‘Gorgeous, she was,’ said Pasco and Aunt Coral giggled coyly. What was going on with those two?
Christmas afternoon was thankfully more relaxed than lunch, due to the wine consumption, and they all settled down for the obligatory crap film. Pasco slept through most of it, Max had a little doze when he thought nobody was watching and Aunt Coral shed a tear at the sad bit whilst Daisy munched her way through half a box of Matchmakers.
Aunt Coral went to busy herself in the kitchen and with Pasco still snoozing in the armchair Daisy and Max eyed each other warily from opposite ends of the sofa. Daisy didn’t like the edgy atmosphere between them – it was Christmas Day after all. But even Christmas was not going to make her feel any less used by Max. She had stupidly trusted him and that gnawed away at her. She’d had her suspicions but had ignored them. It hurt her more than she wanted to admit.
She picked up her glass of red wine as a distraction. As she turned towards him he was reaching out to her and the unexpected contact of Max’s hand on hers made her jump, sending the wine swirling around the balloon glass like a trapped tsunami that spilled in a dramatic fashion onto the middle of the brand-new pale-cream sofa. Daisy gasped in horror and this was echoed by Aunt Coral walking into the room. In an instant Pasco was awake. He picked up his glass of white wine and threw it over the deepening red stain making everyone gasp again.
‘Will people please stop throwing wine on my new sofa!’ said Aunt Coral, marching over to inspect the damage, her bottom lip looking decidedly wobbly. Max was glaring at Pasco.
‘It’s a known fact white wine counters the effects of red,’ said Pasco. ‘I was helping,’ he added in case it hadn’t been clear.
‘I’m so sorry,’ said Daisy, rushing out of the room to fetch a cloth.
After they’d all had a go at cleaning the sofa it was decided a professional cleaner was needed. A tea towel was laid over the offending stain and Daisy and Max were relegated to sitting on cushions on the floor.
After a tea of turkey sandwiches and cake, that nobody had room for, Pasco and Max thanked Aunt Coral all the way to the front door.
‘Look, I’m sorry I didn’t get you a present or anything,’ said Daisy, as Max put his coat on and Aunt Coral eagerly helped Pasco with his.
Max shrugged. ‘No need, I’m not keen on poinsettias anyhow.’
‘Noted,’ said Daisy. ‘See you at work tomorrow then.’ Daisy was planning on opening each night on the build- up to New Year’s Eve in the hope of grabbing whatever trade there was.
‘Looking forward to it,’ said Max, and he turned and followed his father out of the house.
Aunt Coral held on to the door and she and Daisy watched them go huddled up into the glistening evening. She was about to turn away when Max slowly looked back over his shoulder and he gave a warm smile when he saw Daisy was still watching.
‘Right, let’s shut the door, it’s freezing,’ said Daisy, taking control of the situation. She must have looked like a lovelorn teenager gazing after him as he went down the lane and Aunt Coral wasn’t much better. But it was what Max thought of her that bothered her most.
January went by in a blur even though the winter months were quiet. She settled into a routine with her staff on lean hours and longed for Easter and the start of the holiday season. She was barely covering her costs. Daisy found herself in February back on shift wearing a damp shirt with a moody Max for company. The washing machine had died mid cycle and the shirts inside were the only ones she had because, as usual, Daisy was behind with her washing. This one she had attempted to dry with a hair dryer. Thankfully Aunt Coral was getting the washing machine fixed, so Daisy only had to cope for a few more hours with the overpowering smell of fabric softener, which hadn’t been properly rinsed out. Max passed her and wrinkled his nose. ‘What air freshener are you wearing?’
‘Ha, ha. It’s a long story. You okay?’
Max pulled a face that indicated he wasn’t. ‘It’s nothing.’ It wasn’t her causing his annoyance, since Christmas they seemed to have called an uneasy truce.
Daisy was concentrating on a large cocktail order but out of the corner of her eye she was watching an agitated Pasco in discussions with Max. Max was leaning over Pasco whose smile betrayed his body language. Daisy wished she could lip read, it would be such a useful skill to have. The suited man she was serving interrupted her with a last-minute change of one of the cocktails just as Daisy saw Max pass something to his father, but the distraction meant she didn’t see what it was.
