New beginnings by the su.., p.21
New Beginnings by the Sunflower Cliffs, page 21
‘Anyway,’ Bea said passing them their drinks, ‘we can take the next few weeks to go through the rest of your stuff and whittle down what you don’t need and maybe do a car boot sale. We’re going to need to decorate the baby’s room soon anyhow and can do it all then.’
‘At least we have Tom’s dinner party to look forward to,’ Guy added.
‘That’s another problem,’ moaned Shani miserably. ‘I have to find something I can still fit into.’
Bea gave her a reassuring smile. ‘That’s one thing you don’t have to worry about. I have more than enough baggy clothes to lend you.’
‘Great. What will you wear?’
‘No idea. I’d like to buy something new. We know my financial status though, so that’s out of the question.’
‘Why don’t you ask Mel if she has anything you could borrow? You look as if you’ve lost weight recently,’ said Paul. ‘I have a sneaky suspicion you haven’t been eating properly. You don’t want Simon to think you’re losing weight because you’re missing him.’
‘I can always make some meals for your freezer if you wish,’ Guy offered. ‘From what I hear of your ex-husband, he would like the idea of you pining for him.’
Bea shuddered at the thought. ‘Ooh, don’t say that.’
Paul leant back in his chair and sighed contentedly. ‘I think that’s a great plan, Guy. Thanks.’
Bea welcomed the offer. ‘Normally I’d say not to worry, but the thought of eating your food is too good an offer to turn down.’
‘Yeah, thanks,’ Shani agreed.
Bea noticed how pale and exhausted she suddenly seemed. ‘Right, I think it’s time we let Shani go and have an early night. Don’t you agree, boys?’
‘I’m fine.’ She stroked her stomach gently.
Paul shook his head. ‘No, Bea’s right. You look worn out.’ He motioned to Guy for them to leave. ‘I think it’s time we left you in peace and made our way home, too.’ Paul stood up and took the empty mugs to the sink. ‘I wonder what Tom will expect you to make for Saturday, Bea?’
‘I don’t know yet.’ She followed them to the front door. She was dreading Saturday but didn’t want to admit that to her friends. She would just have to put a determined smile on her face. After all, she mused as she waved goodbye to them, how awful could it possibly be?
21
HEAT AND SHADE
‘Chateaubriand?’ shrieked Shani as they pottered in the garden a few days later. ‘How the hell do you cook that?’
‘No idea.’ Bea waved her secateurs in the air. ‘And before you explode, I’ve already told him that if he wanted Chateaubriand then he’d have to make it, and that he should serve something else instead.’
Shani stood with one hand on her stomach and the other on her back. ‘What, like tuna melt or spag bol, you mean?’
‘I’m holding a weapon, Shani.’ Bea pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes.
‘Scary. Ow! Damn roses. And what did he say to that?’
‘Guess.’ Bea cut several roses and put them to one side. ‘He said he was only joking, and you know how useless I am at knowing when people are joking.’
Shani stopped sucking the blood from her pricked finger and shook her head slowly.
Bea laughed. ‘Why are you staring?’
Shani smiled and sighed. ‘Did we miss something in those teen movies we always used to watch? How don’t we know about ways to avoid men who are full of their own self-importance?’
Bea shrugged. ‘I’ve no idea. Now stop moaning and get on with what you’re doing. At least we’ve both decided what to wear. That’s some sort of achievement.’
‘True,’ Shani said. ‘You look lovely in that red shift dress and nude shoes of Mel’s.’
Bea pushed down the cuttings in the bucket with a polka-dotted gloved hand. ‘I still can’t believe she agreed to let me borrow them.’
‘She wants us to get together for the final wedding arrangements next week, so she’s probably trying to keep in your good books. I can’t think of any other reason she’s lending you clothes right now.’ Shani winced and rubbed her bump rapidly. ‘Ooh, I’d place bets this baby is going to be a professional rugby player. He kicks like a horse.’
‘Sit down for a bit and take a break.’ Bea indicated the low wall by the driveway.
‘You never did say what he’s going to cook for Saturday.’ Shani sat down carefully.
‘No idea. It’s a shame Guy hasn’t been asked to do the cooking, don’t you think?’
