Spring at Blueberry Bay: An utterly perfect feel good romantic comedy

by Holly Martin

  Bella laughed. ‘Yes, not many, but a few lovely men who did indeed show me what I had been missing.’

  Isaac pushed away the jealous thoughts of her being with other men.

  Suddenly, the rain got harder.

  Bella laughed, raising her face to the rain, but that laugh turned to a squeal as the rain began to come down with even more force, hammering down on top of them.

  Still with his hand in hers, he ran towards the nearest tree, a towering oak that had probably been here before anyone else. He called for the dogs and they came running as he tugged Bella under the limited protection of the great boughs and pulled her in front of him.

  Her little t-shirt was soaked through and she shivered against him, still giggling at getting caught in the rain.

  ‘Did your mum never teach you not to leave home without a jacket?’ Isaac said, shrugging out of his own. As soon as he said the words, he felt horribly guilty. Her mum had abandoned her when she was little. She had probably missed out on so much love and care from her life. ‘Sorry, that was insensitive.’

  She smiled, reaching up to stroke his face. ‘Don’t be sorry. I have a brilliant mum who raised me and loved me even if she wasn’t my real mum. My aunt Lucy is a wonderful woman and, yes, she taught me the important life lesson of wearing a jacket which I obviously chose to ignore.’

  He wrapped his jacket round her and she slipped her arms into the sleeves. It swamped her, her wet red curls cascading in waves down the front. He had never seen anyone look as beautiful as she did right then, cloaked in his jacket and looking up at him with her clover green eyes and wide smile.

  He tugged the collar of the jacket closer together, pulling her into him at the same time.

  The rain lashed down around them but there under the tree they were cocooned from the world. They were so close, her sweet coconut scent surrounding them both. The atmosphere changed between them, the world beyond the tree fading away.

  Her eyes cast down to his lips for a second before she looked back up into his eyes. He ran his hands down her shoulders to her waist. They both knew what was going to happen next.

  He bent his head down to hers, her eyes darkening with lust the only encouragement he needed.

  ‘I thought you said this wouldn’t happen again,’ Bella said, against his lips.

  ‘This doesn’t count, we’re not at work,’ he whispered as he kissed her.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The storm was the only sound that Bella could hear, the rain splashing on the ground, thunder roaring off the coast and off in the distance lightning lit up the sky, echoing the feeling that was ripping through her body at Isaac’s kiss.

  The chemistry between them was something almost tangible. This man could kiss, there was no doubt about that. But underneath this sexual attraction was something much deeper, something neither of them could deny. She couldn’t stay away from him and it seemed the feeling was completely mutual. She had no idea why she had held hands with him as they had walked, only that it had felt the most natural thing in the world, as if they were supposed to be connected in some way.

  His hands wandered up underneath his jacket she was wearing, caressing her back and holding her close. This kiss was slower, gentler, more considered, and it was hot as hell.

  They both knew where these kisses were going to lead. He could deny it all he wanted but it was only a matter of time before they ended up in bed together. And this delicious anticipation, this build-up was just going to make the main event even better.

  Long after the rain had stopped, long after the dogs had curled up at their feet and gone to sleep, the kiss continued. It was only when the sun came out, dazzling them as it reflected off the sea, that they pulled apart.

  He smiled down at her. There were no regrets in his eyes this time.

  ‘I think our first time would have been amazing,’ Isaac said, not releasing his hold on her.

  ‘I’m looking forward to it,’ Bella said, grinning mischievously.

  ‘Bella—’

  She ran her hand down his cheek. ‘As long as we don’t do it at work then it doesn’t count. I have to go, Mr Scott, I’m having dinner with Eden and Rome tonight in Rosa’s. It’s my turn to pay so I’m sure if I’m late they’ll be hunting me down. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

  ‘Goodnight Bella.’

  She leaned up again and kissed him briefly on the lips, gratified that he held her tighter and kissed her back before she stepped away. She whistled for Alfie and walked off down the hill and as she looked back she smiled when she saw that Isaac was watching her go.

