Page 7 of Playing for Keeps

Kevin gave an appreciative nod when she took steps towards the car, pressing the fob as she went.

“Nice car,” he said, still nodding.

“Thank you.” She opened the boot, then waited for him to say more, but he only stepped around her to retrieve the suitcase.

“If you need to charge it, we have a couple of stations down the end there.”

“Perfect.” She waited for questions, but he only asked if she had any more stuff.

“That’s all,” she said, and they set off across the car park. It didn’t take long for her to figure out that they weren’t aiming for the back entrance to the flat. They walked past the two electric charging stations to the sound of the suitcase wheels dragging on the loose gravel. From there, they headed for a large shed with two sets of double doors at the front.

To Allie’s immense relief, they bypassed that and rounded the corner.

“This is the accommodation?”

She failed to hide her surprise as her eyes landed on the single-storey brick building behind the shed. The two white doors and windows indicated it was two flats. But unless the building was utterly deceptive, they’d be more like single rooms than flats.

In a panic, Allie’s eyes swept back to the clubhouse and snagged on the windows of the first floor.

“It’s not exactly luxury. If you intend to stay longer, I’m sure you’ll want to look for something else. But Richard said you weren’t sure of your plans yet?”

“No.” This was the part where she should probably give some hint about why she’d taken a waitressing job in rural Devon. “I just felt like a change of scenery, and I heard Devon was nice.”

Kevin’s eyes sparkled. “Not on the run or anything, are you?”

“No.” She smiled. “Nothing like that.”

“I’m only messing. It was a bit out of the blue, though, and Richard was a little vague. He’s friends with your dad, is that right?”

“Yes.” She pressed her lips together. “They go way back.” Once again, her eyes drifted to her childhood home above the clubhouse. “I thought the accommodation was directly in the clubhouse.”

“No.” He pulled a keyring from his pocket and twirled the single key around his finger. “Sorry, but you’re going to have to cope with a thirty-second commute to work.”

Allie felt heat hit her cheeks. Not that it really mattered if Kevin thought she was a princess, since that was apparently the impression they were aiming for. “I’m just surprised, that’s all.”

Kevin’s gaze went to the clubhouse. “There’s a flat on the first floor, but that’s Richard’s space. He stays there when he visits.”

“Oh. I see.” Except she wasn’t sure she did see. Had her dad kept the place homely? She’d assumed he’d cleared out the flat. She’d also assumed he stayed in a hotel when he visited. It irked her now that she’d never asked him about his visits. She’d even gone a step further and shot down his attempts to talk about it.

“This place isn’t too bad.” Kevin unlocked the door in front of him and pushed at it to reveal a space slightly bigger than Allie had expected.

There was a double bed and a desk, wardrobe and chest of drawers. In the back corner was a tiny kitchenette with sink and stovetop and cupboards above and below. “There’s an en suite, of course.” Kevin pointed to the door on the left. “I think you’ll find it has everything you need. There’s a kettle and a coffee machine. If there’s anything else you need, just let me know.”

“Thank you.” She pointed to the other door in the building. “Is someone staying there?”

“Not at the moment. The accommodation is only really used in the height of the summer when we need a couple of extra staff for the restaurant. Offering accommodation usually sweetens the deal. Especially as it’s usually hard to find the extra staff locally.”

“That makes sense.”

“I’ll leave you to unpack.” Kevin took a couple of steps away but kept his gaze on her. “I’ve put you in for your first restaurant shift on Saturday evening. If you come over tomorrow morning, I’ll give you a tour and show you the ropes.”

“How many shifts will I be working per week?” she asked, hoping her dad had clarified that she’d only be working part time. The last thing she wanted was to work five shifts a week in the restaurant, even if it was only for a couple of weeks.

“I’d already made up the schedule when Richard talked to me about you needing a job, so for the next few weeks I’ll just be slotting you in as an extra. It might only be three shifts a week. Is that a problem?”

“No. That’s what I was expecting.”

“Perfect.” He continued on his way. “Give me a shout if you need anything.”

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