‘I’d be looking forward to it far more if he was. I’m surprised he was able to get a night off on a Saturday, too. I’ve got a feeling the poor chap was forced into it.’
‘Perfect timing,’ said Tom, opening the heavy bleached oak door and pecking Bea lightly on the cheek. He turned to lead her towards the kitchen. ‘Come and check if this is okay, will you?’
Bea lifted the foil and breathed in the smell of the perfectly cooked joint. ‘Looks and smells great.’
‘Mel will kill you if you get fat on her dress,’ Shani whispered from behind her.
Tom covered the meat, careful not to splash his immaculate chinos and pink shirt and then walked with her into the neutrally decorated lounge. He poured Bea a glass of wine from a crystal decanter.
‘Thanks, just what I need.’ She took a sip and carefully placed the glass down on the dining room table, noting that it looked as if a ruler had been used to place each piece of cutlery at precise distances from the other. ‘Juice?’ he asked Shani.
Paul and Guy arrived. ‘Shan, you’re looking voluptuous, for once,’ Paul said, pointing at her boobs. ‘You look so different with those, or are you wearing a clever bra?’
‘Stop teasing her,’ Guy said, hugging Shani. ‘You’re looking very beautiful tonight.’
Shani smiled. ‘It’s me and a clever bra. I thought I’d make the most of having something to show off for a change.’
Tom marched over to them, holding a glass of wine in each hand. ‘Great to see you both here,’ he said, fawning over Guy. ‘I’ve done my best, but the food won’t be to your standard.’
‘I’m certain it will be delicious,’ Guy assured him. ‘It is a treat not to be the one catering for once.’
Tom smiled looking unsure whether or not he was being teased. ‘Well, we’ll soon find out.’
The doorbell rang. Tom hurried to welcome Mel and Grant in to the apartment. Luke and Leilani followed closely behind. She was wearing a short, olive-green shift dress that Bea thought looked very expensive. Tom and Grant stared at her, both forgetting to close their mouths for a few seconds.
‘Shani, you look blooming,’ Luke said, seemingly oblivious to the intense focus on his partner. ‘Hello, Bea, it’s good to see you again.’ He pushed back his hair. ‘Red suits you.’
The soft tone of his baritone voice sent Bea’s stomach into rapturous somersaults. ‘It’s good to see you too,’ she replied, her voice a little higher than she liked.
After a few drinks, Tom showed everyone to their seats and served the main course. Bea noticed Luke’s designated chair was diagonally across from her own and couldn’t help sensing his gaze as they dined.
It took until the delicious New York cheesecake that Tom admitted buying from the French patisserie in town for Bea to find a break in Leilani’s constant chatter.
‘How’s it been living on the boat?’ she asked Luke, thinking of the recent storms.
‘Exciting is probably the best way to describe it,’ he said, his blue eyes twinkling. ‘Summer’s definitely the best time to live on-board though, when there’s little rough weather.’
‘Have you always had boats?’ Shani asked. ‘I hate them and once got sick before the ferry had even left the harbour.’
Luke smiled sympathetically. ‘Sailing doesn’t suit everyone. I’ve always had boats, from very small ones when I was a teenager up to this one which I saved for. I wanted a boat like Trojan for years and when the opportunity arose to buy her, I was determined not to miss it.’
‘Sounds very Swallows and Amazons,’ Paul laughed, sounding slightly drunk. ‘Can we come and have a look on board?’
Tom frowned at him and turned to Luke. ‘What type of boat is it?’
Luke sighed dreamily, ‘She’s a magnificent Rampart, forty-two-footer.’
Tom didn’t seem any the wiser and Bea decided he had no more idea about boats than she did. ‘When was she built? If you’ve lusted after one since your childhood, she must be something special.’
‘She’s much older than me. She was built in 1955 and is made of wood. She takes more looking after than a fibreglass boat, but I love the character of these older boats.’
Bea couldn’t help noticing how his eyes sparkled as he spoke lovingly about his home.
‘Where’s she moored?’ Shani asked, dabbing her mouth with her napkin.
‘In the marina most of the time, and I’ve been sleeping on her while I’m carrying out the renovations at my cottage in St Catherine’s.’
‘Is that allowed?’ Shani asked. ‘Aren’t there regulations about living on boats?’