  Eden and Freya were already sitting in the restaurant when Bella arrived. Freya always came to their siblings dinner. Over the years they’d all had many boyfriends and girlfriends but by some unspoken rule none of them came to dinner with them at Rosa’s. But Freya was different. Somehow she had wheedled her way into all of their hearts. Bella looked at her like a sister but frustratingly so did Rome. The man himself clearly hadn’t arrived yet which meant she’d be able to talk freely about Isaac without the overprotective glare from her big brother.

  ‘Hey,’ Eden grinned as she saw Bella approach. She got up from the table and embraced Bella in a big hug.

  Freya stood up and hugged Bella too.

  They all sat back down, and Bella helped herself to a piece of garlic bread oozing with melted cheese.

  ‘Sorry I’m late, I got caught in the rain and I had to go home and get changed.’

  ‘Urgh, I hate the rain,’ Freya said.

  Bella looked out on the rain-soaked street as it gleamed in the sun and she couldn’t help but smile. ‘I love it.’

  Eden’s phone flashed up with a text on the table and she quickly read it and smiled. Bella knew instinctively who had made her react like that.

  ‘Dougie texted me while I was on my way over here,’ Bella said. ‘He said he’s looking forward to catching up with us.’ She watched Eden smile as she shoved her phone away.

  ‘I know, he’s been texting me lots too.’

  Bella smiled. She’d had only one text from him so it was quite clear to see where his priorities lay.

  ‘He arrives Thursday, how are you feeling about seeing him again?’

  Eden sighed though she was still smiling. ‘Same as always, excited, elated, terrified, annoyed that he makes me feel this way, angry, happy. I told him I might not have time to see him but I know I will. He knows it too. He even suggested that he stay with me but I was firm about that. He can stay in a hotel. I don’t need to be tortured any more.’

  ‘Why don’t you want him to stay with you?’ Freya asked.

  ‘Because then he’ll be walking around naked like last time, driving me insane. I’m sure he does it deliberately to wind me up.’

  ‘You’ve seen him naked?’ Freya said with wide eyes. ‘Is he hot? Who am I kidding, of course he is.’

  ‘Yes he’s hot but I’m not sure why he does it. He’s not remotely interested in me.’

  ‘How do you know?’ Bella said. From what she could see, Dougie only really came over to Hope Island so often to see Eden.

  ‘Because I’m like a sister to him,’ Eden said.

  Bella pulled a face. ‘He said that?’

  Eden nodded, the smile fading from her face.

  ‘Urgh, I hate it when a guy says that,’ Freya said. ‘When they look at you as a sister, you’ve got no hope. No one fancies their own sister. It’s so unsexy. It’s even worse than being relegated to the friendzone.’

  ‘Being friends isn’t bad,’ Bella protested. ‘At least when you’re friends there’s a chance that the friendship could develop into something more.’

  Freya sighed. ‘Sometimes you can be the best of friends and still there’s no chance of anything happening.’

  Bella smiled, sadly. ‘Rome adores you.’

  ‘He’s never gotten over Paige’s death,’ Freya said, quietly.

  ‘Well it’s about time he did,’ Eden said. ‘He’d only known h
er a month when he proposed, and then she was working in London for the next eighteen months and they’d only get to see each other at weekends when they’d spend most of their time in the bedroom. They never had time to have a proper relationship before she died in that awful rollercoaster accident. It was horrific and it messed him up spectacularly but it’s been six years. She’s been dead longer than he knew her. I really liked Paige but I have no idea if they would have lasted if they had been in a proper relationship and not one built on great weekend sex. He’s closer to you than he ever was to her. But he’s afraid of getting hurt again. Just be patient with him.’

  ‘He said the other day that he thinks he’s ready for love again. That he wants the companionship and intimacy of a proper relationship. If he’s not thinking about that with you then the boy’s an idiot,’ Bella said.

  Freya sighed. ‘Between me and Eden we’re both lost causes. Oh, let’s change the subject. How was your first day at work?’

  Bella’s smile grew. ‘Today was pretty special.’

