Three hours later I’m still shaking my head at Tia and Lando, and as we stomp along the beach we’re flagging. We’re nowhere near halfway down Lando’s list, but we picked up Martha at the Sardine Club, and we’ve made a team decision to hit the Surf Shack for giant muffins.
I watch Martha lolloping along with the kids, then look down to make sure I’m still holding my hem high enough to be out of the way of Angel’s sandy paws, and give a loud sigh. ‘Why do so many people ask if we’re married? I’ve answered the question at least five thousand times!’
Lando’s still scowling. ‘You’re wearing a wedding dress. It’s a natural assumption.’
The beach isn’t too crowded, so I let the full force of my frustration go into my reply. ‘I’d never walk round St Aidan in a wedding dress if we weren’t doing publicity. I’d never have put on a wedding dress at all if I hadn’t been desperate for money.’
For a moment the corner of Lando’s lips waver. ‘No one has passed us without stopping to chat. As a publicity stunt, it’s even better than the day you jumped in the harbour.’
Tia’s laughing. ‘In all the years I’ve worked for Jess, the shop has never been so talked about as it has since you joined the team.’ She gives me a nudge. ‘You’re doing a great job, Maevey, even if you aren’t enjoying it.’
Lando scowls at the sky, then scowls back at us again. ‘Have you brought any of your vast umbrella collection along today?’
I roll my eyes. ‘There’s no time to do staged shots with brollies, Lando.’
He scowls harder. ‘I’m not thinking of photos. I hate to contradict Team BBC, but from the colour of the sea, there’s a cloudburst coming.’
When I glance up, the sky is almost black. ‘Shit, Lando, why didn’t you say?’
He holds out his palm. ‘It’s starting now.’ He wrinkles his nose. ‘It’s going to be the kind of downpour that drenches you in thirty seconds flat then eases.’
I shiver as a drop hits my bare shoulder. ‘Halfway between home and the Surf Shack, we’ll be soaked whichever way we run.’ I see some upturned wooden boats along the dune path and call to the kids. ‘Come on, everyone, let’s shelter under these.’
Dale, Zara and Nemmie bob under one with Martha, and Tia looks out at me from under the other. ‘There’s room for two more under here, but it’s a bit damp and dirty.’
‘Which is worse, a soaked dress or a muddy one?’ I let out a groan. ‘After all my experience, you’d think I’d know this.’
As Lando looks across at me, he’s flapping out an umbrella. ‘If you come under here with me, you’ll avoid both.’
I’m blinking. ‘Where the hell did that come from?’
For the first time in weeks he looks pleased. ‘I had it in my secret groom’s pocket. I also have a lighter in case we need to make a fire, and I have wipes and rescue remedy too.’
I walk over to him, look up at the umbrella above his head and wrinkle my nose. ‘It’s not very wide. In future I’d advise you ditch the rest and go for a bigger brolly.’
‘I’m not planning on making a career out of this.’ He looks up, then looks back at me. ‘If you stand close enough, we should both be sheltered.’
By the time I’ve jumped the last few yards towards him and gathered my skirt around my ankles, the rain is hammering too much to care about anything other than getting out of it. The last step takes me into the dry, but I come to a standstill with my boobs and chin rammed against the planes of his chest, my arms clamped by my sides and my shoulders wedged between the lapels of his open jacket.
‘Everything okay there, Maevey?’
Truly, I’d be more comfortable perched on an iceberg being stalked by polar bears, but I can’t tell him that. I untangle my hair from his stubble, breathe in a full lungful of his scent and let my head spin for a minute.
Then I reply. ‘I’m seriously sorry for invading your personal umbrella-space, Lando.’ I take that the upturned boats are within hearing distance and lower my voice. ‘Especially given the circumstances.’
His voice is a rumble. ‘Excuse me?’
He hasn’t got a clue what I’m talking about so I carry on. ‘I know you hate me, and I don’t blame you for a second. I’m just really sorry for being the cause and for making you so cross. It just feels like, in the long run, it might be easier, if you could find it in your heart not to despise me quite so much for all of this.’
He pushes me backwards and looks down at me. ‘Despise is a very strong word, Maevey. Why ever would you think that?’
I’d have thought it was obvious, but I’m going to have to spell it out. ‘These last few weeks, since I told you the truth about Nemmie, you’ve been about as happy as a bear with an axe in its head. Which gets measurably worse if I’m around– apparently. So, that!’
I don’t give him space to cut in. ‘It feels very destructive, and it’s very hard to deal with for Tia, Poppy, Jess and the rest of the people at the shop.’
His surprise registers in his voice. ‘Our work colleagues have noticed?’
I have to be straight. ‘It’s so extreme, the whole of St Aidan has to be aware.’
