The Seaside Cocktail Campervan

by Caroline Roberts

  Move on out, Jack, he told himself. Exit to the bar, immediately, and have a nice evening with your mates.

  ‘Alright Jack? Ready for another?’ James lifted his empty pint glass, about to head off to the bar for refills.

  ‘Absolutely.’ He’d never felt bloody readier.

  An excruciatingly slow half-hour later, Jack had to watch as Lover Boy guided Lucy with his hand gently (or was it possessively?) past their table to the exit. Jack gave a polite nod. ‘See you then, Luce.’

  ‘Bye, Jack.’

  She didn’t bother introducing her other half, and Jack was mightily relieved at that. The situation was excruciating enough, as it was.

  He watched her leave, with the other guy’s arm still pitched at the small of her back. Jack felt a lump in his throat, remembering that particular curve of her naked body so very well. He’d let her go, and that was the end of it, he told himself, as he watched the bar door close. It was for the best.

  But why did it still feel like this was only the start of something … what was all this crazy stuff going on inside of him? It was like Lucy had set off some seismic wave, shaking everything up. He found himself dreading the fallout of this earthquake.

  Chapter 40

  ‘So, hun, how did it go?’ Becky was on the line, bright and early the next morning.

  ‘Ah, well … it didn’t really, Becks.’

  ‘Oh, how come?’ her friend sounded disappointed.

  ‘No, to be fair to Angus, it was fine. There just weren’t any sparks flying.’

  ‘Ah well, it can’t have been all bad. He’s got a good job and a nice car, so I hear.’

  ‘Yeah, the car was very nice. Leather seats and everything.’

  ‘Well, there you go.’

  ‘We just didn’t seem to have an awful lot in common. And then, he ground me down with talk of megabytes and pixels.’

  ‘Oh, I see. Not the most riveting chat then!’

  ‘And when we got onto the spyware, malware and viruses, well honestly, I’m now afraid to turn my computer back on again. In case it’s already got the equivalent of computer venereal disease … I have very basic protection, apparently.’ Lucy giggled.

  ‘Aw, he’d have just been trying to help you out, Luce.’

  ‘Maybe, but he just wasn’t my type and I have to confess, it wasn’t very scintillating conversation for a night out.’

  ‘No, perhaps not … Not exactly a turn-on, I suppose.’

  They both chuckled.

  ‘Oh well, I’ll put it down to experience.’

  ‘You do that, girlfriend. And, hey, there are plenty more fish in the sea.’

  And Lucy had a feeling her friend would be trying her hardest to hook her up with more of those fish very soon. She daren’t mention the other guy who was at the pub last night, who despite it all, was still in fact very much on her mind. The one she’d already told he ought to sling his hook.

  Two days later, and Lucy was flicking through her phone trying to get some good images for promotional posts on the All Fired Up Instagram and Facebook pages, when she scrolled across a photo of Jack stood beside Ruby from months ago. It was the first night they’d ever met. She’d taken a few snaps of the venue, and there he was, caught in the frame.

  She couldn’t help but smile. He looked so handsome, confident and happy … and yes, a little cocky too. Yet she’d seen that there was a gentler, more vulnerable side to him, despite it all.

  What had it all been about between them? Had he won her over just to leave her? Had that been the plan all along? And if so, if he was such a twat, then why couldn’t she shake thoughts of this guy off?

  Memories. Magical moments on the beach. Laughter. Holding hands and oh, so much more. It still didn’t make sense. And boy, it still hurt.

  A dachshund’s damp nose edged up against her leg.

  ‘Hey, Daisy. Do you want a cuddle?’

  She lifted her pet’s solid little body up to her lap, giving her an affectionate stroke.

  ‘Me too, baby. Me too.’

  At least dogs didn’t have game plans or commitment issues. If a dog wanted affection, it just came right up and asked you for it. They were straight down the line with you. Hmm, Lucy mused, humans could learn a lot from their four-legged friends.

