She gives a sly smile. “Maybe. I have a date with Pete.”
I’m happy for her, and the news lifts my spirits a little. “Where are you going?”
“There’s a cute Thai restaurant a few villages over.”
“I’m so excited for you.”
She hugs me. “I’m going to miss you when you leave.”
I tighten our hug. “Me too.”
Another customer enters, which Kayleigh deals with, and I see Adam through the window.
“I’ll be back in ten minutes,” I call out and disappear through the door. I chase after Adam as he makes his way up the hill. When I reach him, I’m out of breath. I didn’t think this through. I’ve no idea what to say.
“Hi,” I say lamely.
“Hey,” he replies without missing a step. He pulls the sledge behind him.
“I spoke to my gran.”
He glances in my direction. “What did she say?”
“She wants a new shop in Manchester.”
He sighs heavily. “Looks like you’re all set then.”
I rub my forehead, wishing I could say the right thing to make it good between us again. His tone is cold, and I want to tell him it’s not my fault, but he would only say I’m giving up too easily.
“I’m not all set. What about us?”
He stops walking. “It was fun while it lasted, but we have to be realistic. You’re not going to stay here, and I’m not going to visit you in Manchester. I don’t want a long-distance relationship.”
I pull my hair back over my shoulder. “I like you.”
“I like you too.” He smiles sadly. “But I’m not going anywhere. Clover Bay and I are a package deal.” He winces like his words are causing him physical pain.
“I’m here now. Why can’t we use the time we have?”
He sighs. “I’m sorry, Jody, but I just can’t. This way, nobody gets hurt.”
He continues up the hill, and I let him go. I can’t stay here. He was right about that part, but he got one thing wrong. A tear spills out onto my face as my heart begins to hurt. I can’t help the sob that escapes when I think about how easily he’s giving up on us. What we had felt special, or at least it was to me. He isn’t like other guys I’ve dated. He cares about people, including me, and he helped me become a better person. The crazy thing is, I believed in myself too.
I untie my apron and throw it on the back doorstep as I pass the café. Slowly, I make my way down to the beach. I close my eyes and inhale deeply. The sound of the crashing waves calms my temper. Everything I wanted was within my grasp. Now, everything is slipping away, and there’s nothing I can do.
Twenty-Eight
Adam
Friday
Jody is standing on her back doorstep, looking out towards the ocean. I can see her from the beach. Her sun-kissed skin and summer wavy hair make her look at home in the seaside surroundings. She’s beginning to look the part of a local, which is a hope I wish I didn’t feel. I want to tell her to stay in Clover Bay and explore a future with me. To give me a chance at making her happy, but it’s too risky to express how deep my feelings for her are. I’ve put myself out there once before, and it didn’t end well for either of us. Erin called, drunk, four months after she left, saying she’d made a mistake. It hurt to hear how much she missed me, especially when I’d been trying to move on. I won’t be someone’s second choice again. If Erin had loved me as much as she said she did, she wouldn’t have left in the first place. I blocked her number after that night. Jody is nothing like Erin, but she admits to struggling to settle. She’s come a long way since the first day we met, but she could still give up when things get hard, and I won’t put myself through that kind of torture again.
I throw the ball for Dax while we make our way across the beach towards home. Our house is locked up when we arrive, and my dad’s nowhere in sight. I feed Dax and make my tea. The steak pie takes almost an hour to cook and eat, but there is still no sign of my dad. When it reaches seven p.m., I decide to go find him. He’s a creature of habit, which makes it easy to decide where to look.
I leave Dax to sleep beside the fire and make my way to the far side of Clover Bay. The waves crash against the large rocks. The strong smell of sea salt fills the air as a light mist of water feathers over my skin. My dad’s fishing alone in his long waterproof trousers. His tackle box is abandoned on the shore. This is my dad’s tranquil place. It’s hidden away for the locals to escape the tourists.
I’m wearing towel shorts, but the water doesn’t bother me as I step deeper into the sea. I come to stand next to my dad. His eyes flicker towards me, but his attention stays on his fishing line.
“Did you forget it’s teatime?” I say after a few minutes of silence.
“Since when do you notice when I’m missing a meal?”
Usually, I don’t think about his whereabouts, but tonight, I want to talk to him. “Have you caught anything good?”
“No. It’s been a slow day. I let Frank take most of the fish we caught earlier.”
“Is that why you’re still down here?”
“I like to fish and have no other plans, but I don’t think you came down here to lecture me on my life choices, so spit it out. What’s really on your mind?”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Molly’s café has gone up for sale.”
“Yes. I saw on my way to the tackle shop this morning.” His voice doesn’t give away his feelings about the news.
We stare out into the sea.
“I’ve been avoiding Jody since I found out.”
He tugs on his fishing line. “Have you thought about buying the café?”
“Me?” I touch my chest, even though we’re the only ones out here.
