Spring at Lavender Bay

by Sarah Bennett

  ‘Beth?’ Sam hurried closer as her familiar auburn hair, coated in a fine layer of dust, appeared from beneath the counter. The delicate features of her face were scrunched into a frown.

  ‘Sam? What the hell are you doing here?’

  He couldn’t help laughing at the fierce demand. ‘Shouldn’t that be my line?’

  Pushing to her feet, Beth folded her arms over her chest. ‘Considering you’re the one trespassing in my shop, then no, it’s most definitely my line.’

  ‘Your…?’ Mind reeling from the shock of seeing her so unexpectedly, it took him a moment of two to put the pieces together and then he wondered why he hadn’t thought of it before. ‘Eleanor left the emporium to you?’

  Beth used the back of her hand to push a stray length of her hair back from her face, leaving a dirty streak high on her cheekbone in the process. ‘Yes. I had no idea, but it was a gift I couldn’t ignore and came at just the right time because I couldn’t stick that job a moment longer.’ Her eyes widened in horror and she clapped a hand to her cheek. ‘Oh, God! That sounded awful, like I wished Eleanor dead or something.’

  Tears pooled in her eyes and he reached out to cup her shoulders. ‘Hush, now. It didn’t sound anything of the sort. Were things really that bad?’

  Beth nodded her head, sending the tears spilling over onto her cheeks. She sniffed, then laughed at the ungainly noise. ‘I hated it. I never realised how much until I was standing in my boss’s office telling him to get stuffed.’

  Sam squeezed her shoulders. ‘From what Eliza’s told me about him, he deserved it.’ He glanced around, taking in the dusty shelves, and the ridiculous wooden banana with the cheeky-faced monkey perched on the top. Everything his eyes touched upon reminded him of Eleanor, and he had to admire Beth’s courage at taking the place on. How much harder must it be for her, having spent so many years working side by side with her old friend and mentor.

  As though she heard his thoughts, Beth sighed. ‘I don’t know if I can face being here either, to be honest. Mr Symonds told me there’s a buyer who’s interested in the place and Eleanor said she wouldn’t mind if I sold it…’

  Sam frowned in confusion. ‘I thought you said you didn’t know she planned to leave the emporium to you?’

  ‘Oh, I had no idea, but she wrote me a letter which she left with her will.’ Her hand strayed to the pocket at her hip, as though she carried the letter with her. ‘It’s not just the shop, she left me everything.’ Beth hung her head. ‘But I’m not sure I can fill her shoes, or if I should even try.’

  The raw pain was visible in every line of her body and Sam curled an arm around her back to draw her close against him. ‘She believed in you, Beth. Was so proud of everything you’ve achieved. She was always full of your latest news when she dropped in next door for her sherry.’

  Beth gave a bitter laugh. ‘And what exactly have I achieved? A failed career, a failed relationship.’ Well, that explained why she’d been on her own at the funeral. The air seemed to escape from her and she sagged against him for a few moments before straightening up again. ‘I don’t think I’m very good at anything, no matter how hard I try.’

  This lacklustre, deflated attitude wasn’t like Beth, and although he wouldn’t say anything to her, it had him worried. She’d always been quiet, but he’d never known her to be lacking in confidence. ‘You don’t have to rush into making any decisions, do you?’

  Taking a deep breath, she shook her head then stepped back to look at him. ‘You’re right. I can save the big decisions for another day. I’ll focus on getting the place spruced up a bit and try and work out where everything stands. No one’s going to notice much if the place isn’t open before Easter.’ Like a lot of seaside towns, Lavender Bay was heavily reliant on the influx of holiday makers at peak seasons to make ends meet.

  ‘Good idea. If you need help with anything, you only have to ask.’

  ‘I’m sure you’ve got your hands full running things next door.’ Beth drew her bottom lip between her teeth. ‘I was so sorry about your dad. I didn’t get much of a chance to speak to him when I was down, how is he?’

  Sam set his hands on his hips as he scrubbed the toe of his trainer through the thin layer of dust coating the wooden floor of the shop. ‘Miserable. Keeps trying to do too much which only sets him back.’ It was his turn to bite his lip. ‘I’m not sure it’s going to work out me trying to run things when he won’t give me any breathing space.’ He cut himself off with a sharp gesture. ‘Jesus, you don’t need to listen to me whining, you’ve got enough on your plate.’ If he started talking about all the doubts churning inside him, he might not stop. And he meant what he’d said, she had enough to deal with.

