Chapter 15
15
Rick was grateful at Anya’s suggestion he wait for her outside as it gave him time to calm down after his row with Davy. Perhaps row was a bit strong because neither of them had raised their voices, but his great-uncle had been furious with Rick for asking him to consider opening up to everyone else about his condition. When he’d raised the subject of the two of them visiting the doctor so Rick could get a handle on what to expect in the coming weeks and, hopefully – he crossed his fingers – months, Davy had shut him down at once. ‘This is my business. No one else’s.’ Rick had pointed out that Davy had made it his business by telling him, but that had only earned him a nastily snapped comment that if he spent less time being the village busybody it would be to everyone’s relief. Something so childish shouldn’t have the power to hurt him, but it had stung nonetheless. All Rick had ever wanted to do was help people, and the idea he might have a reputation around the Quay for interfering didn’t sit well.
It was a relief when Anya exited the revolving door with a smile. ‘Sorry to keep you. ’
‘Not a problem. I did rather spring it on you at the last minute.’ Rick turned towards the road, his hand going out instinctively to shield Anya when a car zoomed past going well over the speed limit. He should have a word with the county council about loaning the village a couple of their temporary speed monitoring signs again, especially now things were going to get busier.
His train of thought was interrupted when Anya pushed his hand away, her expression somewhere between irritated and amused. ‘I can cross the road safely you know, Mr No-Not-Now.’
‘Mr Who?’
‘You must remember the hedgehog road safety campaigns from when we were kids? The little hedgehog asking “Now?” and the big one telling him “No, not now” or them all singing the “Stayin’ Alive” song?’
Rick vaguely remembered them now he thought about it. ‘Oh, yeah. There was another old song they used as well. What was it…?’ His brain was off down a memory rabbit hole of him and his brothers sitting in front of the TV watching CBBC in the days before there were a million and one kids’ TV channels and only techy geeks had heard of YouTube.
She rolled her eyes at him. ‘Trust you to miss the point.’ She strode across the road, leaving him to hurry in her wake.
‘So how are you and Freya settling in?’ he asked, deciding it was probably best to change the subject before he got in any more trouble. ‘You looked like you were having fun on the beach the other day.’
Anya glanced up at him and smiled. ‘One of the lovely things about moving here is there’s so much more space for Freya to play and explore. We had a nice garden and a park within walking distance, but being close to the sea is another thing altogether. ’
‘Whenever I get fed up of living in the back of beyond I remind myself how lucky I am and how many people would swap places with me in a heartbeat.’
She looked up at him again. ‘Do you really get fed up? You seem so at home here, a real fixture as far as I can tell.’
Rick wasn’t sure how he felt about her thinking of him as a fixture, it felt a bit too close to Davy’s earlier bit of snide about being a busybody. ‘I guess the work I do volunteering on the council must make it seem that way…’
‘Well, and being a Penrose, of course. It feels a bit like you run the place, sometimes,’ Anya pointed out.
‘There’s been one or two digs about us being like the mafia over the years,’ Rick admitted. ‘But you have to remember the first Penrose moved here before there was even a quay, just a handful of tiny stone cottages built into the lee of the cliffs beneath the castle.’ Those very same cottages could now be rented by holidaymakers on the lookout for something quirky. Good luck to them, Rick thought, because getting brained by a low beam every five minutes was not his idea of a relaxing holiday.
‘I thought your family had always lived in the place Ma and Pa have now,’ Anya mused.
He shook his head. ‘Oh no, that was the 19th-century modern upgrade. You should ask Uncle Davy about how excited he and Pa were when their parents installed an indoor toilet!’
Anya shuddered. ‘It doesn’t bear thinking about!’
‘The privy was still there when we were kids, you know. We used to think it was a right laugh to go out in the garden for a pee.’
She giggled. ‘That’s because you were a pack of feral beasts.’
He considered arguing but decided she probably had a point. ‘Speaking of being out in the garden, how’s life in the summer house?’
‘It’s perfect. I thought I’d feel horribly claustrophobic given how small it is, but I love it. It feels like our little space, somewhere hidden away and safe from the world.’
Rick could see why that would be so appealing to her. ‘And how’s things with Davy?’
She beamed at him. ‘Great! He’s decided I’ve been far too sheltered up until now, so he’s on a mission to teach me all the things he thinks I should know.’
Suddenly what he’d walked in on that morning made sense. ‘Hence the plumbing.’
‘Hence the plumbing,’ she repeated.
‘So me offering to help was a bit like earlier when we were crossing the road.’
‘The penny drops!’ Her teasing laugh was so pretty it was hard to take offence, but apparently his face had other ideas. ‘Oh, don’t pout!’ she protested. ‘I’m only joking. I think it’s lovely the way you look out for everyone…’ She hesitated, a cheeky grin turning her face impish. ‘Most of the time.’
