Chapter 4
The smile I left the restaurant with stayed with me all the way home, and I woke up with it the next morning. It was a new day, and it was going to be a brilliant one. I could feel it.
It was late when we got in last night, and I only gave Sammy the highlights, so after breakfast, I go upstairs and videocall her.
“Only for you am I up this early in the holidays, Anna.”
“Oh, shut up, you want to know the details.” I get comfy lying out on my bed.
“Yes. Of course! I can’t believe, of all the places and all the boys, you run into Archer.”
“I know, right? Like it’s fate.”
“Oh, Anna,” she says dreamily, and I know it’s because I have an unrealistic expectation and vision of what love might look like. “Fate is a big word. But I’m excited that he’s there and said you guys should meet up.”
With the wisdom of looking back on the conversation, I might have overstated what was actually said. Saying he’d text wasn’t quite the same as agreeing to a date.
“About that. He actually just said he’d text.” I suck my lip behind my teeth, a little embarrassed at how it all spun out in my mind.
“Okay, okay, that’s still good. It’s still Archer actually talking to you. He never does that. It’s a good sign. He didn’t have to talk to you, right?”
“No. Of course, he didn’t.”
“Has he texted you yet?” she asks.
“No. But it’s early. I mean, nobody would text this fast, certainly not him.”
“Good point. Okay, what are you doing today?”
“Sitting in and waiting for him to message me?” I grin and then roll over and cover my face.
“No, Anna. No, you need to get your butt out and do something, or you’ll go mad. Get that head out of the clouds and into reality.”
“I know.” And I did. I didn’t want to be that girl who just waits for the guy. “I’ll be good. I won’t wait.”
She raises her eyebrows at me before stifling a big yawn.
“Go back to sleep. I’ll let you know if anything happens.”
“You better. See you soon.”
We hang up, and I wait for a moment, staring at my screen.
No.
The sun streams in through the little window, and I kneel up on the bed to peer out. A gorgeous blue sky awaits.
“Mum?” I call as I walk out of the bedroom.
“Garden!”
“Hi, I’m going to the beach. Get some sun before it gets too crowded.”
“Nice. I’ll join you?” She always phrases it as a question, allowing me space if I want. But this is our time. She didn’t need to ask, and I’ll just mope without her as a distraction.
“Of course. I’ll grab the towels,” I say at the edge of the backdoor. She stands and drains the last of the coffee from her cup.
“Come on. Let’s go.”
We get to the beach before the crowds and pick a perfect spot in the soft, warm sand baked from the sun. We don’t have a windbreak or tent or other ‘camp’ stuff that many people bring. It’s just us, a couple of towels, a large canvas bag to hold a spare towel, our books, and a couple of cans of drink or a bottle of water.
The tide is out, so the beach is much bigger, but we can still enjoy the view of the sun glistening off the water and making the white of the waves look brighter.
And the best thing about the beach? There’s no phone signal. So, I have to leave the thoughts of Jeremy Archer in the back of my mind.
It’s a good goal.
But after reading the same page of my book for the fourth time, I know that I can try, but I’ll fail with that one. I shove the book away and just close my eyes behind my sunglasses.
I’ll let my imagination drift, and if the idea of meeting up with Jeremy plays out behind my eyes, then so be it.
“Come on. Let’s go cool off,” Mum says after a little while. She’s not settled into her book either, and I wonder what’s distracting her.
“Okay.”
“Race ya?”
“Mum!”
“Come on, where’s your fun?” We start walking towards the tide, but she keeps pulling at my hand.
Fine.
I wait until we’re a little closer, then pull my hand out of her grip and push off, my toes digging into the damp sand as I run into the shallow trickles of the water. The smile splits my face as I turn around to watch her racing after me, smiling broadly.
We giggle and laugh as we jump into the waves and feel the chill of the seawater wash over us.
We stay out in the surf until our fingers prune and the cold of the water starts to turn our lips blue. We didn’t want wetsuits, but the sea was certainly chilly, even in summer.
The distraction is exactly what I needed.
Mum hasn’t asked anything about Jeremy this morning, but she must know I’m waiting to hear from him.
After drying off and lying out in the sun for a while longer, we are both ready to head back to the cottage. We detour for ice cream and walk back up the path.
My phone is waiting for me on the bedside table, but I refuse to rush for it. Every fibre of my body wants me to reach out and check the notifications, but I don’t. I snag the shower first and take an age, washing my hair, conditioning, and just taking longer than needed.