  Chapter 41

  Jack couldn’t shake off this horrid feeling of negativity. He tried cracking on with work, throwing himself into events with his usual aplomb, polishing Ruby to the nth degree, spending time with his mates, with his Xbox, heading off cycling, taking long hikes … but whatever he did, there was this sinking feeling inside, like a shadow was creeping around after him.

  Seeing Lucy with another guy like that. Well, it had hit hard. But it bloody well served him right. He should already have apologised for the way he’d behaved after that night they’d spent together. He hadn’t wanted to say it in a message, but the next time he’d seen her he should at least have spoken up. But then they’d had that silly row at the fête. And it was hardly ideal in the pub, with a new man in tow, was it?

  He pictured how it might have panned out. ‘Oh, hi there. And hey, Luce, sorry about giving you the cold shoulder since our night together.’

  Well, that was either a punch-up in the making with new guy Lover Boy, or a pint of cold beer tipped over his head from Lucy. Either way, he probably deserved it.

  He was due to visit his parents; he liked to call in on them regularly. It was all down to him now, after all. It had been nearly a week since the village fête and he was still cheered by the fact they’d turned up in support like that. That was a glimmer of light in the gloom.

  He was soon there, after just a fifteen-minute journey, pulling Ruby up in the driveway. He rang the bell, and walked right on in.

  ‘Hi, Mum, Dad,’ he called out.

  ‘Oh, hello love.’ Mum came out from the kitchen with a warm smile. ‘It’s just me. Your dad’s on a course.’

  ‘Ahh, golf course?’

  ‘You’ve got it!’

  They both grinned. It was dad’s favourite place to escape these days.

  ‘Shall I put the kettle on?’

  It was half past ten. Ideal tea and biscuits time in the Anderson household.

  ‘Yeah, go on then, thanks. Oh, I brought you these.’ He’d picked up a box of hand-made chocolates, from a fabulous-looking stall at an event he’d been working at in the harbour village of Warkton. He handed over the pretty gold box; the label read The Chocolate Shop by the Sea.

  ‘Oh, they look lovely. Thank you, Jack.’ It was nice to brighten Mum’s day. Goodness knows they all needed a little light in their lives.

  ‘I’m sure your dad will enjoy helping me out with them later,’ her smile widened. ‘Yes, he’s right into his golf now the weather’s turned for the better. I don’t mind really, keeps him occupied, and gives me time to potter about in the house and garden unencumbered.’

  ‘Hah, yes.’

  Mum started filling the kettle, then took down a teapot from the kitchen cupboard.

  Jack had a sudden flash of memory. He and Daniel as younger teens deciding to practise their golf swing and chipping. Only this was taking place inside, in Dan’s bedroom. It had been a rainy day, and well, they hadn’t fancied getting wet. Dad had gone ballistic when he’d walked into the room, alerted by the unusual knocking sound, to find the pair of them in action. There were still circular dent marks on Dan’s ceiling to this day.

  ‘You okay, Jack?’

  ‘Yeah, just thinking about Dan and the bedroom golf practice …’ Jack said, sharing his thoughts. Sometimes he needed to talk about those memories. In fact, they all did. It helped keep Daniel alive in their hearts.

  ‘Oh goodness, yes. Your dad went mad at the pair of you, didn’t he? Mind you, I don’t know what possessed you to start practising in the house.’

  ‘I know. It was a bit crazy. But it seemed a good idea at the time. I think it must have been raining outside or something.’

  ‘Gosh,
the capers you two got up to …’ Mum’s eyes looked a little watery, whilst she held onto her smile.

  Jack wished so much they could get up to some capers now. And, he wished he could share some of this recent weird emotional stuff with his brother too. Dan was always more settled with his girlfriends; he somehow had seemed ready for ‘grown-up’ relationships from the get-go. Jack’s mind drifted to Dan’s last steady girlfriend and the life his brother might have had. The ‘if onlys’ and ‘what might have beens’ were still painful.

  The tea was poured, and Mum pulled out a chair at the dining table. Jack followed suit. There was a second or two of silence between them. Just the tweeting of birdsong drifting in from the open French doors that led out to the back garden.

  ‘Jack, are you really alright, son?’ Mum’s tone had changed, softened.