“You have your savings, and I’ll support you if you want to invest in your future. You can bake as well as your mother ever could, and it would be better than pulling that sledge up and down the hill for the rest of your life. The village needs that business to stay within the community. You’d be a perfect candidate for becoming a young entrepreneur.”
It’s true, we don’t want any large brands taking over our village. Clover Bay is unique because the corporate world hasn’t touched it. Someone local would be ideal to takeover, but should it be me?
“I like my postal round. It’s what I’ve done since I left school and it’s easy work.”
“You won’t be saying that when you get to my age. The café is a life investment, whereas Royal Mail doesn’t have any loyalties to you. The café could be something you can build up and make your own. Hopefully, you’ll be able to take days off once you’re making the right money. When you’ve found some reliable staff, the place will more or less run itself, which makes it a great investment.”
Sitting back and letting someone else run the show sounds foreign to me. I’d want to be hands-on, running the day to day tasks. If I consider this, I’d want to sculpt the café into something I can be proud of. I’d like it to be a family business, if I ever find the right girl. A vision of Jody standing beside me flashes through my mind, which I push away. “I need some time to consider it.”
He begins to reel his fishing line to discover a big clump of seaweed. “No bass for me tonight.”
“I’ve left you some pie in the fridge.”
“You’re a good lad. Let’s get home and watch some football.”
Normally, I’d make an excuse so I could read in my room, but tonight, I find myself nodding. It’s not that I don’t like sport, it’s just not my escape. Tonight, I want to spend time with my dad. If I bought the café, I’d have my own place, which would be much bigger than my tiny bedroom, but would I miss my dad’s company? I’d have a new project to invest my time in. Visions of steel grey paint with a rustic wood finish enter my head. I can see myself behind the counter. Clover Bay is my future, my legacy, and my whole life. The café feels like it could be my destiny. I have money saved. All I need is to schedule an appointment at the bank to go get the
rest.
I settle on the sofa with a beer. My dad eats his pie in front of the TV. He grunts at the football as the players navigate the field. I’ll never understand the need to interact with the game. It’s not like anyone other than me can hear him.
“So, what are you going to do about your Jody situation?” he asks.
“It’s not a situation.”
“You’re not talking to her?”
“I’m making sure our paths don’t cross.” I take a drink from my bottle.
“She’s a nice girl. You should treat her right.”
“She’ll be going home soon.”
He grunts at a ball pass. “It sounds like you’re not happy about that.”
I’m trying not to feel anything. “It’s the way things are supposed to be.”
“If you don’t ask, you don’t get.”
I don’t need him to clarify.
I watch the rest of the football match with my dad before disappearing to my room. After scheduling a meeting with the bank manager, I pull up the details of the café. It’s a two bedroomed cottage with a small bathroom. Not only will the café need work, but the house itself needs renovating. My dad will help me with the building work, but it won’t be an easy job. Spending more time with my dad could bring us closer, which also sounds appealing. It’s been a long time since we had a project to work on together.
Looking out of the window, I eye the old fence. It’s a project we were supposed to do together but never got around to. It never seemed important, although, now I’m thinking it is. After walking Dax tomorrow, I’m determined I’ll do something productive. At the very least, it’ll stop him from escaping again. I order some wood, paint, and nails online which will be added to my delivery for tomorrow. This weekend is going to be the start of something new, and I’m ready for it.
Twenty-Nine
Jody
Saturday
After another great day working in the café, I’m feeling sentimental as I sort through my gran’s things. The customer who ordered the apple and cinnamon muffins seemed pleased with my work, and I wish my time here didn’t have to end.
I wrap yesterday’s newspaper around another seashell ornament and pack it into the large cardboard box. Most of my gran’s things are now in boxes and the cottage looks bare. The orange light from the low sun streams through the window as the day slips away.
Adam enters the back door with a handful of empty boxes and a roll of brown tape. We haven’t spoken much since Gran’s café went up for sale, but he insisted on helping today. I want him here but not with a strange vibe.
“Do you have any more boxes ready for me to carry up the hill?” he says, staring down at his hands.
I let out a breath and disregard the newspaper from my knee. “I don’t want there to be this awkward tension between us,” I whisper, hoping not to causes anymore bad feelings.
I stand and walk over to him. He puts his arms on my shoulders, looking into my eyes. He looks sad and I wish I was good with words, but I’m not that girl. “I don’t like goodbyes.”
I suck on my bottom lip. “This might not be goodbye forever.”
He rests his forehead against mine. “We’re on different paths, so we shouldn’t hold on to false promises.”
I pull back to study his face. “I’m sorry.”
“What are you sorry for? I knew your stay was temporary.”
“I just wish we weren’t ending things like this.”
“If there was a way for you to stay, would you consider it?”
“I don’t think there is a way.” I smile sadly, wishing everything could be simple. If only Clover Bay was closer to Manchester.
“Why not?” He holds strong eye contact and I look away first.
“This isn’t my real life. I have a home back in Manchester with my family. I have my best friend and a chance at a real job with my gran.”
“So this is about more than the café?”