‘She giveth with one hand and taketh away with the other,’ Rick opined, clutching a hand to his chest.
‘Oh, behave yourself.’ She gave his arm a little shove with her shoulder.
Rick nudged her back and they continued down the road, their arms brushing now and again as they walked. He tried to ignore his hyperawareness of her, the softness of her skin, the faint scent of her perfume, but it was a hopeless task. ‘So you’re happy at the hotel, then?’ he asked, hoping returning to the topic would serve as a distraction.
‘Happy enough.’ She sighed. ‘I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, because I would be in an even bigger hole without at least some money coming in, but it’s not what I ever imagined myself doing. Even if it was my dream job, there’d be no point in getting too attached to it, nor to working with Davy.’
That stopped him short. Had his great-uncle confided in her? Surely not, because otherwise why would he have been so angry with Rick earlier? ‘How so?’
She gave him a puzzled look. ‘I mean, come on, Davy’s going to want to sell up and retire at some point, isn’t he? Whoever takes over will no doubt want to put their own stamp on the place. Plus there’s no guarantee they’d want to keep me on, or any of the other staff for that matter.’
‘No, I suppose not.’ Davy had told him he had things in hand for the future, and Rick hadn’t pressed him on it. It hadn’t really occurred to him that he’d sell the hotel, but what else would he do with it? None of the family were in a position to take over from him… unless Anya wanted to, he supposed. It was on the tip of his tongue to suggest that perhaps Davy would hang on to the hotel after he retired and keep Anya on to run it, but that would be disingenuous of him, if not a little cruel, to dangle such a carrot in front of her. ‘Do you have any idea what you want to do in the future, or is that just too much to think about right now?’ They were almost at the café, so Rick stopped because he genuinely wanted to know what her plans were.
‘Chloe wants me to go into business with her,’ Anya said, not sounding too sure about it.
Well that was interesting, and if nothing else it was as clear an indication as any that Anya might be looking at sticking around for the longer term. ‘Oh really? Doing what?’
‘She has this grand idea about us setting up an interior design business together. I’m not sure it’ll go anywhere, if I’m honest, but I’ve said I’ll make a few items she can sell in her online shop. ’
‘Clothes, you mean?’ he asked, recalling what she’d said at dinner about making a lot of her own outfits when she was younger.
‘Maybe, but I’m more into home furnishings these days.’ She pulled a face. ‘Well, I used to be, at any rate.’
He pictured the living room at the summer house and how different it had looked from when Chloe had been there, even though the furniture was basically the same. ‘You made all that stuff I saw when I came over? The throws and cushions and what have you?’ He whistled through his teeth. ‘I thought you must’ve bought it in some high-end place in London.’
Anya ducked her head, but not quite enough to hide her smile. ‘Thanks. It was really a hobby more than anything, a way to keep busy. I loved doing it, but it was only ever for me.’
‘Well, I think you have great taste, for what it’s worth.’ It was pathetic, really, how pleased he was when that earned him another shy smile. Get a grip . ‘And you and Chloe working together sounds like a fantastic idea. Anything that breathes new life into the village is a good thing. We need more local independent traders rather than big chains taking over everything.’
‘Chloe thinks there’ll be a market for it with all the incomers buying up properties for weekend retreats and holiday rentals.’
Rick thought his cousin had a point. ‘I agree with her, plus now you’ve got your newfound plumbing skills you’ll be able to add that to your skill set.’ He let his lips curl into a teasing grin that widened further when she rewarded him with another of those joyful peals of laughter. He liked this back and forth with her. He liked her .
‘It’ll take a lot more than knowing how to clean out the U-bend under a sink! But we’d hopefully be able to get Ryan and Matt to give us a hand making a few bigger things.’ She covered her mouth with her hand. ‘Listen to me getting carried away with myself. I haven’t even taken the cover off my sewing machine since I got here.’
‘You’ll get there,’ Rick encouraged, liking the way her eyes shone as she talked about it. ‘It’s good to have plans, something to strive for.’
‘Something to look forward to.’
He nodded. ‘Exactly. Look at me. I started out helping Mum in the chandlery on Saturdays to earn a bit of pocket money and now I run my own business.’
‘It sounds great in theory, and I want to do everything I can to support Chloe after everything she’s done for me; I’m just not sure how much I can practically achieve. Between work and taking care of Freya I’ll only have the odd hour here and there once Ryan and Matt sort out a workspace for us. And the fabric I brought with me will only go so far. Once I’ve used that up, I won’t be able to afford to buy anything new, not for a while anyway, because every penny is going towards supporting me and Freya.’ She sighed. ‘I can’t even afford to pay any rent on the summer house and Aunt Helen keeps accidentally’ – Anya put the word in air quotes – ‘buying too much in the supermarket and filling my freezer. I wish I could tell her to stop…’
She looked so stressed and sad it was all Rick could do not to reach out and pull her into his arms. ‘Give yourself a break. It’s only been a few weeks, Anya.’ He gestured towards the café just ahead of them. ‘Come on, let’s get some lunch.’
