Stranger at the beach house (14 page)

 
“You’ve got a text,” smiled Sam.

“I know,” I said as calmly as I
could manage. Shit. He knew something was wrong, he could see it in my face.

 
“Who is it?” he asked, watching me carefully.

 
“I don’t know, probably Joy again,” I swallowed,
hoping to God it was.

 
“Why don’t you see then?” he challenged,
holding my gaze. This was a no win situation. If I didn’t get it out he’d know
I was hiding something, and if I did and it was Daniel there was a strong
chance he would see it and go thermonuclear on me. I took out my phone, trying
to shield the screen and opened the message. ‘Please let it
be
Joy’ I muttered inwardly. It wasn’t and my heart sank.

Please Rosebud, I think I love you x

If I hadn’t been stood here right
now, the text would have made me laugh out loud. Daniel loving me was the most
improbable thing I had ever heard. As it was, I just felt sick. Sam stared at
the screen and then at me with a look that knocked the breath from my lungs.
“Who is it from?” he asked simply, his calm exterior barely masking his
underlying rage.

 
“Who do you think?” I said, handing him the
phone and moving to sit on the sofa next to Harry who looked at me utterly
confused.

 
“I haven’t done anything wrong, Sam,” I
muttered, embarrassed to be having this conversation in front of a bemused
Harry. “I told him I wasn’t interested when he turned up here. He sent a text
when I was walking Dart. I didn’t reply and now he’s sent me this,” I
explained.

 
“Bowman?”
Harry
whispered as Sam examined the phone and I nodded gently.

 
“He doesn’t love me, Sam, and I have no
feelings for him,” I said, tears pricking at my eyes as he sat down alongside
me, gesturing to Harry who left the room.

 
“I know, Sweetheart,” he said, pulling me onto
his lap. “But if you get any more of these, tell me,” he said firmly as I
buried my head in his chest, drinking in his sweet musky scent as I nodded. We
sat silently and I could feel his pent up rage as I tipped my head up to kiss
him.

“You have no idea how much I want
you right now,” he growled.

 
“I think I do,” I whispered against his lips,
wishing I could feel every inch of him and finish what we’d started earlier,
but I needed to go. Lizzie and Dave would be here soon and Harry was only
metres away in the next room. It would have to wait.

 
“I’d better get ready,” I smiled, moving away
from him as he pulled me back, grinning.

 
“Harry sounds like he’s in for a fun night,”
he whispered as I gaped at him, open mouthed.

 
“You weren’t supposed to see that and you’d
better keep your mouth shut,” I said firmly as he raised his eyebrows, blue
eyes twinkling.

“I’m not sure I can,” he laughed.

 
“You will if you want me to do anything about
this,” I stared at him, moving my hand over his denim clad cock as he gasped,
bringing his full soft lips to mine.

“OK, I promise,” he pouted and I
knew Joy’s secret was safe for now.

That could have been a lot worse
I thought, heading home to get myself ready for the night ahead. I was really
looking forward to seeing Lizzie and Dave, excited for Joy and Harry and seeing
how that might unfold, but most of all to my first evening out with my new
boyfriend.
Boyfriend
, I smiled to
myself, looking through the closet to assemble an outfit. It wouldn’t take
long. Tonight I was out to impress and there was only one option.

 
“You shall go to the ball,” I giggled, pulling
out the ‘naked’ dress and a pair of nude shoes, thankful that I had never worn
it before and that I had uncharacteristically splurged a significant amount of
my redundancy money of it. The dress deserved an occasion and this was
definitely it.

I glanced at the clock. There was
just over an hour until they arrived and I would need every minute of it I
thought, stepping into the shower to begin my transformation. After a serious
amount of preening and a healthy dollop of light tan on skin that had not seen
the sun in far too long, I was glowing. I straightened my hair, deciding on
dramatic smoky eyes, finally pulling on the dress and praying it still looked
as good as it had in the shop. It was cut so well, so beautifully, in soft
shimmering fabric that flattered my curves and I had never felt so good in
anything. As I checked the overall look in the full length mirror, barely
recognising my own reflection, I had to concede that some things were just
worth the money as I heard Harry call me from the lounge.

“Wow,” he smiled as I walked in.
“You look beautiful,” and I twirled around for good measure.

 
“Thanks. You scrub up quite well yourself,” I
giggled and it was true. I was clearly not the only one out to impress tonight.

 
“I just wanted to catch you on your own, Rose.
I want to ask your advice on something,” he said sheepishly as I smiled at him.
I didn’t need to be a genius to guess what was coming.

 
“It’s about Joy,” he said, his voice taking on
an uncharacteristically serious edge. “I’ve liked her for a while,” he said
quietly. No shit Sherlock.

 
“Since you were about ten,” I quipped as he
laughed gently.