  Freya stared at her for a moment. ‘You’ve kissed him again, haven’t you?’

  ‘Well he kissed me, but yes.’

  ‘You kissed the boss?’ Eden squealed and Bella and Freya shushed her.

  ‘Yes, I really like him. And I think he really likes me. At the moment he keeps insisting nothing can happen because he’s my boss and work politics but I met him while I was walking Alfie tonight and we got caught in the rain and we kissed again.’

  ‘Awwww. A kiss in the rain. How sweet,’ Eden said, smiling happily. ‘I’ve got a good feeling about Isaac. I think he might be the one.’

  Bella laughed. ‘You say that about every one of my boyfriends. There is no “one”. Isaac is sweet and funny and attentive. We have off-the-chart chemistry. He is, by a mile, the best kiss I’ve ever had. And I’m sure when we eventually end up in bed together, it will be phenomenal but he doesn’t love me. I don’t think this is anything serious for him.’

  ‘Maybe it isn’t serious now, but it could be something serious later. It’ll probably never be love straight away with anyone; that takes time to build. Just don’t dismiss it just because he hasn’t whipped out an engagement ring just yet. Enjoy it, see what happens. Don’t push him away when he gets close.’

  Freya nodded. ‘It might not be love yet but he seems pretty keen. Did you happen to mention that you were coming here tonight?’

  ‘Yes, I did.’ Bella turned round to see what Freya was looking at and felt her smile spread across her face when she saw Isaac at the counter buying something.

  Obviously feeling her eyes on him, he turned and waved when he saw her. While Rosa got his order ready he wandered over.

  ‘I’d say him turning up here is a bit more than a coincidence,’ Freya said, under her breath.

  ‘Hi,’ Isaac said.

  ‘Hi.’

  There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment or two while they grinned sheepishly at each other.

  ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘I’m just getting a lasagne for dinner. Rosa’s are the best I’ve ever had. I promise I’m not stalking you or anything. I was, erm… out a little longer than I thought I would be while I was walking Rocket and when I got back the dinner I had left in the oven had gone a bit black so this sounded like a good alternative.’

  ‘Bella was just telling us about her first day at work,’ Freya said, a big cheeky smile on her face. Eden nudged her but she was undeterred.

  Bella blushed. ‘Yes, I was telling them about the plans for the spring fair, we’re all excited about having it here on the island again.’

  ‘You’re bringing the fair back to Hope Island?’ Eden said, her eyes wide and excited. ‘That’s so wonderful.’

  Bella stared at her pointedly and Eden blushed. ‘Sorry, I, erm… must have been in the toilet when you discussed the fair.’

  Isaac laughed. ‘I’m excited to see the fair again too. I’m very much looking forward to working with Bella on all future projects.’ His eyes found hers and she swallowed. She didn’t think they were talking about work any more.

  Rosa called across to him and he looked over to see that his lasagne was ready for collection.

  Isaac looked back at Bella, touching her arm briefly. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’

  ‘You can count on it.’

  He grinned and walked off just as Rome came towards the table. He glared at Isaac as he walked out the shop before he sat down next to Bella.

  ‘Stop glaring at him, he hasn’t done anything wrong,’ Bella said.

  ‘Apart from lie, seduce you under false pretences and—’

  ‘OK, OK, apart from that,’ Bella said, feeling deflated all of a sudden.

  ‘I take it something is going on between you two,’ Rome said.

  ‘What makes you think that?’

  ‘The way you two were looking at each other with all soppy eyes when I walked in. Have you slept with him?’

  ‘Rome! You have no right to ask her that!’ Eden said.

  Rome shrugged as he helped himself to a piece of garlic bread. ‘Just looking out for my little sister.’

  ‘I really like him,’ Bella said. ‘And maybe something will happen and maybe it won’t but he makes me happy and it’s been a long time since anyone made me feel like that, so don’t ruin it by going all overprotective big brother on me. If we start seeing each other I want you to trust in my judgement and be nice to him.’

  ‘I do trust you, and I’m always nice.’

