she stuttered, clearing her throat. ‘So, how is Joe’s wife?’

  ‘She’s a bit better but she’s still in hospital. I think they just need to keep a close eye on her but Joe’s hoping she’ll be out soon.’

  Tom lifted his mug to his mouth, taking a drink. ‘It’s kind of strange to imagine Joe with a family. He’s entering this whole new world I know nothing about.’

  Molly nodded. ‘I remember when my brother became a dad – he had a new role in life and it was kind of weird at first. I wondered how he was ever going to do it, but, of course, he did and he’s a great dad.’

  ‘I don’t suppose anyone knows what it will really be like until they become a parent themselves.’

  That was true, Molly mused. She had never taken the idea of becoming a parent for granted but she had hoped it was something she would be lucky enough to experience one day. A small sigh escaped and she became aware of Tom looking at her. ‘You okay?’

  She inhaled deeply. ‘Of course,’ she replied breezily, forcing her mind onto other matters, namely the tournament. ‘So, er, have you thought any more about the tournament?’ she asked.

  He shook his head absently. ‘We really don’t want to cancel it. We don’t want to let the children down. I’m going to see Joe tonight and we’ll have a proper chat about it.’

  ‘Judy and I were talking earlier and we thought it’d be a shame if you had to cancel. And well, we could help if you want.’

  Tom’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. ‘Oh. I’m not sure what to say.’ He came over to perch on the edge of the desk.

  ‘In my last job I worked for an events company so I have a bit of experience. We organised everything from registration right through to the evening reception. Obviously the tournament is on a much smaller scale but the organisational principles are pretty much the same. The company’s motto was “Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail”. And I think the same stands true for your golf tournament…’ Her voice trailed off, distracted by the way he was looking at her. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and took a breath before continuing. ‘Judy and I thought it made sense to tie up the facilities and came up with a few ideas.’

  ‘O-kay,’ he said, sounding doubtful. He ran a hand round the back of his neck. ‘What did you have in mind?’

  Molly chewed her lip, hoping her ideas would sound as good out now as they had earlier with Judy.

  ‘Well, I can help with any administration easily enough. We could also generate a little bit of interest on social media – I can get Lily to help me with that. I reckon a lot of the children will have younger siblings – like Lily with Luke. So for the younger children I thought we could arrange a few activities – a putting contest, for example.

  ‘We also thought a raffle would be a good idea. The prize could be dinner and a night at the inn for two followed by a game of golf the next day. Judy could also provide drinks for the adults during the event. The emphasis is very much on having fun but it also gives you an opportunity to showcase your facilities here.’ She stopped speaking, feeling slightly breathless and aware she might have got carried away.

  A grin flickered across Tom’s face. ‘You have been thinking about this, haven’t you?’ He paused with a small frown. ‘Are you sure you’d want to get involved – aren’t you supposed to be on holiday?’

  ‘Honestly I’d love to help. Plus, you know, I’m sure I could cope with spending more time with you.’ She smiled at him beneath her lashes.

  ‘You could, do you?’ A slow smile spread over his lips. ‘Well, in that case, I’d really appreciate your help.’

  ‘Great.’ Molly beamed at him. He was looking at her thoughtfully.

  ‘How about a game of golf? Would you like that?’

  She looked at him doubtfully. ‘I’m not really good enough to play with you.’

  ‘Of course you are. And it’ll be good for you to know the layout of the course before the tournament. We can take our time and there’ll be no pressure.’

  She looked down and then lifted her eyes to meet his. His smile was beautiful and stirred something deep inside her. She felt her mouth curve in response. ‘Okay then.’

  Still perched on the desk, he took her hand in his and gently pulled her towards him so she was standing in front of him. He drew her in closer just as Kenny clattered through the door carrying an assortment of clubs. With a quick mischievous smile, she stepped back letting her hand drop.

  Chapter Eleven

  ‘Are you looking forward to your game of golf today?’ Anna grinned at Molly.

  ‘I am,’ she replied truthfully. And madly nervous. She had exchanged numbers with Tom and when he’d texted to suggest today for their game, she’d agreed.

  ‘Lily and Luke loved the golf range you know, they haven’t stopped talking about it. The delectable Tom was quite the hit.’

  ‘He was really good with them,’ Molly agreed, draining the last of her tea. She checked the time and realised she needed to get going.

  ‘I like your shorts – very snazzy,’ Anna tittered.

  ‘Oh God, do they look all right? They’re not too short, are they?’ Molly frowned looking down at the knee-length Bermuda shorts. ‘I tried on about six outfits. It’s a warm day but it might get cooler on the course and I want to be comfortable—’

  ‘Molly, you look lovely, really you do. Stop fretting.’

  Molly sighed, her shoulders sagging. ‘Sorry, it’s just the idea of playing with a professional making me jittery. Do you know how many people would love the opportunity to play with a pro?’

  Anna gave her a knowing look. ‘Mmm, and that’s the only reason you’re nervous?’

  ‘Of course,’ she said lightly, changing the subject. ‘What about you? What are
you up to today? Not sitting there too much longer I hope.’

  ‘Don’t worry about me. You’ve done more than enough these last few days. You go and enjoy yourself. It’s been ages since you properly played golf, hasn’t it?’

  That was true. Apart from being nervous about playing with Tom, she was actually excited about playing again. She recalled all the times she’d asked Colin to play and he had refused. Now it felt good to be doing this. It wasn’t just about the golf, it was about her doing something for herself.

  An hour later, Molly drove up to the golf course and parked her car, her stomach a knot of apprehension. She retrieved her clubs and trolley from the back of her car and as she walked up to the golf school she saw Tom sorting through clubs, a cap pulled down over his eyes. He stopped what he was doing as she approached and took the cap off, running a hand through his hair.

  ‘Morning.’ He smiled.

  ‘Good morning.’

  ‘All set for the game?’

  ‘I am.’ She parked her golf trolley next to Tom’s.

  ‘But you will remember I won’t be anywhere as near as good as who you’re used to playing.’

  ‘I’ll remember.’ He grinned.

  ‘And you have to promise not to laugh at my shots.’

  ‘I wouldn’t dare. Just try to relax. I haven’t asked you to play golf so I can judge your game.’ His eyes roamed over her face. ‘Do you have sunscreen on?’

  ‘Oh, no. I totally forgot.’ She’d been too busy checking her appearance before she left, trying to make sure she didn’t look as if she’d spent ages getting ready which was exactly what she had done. He handed her the sun cream and she rubbed some on her arms and face then up to where her ponytail exposed the skin around the back of her neck.

  She handing the tube back to Tom who was looking at her with an expression she couldn’t read. He reached forward, gently wiping away a dot from her cheek. ‘You missed a bit.’