Summer at Lavender Bay

by Sarah Bennett

  ‘Maybe that’s the point, who knows? Sam and I thought a friendly drink would help grease the wheels a bit.’ And, if she was being honest with herself, she’d hoped adding Owen to the group would take some of the pressure off Jack.

  She knew her friends had been mostly messing around when they’d decided to put him under the microscope tonight, but she didn’t want them to give Jack the wrong impression. The deep frown half-hidden by Libby’s floppy fringe worried Eliza however, as did the clear animosity between the pair. Libby got on with just about everyone. From Pops and his pals up at the Baycrest retirement home, to little kids who were always fascinated by her bright hair, people gravitated towards Libby. She might dress like a thundercloud, but she was just about the sunniest soul in the whole of Lavender Bay. ‘If you really don’t like him then I don’t want to spoil your evening. We can probably just leave him and Sam to chat…’

  ‘If it means that much to Sam then I can put up with Mr Full Of Himself for a few hours,’ Libby grumbled, though her tone was much less antagonistic. ‘But I’m not going to kiss up to him, so don’t expect me to.’

  Eliza gave her a quick hug. ‘I’m not asking you to, just don’t shank him with a wooden spork from the chippy, all right?’ They both snorted at the idea and just like that, Libby’s bad mood evaporated.

  A customer at the bar caught Eliza’s eye and raised his empty glass. She nodded to show she’d seen him and pointed Libby over to an empty stool. ‘Sit here, and I’ll be right back. You can keep me company until Jack shows up.’

  After a sudden influx of orders, it was a good five minutes before Eliza made her way back to where Libby was perched, by which time Beth had abandoned Sam and Owen to their business discussions and joined them at the bar. ‘How’s it going?’ Eliza asked.

  Beth raised her eyebrows. ‘Surprisingly well, I left them drooling over tile samples.’

  ‘Do you think Owen will get involved with the restaurant?’ Libby’s question was a study in polite neutrality, though there was no hiding the flash of fire in her eyes. There was definitely more to all of this than she was letting on.

  ‘They haven’t got that far, although Owen seemed to think he could get Sam a much better deal on some of his quotes so even if he stops at that it’ll be a bonus,’ Beth said.

  Eliza took a sip of her drink. ‘He seems all right, you know? Arrogant, but who can blame him when he looks like that?’ She couldn’t help dangling that little bit of bait under Libby’s nose.

  Libby made a rude noise but didn’t add anything further unfortunately. She turned sideways on the stool and rested her arm on the bar, leaning slightly towards Eliza. ‘So, where’s this sexy farmer of yours, I hope he’s not going to stand you up?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ The admission came out on a sigh. ‘I sent him a text warning him you guys were going to be here. He said he was looking forward to meeting everyone, but maybe he changed his mind.’

  Libby’s face fell. ‘Oh, bloody hell, why didn’t you say something? We’ll bugger off, won’t we, B?’ She turned to Beth who nodded.

  ‘Absolutely. We can either join the guys or go next door to the flat. Send him a text and tell him we’ll leave you in peace.’

  ‘No, no! Don’t be daft, it’s not like a date or anything. Honestly, I should never have said anything to you two about him!’ Eliza cringed, they’d really got the wrong end of the stick.

  ‘I hope you’re not talking about me?’

  Just the sound of Jack’s deep voice was enough to send a shiver up her spine. Oh hell, she was really in trouble. Feeling suddenly awkward, Eliza turned to him with an apologetic smile. ‘We were, actually. I was just saying I was worried the threat of meeting these two might have put you off.’

  When he laughed, all white teeth and sparkling eyes Eliza’s knees gave a wobble. From the starry-eyed expressions on her friends’ faces, it looked like she wasn’t the only one feeling the effects of it. Maybe it was just a hormonal attraction and she was reading too much into the effect he was having on her.

  Jack glanced down at his feet, then back up. ‘I couldn’t let Bastian down now, could I? He’s been looking forward to seeing you all day.’ He bent at the waist to unhook the dog’s lead and Eliza found herself almost knocked sideways as several pounds of enthusiastic Labrador bounced through the open hatch at the side of the bar.

  ‘Oof! Hello, gorgeous boy.’ She scrubbed the dog behind his ears sending his tongue lolling in ecstasy.

