I shake my head. ‘That’s a hard no! Let’s get what we need and go before anyone else gets the same idea.’
Inside the shop Sera and Lily are putting the finishing touches to their cocktail table and we load up the car in silence, then we drive down to the quayside and take the back lane to Windflowers. We unload at a run, then Lando leaves me to put things into place while he takes the car back to the harbourside.
I’m arranging small bottles of Fentiman’s lemonade inside when my phone pings with a message from Tia.
I groan when I see the photo of Thom’s black eyes and bandages, and a line of broken hearts.
By the time I hear footsteps on the verandah, I’ve put cakes on the registrar’s table, along with a bunch of brightly coloured tulips. As I pull the hanging rail outside, I call to Lando, ‘Tia’s news is Thom’s in one piece, but he won’t be wedding-ready for months.’
Lando gives a grimace. ‘All because a deaf chihuahua ran out in front of him on the trail!’
I’d rather not let him know he has more information than I do, so I carry on. ‘If you’d like to put the chairs out on the sand with the picnic rugs and buckets and spades, I’ll unpack the dresses.’
Lando picks up the deck chairs and raises an eyebrow. ‘More dresses?’
I unzip the first cover and shake out the fabric. ‘Just a couple to give brides a taste of Sera’s new range.’
Lando watches the layers of soft tulle and muslin billowing in the wind. ‘It’s mind-boggling that there are so many.’
‘You should see behind the scenes at the shop.’ I thought I’d be intimidated by the expensive fabrics and beautiful designs, but the more brides I see actually choosing their dresses the more fascinating I find it.
I look at Lando’s faded T-shirt, and I do a double-take as he bends over to unfold the deck chair, flashing thigh through a small tear in the back of his jeans. Being exposed to Lando all day will be hard enough when I’m furious with him; I can’t cope with extras like that.
I give a cough. ‘I take it you’re planning to swap out the ripped denims?’
He shrugs. ‘Well-worn jeans are all I’ve got with me at the cottage. It’s pot luck where the holes are.’
I’m not giving up. ‘Maybe some that show less of your thigh? I appreciate you’ve come at short notice, but I’d rather not scare the customers with unscheduled views of your bum.’
‘Leave it with me.’ He flexes his biceps. ‘Where do you stand on the top half?’
‘A casual linen jacket might work?’
Lando’s laugh explodes. ‘You’re thinking of Oliver’s rails, not mine. How about an open-neck shirt?’
I blow out a breath. ‘I appreciate your help, but I can probably take it from here.’
It’s barely been half an hour since he arrived at the shop, and he’s already driving me round the bend with his deadly combination of sexual smoulder and self-confidence. It’s such a shame he had to come with the attitude and family estate fully included in the package. That body with a normal person’s head on would be worth a second look. As it is, it’s impossible.
It’s starting to hit me. The main reason we’re here at all has just been postponed. I’m heading for a whole day without Tia’s jokes and encouragement, but most annoying of all, I’m staring at the man who, when we go back to first principles, is responsible for the whole damned mess up and everyone’s problems that grew from it.
Lando’s voice shoots up. ‘As if I’d run out on you.’ He frowns. ‘I’m sensing tension. If I’ve done something wrong in addition to everything else, you will tell me?’
I stare up at the sky. ‘Tension? I can’t imagine why that would be!’
He sniffs. ‘It’s always best to say if there’s a problem. Bring things into the open.’
Where to begin? The start of launch day isn’t the ideal time for this, but there’s so much to say and if I don’t say it now, it’s likely to burst out at some other time. The more I look at Lando and think about this, the more my resentment rises.
I give a sniff. ‘I can’t help thinking back to everything that’s happened over the last couple of months. If Salvador hadn’t run into trouble then neither of us would be here today because Tia would still have her house deposit and she’d be all set to marry Thom at Poppy’s farm. I certainly wouldn’t be running around St Aidan with you pretending to be a couple, desperate for every penny. Instead of having to hire out the beach hut by the hour to random strangers who probably don’t even want it anyway, my family would be here enjoying the sunshine and sipping Piña Coladas.’
His eyes narrow. ‘Your family didn’t ever like coconut.’
I shake my head. ‘It’s a metaphor, Lando. A representation of people having a good time without any worries, especially not about money! It’s how we’d be if Salvador hadn’t crashed and burned!’
He goes again. ‘You always left the Bounty bars at the bottom of your Celebrations tubs. I used to finish them for you.’
I’m despairing that he isn’t getting it. ‘This isn’t about chocolates. Or cocktails. It’s about why all those bad things came about. Once you look closely, those problems all lead back to you, Lando.’
