Chapter 23
23
Latitudes One and Two, High Tides Hotel, St Aidan
Revelations and incantations
Monday
L ast night in the ice-cream van… How did it go? Honestly?
Being crushed into a space the size of a shoebox with the most touchable body in St Aidan then having to dip and bend and swivel around him while simultaneously delivering perfect scoops of fudge brownie ice cream into cups was as tense and tantalising as playing Twister with an octopus.
Me having accidentally landed on him barely fifteen minutes earlier, knowing how delicious it felt to have my boobs rammed against his ribs and my hip bone grinding against his fly made it a thousand times worse. Imagine the most luscious dark chocolate cake, covered in lashings of buttercream, then put yourself two inches from it, and for an entire two hours, you aren’t allowed to touch it.
Add in a running commentary from Milla at the serving window, who had eyes in the back of her head when it came to seeing what was – or wasn’t – going on behind her. Then you’ll see why I’m really pleased that today is a brand-new day.
When I was ill and had my first operation, I didn’t allow myself to worry in advance. I’d always imagined I’d be the kind of courageous woman who blasted her way through the hospital doors, punching the air while Sia’s ‘Titanium’ pulsated through her ear buds. But when it actually happened, I crept into the surgical unit at six-thirty in the morning in total silence, whispered, ‘See you on the other side’ to Dillon, and slid into my gown. When the nurse brought me my elastic stockings, I was so scared my feet were shaking too much for her to put them on. But then the pharmacist came, and the anaesthetist, and after that there was so much going on there wasn’t time to worry. And when I woke up afterwards all there was left for me to do was to recover.
But what that whole time taught me was that the fastest way to get over your fears is to live through them – and I feel I should be doing that now. Except I haven’t really thought that one through. If I were applying that to the teensy problem next door, I’d simply breeze in, sleep with it and get the whole thing out of my system. That’s what I might have done when I was twenty, but there’s no way I’m up for that anymore. It’s not only about my age. It’s about my post-operative state, which is actually like a disability. And as it’s relatively new to me, I’m meeting all these issues for the first time. Heading through life without my usual toolkit is like trying to fight a boxing match with my hands tied behind my back. But all things considered, I’ll have to skirt around this problem, rather than deal with it head-on.
Not that I count this as a huge issue when there are other much bigger ones around. I’m hoping this is one of the kind that will go away if I forget it. So when I hang around on the path by my deck, stretching my neck to watch until Kit’s left his veranda and headed off towards the hotel, I’m definitely not stalking. There’s simply no point making things more complicated by bumping into him when I’m going to pick up the remnants from yesterday.
The moment I see him amble off towards the car park, Shadow and I sprint across the dune, heading for the porch on Latitude Two, where we’ve agreed Kit will leave anything I didn’t pick up last night. We’re on our second trip, sweeping the last of the boxes into my shoulder bag, when a voice beyond the deck chairs makes me jump.
‘Floss! Just the person I was hoping to meet.’
‘Kit!’ My heart sinks as I scramble to my feet. ‘We thought you must be out.’ Including Shadow in the statement makes me feel like I have backup.
Kit gives Shadow’s ears a tickle. ‘I went to run something past David. He said to pass on his compliments for your sweets.’
When Sophie phoned last night to thank me for supporting her with Milla, she mentioned this too. As if David Byron chugging his way through my chocolate chips wasn’t bad enough, apparently he also took every opportunity to mingle and spread the word about his bloody lido.
I can’t keep it to myself. ‘That man has a damn cheek, hijacking our event for his own ends.’ I know it’s his hotel, but in my book this crosses the line to unacceptable behaviour.
He was also responsible for my sleepless night, but he accidentally did me a favour; by dawn I knew I couldn’t sit back any longer. I wasn’t intending on going public quite this soon, but hearing his name again is like yet another wake-up call.
Kit shuffles. ‘He was very enthusiastic about my suggestions, which is why I wanted to talk to you.’
I hold up my finger because this can’t wait. ‘Let me give you my news first. As last night’s feedback was so positive, I will definitely be doing more hospitality at The Hideaway.’
‘That’s brilliant. Your puddings are too delicious and original not to share them.’ His eyes brighten, and he squeezes my arm. ‘Will that extend as far as brownie stacks?’
I’m about to reply with a coy ‘it may’, but half-hearted won’t do here. ‘If you have orders, bring them on.’ A thriving business in a beach hut will be so much harder to obliterate than a woman as invisible as a sand worm.
‘That fits in very well with my ideas too.’ There’s a gap where he should be asking for three dozen, but he shuffles again. ‘Everyone loves the beach vibe you’ve created at Latitudes, so I want to take that further.’
My mind is racing. ‘You’re adding in a sea shanty compilation? Or flip flops?’
There are crinkles at the edge of his eyes as he smiles. ‘Better than that. I want to include a visit to The Hideaway as an option in my ring-making package.’
Hearing that last word makes me realise I’m staring at his fly, so I wrench my eyes upwards. ‘Fabulous. If you have any takers, let me know and we’ll get together with my appointment book.’ I seriously doubt he will, so there’s no need to get excited. ‘Nice Levi’s you’re wearing there.’
Hopefully that explains what I was looking down at. If he does happen to get any bookings, I’ll make sure he does his romantic poses and leaves me with the couple, because I’m seriously over him hanging round on my sofa.
My decision about my dating future didn’t happen overnight; it took months of agonising, considering the pros and cons at every stage of a relationship, balancing the need for fun with the need to avoid disaster, and protect myself and any partners at a time when I’m vulnerable. But having finally committed to how I’m going to live my life, there’s no point making it harder for myself than it needs to be. If there’s someone messing up my long-term strategy, it’s sensible to avoid them as much as I can.
Kit slides his thumb through the belt loop. ‘I had to check that David didn’t mind me diverting the business to you instead of the hotel.’
That thought fires me up all over again. ‘We could always ask Vic and Amery if you could use their pictures of The Hideaway on your website.’ There’s no point doing this by halves. If I’m involved, I may as well go for it! ‘You had some dreamy shots of Bianca and Salvador on the deck too.’
He nods. ‘I’m on it. Last night brought up something else too.’
My heart rate falters. ‘How great chocolate flakes taste when they’re crumbled rather than stuck in?’
His face breaks into a smile. ‘I was going to say how well it worked with the two of us in the studio.’
I can’t believe I was worried he was going to talk about the static inside the ice-cream van when he probably didn’t even feel it.
He tilts his head on one side. ‘The atmosphere is transformed when we’re both there. I wondered if you’d consider coming to help welcome the clients as they arrive. As a part-time paid position it would work in well with the visits to The Hideaway.’
I’m biting my lip. ‘It’s a great offer.’ But when I’ve vowed to stay away from the hotel it’s out of the question. And it doesn’t sit well with me trying to spend less time with him either.
He’s already searching my eyes for an answer. ‘And in case it’s a clincher, Shadow’s welcome to come along with you too.’
I’m silently cursing that he’s covering every angle. ‘Can I see how it fits in with my other plans, and let you know?’
I already know my answer will be no, but this gives me time to work out a watertight get-out.
He claps his hands and rubs them together. ‘Take as long as you need. It’s the spa night tomorrow, so if I don’t see you before I’ll pop in then and check how you’re all getting on.’
So much for me avoiding the hotel. The way things are going this week I might as well book a room and move in!