I’m weighing up if I can handle touching him, but in that second of hesitation Tia has grasped my wrists, and hauled me to my feet.
I turn to Pasco. ‘Do you need any help?’
He grins. ‘I’m good, thanks all the same.’ He does one of those moves where he just springs into the air and the next minute his brogues are lined up next to my Converse in the sand.
I look at Tia and sniff. ‘Someone here is wearing someseriouslycool aftershave.’
‘Caribbean bergamot, with pineapple overtones.’ Tia grins. ‘At a guess, Creed Aventus?’
Pasco laughs. ‘That could be mine.’
Lando’s scowl darkens. ‘Or it might be Martha. She’s wearing Mont Blanc Explorer to cover the fox poop she rolled in. The top notes are very similar.’
Tia gives me a half wink. ‘Not wanting to up the stakes, but I stole Thom’s Jean Paul Gualtier Le Beau this morning, so it could be me, too. You’ll have to take your pick.’
As I smile at how competitive they are, I have one more thing to clear up with Lando. ‘Why is Martha with you anyway?’
‘Don’t ask.’ Lando looks at the sky. ‘But she has inadvertently highlighted the downside of holding weddings in a public area.’
Tia sniffs. ‘Anyone choosing Windflowers will already have embraced that a wedding on the beach implies a certain unpredictability.’ She raises an eyebrow. ‘And anyone not prepared for that can go to Silver Meadows… and pay a hundred times more for the privilege.’
If Lando is going to be this mean, he can have a taste of his own medicine.
‘Which leaves us with more licensing solicitors than we can fit on our bay view verandah, and Windflowers with the new official title as the smallest wedding venue in the area.’ I try to look nonchalant. ‘You can say “congratulations” any time, Lando.’ I take in Martha straining on the lead again. ‘Or you may just like to carry on with your dog walk and leave us to wrap up here.’
Lando coughs. ‘Good idea, sorry for the interruptions. Well done on your new accolade, Maevey. We’ll see you later.’
Jess is rubbing her hands. ‘Which leads us straight on to the next question: how best to introduce Weddings at Windflowers to the world.’
Why did I think there would be time to get my breath back?
I glance at my phone. ‘I’m doing the school pick-up shortly, but I’ll be around to talk about it tomorrow.’
Jess laughs. ‘There’s no need for discussion, Maeve! The Spring Tides Extravaganza is coming up; it’s the natural choice.’
Tia beams. ‘That’s the one where local businesses showcase their wares to fast-forward the start of the season.’
I know exactly what she means. ‘The Sunday where everyone piles into town for freebies?’ My voice jumps an octave. ‘But that’s the weekend after next!’
Jess nods. ‘Ten days gives us more than enough time to blitz Instabook and Faceplace.’
Tia gives me a nudge. ‘We’d only get bored waiting longer.’
There’s a chorus from the solicitors. ‘We’ll see you there.’
Pasco raises an eyebrow. ‘I’ll dust off the Paco Rabanne.’
At least someone’s got a sense of humour. I’m failing to see the funny side.
23
Climbing Rose Cottage, St Aidan, Cornwall
Small beginnings and mice in Pampers
Wednesday
The outcome of the Windflowers meeting couldn’t have been better for any of us, but I was also secretly pleased that I’d met Lando in front of a crowd and held myself together. Since then, there’s been so much to do to get ready for next weekend that my long-term worries have been temporarily pushed aside. We put some teasers about Windflowers on Insta and then got down to work getting the inside of the beach hut prepped for some photos showing it wedding-ready with a series of different themes. We got more than enough material for a bridal inspiration portfolio and made reels for Insta and the shop website too. For now we’re keeping everything under the Brides by the Sea ‘umbrella’, which saves a lot of decisions and work.