‘Not really.’ He gave Bea a meaningful glance and half smiled. She flushed at the memory of their trip to the Écréhous together.
‘Luke doesn’t stay there by himself all that much,’ Leilani interrupted, nudging Luke, her innuendo blatant. ‘Personally, I can’t see what all the fuss is about. It’s an old boat and not very high spec as far as I can tell, and let’s face it, this is hardly the climate to be living on-board, is it?’
Luke didn’t seem to mind her criticisms. ‘It probably depends on what you’re used to.’
By the time Tom served coffee in the comfort of the cream living room, Leilani was holding court, telling stories about her experiences on the catwalk.
Shani and Guy whispered, their heads bent close as they amused each other in one corner of the room. Bea watched silently as Luke walked over to her and sat down. Leaning back into the cream leather settee, he turned his body towards her. ‘Shani tells me she’s moved into The Brae?’
Bea nodded.
‘I could have helped her move if I’d known. I gather she had more than she expected hidden away at her flat.’ He smiled, his eyes twinkling in amusement.
‘I’ve no idea where she was hiding it all.’ Bea said, still astonished by the enormous number of items Shani had brought with her. ‘It’s all stored away now though. It’s made me realise I should also tidy up my attic; the Jersey Kiss could be stored up there somewhere.’ She took a sip of her drink and relaxed further into the seat. ‘It’s lovely having her in the house,’ Bea admitted, staring into her half-empty glass.
‘I’ve missed you,’ he murmured, so quietly she wasn’t sure if she had imagined it.
Bea blinked in surprise and saw his serious expression. ‘Sorry?’ She glanced around the room, relieved no one appeared interested in their conversation.
‘You heard me,’ he said gently, not taking his eyes away from her. ‘I’ve enjoyed being with you tonight. Can’t we put everything behind us and start again?’
Bea didn’t have to consider his invitation. ‘Yes, of course,’ she said, wishing it was that simple.
He smiled and Bea felt her heart pounding. She studied his rugged face.
‘Is everything all right?’ he asked. ‘You’re looking a little tense this evening.’
Bea shrugged. ‘It’s nothing.’
‘Bea,’ Luke said, placing his hand on hers. ‘If you tell me, maybe I can help.’
Why not, she thought. If he was crafty enough to find a way to launder money, then maybe he could come up with some idea for her to sting Simon. She told him about the court order and her desperation to sort things out.
Luke thought for a moment.
‘I have a suggestion you could try,’ Mel said, sitting down next to Bea. ‘You could apply for a Martin order.’
‘What’s that?’ Bea had heard of a Mesher order, where the wife is given enjoyment of the home until an agreed time – usually when the youngest child had finished their secondary or tertiary education. They didn’t have children, though. ‘I’ve never heard of it.’
‘I have,’ Luke said thoughtfully. ‘They’re pretty rare though, aren’t they?’
Mel nodded. ‘I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. Too much time listening to my mum fretting about this wedding, I suppose.’
Bea wished she’d hurry up. ‘What is it though? Tell me.’
Mel leant closer to Bea. ‘It’s where the sale of the property is postponed until the person living in the house dies or remarries.’
Bea narrowed her eyes in disbelief. ‘You seriously believe Simon would agree to sign over The Brae to me? Just like that,’ she clicked her fingers.
Mel added, ‘If he wants you to hurry with the decree absolute, he might.’
‘You never know,’ Luke said. ‘It’s worth a try.’
‘He wants me to pay him out and the only way I can do that is to get a loan if I want to keep it. I’ll ask him, but I’m pretty sure he’ll tell me to bugger off.’ She sighed, wishing Mel’s suggestion had been remotely achievable.
‘Think about it,’ he said, ‘maybe there’s a way to persuade him.’
‘I’m sure we’ll find some way round this,’ Mel said. ‘We just need to keep thinking.’
‘Listen up everyone,’ Leilani said, standing in the middle of the room. Bea tried not to show her annoyance at her interrupting their conversation. Leilani held up an almost empty wine glass and beamed pointedly at every one in the room. ‘Lukey didn’t want me to say anything tonight,’ she said, her immaculate lipstick somehow unmarred by the three-course meal. ‘But I’m too excited to keep it to myself any longer.’