“Anna, come on!” Mum bangs on the door to kick me out.
“Sorry.” I switch off the water and sneak back to my room.
And I still resist checking.
Until I can’t possibly stop myself any longer.
And as I snatch it, there it is — in all its glory.
Jeremy
Hey, Anna. I hope this is your number. Archer.
That’s it?
What am I supposed to do with that?
I check the timestamp and see it’s been a couple of hours since he sent it. Thank God, so I reply.
Anna
Hey. Yep. This is me.
And I keep staring, waiting for the three little dots to appear.
He’s always been on his phone when I’ve seen him, so surely now would be no different.
Jeremy
Cool. So, if you’re down, want to meet up at the cove?
“Mum!” I shout.
“In the shower!” I burst into the bathroom. “Hey, what’s wrong?” She peers around the shower curtain.
“Jeremy Archer just invited me to meet him at the cove. Will you take me?” I beam.
“Of course. But let me finish first, okay?” She giggles.
“Right. Yeah. I don’t even know when.”
“Sort that out, but yes, I’ll take you.”
Anna
Sure. I have plans tomorrow. Later today?
It’s a white lie. I have plans every day I’m here, but nothing important enough that I wouldn’t rearrange for him.
Jeremy
Cool. There’s a party on the beach tonight. Some of the guys are coming if you’re up for it.
Anna
Sure. Just tell me when. I’ll need to get a lift over. I’m not in Constance Cove, remember?
Jeremy
Oh yeah, right. Come to The Shack. It’s next to the beach, and I’ll meet you there. Say eight?
Anna
I’ll be there.
My heart sings. I’m going to a beach party with Jeremy Archer.
“Check in with me, Anna. I’m serious. Any problems, you text. I’m going to stay local and grab a drink in a bar.”
“Mum, I’m good. It’s nothing big. I’ll be fine.” But secretly, I’m relieved she’ll be close. I don’t really know Jeremy, and certainly none of his friends.
My heart races, and the need to take deep breath after deep breath doesn’t leave me until she pulls up to The Shack, which isn’t anything like a shack but looks just as impressive as the rest of the houses and property around here.
It’s a few minutes after eight — I didn’t want to be early — but I can see him sitting on one of the benches outside the glass ‘shack’.
“Stay in touch.” Her last warning rings in my ears as I jump out of the car and head towards him.
As I start walking, he looks up at me. “Anna, hi,” he calls.
I smile, the words stuck in my throat for a moment. Closing the distance between us, I suck in a breath and ball my fist. Nothing is going to happen if I can’t even speak to him.
My cropped shorts, flip-flops, and tight V-neck vest top seemed the right fit. I have a hoodie tied around my waist, as I’m hoping we’ll be out late enough that I’ll need it.
He’s wearing a surf shirt with a collar and shorts that are frayed above his knees and looks perfect.
“Hi.”
He stands and looks down at me. I love that he’s so tall over me. His hair looks lighter tonight, but it’s still all messed up and scruffy. It suits him better here than at school. It’s like he’s made for the beach the way he looks right now.
“Come on. There’s a group on the beach already.”
“Okay,” I say and follow along the road. Soon, it turns into a boardwalk of sorts, with ropes on either side, steering you into the small area of sand dunes before it opens out onto the bay.
Jeremy points towards the right. “This way.”
There’s not a lot of talking, and he seems pretty keen to get to the party. I was so excited about this, but I guess I might have got my hopes up for nothing. My heart deflates a little, dampening my eagerness.
I don’t have to stay long, and I can escape if I need to, I remind myself.
As we get closer, I see a group of guys building a bonfire, or what will be a bonfire, all laughing and pushing each other about.
Great.
“God, Archer’s got a date!” one of them shouts as we get a little closer.
The boys all jeer and call out, and it’s like being back at school again, although I don’t recognise any of these boys.
Jeremy seems to step closer towards me, and his hand lands on my shoulder. He doesn’t pull me against him — more like guides me with his hand. “Ignore them. They’ll shut up in a minute.”
I nod, still stunned by the physical contact. His hand is warm against my skin as it straddles the edge of my vest top and my shoulder. I expect him to pull it away, but he doesn’t.
“Guys, this is Anna. We know each other from school. She’s down for the summer, too.”
A few of them nod and smile.
