Chapter 40
Hannah was both amazed and overjoyed at the almost overnight success in the water sports centre. Alex had worked so hard and it was great to see that hard work pay off.
A week after opening and the bookings were still flooding in for the paddleboarding from hotel guests.
The biggest success, however, was the swim club.
Word had spread and there were at least a dozen people for each of the timed sessions throughout the day.
The first morning session was the most popular and was already up to twenty people every day of the week.
It seemed that everyone wanted to start their day with a swim, especially when the temperature began to rise and summer arrived with hot sunny days.
Equally as joyful to her was that the Boathouse Café had a surge of interest as the swimmers began to use it after their session. Suddenly word of mouth had spread and Hannah was flat-out every day.
The only small blot of cloud on the horizon was that Aimee was now running a couple of sunrise yoga sessions on the beach throughout the week.
Hannah had never dared asked Alex how the date went and managed to steer clear of that subject completely.
She wasn’t that good an actress, she knew.
Ben didn’t get any feedback either, according to Lily when Hannah had plucked up the courage to ask.
Alex was a private person. It was one of the many reasons she liked him so much.
But if Alex was happy, then she was happy, she told herself.
And the yoga was certainly garnering great feedback as well so it was all good for the future of Maple Tree Lodge too.
‘I sooo needed that,’ said Lily, coming into the café after an early-morning sunrise yoga session and leaning against the counter. ‘I feel so zen right now.’
‘Are you stressed?’ asked Hannah, looking up from her pastry and concerned for her friend.
‘Oh, no,’ replied Lily, with a dreamy smile. ‘Business is doing great. We’ve had loads of interest from people hearing about the water sports centre. I just feel so relaxed right now.’ She rolled her shoulders a couple of times. ‘You should join us sometime. It’s great for de-stressing.’
‘I don’t feel stressed,’ Hannah told her quickly.
She was pleased that Alex and Aimee were dating but that didn’t mean that she wanted to spend every minute with her.
And actually, as she thought on, she realised she had told the truth to Lily. Somewhere along the way, the fear and stress of running her own business had begun to fade.
The business had picked up quickly alongside the water sports centre as people had begun to visit the café afterwards for refreshments. She was receiving so much positive feedback regarding her bakes that she could feel herself getting stronger mentally.
She was also enjoying baking every day and, she had to admit, she was enjoying being her own boss as well. Of course, it was only for the summer. The temporary licence would be up on 21 September when British Summertime ended, and then what?
She tried not to think about it. What would she do when the café closed?
No baking each day. No customers. And no water sports centre either.
Which would mean no Alex, presumably, as well.
She had gotten so used to seeing him every day as well.
Having him in her life had felt life changing, even though they’d only exchanged one silly drunken kiss.
‘Who are you thinking of?’ murmured Lily, watching her.
‘No one,’ said Hannah quickly, feeling the blushes spread across her cheeks.
Lily grinned. ‘Yeah, right,’ she said sarcastically. ‘Anyway, Aimee was saying that she might put on a self-defence class soon if she has enough takers. Shall I put our names down for it?’
‘Self-defence?’ asked Hannah, a little shocked. ‘Is my brother that scary?’
Lily laughed. ‘No, but I just feel every woman should have some idea as to self-defence. In case of an emergency.’
‘Can’t I be your knight in shining armour instead?’ asked Ben, coming into the café and obviously having overheard the conversation.
Lily reached up to kiss him on the lips. ‘You are that anyway,’ she said, between kisses. ‘But I just like to be prepared. I mean, look at this muscle!’ She held up her arm and flexed a non-existent bicep.
Ben laughed. ‘Maybe you should take up paddleboarding,’ he told her. ‘My arms were killing me when I tried it a few days ago.’
‘You’re so unfit,’ Hannah told him, shaking her head. ‘I was fine afterwards.’
‘You obviously didn’t work as hard as I did,’ teased Ben.
‘Maybe Alex let her off for good behaviour,’ said Lily in a knowing tone, flashing Hannah a grin before leaving the café.