  Should he open up, share some of his confused feelings about Lucy with his mum? But it just seemed too big a step. He could hardly make sense of it himself, never mind be capable of explaining it to someone else. ‘Yeah, I’m fine.’ Jack’s front remained firmly in place. Not many people got to break down those walls, not even his parents. He’d spent too long trying to protect them from his grief when they had their own to deal with; his current problems didn’t seem much compared to what they had all been through.

  ‘Okay. Well, you know where we are if you ever need us.’ An olive branch of love and support.

  ‘Thanks, Mum.’

  Jack took a gulp of tea, and dived into the old metal biscuit tin, a Christmas family tin Mum had saved one year that they’d been using ever since. He eventually found a jammy dodger. He felt safe here in this house, loved and comfortable, even though it was filled with a myriad of memories … but he certainly didn’t feel able to prise open his soul.

  We’re Getting Hitched!

  Happily Ever After Begins for

  Robert Thompson and Jennifer Wade

  On Saturday 21st August

  At Bamburgh Castle.

  Service 1 p.m., followed by a Wedding Breakfast.

  Cocktails, canapes and pizzas to follow from 7 p.m. in the Castle Courtyard.

  Carriages at Midnight

  Chapter 42

  The castle’s honey-blush stone walls and crenelated towers rose majestically at the far end of the coastal village of Bamburgh, looking like something out of a fairytale. A beautiful seascape filled the horizon behind it. The happy couple getting married, Jen and Rob, were going to be lucky with the weather today, by the looks of it. A little blowy, perhaps, but with a gorgeous blue sky and a mere hint of confetti cloud as the backdrop. Lucy approached the stunning venue of her next event with a sense of nervous anticipation, not least as she knew that a certain someone would be there too.

  Today’s special couple seemed really lovely when they’d chatted on the phone with her, several weeks ago now, to organise her gourmet pizza catering for the evening do. Jack, true to his word in supporting her business-wise at least, had mentioned her pizza horsebox to them, when they’d told him they were looking for some additional evening catering. The traditional wedding breakfast was due to take place mid-afternoon within the castle, after the marriage ceremony in the King’s Hall.

  So, Lucy already knew that Jack would be here. As the castle towered before her, and she indicated, ready to turn off from the village road, a twist of anxiety about seeing him once more started to put her insides through the wringer.

  The last time she had seen him, she was on a date with another guy. And what a disastrous night that had been. There’d been no more personal texts, nor calls between her and Jack for a few weeks now. She’d merely allowed herself a quick peek at the couple of photos she had of him saved on her phone. That one of him stood by Ruby on the first night they had met, and the other from their spontaneous cocktail-in-the-dunes afternoon. It made her smile to look at them. A third image, one that was never taken but was in fact safely stowed in her head and her heart, was of him sat beside her at dawn, the morning after the storm, looking out to sea, talking whilst they drank coffee from tin mugs. His golden hair lit by the morning sunlight. His smile gentle, just for her.

  Enough! What she needed to do was to focus on the job in hand, she told herself. Remain professional, stay calm. The more times they met like this, surely the easier it would become, and they could get back to being catering acquaintances. Why did that thought make her heart dip? Anyway, she had Abby with her to help today, as she anticipated a really busy spell from 8 p.m., when they were booked to start serving. There would be plenty for them to do in the meanwhile, setting up and getting organised.

  Lucy drove the horsebox up the curving driveway to the castle gates, where a friendly sixty-something man with thick white hair, after confirming their booking, let them in through an amazing cast-iron portcullis entrance. A warden would be there on hand at the top of the inner driveway, he advised, to show them where to park.

  There was a large cream-coloured tipi positioned on the grass of the inner courtyard, evidently the setting for the evening celebrations. An area of white-painted table and chairs was set up outside of it, with flower posies in ivories and cream with deep-green foliage on each.

  ‘Aw, that is sooo pretty,’ gushed Abby. ‘This is amazing.’

  ‘It is pretty awesome, isn’t it. A wedding in a castle by the sea. They’ll need a supper to remember too.’

  ‘No pressure then, Luce.’