  Within seconds both Beth and Libby had crouched down to join her, the three of them making a huge fuss of Bastian who wagged his tail and took it all as his due. After a few moments, Eliza glanced up to see Jack watching them with a rueful smile. Straightening up, she left her friends to fuss over the dog and came to stand close at Jack’s side. He’d teamed a pair of dark grey cargo shorts with a jade-green polo shirt which did something amazing to the green flecks in his warm hazel eyes. ‘It’s good to see you, again. What can I get you to drink?’

  ‘I’ll have a pint, please.’ His gaze flicked to where Bastian was holding court then back to her. ‘Do I get a scratch behind the ears too?’

  She grinned, delighted at his silly teasing. ‘And a treat if you’re very good.’ She’d meant it as a joke, a reference to a dog biscuit type treat, but his pupils flared as though he’d read something else into it. She’d have to watch what she said around him or she’d be giving him the wrong impression again. Or the right one.

  Feeling flustered, and more than a little exposed with her friends in such close proximity, Eliza slipped along the bar towards the beer taps. ‘Lager, that’s what you like, right?’

  The corner of Jack’s mouth quirked up. ‘Amongst other things.’ Oh, bloody hell, he was flirting with her!

  Face on fire, she made the mistake of turning away and caught sight of the Cheshire cat gallery behind her. Beth fanned her face whilst Libby gave her a double thumbs-up, both entirely unrepentant that they would be in full view of Jack should he be looking in their direction. Muttering under breath about ‘bloody men’ and ‘bloody so-called friends’, Eliza fixed her eyes resolutely on the pumps in front of her and concentrated on pulling the slowest pint of her life.

  Inevitably, she got caught up with other customers, but a quick glance across showed Jack apparently at ease with his hands in his pockets as he chatted to Beth and Libby. By the time she made her way back, Sam and Owen had left their table—both clutching empty glasses—and were greeting Jack.

  Eliza watched as Libby made a casual move to place her own empty glass on the bar which just happened to put her on the farthest edge of the little group away from Owen. Eliza took the glass and swapped it for a clean one. ‘Do you want another?’

  Libby checked her watch, then sighed. ‘Yes, but no. I’ve still got to give dad a hand with the late rush in a bit so no more booze for me.’

  Eliza switched out the wine glass for a high-ball and poured her friend a glass of sparking water. She added a curly straw and placed a slice of orange with a cocktail umbrella sticking out of it on the rim of the glass. Libby laughed when she saw it. ‘Aww, thanks.’

  Having sorted out refills for the others, Eliza managed to catch Sam’s eye. She raised her eyebrows and was encouraged at the little nod he gave her in return. Things were going well, it seemed.

  Something warm and wet stropped her hand, and she looked down into a pair of appealing brown eyes. ‘Oh, I forgot to get a drink for you!’ She grabbed one of the metal dog bowls they kept underneath the bar and hurriedly filled it at the sink. Bastian slurped at the water, then rested his head against her knee, leaving a wet patch on the folds of her long cotton skirt in the process. ‘Gee thanks.’ She nudged him gently away, only for the dog to return a couple of seconds later.

  ‘I told you he was pining for you.’ Jack had circled the group to stand closest to her, unwittingly placing Libby directly beside Owen in the process. Eliza tried to catch Libby’s eye, but her friend seemed lost in her own world
, her posture stiff, her gaze locked on the contents on her glass. ‘Problem?’ Jack’s question was soft enough to be discreet.

  ‘Bit of a personality clash,’ Eliza confided.

  ‘Ah.’ Without further prompting, Jack slid easily across the group to position himself next to Libby. Standing sideways on to her, his broad body acted as an effective shield between Libby and Owen. Heart soaring at his thoughtful intervention, Eliza moved closer in time to hear him speak. ‘So, what’s the verdict? Do I pass inspection?’

  Eyes sparkling, Libby looked more like her usual self than she had almost all evening. Casting a considering look up and down Jack’s length she tapped her lip. ‘Hmm. The jury’s still out, but I have reason to believe you can expect a favourable verdict.’

  Laughing, Jack toasted her with his pint and took a drink. ‘I’m pleased to hear it. If there’s anything I can do to tip the scales in my favour, be sure to let me know.’