“Haven’t seen you around, Anna. Where are you staying? I’m Josh, by the way.”
“Oh, not here. We’re down the road. Tregethworth.” He nods, but I can see that he’s not impressed. He turns to another of his mates, and they seem to snicker between them.
“Is there a problem with Tregethworth?” I say to Jeremy, suddenly pissed off.
“No. Just these guys only come here. They think they’re better than everyone else.”
“And you?” I challenge, looking up at him and waiting for him to say something bad about one of my favourite places in the world.
“I don’t care, Anna.” Then he smiles at me for the first time, and I’m speechless. Those piercing eyes with a perfect smile are deadly, and he steals my thoughts and reason.
“Good,” I force out and turn my head, needing to escape his spell. “I haven’t been to this beach for years.” Changing the subject seems to be a safe play. I step forward, looking out at the sea. The tide is high, and the sun has turned the sky golden and rich with colour. The sun will set soon, and I can’t wait to see it as it sinks into the ocean.
“Want to take a walk?” Jeremy asks.
“Sure.” My stomach flutters at the thought of being alone with him and being able to have an actual conversation with the boy that every girl has been after forever.
“There’s a coffee hut that’s still open. Want a hot chocolate or something? There’ll be beer later on.”
“Hot chocolate will be great. I might pass on the beer.” I brush my hair behind my shoulder and kick off my flip-flops before picking them up, anything to stop me from staring.
“Catch you in a bit,” he calls back to his mates, and I ignore the jeers and lude comments that follow us for a few feet.
“They’re your friends?” I check. They don’t seem particularly nice.
“Well, for the summer. They can be full-on. But it can get pretty boring sometimes without people to hang out with.”
I nod. I can see that. Although, I don’t understand how he can be bored in a place like this.
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?”
“No. My parents are preoccupied with entertaining and whatever else they do. I’m left to do as I want.”
“Why do you come then? Wouldn’t it be better to stay home? I love my time down here.”
“It’s a tradition, I guess. Plus, my mum’s keen for me to be down here with her. I’ve grown out of it, though. What about you? Any siblings?”
“No. Just me and my mum. But we’re only down for two weeks. It might be different if it was the whole summer. Can’t you bring some of your friends from school?”
“Maybe. This place is different from back home. I don’t think they’d fit in.”
Ah, we won’t fit in with his rich friends — got it. I shake my head and stride out a little.
“Hey, Anna?”
“Yeah?” I turn towards him.
“Did I say something?”
“Maybe. Let’s just get the hot chocolate. Then you can get back to your summer friends.”
“I know we don’t know each other that well, but I’m getting the impression you’re not impressed with what I just said.”
“I get it. Your friends back home won’t fit with your rich friends here.”
I see the little coffee hut and walk up to it. But before I reach it, Jeremy grabs my wrists and pulls me to the side.
“Look, back home, my friends seem to be focused on what comes with me: the boat in the harbour, the pool at home, the cinema system. It’s all about the money. I get tired of it. Here, these guys don’t give a shit because they all have the same. It never feels like a thing. They might be entitled arseholes with it, but it’s nice not to be the only rich kid.”
And I feel like an idiot. And a judgemental cow. “Sorry. I didn’t think something like that might be a problem.”
He just shrugs.
“So, why did you message me? I’m from back home.” I’d always want to know the answer to that question, but it feels like a legitimate one, given what he’s just said.
He doesn’t answer right away but just smiles at me again. It’s a knowing smile like he’s got the answer, and I’m in the dark — and I am.
It’s infectious, and I forget about the misunderstanding. Because all I know is that I want to stay looking at that smile.
“Hot chocolate?”
I nod.
He orders and pays for both drinks, and we head back along the sand.
“So, how many people are coming to this thing tonight?”
“I don’t know, a bunch. We do it every week or so through the summer. It’s Max’s time to shout the beer. The crowd changes depending on who’s here and who they invite.”
“Girls?”
“Don’t worry, Anna. You won’t be the only girl there.” He chuckles and takes a sip of his chocolate.
But I secretly wish I was the only girl for Jeremy.
“Come on. We can watch the sunset. They don’t light the bonfire until it gets dark.”
We walk back and see the crowd has more than doubled in size. And, like Jeremy said, there are a few girls.
Just like back at school, the girls are all about Jeremy. As soon as we get close, a couple of them head over to us.
“Hi, Archer. Good to see you again.” The taller one sways towards him.