When she looked over again, Pasco had gone and Max was heading back to the bar with his teeth clenched. Max banged about putting glasses in the glasswasher until the inevitable happened and one of the balloon glasses smashed. An array of muffled swear words drifted through.
‘That’s another £3.50 you’ve cost me,’ called Daisy.
‘Take it out of my wages,’ came the humourless reply.
Daisy finished serving her customer and stuck her head round the doorway to the small kitchen area. ‘I was joking. What’s got your thong in a tangle?’ She smiled to emphasise she came in peace but Max wasn’t looking at her, he was still picking bits of broken glass out of the glasswasher.
‘It’s nothing.’ He didn’t appear in the mood to discuss it.
‘Okay, will you give me a hand cashing up later? I’ve not banked the cash for ages and it’s built up. There’s quite a bit of money in the safe and not much in the account. I need to pay it in first thing tomorrow.’
Daisy had assumed Max would help her and was already returning to the bar when he replied. ‘Can’t it wait and I’ll do it myself in the morning?’
Daisy pulled a face. ‘I’d rather do it tonight.’
‘Why?’ Max was still looking disgruntled. ‘We’re both tired. Let’s do it tomorrow. Okay?’ But he didn’t wait for her to reply, he had already returned to the glasswasher. Daisy felt her hackles rise. She hated being told what to do. A customer waved a note indicating they were waiting and she went to serve them; she’d deal with Max later.
The end of the shift couldn’t come quick enough. Daisy was rehearsing in her head a little speech about how she liked working with Max but at the end of the day it was she who made the decisions.
‘Right I’m off,’ called Max, pulling on his jacket.
‘Hang on,’ called Daisy who literally had her head in the safe.
Max turned around with the look of a teenager being summoned to the Headteacher’s office. ‘What?’
Daisy was crouched down in front of the safe. ‘There’s money missing from the safe,’ she said, flicking through the bundles in front of her. Max didn’t answer. Daisy swivelled around to face him. ‘I was making up the bank book for paying in tomorrow and we’re short.’
‘It’s late – you’ve probably added it up wrong. You said yourself we haven’t paid in for ages. Leave it until tomorrow.’ He zipped up his jacket and turned to leave.
Daisy didn’t like his dismissive attitude. ‘Aren’t you going to ask how much is missing?’
Max stopped in the doorway. ‘What’s it matter? It’ll be an accounting error. The safe was locked.’
‘A hundred and fifty pounds is missing,’ said Daisy. Without taking a breath she continued. ‘What did you give Pasco earlier?’ Her mind was awash with questions and the biggest one of all was: had Max taken her for a fool yet again?
Max’s expression changed rapidly from bored to annoyed. ‘Are you accusing me of stealing?’
‘No, I’m asking you a question. I saw you give Pasco something earlier and now I’m wondering what it was.’ Her pulse started to race, she’d not seen Max look this cross. Maybe it wasn’t wise to tackle him but she couldn’t let this go.
Max shook his head. ‘I gave him forty quid.’
‘Only forty?’ Daisy was feeling brave.
‘Yeah, because that’s all I had.’ Max put his hands in his trouser pockets and pulled out a set of keys and some loose change, which he slammed down on t
he counter top. ‘Search me if you don’t believe me.’ Daisy stood up but didn’t move forward. ‘You don’t believe me do you? You think I’ve stolen it.’
He was right. She should have sacked him after the fiasco of Pasco sleeping in the carriage then maybe cash wouldn’t be missing now. ‘One hundred and fifty pounds has gone from the safe,’ she said, pointing at it with one of the bundles of notes in her hand.
‘I am not a thief.’ His voice was cold, the look on his face was making her think maybe she had jumped to the wrong conclusion.
Daisy’s mind was whirling. ‘Who else could have taken it?’
‘Anyone who has a key for the safe.’
‘That’s you, me and Old Man Burgess. Are you saying it was him?’ Her shoulders tensed. They both knew Mr Burgess was so trustworthy he made Mother Teresa look like Al Capone.