 
“I’ve known her a long time and we’re friends,
Rose. She’s always been with Jon and I haven’t had the chance to do anything
about it before. I just don’t want to mess things up”.

He looked genuinely concerned and
I knew that Sam had kept his promise. “Harry, you are gorgeous and funny and
impossibly charming. Just
be
yourself and you’ll do
absolutely fine,” I grinned, warmed by his unexpected shyness and uncertainty.

 
“Do you really think so, Rose?” he asked
hopefully.

 
“I know so,” I said as he beamed a broad
smile.

 
It was time to fire an early warning shot. “I
know you like to play the field but don’t mess her about, Harry. Please be
straight with her,” I said with a look that let him know I meant business.

“Understood, Rose,” he nodded.

 
“Come on, let’s grab a quick drink while we
wait for Lizzie and Dave,” I said, making my way into the kitchen and pouring
two glasses of wine. “What’s Sam up to Harry?” I asked, surprised he hadn’t
come round himself. It had already become clear in the short time I’d known him
that patience wasn’t his strongest asset, but there was something about
Harry’s
expression that made my stomach lurch.

“What is it Harry?” I asked
quickly as he frowned, dropping his gaze to the floor. “Harry” I urged as he
took a deep breath. Whatever it was he was clearly torn as to whether or not to
tell me. “Is it about the text?” I quizzed as he nodded slowly.

“I can’t help what Daniel
messages me. I haven’t done anything to encourage it. I thought Sam understood
that. I thought he was OK with it”. Hearing the panic in my voice, Harry
touched my arm reassuringly.

 
“He doesn’t blame you, Babe. But he is
seriously
not
fucking OK with it,” he
said gently. I swallowed hard, taking a huge gulp of wine and turning to see
headlights racing down the long track.

 
“What do you think he’ll do Harry?” I asked
quickly.

“I don’t know,” he said simply,
shaking his head. Whatever it was I couldn’t worry about it now.

Chapter 14

 
I made my way through the lounge to the side
door to welcome Lizzie and Dave, throwing my arms around my friend and
squeezing tight. It had only been a week but it felt like an age, so much had
changed since I had seen her last that it suddenly felt like forever. She took
a step back to look at me. “Wow,” she grinned, “you look fantastic, Rose, the
sea air suits you. I couldn’t wait to get here, we’ve been so worried,” she
smiled, looking at Dave who nodded at me, rolling his eyes and laughing.

Becoming a mother had changed
Lizzie and it wasn’t only
Alfie
who she showered her
maternal instincts on. I had also become a little project for her.

“We needn’t have been though. It
looks very much like I’ve got my old friend back,” she smiled affectionately.

 
“I couldn’t have got here without you both,
thank you,” I smiled back, pulling them into a hug as Harry bounded out to join
us.

 
“Dump your bags in there. Sam’s got cocktails
next door. Let’s get this party started,” he laughed.

 
“He hasn’t changed,” Lizzie chuckled as I took
the bags from Dave.

 
“You go ahead, I’ll just pop these in your
room and lock up,” I said, making my way inside as the boys strode off towards
Sam’s house.

Lizzie stayed with me as I put
their things in the guest room, picked up my handbag and hunted around for my
keys. “I can’t wait to meet
him,
she grinned as I
headed for the door, keys in hand.

 
“Hang on,” I said, quickly applying a slick of
cherry coloured lip gloss and grinning back. “OK, I’m all set. I can’t wait for
you to meet him either Lizzie. I really hope you like him,” I smiled, masking
the nervous churning in my stomach as we made our way next door.

The three of them were stood in
the kitchen, drinks in hand as we opened the side door and walked in. Harry was
chatting away but Sam stilled, his eyebrows
raising
briefly as he gazed at me. He walked over and slid his strong arm across my
waist and kissed my cheek gently before turning his attention to my friend.
God, he looked divine.

“You must be Lizzie. It’s great
to meet you, I’ve heard so much about you,” he said, deploying the killer
smile.

“All good I hope,” she smiled
back, her eyes widening as she glanced briefly at me.

 
“Absolutely.
What can
I get you ladies to drink?” he asked as we glanced at the dozens of bottles of
rainbow coloured liquids on the side as Dave piped up. “Try one of these. I
can’t remember what he called it, but it’s really good”. Harry was looking at
Sam and laughing hard.

“It’s called an FDB. Sam created
it especially for you ladies, I suggest you try it. Dave’s right, it is really
good,” Harry said as I smiled up at Sam nodding. He made his way to the
makeshift cocktail bar and began mixing.

 
“What’s in it?” asked Lizzie, moving to Dave’s
side.

“Trade secret,” laughed Sam,
passing us our turquoise glasses.

“What does the FBD stand for
then?” she quipped.