  Beth looked like she wanted to protest, but to his relief she let it drop. Her eyes dropped to his trainers, then back up. ‘Have you been out for a run? Bit brave of you in this cold wind.’

  It was a lame attempt at changing the subject, but he grabbed at it with both hands. ‘Yeah, I have a regular route around the town I do every day. I try and get out into the countryside a couple of times a month—Dad opens up on a Saturday morning which gives me some extra time. There’s some great routes out beyond Gilbert’s farm, you should come out with me.’

  She planted her hands on her hips and cocked her head. ‘Is that your idea of asking me on a date, Samuel Barnes?’

  ‘You must be joking!’ She’d mentioned the boyfriend was out of the scene, but she’d never shown any interest in him that way. Well, other than that one time… When she didn’t respond, he feared he’d insulted her. ‘Not that any man wouldn’t be thrilled to go out with you, Beth. Not me, of course, that would just be weird. But other men…’ Sam forced his jaw shut with a snap, though there was nothing to be done about the heat rising on his cheeks.

  Gales of laughter met his blundering words, and he wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or just a touch insulted. ‘Oh, God, the look on your face!’ Beth waved her hands helplessly as another paroxysm of giggles wracked her.

  Abandoning any thought of salvaging his ego, Sam let the infectious bubbles of her laughter raise his own smile. The glimpse of the girl he knew was too good to resist, as was the chance to continue the conversation about them dating. Best to clear the air, make it clear they were both on the same page and all that. ‘Come on now, Beth. You know a date with me would be a much classier affair than a run around the block. At the very least I’d shout you a saveloy and chips, maybe even an ice cream to follow.’

  Clutching her clasped hands to her breast, she fluttered her eyelashes at him. ‘You sure know how to spoil a girl.’ She heaved a sigh and he was pleased to see the tension seep from her frame. ‘And you always manage to make me feel better. Thank you.’

  Sam sketched a bow, which no doubt looked ridiculous in a tracksuit. ‘That’s what I’m here for.’ Her smile faltered a little, so he hurriedly changed the subject. ‘So, has the place changed much since the last time you were working behind the counter?’

  She shook her head. ‘Not really. When I walked in and caught that first hint of Penhaligon’s Bluebell perfume it was like I’d never left home.’ Glancing over her shoulder, she looked towards the stock room behind the shop. ‘I keep expecting Eleanor to step out from the back.’

  ‘As soon as the clock hits five-thirty, I find myself reaching for the sherry,’ he confessed, and she turned back to him with a laugh.

  ‘For medicinal purposes only,’ they said together, and he shook his head. Eleanor’s death had left a huge hole in so many lives—his own included.

  It was quiet now, but the Easter holidays were less than two months away and families would be piling onto the beach and strolling the promenade. The emporium was such a fixture of the town, he couldn’t imagine it without the doors wide open, revolving stands of postcards and trinkets standing out front, and inflatables dangling from strings hooked over the ceiling beams. The children loved to jump up and try and head the balls, animals and bright rubber rings—
it was a rite of passage for locals and visitors alike and no one had cheered louder than Eleanor when one of them leapt high enough to touch one.

  If Beth decided running the place was too much to deal with, he hoped someone else would take it on. ‘Do you know anything about the potential buyer you mentioned? Do they intend to keep the place as it is?’

  Beth shook her head. ‘Mr Symonds said they had a standing request for any kind of property that might come up.’ Her brow furrowed. ‘A developer, I think he said. If they didn’t keep it as a shop, what do you think they might do?’

  A heavy weight settled in his gut. A developer would be interested in only one thing when it came to a prime seafront location. ‘Flats would be my guess.’ There was a real demand for high-end apartments in seaside towns like Lavender Bay. He’d noticed on his return last year how things had already begun to change.

  The collection of shops he remembered from his youth had been altered irretrievably. At least three of the traditional buildings along the prom had been converted into glass and steel monstrosities with oversized balconies. The traders’ association had discussed lobbying the council to fight any future developers’ plans, but investment was desperately needed so they walked a tightrope between wanting to preserve the special atmosphere of the seafront and the depressing sight of empty, boarded up buildings.

