Page 13 of The Secret Beach

‘Tony’s should be open by now.’ She nodded her head along the front. ‘Though define decent.’

‘I’ll make do with hot and wet.’

‘You’ll be fine, then. Come on.’ She jumped up, and started heading along the cobbles of the quay. There were more people out and about now: early tourists, people heading for their boats, shop owners opening up. She could see her companion getting admiring glances – next to him, she felt insignificant, for he was dazzling. He walked like a rockstar, a carefree, confident saunter.

‘What’s your name, by the way?’ she asked as they passed the Candy Cabin. The sugary, buttery scent of fudge was already filling the air as the first batch went into the copper vat.

‘Rik,’ he said. ‘Without a c.’

‘Snap. As in without a c. I’m Nikki. With two ks.’

‘I know.’

She stopped in her tracks and stared at him.

‘How?’

‘I asked one of the fishermen while you were making my bacon sandwich. Asked him if there was anything I should know about you. He said you were all right.’

‘All right?’ She put her hands on her hips in indignation.

‘In a nice way,’ he went on. ‘Said you were sound. He said the one I wanted to watch out for was your sister.’

‘Oh,’ said Nikki. ‘Yes. Jess is …’

She didn’t want to be disloyal. She didn’t want to talk about Jess at all.

‘Jess,’ she managed finally, and pushed open the door of Tony’s Café.

For years it had been a greasy spoon but when the eponymous Tony had died, his daughter took over and gave it a re-vamp. Now it was all paninis and hot chocolate with squirty cream on top. They took a seat right by the window so they could look out to sea, and Jess put her fingers up to order two coffees from Melinda, who gave her a double thumbs-up which could have been recognition of the order, or approval of her companion, or both.

‘Seriously,’ Nikki said, putting her head in one hand. ‘What are you doing here? Speedwell isn’t the kind of place you just happen upon. You have to make an effort to get here.’

The coast around Speedwell was notoriously tricky to navigate, with its hidden rocks and capricious tides.

‘I’ve got a job with a boat builder in Tawcombe for the summer,’ he said. ‘I’ve been in the South of France since October and I wanted a change of scene.’

‘I’d love to go to the South of France,’ sighed Nikki. She tried to imagine it: azure seas and cocktails on board fancy yachts.

‘I could take you there one day.’ Did he mean that? Probably not. It was an easy offer to make

‘Do you live on that boat, then?’

‘Yep. It’s the only thing I’ve got in the world. My dad left it to me when he died.’

‘Oh.’ She wasn’t sure what to say.

She went to put a hand on his. He looked into her eyes as her fingers touched his skin. He smiled, and she blushed, and she didn’t know what to do next. Luckily, Melinda brought their coffees over. Behind Rik, she looked at Nikki with wide eyes as she put their cups down on the table.

‘Enjoy,’ she said, and Nikki knew what she meant. She took her hand away and grabbed her cup.

‘Thank you,’ she said, trying not to grin.

Rik pulled his coffee towards him, picking up a packet of sugar and shaking it. ‘I spend my life sailing from one place to the next, picking up work. One day I might find somewhere that feels like home.’

He seemed wistful. Nikki’s heart buckled a little, wondering what he’d been through.

‘Maybe Speedwell will be the place for you,’ she joked. Suddenly it became a personal challenge, to make sure he stayed.

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