Bea looked quizzically from Leilani to Luke. ‘I’ve no idea what she’s talking about. She never could cope with much alcohol,’ he joked, raising his eyebrows. Bea grinned, wondering what Leilani was about to say.
‘Lukey and I are to be married,’ she squealed, theatrically throwing her arms wide.
‘What?’ Luke’s eyes widened. Bea’s heart pounded, but she couldn’t move.
‘Aren’t we, darling?’ Leilani blew a kiss at Luke who sat motionless, staring at her in silence. ‘We haven’t had a chance to choose a ring yet.’
Bea, a stabbing jolt in her solar plexus, tried her best to make sense of what she’d just heard. She looked away from Leilani and focused on the cream carpet, desperately trying to gather herself. She heard Luke swear under his breath and felt him push himself up from next to her, watching as he crossed the room in one stride to his bride-to-be.
‘I think it’s time we were leaving,’ he announced, his voice a monotone and his expression like granite as he took Leilani firmly by the elbow. ‘Thank you for a wonderful evening, Tom.’ He shook Tom’s proffered hand before turning to Bea. ‘It was good catching up with you.’
Bea, unable to form any words, looked straight into his eyes, making a valiant attempt at hiding her confusion and hurt. I’m a fool, she thought, forcing her mouth into a smile which she suspected more resembled a grimace.
‘Good for Luke,’ Tom cheered closing the front door behind them. ‘I never saw that coming, did you?’ he asked Paul sounding happier than he had all evening.
‘Nope.’ Paul stole a glance at Bea. She tried her best to reassure him by trying to look pleased for the newly engaged couple. Paul stood thoughtfully for a moment. ‘I suppose when you feel the time is right to do these things, you just get on and do it.’
‘Well,’ Mel interrupted defensively, ‘at least they won’t be able to book anything before my wedding day. I don’t want Leilani over-shadowing me.’
‘She couldn’t do that,’ Grant said, for once saying the right thing. ‘You’re far prettier than she could ever be.’
‘Aww, thank you. Now, don’t forget we’re meeting on Monday lunchtime to visit the florists with Mum,’ Mel said, oblivious to any undercurrents. ‘I think I’ve decided about the flowers.’
Bea was relieved to find that the party seemed to have reached a natural end. She accompanied Shani to the kitchen to make a start filling the dishwasher. ‘What the hell was that all about?’ Shani hissed over her shoulder.
‘I’m meeting Mel at the florists.’ Bea emptied the dregs of the wine glasses in the sink and began washing the fine crystal glasses.
‘You know what I mean. What the hell was that business with Leilani and her engagement?’ She flicked Bea lightly with a tea towel. ‘I saw you all cosied up on the settee with Luke, and also the stunned expression on your face when she made her announcement.’
Bea stared at the bubbles on the glass she was washing. ‘I’d rather not talk about it.’
‘I’m sorry. I don’t know what he was saying to you, but I’d bet a pound to a penny he didn’t see that coming either.’
Bea turned to face Shani. ‘He knew it was coming, he didn’t even flinch. He certainly didn’t argue with her,’ she snapped. ‘I’m so confused. I think he means one thing and then something happens to make me realise I’ve totally misread the situation. I’ve made a bit of a twit of myself. It doesn’t matter, I’ll get over it,’ she insisted, wishing she could find a way to cut off her feelings for him.
‘Hey, girls.’ Tom strode into the room. ‘Don’t worry about clearing up. My cleaning lady has agreed to come in for an extra couple of hours tomorrow morning to do it all.’
Shani shrugged. ‘You don’t have to tell me twice. We may as well head for home and leave you in peace.’
‘Thanks for a lovely evening.’ Bea gave Tom a kiss on the cheek desperate to appear as if nothing was wrong with her. ‘Everyone had a wonderful time.’
‘Yes, I thought it went well. I’ll see you at the office on Monday. Thanks for coming.’ Tom returned to Mel and Grant in the lounge.
‘Come on, let’s go,’ Bea said. It was time for her to stop wasting emotion on someone who was already spoken for. Enough was enough. Bea knew it was time to move on from Luke and focus on her future. She had a lot to sort out, and now was the perfect time to get on and do it.