  ‘We’ll do them proud with Papa’s pizzas, I’m sure.’ She had a few tricks up her sleeve to make tonight extra special for the couple too. She was determined to make her pizza experience the best it could possibly be for her customers.

  Oh, Jack was already there, with a gleaming Ruby positioned at one side of the tipi. Vintage Ruby had been decorated in keeping with the wedding theme, with pretty white flowers and foliage in an arch-like canopy over the lifted rooftop, which Jack must have created especially for this event. The campervan looked fabulous, she had to credit him with that. Lucy too had taken on board that tip, to theme differently for each booking and give that personal touch. So, for today, she had splashed out on a gorgeous Mr and Mrs banner and grey-and-white bunting, with a couple of pearly-white helium balloons to tie to the horsebox, and two pretty jugs of white carnations and delicate gypsophila ready to set out on her counter top.

  Guests soon came spilling out from the castle building, all in their smart suits and posh frocks. There was a natural lull in the proceedings, as they’d now finished the wedding breakfast and were building up for round two. Some made the most of Jack’s services; topping up the late-lunchtime champagne and wine levels with fabulous cocktails and bottled beers. Several couples and groups of friends took a stroll around the grounds, some climbing the battlement walls for a better view of the long sweeping bay and the sea.

  There was more hubbub and excitement as they re-grouped at the tipi area just before 7 p.m. Soon afterwards, the bride and groom appeared, Jen in a stunning fitted ivory lace dress and Rob smartly suited in navy, coming out from the castle hand in hand. A big ‘hoorah’ broke out, with lots of clapping from the gathering. The newlyweds looked so happy, as Rob swept Jen literally off her feet and carried her into the tipi, for the first dance. With the tipi sides flapped open by the entrance, Lucy couldn’t resist stopping her work and watching for a little while. The groom whispered something to his new wife, and she smiled broadly, then planted a joyful kiss on his lips. Oh, to be so sure of each other, to promise a lifetime together. That strength of emotion was held so magically in the way the pair of them looked at each other.

  As the music came to a close, Lucy couldn’t help but glance Ruby’s way and in the direction of a certain barman, who just happened to be looking her way too. For a second or two their eyes met … and held. Lucy felt the glimmer of a smile cross her lips, but she quickly pulled it back, closed her heart, focussing once more on the safe image of the happy couple on the dance floor.

  The evening rolled on. With the wedding guests gr
owing hungry, a queue started to build for Lucy’s Papa-style pizzas. Her assistant, Abby, was all go taking orders, and hand-stretching the dough bases. She was a natural, and could pull the dough to exactly the right shape and thinness with a deft hand and light touch, just how Lucy had shown her. Lucy was in charge of loading the toppings, then baking each pizza with a quick turn halfway through, and keeping the pizza fires burning. They worked as a slick and contented team.

  After the mad 8–9 p.m. rush, things eased a little at the horsebox, and Lucy could take in the party surroundings and activities once more. With many of the guests now dancing, drinking, or sitting out on the wooden chairs chatting as the summer sun began to set, Lucy couldn’t help her gaze moving across to the campervan. Three adult bridesmaids, wearing gorgeous floor-length dresses in a pretty pale-lilac shade, were gathered around Ruby, chatting, gesticulating and giggling. Jack was his usual charming barman self. She could hear him commenting about a violet gin cocktail he’d make for them all to try: ‘the perfect drink to match your gowns’. Then he went into mixology mode, crushing ice, using his shaker theatrically, blending perfect lilac shades of alcohol with a dash of tonic and a splash of personality.

  ‘There you go, ladies. Enjoy!’

  It was all just an act, she realised, a part he played whilst working. An act that was required for him to be the fun, charming barman everybody wanted. But the real Jack was the one she witnessed before and after these events. The one who’d made her cocktails and canapés on the beach, the one who’d shared his summer storm tent, the one who was shyer, a more thoughtful soul. A soul, she now had to admit, she had fallen for, if only for a while.

  It had been a hectic day, running the outdoor bar for this wedding function, but Jack liked the buzz, and the guests seemed a good bunch, easy-going and fun.