I’m straight in with the excuses. ‘We’re very new here, which is why it’s still a bit bare.’
Kit’s staring at me like I’ve fully lost my marbles.
Bianca’s biting her lip. ‘Victor and Amery’s pictures on the Vintage & Awesome site were the reason we booked.’
My heart drops down to my boots; I never imagined their publicity would backfire so spectacularly.
Kit steps forward. ‘Victor and Amery had aspecial advance arrangementto take photos at Florence’santiquebeach hut next door.’ He raises his eyebrows. ‘They also chose the afternoon tea option.’ There’s a pause as he lets that sink in. ‘You’ve opted for the six-course plant-based Ocean Wonders hotel dinner, which means your venue isslightlydifferent from theirs.’
Another place entirely, in other words.
As Nell sees their faces fall, she jumps in too. ‘Brave choice having the seaweed-central menu! But I’m sure Florence can think of some other way to make your day more what you were hoping for?’ She and Kit are both staring at me.
The local joke is you come out of High Tides more hungry than when you go in … and that gives me an idea. ‘If you’re up for eating two puddings, I could serve you a selection of mini sweets on my veranda after your meal? Give you a quick taste of vintage-by-the-sea before bed.’
They’ll have to bring their own fizz and glasses, but I’m sure Kit can sort that out. More important still, if I’m trying to make the beach hut more significant, this is a gift of an opportunity and I need to seize it!
Bianca looks at Salvador, then he nods. ‘That would be a game changer. So long as it’s not too much work?’
Nell beams at him. ‘Don’t worry! Florence has a gang, we’ll all pile in.’
It already feels more like a party than a chore. As I grin at Nell, I know with their help I can do this standing on my head. And in my mind I’m punching the air because with this as a decider, I’ve pulled them on board for the whole day. And for me that’s a result!
Kit holds up his hand. ‘Thanks all the same, Nell, but Florence and I can handle this.’ He raises one eyebrow. ‘Can’t we, Floss?’
Why the hell is my heart racing when it should be plummeting? As for this being a walk in the park, we all know everything gets a hundred times more difficult when Kit is around.
Nell laughs. ‘Good thinking, Kit! Put in the practice for your joint singles club event.’
Damn damn damn! I’d assumed that was off now I’m distancing myself – which admittedly could be going better seeing as I’m technically on High Tides groundnow.
And this is my life in St Aidan: two steps forward, twenty-five steps back.
As for my worries about my conscious self getting lost in St Aidan, they’re completely justified. The person who arrived here is disappearing, but not because I’m shrinking. I’m being buried beneath the mountains of interference.
17
The Hideaway, St Aidan
A spoonful of sugar
Monday
Sophie might still be in a razz about the hair dye, but that girl has more candles than Jo Malone, and once Nell spread the word about tonight, she didn’t hold back on lending me lanterns. When Plum arrived mid-afternoon it took us four trips to bring them all from the parking area. We put the big ones on the steps and around the side of the deck, and the smaller ones went on the side tables with some for the main table, which we put in the centre of the veranda.
Once Bianca and Salvador started poring over ring designs with Kit, I spent the rest of the morning back home making favourites from my old repertoire to cut up and use in the sweets. My mum heard too and dropped by with a posy of flowers for the table, then she rushed off again with a random promise to come back and paint my wall blue tomorrow. Nell, Clemmie, Bud and Arnie arrived soon after Plum, and while Plum strung lights around the deck Clemmie and Nell helped by tasting my sample concoctions and tweaking the mixes.
While the others go home for tea, Plum stays long enough to help light the lanterns and see the full impact of the fairylight strands swaying in the wind as the day fades to dusk. Inside I’ve opted for my relaxed playlist, and I’m swaying along to Roxy Music’s ‘Dance Away’ as I wait for Bianca and Salvador to work their way through their High Tides meal.
Kit is bringing them over afterwards, and my phone pings repeatedly as he messages with news of their progress. As the Pet Shop Boys ease into ‘Always on My Mind’, there’s yet another ding.
And we have lift off, Floss. Be with you in five.
And this is it. As I step outside, the distant rush of the tide and the gentle flap of the white linen tablecloth feel like the perfect backdrop for lovers coming to the end of a romantic day by the beach. I hear their voices in the distance along the dunes before I see them, and then a torch flashes and their figures appear out of the shadows.
As they clamber up onto the deck calling their hellos, Bianca is already clapping her hands.
‘It’s amazing, Florence! The veranda is even more beautiful than it looked on Insta!’