Hannah blushed once more and tried to concentrate on making her pastry.
‘You OK?’ asked Ben, noting her blushes. ‘You look like you’re overheating.’
‘I’m fine,’ Hannah told him. ‘Actually, I wanted to run something past you. A lot of the swimmers have been requesting that they take their drinks outside so I was going to order some takeout cups. Reusable ones, if I can, as they’re so much better for the environment.
Plates too, if I can source them. What do you think? ’
Ben’s eyebrows shot up. ‘I think that’s a great idea. You know, you don’t need to run everything past me. You’re the boss here, not me.’
‘OK,’ said Hannah with a nod. ‘Alex said he’ll get me a good bargain on the cups and plates.’
‘Good lad,’ said Ben, but he was still frowning. ‘I guess you wanted someone else to double check your numbers and him being an accountant was the obvious choice.’
Was her brother put out? She couldn’t quite tell.
‘Alex offered,’ she told him. ‘You know that I’m no good at numbers.’
‘Yeah, and I’m no good at baking, sis,’ said Ben. ‘We each have our plus and negative things. What’s your point?’
He was teasing her and yet she suddenly found that she didn’t want to joke around with him.
‘I could never compete with you,’ she said simply.
Ben’s face instantly dropped. ‘And I don’t want you to,’ he said quickly. ‘We’re not in competition. We never were.’
Hannah sighed. ‘I know. It’s just…’ She hesitated briefly. ‘It’s just that you’re so good at everything.’
It was true. Her brother had made school and his career look so effortless, whereas her life had been somewhat harder, a struggle, for so long.
Ben studied her for a moment. ‘Is that what you think?’ he asked her softly.
‘You just make everything seem so easy,’ she told him. ‘I’m glad for you, obviously. But I just wish some of that confidence had rubbed off on me, that’s all.’
He nodded thoughtfully. ‘You know, not all of it was easy. When I was in London running the architect firm, I hated it most days.’
Hannah was shocked. ‘You never said anything,’ she told him. She was shocked that he too had faced difficulties of which she hadn’t had a clue.
‘There was lots of other stuff going on,’ he said. ‘And I didn’t want to admit that the path I’d taken was completely the wrong one.’
‘I had no idea.’ She shook her head.
‘Nobody did,’ he told her. ‘Not until I told Lily.’
Hannah smiled, grateful that he had someone to confide in. ‘You really love her,’ she stated.
He nodded. ‘Yup. I do. And talking of which, you’d better be prepared for a bridesmaid dress at some point down the line.’
Hannah gave a little squeal of joy. ‘And it’ll be my best day ever.’ She stepped forward to give him a hug. As she held him close, she said, ‘I wish you’d told me you were struggling.’
‘You were here looking after Mum, Dad and our grandparents,’ he said against her shoulder as he held her tight. ‘That’s more important than any job or career misery. And makes you a far better person than I am.’
She stepped back and looked at him. ‘It’s not a competition,’ she said.
He nodded. ‘Which is exactly what I’m trying to tell you, sis.’ He frowned as if to himself. ‘I’ve been a decent big brother, haven’t I?’ he asked. ‘Supported you whenever I could? Done my best?’
‘The very best,’ she told him.
He sagged with relief. ‘Good. You know, I’m happy now,’ he replied. ‘And that’s all I’ve ever wanted for my baby sister as well. To be happy.’
‘I’m getting there,’ she told him, with a smile.
‘I can tell,’ he said. ‘Something’s changed this summer.’
She blushed once more.
‘Alex is so positive all the time, some of it must have rubbed off,’ she told him, with a shrug.
‘Glad to hear it,’ he said, grinning. ‘And let him help you with the numbers, if you want. He’s always liked all that boring number stuff.’
Hannah could describe Alex ad infinitum and yet the word she could never use for him was boring. He was clever, funny, kind and strong. All wrapped up in the most perfect face and body she had ever seen.
But he was dating Aimee so for now she would just have to be grateful for the success of the café, not her love life.