  ‘Flowers should do the trick.’

  ‘Libby!’ Eliza couldn’t help her shocked laugh. ‘Leave the poor man alone.’

  Jack waved her off. ‘Don’t queer my pitch, I think I’m close to winning her over.’ He smiled down at Libby. ‘So, these flowers…are they for you, or for Eliza?’

  Libby grinned. ‘Both of us, I reckon, just to be on the safe side.’

  ‘Oh God, behave!’ Shaking her head, Eliza began stacking dirty glasses in the dishwasher beneath the bar, dismissing his silly banter as nothing more than that. Of course he wouldn’t be buying her flowers. At least he didn’t seem to mind being thrown in at the deep end with her friends and looked to really be enjoying himself.

  Daydreaming, Eliza didn’t notice her mum approaching until she reached past her to add another couple of dirty glasses to the dishwasher. ‘Hello, lovey, how’s it all going?’

  Wiping her hands on a tea towel, Eliza let her gaze wander over the busy bar. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, a few customers had even spilled out onto the promenade in front of the pub. She checked the time and decided they could have a few minutes more in the cooler air before she’d have to start herding them back inside. The last thing they needed was complaints of noise or for the pub to get a reputation for rowdiness, but as long as they had the front door shut before half-nine, she reckoned it would be okay. ‘It’s a good night, Mum. No problems to speak of…touch wood.’ She tapped her temple.

  ‘Well, your dad’s settled for the evening and there was nothing on the telly, so I thought I’d give you a hand. Why don’t you grab a break while there’s a bit of a lull. I can keep an eye on the place.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  Annie patted her arm. ‘Of course I am, and your dad and I have had a bit of a chat and we’re going to ask Josh to increase his hours so you can concentrate on getting your new venture up and running. He’s been a great asset to the place since Sam took him on and it’s about time we rewarded him for all his hard work.’

  Blindsided, Eliza had to blink hard against a sudden sting behind her eyes. ‘That’s amazing, you can’t understand how much that means to me.’

  ‘I think I can, lovey, and it’s good to see you finally doing something you’ve got a passion for. Now go and see your friends.’ She eyed Eliza with a speculative grin. ‘Or, even better, grab that lovely tall farmer and sneak him out into the backyard for a smooch or two.’

  ‘Mum!’ Eliza covered her eyes with her hands, shaking her head at the same time. ‘Don’t you start as well!’

  ‘Don’t you “Mum” me, young lady. I’m not too old to remember what it’s like, and it’s obvious to anyone with eyes in their head that you’ve taken a fancy to him, and he’s hardly taken his eyes off you since he walked through the door.’ She flicked the tea towel in Eliza’s direction.

  What was wrong with everybody trying to push the two of them together? ‘It’s too soon, Mum. I like Jack, but I can’t go stumbling into another relationship when I still haven’t sorted out the mess of my first.’ She’d still not heard a word from Martin, and it was starting to really worry her. There was no denying her attraction to Jack though, and the vibes she’d been getting from him suggested he was feeling it too. ‘I don’t know what to do for the best.’

  Folding her arms, her mum gave her a steady look. ‘You don’t have to spend the rest of your life punishing yourself over things not working out with Martin, that’s all I’m saying. Now, shoo!’

  Eliza skipped back to avoid the end of the tea towel her mum had flicked at her, almost bumping into her brother who’d come behind the bar. ‘Steady on, Sis.’ He righted her with a hand on her shoulder. ‘Hey, have you seen the keys for downstairs? I want to show Owen around.’

  She pointed at the ring of keys hanging from a hook she’d nailed into the back wall after losing them too many times to count. ‘At this time? Wouldn’t you be better off waiting until the morning?’

  ‘No time like the present. He’s got some suggestions about the lighting and it’s easier to go down and have a look rather than traipsing upstairs for the plans. Besides, the others want a tour.’

  It looked like she wouldn’t be able to follow through on her mum’s suggestion and invite Jack out into the yard even if she wanted to. It would be nice to take a breather before things wound up towards last orders, and he had made the effort to walk down and see her. If they were alone, she could find a way to talk to him about how confused she felt, see if there really could be something between them in spite of what they’d both said to the contrary. Dejected, she followed Sam around to the other side of the bar.

