The breeze had picked up, carrying the scent of salt and lavender. Henry sat at their feet and gave a sleepy sigh. The cliffs rolled away in rugged folds, sun-bleached and dappled with golden gorse. Tiny white sails bobbed in the bay, and gulls wheeled lazily overhead. It was one of those quiet, golden June afternoons when time seemed to pause, just long enough to remind you how beautiful theworld could be. Rita could even smell that summer was well and truly here.
She broke their unified silence. ‘I don’t expect you to work on a Sunday when a retreat is not on, you know.’
Zenya replied first. ‘I want to. You have given me peace and security, Rita. Something I have been searching for, for a long time.’
Teo smiled. ‘And me, well, you have opened me up to a new life in a different country. I love this. And I love this place.’
‘You might not be saying that when the guests start arriving. It could be interesting,’ Rita quipped.
‘I will soon woo-woo them back to ground level,’ Zenya replied, smiling.
Teo’s voice softened. ‘And you sure it still OK for me to stay in the upstairs annexe?’
‘Of course.’ Rita nodded. ‘I must get Stan to put a lock on the door for you.’
‘Sí, sí, as I am a little worried about Hilda getting risky with me.’
Zenya laughed aloud. ‘I think you mean frisky.’
Teo stood up and stretched his perfectly taut arms to the sky and with a noise of complete contentment, quoted,‘La vida es más divertida si te arriesgas un poco.’
‘Life ismore fun if you take a few risks,’Zenya immediately translated. Teo and Rita’s mouths dropped open.
‘Or frisks,’ Teo stated, causing them all to crack up.
NINETEEN
Rita had just got in from feeding the animals and was tucking into tea and toast at the kitchen table when it happened.
Ping!
She paused. Email alerts usually heralded spam, a newsletter she never signed up for, or a flash sale on beauty products she didn’t need. But something about this ping felt… different. With a deep breath, she reached across the table for her laptop. She tapped the trackpad and squinted at the inbox.
Subject: Booking Confirmation – The Seahaven Bay Retreat
She stared at it. Then blinked. Then stared again.
Booking… confirmation. She whispered aloud then gasped. For there it was. A real person by the name of Emily Budd had booked the month-long Sea, Breath, and Soul Escape. She’d even paid in full. There was a message, too:
Hi! I found your retreat on Instagram and fell in love with it instantly. I’m so excited to spend a whole month by the sea. Hope there’s decent coffee! Emilyx
Rita let out a stunned laugh. Her hand flew to her mouth. ‘Oh my God.’
She whirled around the kitchen, emitting little screams, pulse racing. This wasn’t just someone saying ‘interested’ or asking how far it was from the station. This was a real booking. A real guest. Someone who’d looked at the photos, read her blurb, and decidedyes.
She had imagined this moment so many times during late-night doubts and early-morning ‘what am I doing?’ spirals. But now it was real, it felt entirely surreal.
She did a little jump on the spot, a ridiculous half dance that caused Henry, who was sleeping in his bed, to open one eye then close it again with a harrumph.
She grabbed her phone, and clutching a tea towel like a victory flag, opened WhatsApp. She tapped out a message.
RITA
Guess who just got her first ACTUAL guest booking!!!!
A reply came almost instantly.
KELLY