  City folk with too much money and a desire for an ocean view were pushing the prices through the roof, making it increasingly difficult for the younger locals to get a foot on the property ladder. At twenty-eight, living with his mum and dad was not Sam’s idea of a good time, but he had no other option. Dad needed assistance sometimes at night, and he couldn’t in good conscious waste money on rent when there was a perfectly good room for him at the pub. He knew from a conversation they’d had before Christmas that Libby felt the same kind of frustration sharing the flat above the chip shop with her dad, and they weren’t alone. At least Beth would have the luxury of privacy in the apartment above the emporium—not that she’d see it that way under the terrible circumstances.

  A look of dismay crossed Beth’s face. ‘Oh, that would be awful. The place just wouldn’t be the same without the emporium. I can’t possibly sell it, if they’re going to knock the place about.’

  ‘Why don’t you run it?’ Yes, he’d told her to take her time before making any decisions, but the idea of having Beth on his doorstep once more was growing more appealing by the minute. She knew the town, knew how the shop ran and it wouldn’t take her long to get back into the swing of things.

  ‘Me?’

  He nodded. ‘Why not? There’s nothing holding you to London any more, is there?’

  ‘Only a dingy bedsit.’ Her eyes glanced upwards. ‘It might need a bit of redecorating, but living upstairs would be a palace compared to my current digs.’ He could see the idea begin to take root in her imagination, all she needed was a little bit of encouragement.

  ‘It’d be worth a try, at least. And if you did decide to sell it, then showing it as a going concern would make it all that more attractive to potential purchasers.’ He nudged her shoulder. ‘Besides, if you’re living here at least I can keep an eye on you, make sure you’re not getting into any trouble.’

  Beth laughed. ‘Don’t start that big brother rubbish, again. If you’re going to be sticking your nose in, I’ll sell the place to the next person who walks in the door!’ The sweet smile she gave him took any sting out of the words, and Sam laughed as he held his hands up in mock surrender.

  ‘All right, all right, I’ll leave you to it.’ He crossed back towards the door, and she followed on his heels. Once outside, he turned to face her. ‘Come next door for your lunch, yeah? Mum will be chuffed to see you, and I’m going to talk her into making some steak and kidney puddings for lunch.’

  She pulled a face. ‘God, I hate kidney. I’ll pass.’

  The fine bones on her face stood out too prominently for his liking. A few homecooked meals certainly wouldn’t go astray and he knew his mum would make a fuss over Beth. ‘I’ll get her to make one with mushrooms instead of kidney, that suit you?’

  Beth shook her head with a rueful smile. ‘You’re not going to take no for an answer, are you?’

  Sam grinned. ‘If you don’t say yes, I’ll set Libby on you.’

  It was her turn to hold her hands up. ‘Lord, no! She’s going to be furious as it is because I didn’t tell her I was coming back to the bay. Didn’t even know myself until I was slinging stuff into a suitcase and booking a ticket last night.’ She leaned out the door of the shop, casting a furtive glance up the prom as though expecting to see her friend marching towards them. ‘I’d better give her a ring.’

  ‘I’ll leave you to it.’ He fished out his keys and took the handful of steps to the entrance to the pub. When he glanced over his shoulder, she was leaning against the frame of the door, arms folded across her chest. The canopy above cast her face in shadow, leaving her expression unreadable.

  A quick check of his watch told him he’d better get a move on if he wanted to get everything ready before they opened up for the day. He jogged up the stairs to where the family’s private rooms covered the upper two floors of the building. ‘Mum?’ he called. ‘Are you busy?’

  Annie Barnes poked her head out from the kitchen. Unlike the rest of them, she had ruler-straight hair which just brushed the tops of her shoulders. Years spent on the go running the place had kept her figure trim, though the late nights had etched dark rings beneath her brown eyes. ‘Hello, love, what can I do for you?’ She must have seen something in his expression because she stepped out onto the landing to face him. ‘What have you been up to now?’

  Sam hooked an arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her temple. ‘Drumming up a bit of business, that’s all. I’m just going to jump in the shower.’ The bell rang and they both glanced down the stairs. ‘That’ll be Billy. I thought we could add a special to the menu today.’