 
“Fuck Daniel Bowman,” Harry grinned and Lizzie
laughed hard, raising her glass and taking a sip as I tensed.

 
“To freedom and life without Daniel bloody
Bowman,” she smiled as Dave hugged her.

“How do you like your drink,
Rose?” Sam asked
,
looking at me and smiling but the
gesture had caught me off guard. I had assumed Daniel Bowman was the last
person he wanted to talk about. He had not only raised the man in conversation
but dedicated a bloody cocktail to him, albeit an offensive one.

 
“It’s great,” I replied quickly, trying to
mask my confusion. “Tell me about the job Lizzie, I can’t wait to hear about
it,” I smiled as Sam pulled me close.

“It all happened really quickly,
Rose, considering how long I’ve been planning it in my head,” she laughed.
“Monday afternoon was just the final straw. The company had won the contract to
publish a major manuscript. It hadn’t come through me
which
was really unusual, and only Bowman and Salisbury knew anything about it. The
place was crawling with lawyers all day. I don’t know the details of it but
there was some real heavy shit going down in the boardroom and they were
shouting about being sued and breach of contract. Anyway Salisbury stormed out
looking like he might combust, shouting at Daniel that he had ruined their
reputation irrevocably and implied that they might not survive the financial and
legal implications if it went to court. He called him a ‘fucking imbecile,’”
she said, and we both burst out laughing.

 
I had met Salisbury a few times and he was
such a gentleman that the thought of him saying that was so uncharacteristic I
couldn’t help it. Harry and Sam were listening intently.

 
“Tell her the rest,” said Dave, smiling
proudly at his wife.

 
“So I sat there at my desk, pretty gobsmacked,
staring at them both when Daniel told me it was about time I earned my salary
and to pull my fucking finger out. Honestly, Rose, I nearly fell off my chair.
We all know who does the work around that place and I couldn’t believe his
nerve,” she said. Neither could I.

When we had been together Daniel
always told me how fantastic Lizzie was, how he couldn’t manage without her and
how great she was at her job and I was dumbfounded.

“What did you say to that?” I
asked, unable to contain my disbelief at his outright cheek. “I told him to go
and fuck himself and then I slapped him, hard. The slap was for you, Rose,” she
laughed.

“Oh my God.
What did Salisbury say?” I asked as her
face fell into an empathic smile and she sighed.

“He called me into his office and
sat me down and begged me to not to go. I told him I just couldn’t work with
Daniel anymore and I really felt for him, Rose. The poor guy had his head in
his hands and I thought he was going to break down. He told me he understood
and that I should contact him for any references and if I ever reconsidered I
would be welcome back”.

I looked at her sympathetically.
I had known for ages that she wanted to go freelance but her relationship with
Daniel hadn’t always been this bad and I felt that somehow part of this was
down to me.

 
“Do you definitely have to leave Lizzie? I
know he’s never been your favourite person but couldn’t you work through it?” I
asked and she laughed heartily as Sam did the rounds with another FDB.

 
“No, he’s always been a conceited shithead,
Rose, but he did used to have
some
charm at least and he valued me. Since you two split he’s been absolutely
insufferable,” she said.

 
Sam filled my glass and said “down the hatch,
Sweetheart,” as I gulped the strong cocktail, raising my empty glass to Lizzie.

“Fuck Daniel Bowman,” I smiled.

 
“So what will you do now Lizzie?” asked Sam,
his low deep voice pure velvet as he walked behind me, putting his arms tightly
around my waist, pulling my back hard into his chest and nuzzling soft lips in
my hair.

 
“I’m going freelance as a commissioning
editor. I’ve got a couple of irons in the fire. Nothing major but I hope they
may go somewhere. I’ve had some really positive responses already so I just
need to build it up slowly,” she smiled as he nodded.

“What’s Salisbury like?” asked
Sam as Lizzie and I both raised our eyebrows. That was a strange question.

“He’s one of the good guys,”
smiled Dave.

 
“He really is,” Lizzie continued. “He set the
business up from scratch years ago and he’s an old fashioned gentleman. I don’t
know why the hell he decided to partner with Bowman. That was a real lapse of
judgement,” she said as Sam nodded.

 
“We all have them don’t we, Baby?” he said,
moving his head around to kiss my cheek. OK, that was a blatant dig about
Daniel which I wouldn’t justify with a response, scowling as he laughed gently.

 
Fortunately Lizzie came to the rescue. “I
think you’d like Salisbury, Sam,” she smiled.

“As long as he doesn’t text my
fucking girlfriend telling her that he loves her; then I probably would,” Sam
smiled back and raised his eyebrows at Lizzie.

She was gaping at me open mouthed
and in utter disbelief. “Daniel?” she shrieked, clearly as bemused to hear that
news as I had been to receive it.

 
“When?” she asked, shaking her head.