Max strode towards her and snatched the bundles of cash from her. He started counting out the money and ticking it off in the cashbook. She felt an odd sense of satisfaction when she saw him come to the same conclusion as her, even though it confirmed she was one hundred and fifty pounds short. ‘Did I make a mistake?’ she asked.
‘No,’ said Max, looking puzzled.
‘Then someone has taken a key and stolen it. Where do you keep your keys? Could Pasco have taken them?’
‘There you go again!’ Max was back to angry. ‘If it’s not me it must be someone in my family.’
‘And is it?’
‘You are bloody unbelievable. First you accuse me and now you’re accusing my dad.’
‘Someone has stolen it and right now I’m £150 down. What do you suggest I do?’
‘Stop blaming everyone else.’
‘What? Are you accusing me of fiddling my own books?’ Daisy’s temper was spiralling out of control.
‘If the cap fits.’
‘Piss off, Max. I’ve never stolen anything in my life. It’s not me with a police record.’ Daisy felt a pang of regret as soon as she’d said it and she knew she’d hit a nerve.
Max shook his head. ‘That’s a low blow, Daisy.’ He marched towards the door and she followed him. He turned back to face her. ‘And by the way. I resign,’ he snapped.
‘No need, you’re fired.’ As she was about to slam the door she heard someone outside.
‘Hello,’ came the heavily accented male voice.
‘We’re closed,’ said Max gruffly.
Daisy popped her head outside. Her eyes widened when she saw who was standing further down the platform and she suddenly didn’t want Max to leave.
Chapter Nine
‘I am not ’ere to drink. I am ’ere to see Day-zee.’ The man’s thick French accent cut through the crisp night air.
Max looked from Daisy to the stranger and back again. ‘She’s all yours, mate,’ he said, striding off along the platform before being quickly swallowed by the darkness.
‘Er, thank you,’ said the Frenchman politely. He turned around and beamed a warm smile at Daisy.
‘And what the hell do you want, Guillaume?’ she asked, folding her arms protectively across her chest.
Guillaume opened his arms wide in an elaborate show of affection and tried to pull her into an embrace. Daisy instinctively stepped away from him. Had he forgotten how they had parted? The screaming and shouting, the accusations and the loss of everything they’d worked for? Seeing him was not helping her mood at all. She hated surprises and this was one of the worst.
‘Ahh, now come on, Day-zee. We are friends, non?’ Guillaume went to step forward again. Daisy stepped back and held up the palm of her hand as if stopping traffic.
‘Guillaume, what do you want?’
‘I want you, Day-zee. It’s always been you.’ He looked at her with his dark, sad puppy dog eyes.
Daisy was beyond sceptical.
‘How did you find me?’
He seemed to think for a moment before answering. ‘Your name. It was in the paper and it came up when I search on the internet.’ He looked quite pleased with himself. Daisy groaned. It was too simple to trace people these days and she was sure for many people this was a blessing but right now it was unbelievably annoying.
‘I don’t want you here. You should leave.’ It was exactly what she was feeling and the words tumbled out without any vetting by her brain. Guillaume looked wounded, but then he was good at that. She gave a shiver as the chill of the night cut through the thin cloth of her shirt.
‘But I have come to congratulate you on achieving your dream. You always wanted your own business and now …’ He splayed out his arms and turned on the spot, making Daisy look around herself. He was right, this was all hers but she hadn’t got here on her own. It was thanks to many other people and right now she wished one of them in particular was here. Even if he was a giant pain in the arse.
Daisy sighed heavily, she was tired from both the shift and fighting with Max. ‘What do you want, Guillaume?’ As he puffed up again looking like he was about to reel off a rehearsed speech she stepped in. ‘Apart from me, that is.’
His shoulders slumped. ‘I would like to talk things over with you. Make peace.’
‘Look, I’ve just finished a shift and I’m tired …’ She was hoping he could fill in the blanks for himself but as Guillaume was still looking at her hopefully it appeared unlikely. ‘Are you about tomorrow?’
‘Yes, I am staying at the public house.’