  ‘What’s up?’ Jack touched his little finger to hers, the s+mall connection enough to brighten her spirits in an instant.

  ‘Oh, nothing really, I hear Sam’s giving you all a guided tour downstairs.’

  He shrugged. ‘You looked busy, so I was going to tag along. I’ve got enough plans of my own whirling around in my head, so I’ve not been paying too much attention to the finer details. I supposed they’d feel the same way if I started discussing the oil yields of different rose species with them.’

  ‘Oh.’ Maybe he hadn’t been having as much of a good time as it seemed. ‘Are you fed up? I’m sorry it’s been so busy.’

  He shook his head. ‘Not at all. I like the sound of the restaurant, but I’m more interested in sampling the finished product. I only meant we all have our own work obsessions and that doesn’t always translate well to others.’

  Now or never, Eliza. ‘Well, if you’re not bothered seeing a dusty old skittle alley, perhaps I can steal you away for a bit of fresh air. I’m on my break.’

  Jack grinned. ‘That’s the best news I’ve heard all night. Steal away.’

  With a quick glance at the others, Eliza took Jack by the hand and led him through the swing door and across the small, square hall. Bastian trotted at their heels, tail wagging at the opportunity to explore somewhere new. After pausing to flip one of the switches on the wall, Eliza led them out into the blessed cooler air of the rear yard.

  She’d left the main spotlights off, but there was enough glow from the sconces high on the wall above them to illuminate most of the area. The dog abandoned them to pad around the yard, sniffing at every nook, cranny and corner, whilst Eliza leaned back against the cold bricks of the wall with a sigh. ‘That’s nice,’ she said enjoying the silence.

  Jack stood next to her, close enough for their arms to touch. Heat from his body soaked into her through the thin cotton of her sleeve. Gathering her courage, she inched her hand across the rough surface of the bricks until she could capture his hand with hers. He squeezed back, and she closed her eyes for a moment to savour the rightness of the way their fingers intertwined. ‘We agreed anything more than friends would be too complicated.’

  His thumb played gently over her knuckles in a distracting rhythm. ‘We did.’ His tone was non-committal.

  The shadows pressed around them, the sound of Bastian’s snuffles muted by the thundering of her pulse in her ears. ‘We�
�ve both got too much going on in our lives. It’s the only sensible option.’

  ‘It is.’ Keeping hold of her fingers, Jack placed himself directly in front of her. His free hand slid beneath the thick mass of hair at her neck to massage her nape.

  Eliza’s lashes fluttered closed once more as his strong, clever fingers loosened a knot she hadn’t been aware of. ‘I’m not feeling very sensible.’

  ‘Me either,’ he murmured. They stood in silence, their bodies pressed together from shoulder to hip, but there was no urgency between them, just a sweet, gentle appreciation of being close to one another. Eliza settled her hands at Jack’s waist, liking the solidity of his flesh beneath her fingers. Honed by those long hours of manual labour, there was nothing soft about him, and yet she felt completely at ease.

  Some men of his stature used their size to intimidate, to take up more than their fair share of the space around them, but she didn’t get that sense from him. He was careful with her, in a way that she knew she’d only have to make the slightest movement, or say a single word, and he’d step away without complaint.

  Safe.

  She felt completely safe with him, and there was a headiness that came with that knowledge, a willingness on her own part to be bolder in her actions than she might otherwise have been. Curling her hands tighter and lower to cover the top of the waistband of his jeans, she lifted her head to meet his eyes. ‘Kiss me.’

  ‘This must be the treat you promised me,’ he said, making her smile so her mouth was already half open when he lowered his to meet it.

  Chapter Twelve

  Time seemed to slow down as the world contracted to him and her and the soft night breeze cooling his shirt where it clung to his back. The pub had been packed, and the press of bodies had combined with the lingering heat of the day and his own nervousness to dampen the skin at the base of his spine.

  For all his earlier good intentions, he’d fretted the entire walk down from the farm to the pub. It was already clear to him from the few conversations they’d had that Eliza’s friends were incredibly important to her, and he’d never found it easy to make a good first impression. And with every step that had taken him closer it had also become clear to him that was exactly what he wanted to do. He wanted Eliza’s friends to like him, wanted her to like him because for all their mutual protestations he couldn’t stop thinking about her.