I screw up my face. “Don’t make this harder for both of us. You know I like you, but there is so much more to consider.”
We stare at each other, and I wait to see what he does next. I lick my lips in anticipation, and he mirrors the gesture. Our lips meet in a heated kiss. It’s passionate but also sad.
“Would you stay if I could guarantee you’d have a secure job?” He searches my eyes.
“What are you talking about?” I frown in confusion.
“I’m going to put an offer in on the café.” I can’t read his emotions as he declares his plans. If someone has to buy the café, I’d like it to be someone like him, and I think my gran would too.
“Are you giving up on the postal service?”
“This is an opportunity I can’t pass on, and we both know I’m not going anywhere, so having my own business makes sense.”
I agree this is a great opportunity for him. That’s part of what makes my next statement so hard. “If you’d have asked me a month ago to start a crazy adventure with you, I would’ve jumped at the chance, but now things have changed. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I want to think about my long-term plan. Opening the new café with my gran is where I’m more likely to succeed. I don’t want to lead you on, and staying here means more than just working together. It would put pressure on our relationship too, and I could end up with nothing. I have the chance to start a new journey with my gran and I think it’s the right thing to do.”
Harrison was right when he told me to be careful with Adam. I could easily jump into a relationship with him, but it would be wrong. Not because I don’t have feelings for him, but because, at some point, I have to go home.
“I wish things would’ve worked out differently between us.” He smiles sadly, and I give him a light kiss on the cheek.
“I haven’t gone anywhere yet. Even if we are just friends, I’d like to spend my remaining time with you.”
“I’d like that too.”
I stroke his cheek and he smiles.
I don’t want the remainder of our time together to be sad. “Enough of this sentimental stuff. Let’s finish up these last few boxes so we can go do something fun.”
“How about I show you the real nightlife of the seaside?”
“I like the sound of that.” I’m curious to find out what he has in mind. After a long, intense hug, we break apart and continue with the task.
Paper lanterns scatter along the rock wall, and it takes my breath away. The twinkling glow is the magic of fairy-tales. Adam only gave me an hour to shower and change. I can’t believe he did all this so quickly and for me. My emotions are heightened with the overwhelming feeling of love. Nobody has ever made me feel as special as Adam does.
“You’re not going to go all girly on me and cry, are you?” he says, looking pleased with himself.
I laugh to cover up my true feelings. “Way to ruin the moment. I’m not getting all the warm and fuzzy feelings now you’ve made it sound silly. Can’t I be happy about the magical things? This is a rare moment for me, and it’s absolutely amazing. How did you prepare all these lights in such a short time?”
“When you’ve helped set up thousands of these lanterns over the years, a few hundred take no time at all to put together. I want to give you a taste of what Clover Bay is really all about.” I take another look around while Adam watches me intensely. “You don’t need to worry about the paper. It won’t set on fire. They’re battery operated candles, so there’s not going to be a big fireball chasing you out of the village.” He seems to be trying to lighten the mood, but my heart still flutters from amazement.
“Here I was thinking you were trying to make a romantic evening, when the reality is closer to a witch hunt,” I joke.
“I said there would be no fireballs. I want to give you an experience of the festival you’re going to miss out on.”
“You never know, I might come and see the real thing. All these lights are impressive, so I can imagine the festival being something worth visiting.”
“Maybe I’ll be your tour guide.”
“Maybe I’ll let you. I could come and sample your baked goods too.” I bite my lip.
He raises an eyebrow. “I bet you will.”
We smile at each other and he pulls me into his chest. My heart aches knowing this isn’t going to last.
“Why does it have to be so hard between us?” My smile turns sad.
He pinches my cheek playfully. “Hey, don’t be unhappy. I did all this to show you that you were right. When I like a girl, I’ll show her my romantic side. I like you, Jody.”
My heart swells. Adam isn’t the sort of guy who would say something he doesn’t mean. “You like me, huh?”
“I thought that was obvious.” He leans in and kisses my lips softly. My heart beats faster as I realise I’m in big trouble. My chest aches to be close to him. His smell, his touch, his everything is like a drug to me, and I want more. I’ve never felt this way before, and the worst part is, I have to give him up.
If I stayed here, I’d be waiting for the day it all goes wrong, and I’d have to go home to everyone telling me ‘I told you so’. I’m slowly learning if I want something, I need to make it happen, but I need to start at home with the support of my family. It’s the responsible thing to do and I want my mum and sister to believe in me rather than put me down. The only way I can achieve this is by showing them what I can do. I need my gran’s guidance on what courses to do, and her years of knowledge to help me make the right decisions. If I told them I was staying here, they’d probably laugh and tell me I was living in a fantasy world. Doing something because I’ve met a guy isn’t going to impress my mum. Helping my gran is what will make her proud.
“I want to enjoy every second we have left together.”
“Me too.” He kisses me again, and the heat between us intensifies. We share a perfect evening together and it ends with us settled into my small bed.
The Heart of Baker’s Bay Page 15