‘We open at ten, if you get here at about nine you can talk while I work. Okay?’ Daisy figured he would be easier to say no to after a good night’s sleep.
‘Wonderful, I will look forward to it. Good night Day-zee,’ said Guillaume, leaning in for a kiss but Daisy scooted through the door and shut it quickly calling ‘Bye’ over her shoulder. She knew too well where Guillaume’s kisses could lead and she had far too many problems complicating her life right now, another was definitely to be avoided.
She didn’t sleep well. Her night was disturbed by her brain going over and over the argument with Max, worrying about what had happened to the money and trying to ignore Bug alternating between snoring and farting on the pillow next to her.
When she finally hauled herself out of the house the next morning she wasn’t in the best frame of mind to face Guillaume or to scrutinise their failed relationship. It perplexed her why he was here. Theirs had been a passionate affair interspersed with lots of rowing. There was a strong attraction between them but what excited her about Guillaume also infuriated her. Him turning up unexpectedly had stirred up old feelings she didn’t want to examine.
Guillaume was looking nonchalant and very French, leaning casually against the railway building. Daisy was able to watch him and take in the details she had forgotten as she walked across the car park. He exuded confidence and charisma as he drew lugubriously on a cigarette – a habit she’d forgotten how much she hated. His dark hair was shorter now and it suited him. He was dressed in his usual smart and stylish look making him look like he had just stepped off a catwalk. Any woman would have killed for his cheekbones and despite his moody appearance he was attractive.
He turned when Daisy neared and his expression softened – reluctantly she felt something react inside her. She had to keep a rein on her treacherous body. She needed to listen to what he had to say and then send him on his way: he was a distraction she could do without and yet another man she knew she couldn’t trust.
‘You are looking beautiful this morning.’ He eyed her appreciatively.
Cut the crap, Guillaume, she thought. ‘Come in and I’ll get you a coffee.’
He settled at the bar with a double espresso whilst Daisy set about stacking the glasswasher, which she’d failed to do the night before. Scenes of the previous evening flashed through her mind. She didn’t want to think about what she’d said to Max. She had gone over and over it most of the night, the fact she’d essentially called him a thief was pricking her conscience just as the remaining glass shards pierced her fingers as she removed them from the botto
m of the glasswasher.
‘Day-zee, I am sorry for everything that happened in Rouen.’ Something about the way he pronounced it brought an image of the town to mind and she felt a longing to be back there enjoying the culture and the French way of life. It was a beautiful part of the country and at the time she had harboured hopes of settling there. She shook her head as if to try to bring her mind back to the present. Guillaume gave her an odd look and continued. ‘It was all my fault. I thought to make things happen with the business we had to think bigger.’
Daisy listened whilst she pulled out the next rack and stacked more glasses. ‘You gambled with our future.’
‘Only on something I thought was certain to make us money but I was wrong. Let me try to put things right between us.’
She looked up and could see the genuine regret in his eyes. Oh, those deep dark eyes that attentively held her gaze. He was saying all the right words but she had to keep things in perspective. ‘Thank you for apologising.’
‘What else can I do?’ He bent forward across the bar. ‘I want to make it up to you.’
‘There’s no need. But thanks for coming.’ Daisy shoved a stray piece of hair back into her bandana and returned her attention to the glasses.
‘You have lost your barman, oui?’
‘Oui. I mean, yes.’ Daisy hadn’t really thought of Max as a barman before, he was just her friend who had helped her get Locos off the ground and now worked alongside her. Although he was getting paid for it and his father had been receiving free lodging, unbeknown to her. She hated the fact she just couldn’t let it go.
‘Can I step in and help you? Work his shifts for a couple of weeks until you find a replacement. My way of saying sorry and a chance for us to be able to part as friends.’
She paused and looked at him. It was a kind offer but there were doubts at the back of her mind. ‘Why would you do that, Guillaume?’
‘Because I am a nice guy,’ he said, finishing with a broad smile that had it been a toothpaste commercial there would have been a zing and a sparkle bouncing off his teeth. ‘And I want to show you I am sorry.’
Ottercombe Bay – Part Three Page 8