  Eden and Freya made various noises of objection.

  ‘What? I am nice.’

  ‘If grumpy is a kind of nice, sure,’ Eden said.

  ‘I’m not grumpy,’ Rome protested.

  Freya reached across to pat his arm consolingly. ‘You’re not exactly sunshine and roses.’

  Rome considered this for a moment and shrugged. He turned his attention back to Bella. ‘If he makes you happy then I’m happy. I’ll be nice to him and I might even give him a smile occasionally. Just be careful, OK? I don’t want you to get hurt.’

  Bella nodded.

  ‘You should have invited him to have dinner with us,’ Eden said. ‘Then we could have vetted him for you.’

  Rome shook his head. ‘Dinner at Rosa’s is family only.’

  ‘Oh, maybe I should go then,’ Freya said.

  ‘Don’t be daft. You are family. You’re like a sister to me,’ Rome said, completely missing how gutted Freya suddenly looked at that comment.

  ‘Not a sister,’ Bella said, kindly, catching Freya’s eye. ‘A really good friend who is like family because of how important she is to us. Dougie is like family too. But neither Eden nor I look at him like a brother.’

  Rome frowned in confusion. ‘OK, not a sister, my best friend, which makes you like family. Whatever the distinction is, Freya belongs here with us. Isaac would be an interloper.’

  ‘That interloper might be your brother-in-law one day,’ Eden said.

  Bella rolled her eyes. ‘I don’t think that will ever happen.’

  Eden reached for Bella’s hand. ‘Look, Rome is always going to play the overprotective big brother and tell you to be careful and I will always tell you to take a chance at love and not throw it away or dismiss it because you’re scared. Be brave and be open to love. Because if it does come your way and it is reciprocated it will be the best thing that ever happens to you.’

  Bella nodded. She had never been in love and never really wanted to be. Loving someone meant you could get hurt, rejected and let down and she’d already had her fill of that. But she had promised Eden and Rome that she would take a chance on love if it came her way and, although she didn’t think this thing with Isaac would turn into love, if it did she was willing to see what all the fuss was about.

  Isaac walked into the Umbrella Foundation the next day with a smile on his face. He had no idea what was going to happen with Bella but it was going to be a lot of fun finding out. He had tried to keep away fro
m her, he had tried to be firm with her about nothing happening between them, but their resolve around each other was non-existent. He was finding it hard to find reasons not to be with her any more.

  He walked into the lift and when the doors pinged open on the first floor, he couldn’t help but smile when Bella and a few other people walked in. She was wearing a beautiful bronze dress that came down to the knee and had a high collar that was embellished with gold jewels, making her look like some kind of Egyptian queen.

  ‘Good morning, Mr Scott,’ Bella said, smiling sweetly at him before moving to stand to the side of him. As the other people got on behind her, she shifted to make room for them and ended up, either deliberately or innocently, standing in front of him with her back towards him.

  His heart leapt because the bronze dress slashed down in a narrow V-shape from the shoulders, leaving a small sliver of her bare back completely exposed. He couldn’t take his eyes off it.

  At the very bottom of the V, which finished halfway down her back, was a tiny glimpse of her turquoise bra strap.

  Little conversations continued in the lift but Bella wasn’t talking to anyone and no one was paying either of them any attention. He reached out and ever so gently stroked his thumb across the indent of her spine.

  She let out a soft gasp and one of the men at the front of the lift looked over at her. Isaac busied himself with his phone. When the man looked away, Bella deliberately shuffled back a few inches.

  The lift pinged open on her floor and a few people got out. She made a move to leave too but as he grazed her back for a second time she stayed where she was.

  There was now only one other person in the lift with them so they still couldn’t talk and Isaac didn’t dare do anything else because it would be much more noticeable. What was he doing? If he was caught touching Bella like this, everyone in the building would know by the end of the day and he would be tarred as some kind of pervert.

  The lift pinged open on the next floor and the man got out. The doors closed behind him.

  ‘It seems you missed your floor, Miss Roussel,’ Isaac said.