“Sounds like how I’ve always spent my Sunday mornings,” he joked. He took the steps down onto the sands, crouching down to take off his trainers and socks, carrying them with him. “I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to how nice it feels to walk on the sand. When I knew I was moving here, I decided I’d go to the beach every day.”
“Have you managed that so far?”
He laughed, shaking his head, his eyes crinkling at the sides. “No. I’ll try again tomorrow after I’ve finished up at school and met with one of the builders.”
We talked as we headed over to the café about what works were starting on the schoolhouse and how the governors hadn’t realised how in need of modernising the house was.
The café was set just across from one of the boat houses, meaning we needed to put our shoes back on to cross overthe concrete path that led from the boathouse over sand that rarely felt the waves of the sea. It was also a shop for water sports, selling wet suits and paddle boards, as well as swimming costumes and other things people might need on the beach. As a side line, they’d started making pizzas, buying a wood fired oven, appealing to the beach crowd and teenagers who liked to hang out there. They’d added to that with breakfast barm cakes, fluffy bread filled with bacon and sausages, or eggs and mushrooms, depending on what you fancied.
We ordered food, no one in the café paying any heed to me being with Cas, and we also ordered coffee because it was the lifeblood of everything after a decent run.
Cas paid. I didn’t say anything, accepting it for what it was, whether that was friends who might be teetering on something else, or an informal date. Putting a label on it didn’t seem necessary.
“Where do you want to sit?” He carried both our coffees in a cardboard tray, his breakfast bap in his other hand.
“Let’s head that way. There’s a rock that makes a good sitting place.”
“You’ve done this before.”
“Many times with Heidi. She likes their chocolate milkshakes and they sometimes sell Amelie’s ice cream too. It gets a bit quieter over there as well.” The beach was already busy, people getting ready to take boats out for the day, families setting up windbreakers for when the inevitable strong breeze started.
We walked over there, the sounds of people laughing and shouting instructions, children playing, the soundtrack.
The coast curved slightly, a barrier of rocks that sometimes prevented people from coming this far was covered in brown seaweed, shells broken densely into the sand. This was where Heidi would search for sea jewels, usually coming back with far more than she needed, which meant there was an area of ourgarden that one day an archaeologist would dig through and draw a conclusion that the sea had once covered that single spot somehow.
“This is pretty nice.” Cas sat down on the rock, placing the coffees between us when I took a seat. “I can’t believe how quiet it is compared with the other part of the beach.”
“There are loads of undiscovered beaches around the island. My favourite time’s November when the tourists have gone home and every where’s deserted. The sea’s always wild then and the sky looks like it’s always ready to start an argument.”
“That’s very poetically put.”
I laughed, knowing I was anything but a poet. “Heidi’s better with words than I am. I’m just an accountant.”
“A very good one, so I’m told.”
“Who’s been telling you stories?”
“I’m not revealing my source.” He fell quiet, something troubling him. “I should’ve said yes when you asked about going for dinner on Tuesday. I’ve now spent most of the weekend with you. That’s some mixed messages.”
“I get it. You’re just out of a relationship. You’re in a new job, one that’s got a lot of responsibility and you’re in a new town. I can see why you’d say no – and I didn’t assume I was going to be your type.” I looked at the waves as they broke across the sands, the lapping gentle and inviting, although I knew it’d be bloody cold.
“Am I your type?” He looked at me, as I fussed with my ever-present ponytail, strands of it coming lose.
I gave a short nod, biting back a smile. Was there any point in playing hard to get. “You know you’re attractive.”
“It’s just a face. I hope I’m more than just a face.”
I could understand why he’d think that. “I liked talking to you. That first night when we talked on the phone.”
“I’m glad. So can I take you out to dinner then? Would Heidi’s gran babysit the girls?”
“She’d love to, if I tell her it’s for a date.” She’d be only too happy to see me moving all the way forward.
“It is, so tell her that.”
“I will.” I cast a glance at him. “You know she’ll tell people. She doesn’t live in Puffin Bay but she still knows everyone.” Which was both a blessing and a curse. She liked to tell me any gossip she found out, which was wonderful, but she also told other people, as long as she didn’t think it was harmful.
“Fine with me. I’m not worried about what the school governors will say if I go out on a date with a parent. I think they’re hoping I’ll settle down here so they won’t have to find anyone else for the job.” A shadow of seriousness flicked over his face. “I wanted to do the right thing when I declined, but I don’t think that’s the right thing to do.”