“Hey.” Gone is his smile, and he looks more like the moody guy I see every day at school.
“Who’s your friend? Haven’t seen her around the Cove.”
He turns to me and reaches his arm back to rest his hand on my shoulder again. “This is Anna.”
I have to bite my cheek to stop laughing as both their faces drop in shock at his action. He doesn’t introduce me as anything but Anna. And I love it.
“Hi.” I smile at them before looking at Jeremy. He glances at me, and we seem to know what game we’re playing.
The girls don’t say anything else but head back towards the others.
“Rude. Are they all like that?”
“Mostly.” He pulls his hand away. “Come on.” He leads the way down in front of the bonfire and sits, claiming his uninterrupted view of the ocean. I join him, burying my toes in the sand.
It might be summer, but the nights feel like they are already drawing in. It isn’t even nine, and the sunset has started.
“No matter what, I’ll never be tired of this view,” he muses.
It is pretty spectacular. It makes me feel small and insignificant as I watch. It’s magical, the way the light spreads out and turns everything gold. The reds mellow and turn bright all at the same time.
I’ve never experienced romance before. I’ve read about it, and I’ve longed for it — in my teenage way — but this is the closest I’ve ever got.
I tilt my head and look up at Jeremy — the boy I’ve always wished for.
His gaze remains locked on the horizon, a peaceful expression on his face.
“It’s beautiful.”
I have to stop myself from leaning my head against his shoulder. Or wishing he’d lean down to kiss me. It would be perfect — my first kiss — watching the sun sink into the ocean and casting us into a world of muted greys.
As it disappears, he finally turns to look at me. His eyes look darker and no longer the same perfect sea-blue shade but more slate. We share something for a moment as we keep looking at each other.
But the spell is broken when everyone starts cheering from behind us, and we hear a woosh noise.
Jeremy turns and grins. “Come on.” He stands and offers his hand to pull me up. They’ve lit the bonfire, and we watch as the flames lick up the wood and crates they’d collected to burn.
For the rest of the night, Jeremy stays close to me, making sure I’m set for a drink, but doesn’t chat much. He’s split between hanging out with his Cove friends and babysitting me. Or that’s what it feels like.
The butterflies and anticipation that exploded as we sat on the sand are long forgotten. The bite in the air even threatens the warmth of my hoodie.
The girls and all the others who arrived through the evening seemed to hate me on sight for simply being here with Jeremy.
‘Hey, Archer,’ becomes the soundtrack to the rest of the night.
At eleven, I text Mum and tell her I’ll be another ten minutes and that she can pick me up where she dropped me. I’ve had enough.
“Hey, Jeremy, I think I’m going to make a move. Thanks for showing me the cove.”
“Oh, okay, cool. You need a lift?”
“My mum’s just messaged.”
“Let me walk you back.”
“Thanks, it’s just over there.”
“No, it’s fine,” he insists, and those sparks start in my tummy again.
He doesn’t say much as we walk back towards the car park, but before we hit the boardwalk that leads back to The Shack, he pauses.
I drop my flip-flops and slide my feet back into them.
“When do you leave?” he asks.
“The weekend,” I answer, wondering if he wants to see me again. I only have a couple of days left, and I hope he does.
“I’m going for a fishing trip with my dad tomorrow until Friday.”
“Oh, cool,” I lie. It would mean there’s no more time to hang out. “I better?—”
He grabs my hand and pulls me against him. His lips land against mine as his hand creeps up my neck and around my head, pulling me against him.
The kiss is soft — gentle — for a moment, but then it’s more. He’s tugging at my lips with his as his mouth parts. It feels urgent and exciting, and it’s like he’s stolen all the air in my lungs. It’s dizzying and consuming, and I want all of it. Now. My arms reach up, and I have to stand on tiptoes to wrap them around his neck.
My heart pounds as he keeps the kiss going. Longer and deeper before his tongue plays against mine.
And just as quickly as it started, burning through me, it passes like a wave washing out to shore. “Hmmm.” He hums as his fingers play with a strand of my hair. And I think it’s the best sound I’ve ever heard. “Text me when you get home.”
“Okay.” He pulls my hand and intertwines my fingers with his. Only for a moment, but he squeezes my hand before letting it go and walking towards the path.
He doesn’t say another word, and neither do I. He stops at the table I first saw him at but waits for me to get into the car. Before I close the door, I look back and wave.
And he waves back.