  Annie raised an eyebrow. ‘Oh, you did, did you?’

  He pressed another kiss to her head. ‘You know how much everyone loves your steak and kidney puddings.’

  ‘Bloody hell. I was going to put my feet up and catch up on my soaps.’ Sam laughed. His mum hardly ever watched the telly, and he doubted she’d seen an episode of Eastenders since Eliza had moved out. She rolled her eyes at him, but there was a twinkle in her eyes. ‘Okay, but you’re on prep so I’d better see you in the kitchen in five minutes at the latest.’

  ‘You’ve got it boss.’ He flicked her a little salute as he backed down the hall towards the bedroom. ‘Oh, and make one of them steak and mushroom. Beth’s back and I’ve promised her lunch.’ He shut the bathroom door against the sudden barrage of questions. Once he’d had his shower, he’d give his sister a call and let her know about the offer to buy the emporium. Beth had a lot of big decisions to make, she’d need her friends to talk to.

  Beth was back, and maybe it was up to him, Libby and Eliza to give her reasons to stay.

  Chapter Six

  Beth had barely put the phone down before the bell over the front door was rattling and she found herself swept up in a peacock-coloured embrace. ‘You’re here, you’re only bloody well here. Oh, God bless Eleanor!’

  Libby’s arms dropped away as she bent over to clutch her knees, panting for breath. ‘Man, I need to get some exercise.’

  ‘You should join Sam on his morning run.’

  Her friend glanced up through the bright strands of her fringe. ‘You’ve been here, what, twelve hours, and you already know what Sam does in the morning?’ With her elfin features and an evil grin, Libby looked like a demonic pixie. Beth gave her a shove, sending her into a staggering laugh.

  ‘Shut up! He stopped in a few minutes ago, I guess he must’ve seen the light on. Don’t you ever get your mind out of the gutter?’

  Libby shook her head. ‘Nope. When there’s so little action to be had around here, my dirty thoughts are all I have to keep me warm at night.
’

  Beth couldn’t help but laugh. ‘God, Libs, you’re incorrigible. And besides this is Sam we’re talking about.’ She gave a shudder. Sam Barnes was like a brother to her, thinking about him like…well, like that didn’t feel right. There’d been that embarrassing night when she’d thrown herself at him, but that had been the vodka and the moonlight. He’d thankfully forgotten all about it and they’d gone back to their comfortable, familiar friendship.

  ‘Ah, yes. Sam with his broad shoulders, those beautiful curls just begging a woman to sink her fingers into and a bum so tight you could bounce a coin off it. We definitely shouldn’t be thinking about a gorgeous, eligible bachelor like Sam.’ Libby rolled her eyes.

  An image of Sam in his jogging clothes from earlier came unbidden into Beth’s mind. His hair had twisted all over the place, tossed by the wind and just a little damp around his face. The zipped-up hoodie he’d been wearing had covered his upper body, but his long shorts had displayed a pair of fine, muscled thighs and lean calves dusted in light hair. His blue eyes had sparkled with mirth when they’d laughed together, like the sea at the height of summer… She shook her head. ‘I’m going to hell,’ she groaned.

  Libby slung an arm around her neck and winked at her. ‘Well at least you’ve already sampled the goods so you know he’s a good kisser.’

  Beth clamped her hands over her ears. ‘La, la, la, la, I can’t hear you.’ They collapsed into giggles. Oh goodness, it felt good to laugh. When was the last time she’d let loose like this? Been comfortable enough to tease and be teased? She couldn’t recall. When was the last time she’d been around people she could trust? Other than the funeral, it had to be when she was still with Charlie. Not that he’d proven himself to be trustworthy in the end. Anything but, in fact. A tight knot formed beneath her breastbone, leaving her almost breathless.

  Libby paused mid-laugh. ‘Hey, who burst your balloon?’

  Beth bit her lip hard against the sting at the back of her eyes. ‘It’s nothing, really.’ If she kept on telling herself that, maybe one of these days it might be true. ‘Anyway, Ms Stone, I’m going to put the kettle on and we’re going to put our feet up and have a chat.’ She caught the mischievous glint in her friend’s eye. ‘But not about Sam and his skills as a kisser! That was a one-time aberration.’