 
“This afternoon,” I sighed, looking at the
floor. I hadn’t wanted this to come up tonight but Sam had forced the issue.

“Cheeky bastard,” said Dave,
shaking his head as Harry laughed.

 
Lizzie was just incredulous. “I should have
slapped him harder, Rose. I hope you told him to fuck
off,”
and I was saved from responding as the taxi beeped its horn, making its way
down the track. Hopefully the night could continue with no more conversation
about Daniel.

“Take Lizzie and Dave out to the
taxi, Harry. I’ll just be a couple of minutes. I need to lock up,” Sam smiled,
pulling me back as I went to make my way out with the others.

“Oh no you don’t,”
he smiled as I gazed up at him,
his eyes piercing mine.

“I didn’t want to talk about
Daniel, Sam,” I sighed as he held me close, reaching down to kiss my neck.

 
“It was bound to come up because of Lizzie and
the job, Rose. I just thought we’d get it out of the way early,” he whispered
between butterfly kisses. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do to me, but if
it’s turn me into a possessive boyfriend with a permanent hard on then you’ve
succeeded. You look absolutely stunning tonight,” he said and my stomach
flipped as I stared, mesmerised.

 
“Hold that thought, Baby,” he smiled as I
licked my lips, grabbing my hand as we jumped into the waiting minibus to take
us into town.

“There’s no black cabs up here,”
he laughed as he slid in next to me. “I feel like I’m on a school trip again,”
Sam smiled at the group.

 
“I can’t believe you’re even coming out,” I
said quietly, but not so quietly that Harry hadn’t heard as he turned around
grinning.

“Are you sure you’re ready for
this, Sam. Small towns are funny things and you’re the big news my friend.
You’ll get so many looks you’ll feel like a museum exhibit,” Harry laughed as
Sam sat stone faced.

“I bet he’s used to that,”
giggled Lizzie as Dave scowled at her. I knew what she meant, and dressed in
black Armani, his dazzling blue eyes the only colour shining out against his
olive skin, he had done nothing to lessen his overwhelming hotness tonight I
mused, smiling at him and feeling incredibly lucky.

The restaurant was buzzing as we
walked in and I couldn’t help but notice that all eyes were on Sam and Harry as
they made their way through to the bar and a smiling Mr Hong. I wondered if
he’d spread the word about his special visitor as they stood chatting and
laughing. I had certainly never seen the place so busy. Sam nodded as our happy
host pulled a bottle of champagne from an ice bucket. I had to admit they cut
an impressive duo. Even I was staring. “You look really happy, Rose,” Lizzie
giggled “and I can certainly see why”. I smiled broadly at her and Dave. He had
already won my friends over and I was on cloud nine.

The excited owner gestured us to
a round table at the back of the restaurant as we took our seats, leaving one
spare next to me for Joy. I couldn’t wait to see how things would unfold with
Harry who was sat on the other side of the gap as we exchanged knowing glances.
“Joy’s here,” said Dave and she sashayed through the restaurant looking utterly
gorgeous as Sam nudged me playfully, laughing at
Harry’s
gaping jaw.

“Hi,” she turned to everyone on
the table, finishing with Sam as he stood up to introduce himself, deploying
the devastating smile. I wondered if he knew what effect that had on people and
my heart melted.

 
“She was right about you,” Joy smiled broadly,
eyeing him up and down and giving me a wry smile. This was playful Joy. I knew
where this was going and I didn’t like it one bit.

 
“What do you mean?” Sam replied, a small
puzzled frown creasing his brow.

“Well, you’re the biggest mystery
in town. I thought you must be a hideously deformed hermit until I spoke to
Rose,” she said as Sam laughed.

“And what did Rose say?” he
questioned, giving me a sideways glance. I fixed my eyes on Joy firing off my
best warning stare. If she did this I would bloody kill her in that bathroom
later. She smiled at me innocently before turning her gaze back on Sam as I
waited for her to deploy the humiliating verbal equivalent of the atom bomb.

 
“She said you were a fucking God”. Oh Jesus
Christ.

 
“Did she
now
,” Sam
chuckled as I glowered at Joy, my face burning red.

I can’t believe she just did
that. I was beyond mortified as Sam put his arm around me, planting a soft lush
kiss with his smiling lips, clearly amused at the exchange.

“Hey gorgeous,” Joy said softly
to Harry, sitting down between us as Mr Hong came to fill our waiting glasses
with chilled, crisp champagne as Lizzie raised her eyebrows eyeing the bottle.

 
“Dom
Perignon
1990?
I’m surprised he carries this in stock,” she grinned at Sam.
“Something to do with you?” she laughed as he nodded, smiling back. I wouldn’t
have known from the bottle but Lizzie seemed impressed, raising the glass to
her lips. “I’ll certainly be savouring this,” she grinned.