She shook her head. ‘I’m not going to stay. I know Davy said I could take my time but he was moaning about his hip aching earlier, so I don’t want to leave him on his own for too long.’ Tilting her head to one side, she gave him a considering look. ‘Did he mention anything about that when you were talking to him earlier? ’
Nice try . He thought he and Davy had kept their voices down, but Anya had clearly caught wind that all wasn’t right between them. ‘Can’t say he mentioned it, but a few aches and pains are to be expected at his age.’ They reached the door and he held it open to allow her to walk in first.
The smile she gave him didn’t quite reach her eyes. ‘Of course.’
She brightened up when they walked in and Issy greeted them with a smile. ‘Well, two of my favourite people at once, this is a treat. What can I get you?’
Anya perused the glass counter for a moment. ‘Can I have a chicken mayo and sweetcorn brown roll for me and cheese and pickle on white for Davy, to take away, please? And pop in a couple of those lovely-looking Bakewell slices as well, as a bit of an afternoon treat.’ She fished in her purse and pulled out a twenty-pound note which she offered to Issy.
‘You’re not staying even for a coffee?’ Rick asked, unable to keep the disappointment out of his voice.
She seemed to consider it for a moment. ‘I suppose I could. If I rush back too early Davy will only accuse me of fussing again.’ She turned back to Issy. ‘Add a small latte to that, please.’
‘No.’ Rick stepped up to the counter. ‘The coffee is on me as it was my suggestion.’ He sensed Anya bristle beside him. ‘Sorry, is that me trying to be too helpful again?’
For a panicked moment he worried he’d killed the mood, until she quirked her lips in a half-smile. ‘Normally, I’d say yes, but as this is actually Davy’s money I’m spending it’d be a bit cheeky to insist on using it to pay for my drink as well.’ She turned back to Issy. ‘Make that a large latte, seeing as Rick’s paying.’
‘Serves me right, I suppose,’ Rick said, shaking his head in mock sorrow .
‘It does indeed. I’ll go and grab us a seat, shall I?’
Rick watched her sashay over to a table by the window that offered a view out onto the beach. When he turned back to Issy she was studying him with a frown. ‘What?’ He’d meant it to sound casual but failed miserably.
‘I was just wondering if you had romantic designs on my friend, Frederick Penrose.’
It was on the tip of his tongue to deny it, but honestly who was he trying to kid? ‘And if I did?’
Issy’s face broke out into a beaming smile. ‘I’d say it’s about bloody time. After that pig of a husband, she deserves a decent man like you.’
‘That’s it?’ he asked, having expected a lecture on being mindful of Anya’s feelings after everything she’d been through. Not that he needed to be told to tread carefully. When it came to Anya, Rick would always put her needs above his own.
She nodded. ‘That’s it. Now, what are you having?’
‘Um, a chicken salad, please, and a large black coffee.’
‘I’ll bring them over in a minute.’
Buoyed by Issy’s support, Rick was full of confidence as he joined Anya at their table. ‘What are you smiling at?’ she asked as he sat down.
‘Just something Issy said.’ He took a deep breath and decided to go for it. ‘As you can only stay for a quick coffee now, I was wondering if perhaps you might like to do something else another time.’
Anya huffed an amused laugh. ‘You sound like you’re asking me out on a date.’ When he didn’t say anything, her eyes grew round as saucers as his intention sank in.
The anticipation in his stomach turned from a champagne fizz to a lead weight. ‘It’s a silly idea, forget I said anything. You’ve got enough going on, I’m sure, what with looking after Freya and?—’
The stream of words cut off as she covered his hand with hers. ‘Shh. Just hush a minute and let me think, okay?’
‘Okay.’ Rick didn’t move a muscle. His hand was alive with sensation, the soft heat of her palm resting on the back of it like a promise he didn’t quite dare to believe.
‘You’re right about me having to think about Freya,’ she said eventually, making his tender shoots of hope shrivel.
‘It’s fine,’ he said, pulling his hand out from underneath hers. ‘I completely understand.’
‘Didn’t I tell you to hush, just now?’ she asked him in something of an exasperated tone. ‘Now put your hand back and let me finish.’ Trying to keep his face serious, Rick laid his hand back on the table, his pulse thudding as she placed hers back on top of it. ‘As I was saying, there’s Freya to consider, so I won’t be able to go out much in the evenings, but you’d be very welcome to come for dinner again. Or I could get some popcorn and we can sit and watch a film on the TV and pretend we’re at the pictures.’
Rick flipped his hand over so they were palm to palm. He closed his fingers around hers, liking the way her smaller hand sheltered within his. ‘Sounds perfect.’