Page 42 of Best Summer Ever

‘Okay,’ said Sam, looking at me with a puzzled expression on his face.

‘I was just telling Sam how little sleep I’ve had,’ I said to Josh. ‘I wanted to confirm your prowess in the bedroom and back up what you told him earlier.’

Josh looked shocked and Sam bit his lip.

‘Absolutely no complaints from me.’ I smiled, as I breezily set to stacking some glasses. ‘We had a great night together, didn’t we?’

‘Josh didn’t—’ Sam began.

‘It’s fine,’ Josh cut in. ‘I’m going to head off then. I’ll see you later, Sam.’

He strode out of the pub without another word and I felt my face flush red.

‘He did tell you that we’d spent the night together, didn’t he?’ I belatedly asked Sam.

‘Nope,’ he said, ‘he told me that having talked it through with you, he’s decided he’s going to play with George again. I think, just now, he wanted to tell you before I let it slip.’

Chapter 10

I felt immensely grateful that the shift got busier again after Sam’s explanation because it stopped me thinking about the horrible assumption I’d made about Josh and gave me an excuse not to have to talk to Penny. The irony that I would most likely have shared the details of my night of passion with her while at the same time feeling affronted that Josh might have done the same with Sam, but hadn’t, wasn’t lost on me and I felt awful as a result.

‘Here are your keys, Pen,’ was almost as much as I got to say to my friend in the end. ‘I’m sorry I can’t stop to talk.’

‘It’s fine,’ she said, looking deadbeat herself, but still sounding buoyant. ‘I’m not hanging around. I haven’t been home yet and I need to get to bed.’

‘You haven’t been at the café all this time?’ I gasped, forgetting my own worries for a moment.

‘I have,’ she said, nodding wearily. ‘Nick drove down to the beach and let me talk at him about everything I needed to get done ahead of next week as well as describing some new dishes I’m considering. I’m completely on top of it all now and I’ve put in orders to arrive throughout the day on Tuesday. Are you sure you can still be at the café to receive them?’

‘Absolutely,’ I confirmed. ‘Just message me when I need to be there and I won’t budge from the place until everything arrives and is assigned to the fridge, freezer or a shelf.’

‘You’re a star,’ she said gratefully, handing me her set of café keys which I vowed to guard with my life.

I didn’t feel like a star, however, when I was sitting with my parents at breakfast the following morning being interrogated about my extra-curricular weekend activities.

‘We assumed you were at Penny’s place,’ Mum said tersely, having watched me bundle my balled-up dress, which I knew still smelt of Josh’s aftershave, into the washing machine.

‘I was,’ I said, reaching for a slice of toast.

She gave me a look.

‘I was there for a while,’ I amended.

‘We know you didn’t spend Saturday night there,’ Mum carried on, ‘because Penny rang the cottage phone and asked to speak to you on Sunday. I’m guessing she tracked you down via your mobile in the end?’

What a nuisance that Penny had called the cottage phone before trying my mobile. Who rang a landline these days?

‘Yes,’ I said, avoiding Mum’s eye, ‘she did. And I spent the entire afternoon helping her out in the Sunshine Café before heading to the pub for my shift straight after.’

I didn’t elaborate on where I’d been before that. As a fully grown woman, I didn’t think I needed to, even if I had moved back into my childhood bedroom.

‘You must be all in,’ commented Dad. ‘I’ve never known you to work so hard. I’m surprised you’re up, given the circumstances. You should be having a lie-in.’

I was also surprised I was up, and the dark smudges undermy eyes were an indicator as to exactly how exhausted I was. Rather than fall asleep the moment my head had hit the pillow, my brain had started berating me for the disservice I’d done Josh.

I had considered knocking on his door on the way back to my car after my shift, but Crow’s Nest Cottage had been in darkness and the curtains were all closed, so I thought it best not to disturb him and consequently drove back to Wynbrook with my guilt weighing heavy around my neck.

‘I’ve turned over a new leaf,’ I said to Dad, trying to sound brighter than I felt. ‘I thought you’d both be pleased that I’m keeping so busy.’

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