Jennifer Joyce - The Little Bed & Breakfast by the Sea

Ah! Willow recognised the name now. She and Malcolm had been communicating about one of the old, disused rowing boats she’d rescued from the harbour, upcycling her treasure into a bed that hung from the ceiling, creating a gentle rocking motion for the sleeper. Malcolm had spotted the bed on her website and was keen to buy it.

‘I’ve got a van,’ Malcolm said now. ‘I’m about ten minutes away from Clifton-on-Sea.’

‘You’re on your way?’ Willow knew from their exchanges over the past couple of weeks that Malcolm lived in Huddersfield, which was around seventy miles away. This was not a quick trip and he’d be disappointed – to say the least – if he arrived to find an empty shop.

‘Yep. Won’t be long. You still have the bed?’

The bed was currently taking up a huge chunk of her workroom at the back of the shop, and the prospect of finally having that space back almost made her lightheaded with relief. The bed was quite a niche piece, and she’d been worried she wouldn’t find a new owner for it. On the other hand, she was in the middle of a crisis here and – it had just occurred to her – she could use the rowing boat bed if she failed to come up with another solution.

But no. Malcolm had been so excited about the bed, which he’d told Willow he wanted for his son as part of a sea-themed bedroom makeover. She couldn’t deny it him – especially when he’d travelled so far to pick it up.

‘I do have it,’ Willow confirmed. ‘But I’m not at the shop right now. I can be there in…’ She calculated the distance between the Fisherman and her shop. ‘Twenty minutes?’

‘Great. I don’t mind hanging around for a few minutes. It might take me that long to find your shop. Where exactly is it? I’ve just got off the motorway and pulled over. I can see a sign for the train station.’

‘Head that way.’ Willow stood up and headed for the pub’s door. ‘My shop is just around the corner from the station. It’s your first left. Thorpe Lane.’ She reached the door and pushed her way through it, saying goodbye to Malcolm as she reached her van and hopped inside. A text message beeped through to her phone as she dragged her seatbelt across her chest.

Sorry, only just got your message about the house! Can’t talk now – will phone in about an hour.

Slotting the key in the ignition, she left it to dangle for a moment while she tapped out a reply. Slipping her phone into the pocket of her dungarees, she started the van and pulled away from the Fisherman, heading back towards the station, her shop and the rowing-boat bed. Behind her, just as she turned away from the harbour, the doors of the pub flew open, a pair of red, peep-toe slingbacks clattering onto the pavement.

Chapter Six

Mae

She threw herself out of the pub, eyes darting left and right as they hunted the dungaree-clad woman, a hand held against her forehead to shield her eyes from the bright midday sun. She was greeted by the familiar line of wooden benches opposite the Fisherman, their backs against the seagull-lined harbour wall, but the only people around were a young couple wandering hand-in-hand, a bag of chips held between them, a mother holding her toddler son up to the harbour wall, pointing out the boats bobbing up and down on the water beyond, and the owner of the B&B a couple of doors down watering her hanging baskets. The woman had vanished.

‘Everything okay?’ Alfie asked as, shoulders slumped in defeat, Mae made her way back into the pub. She held in a sigh and headed back towards the bar, where Alfie followed.

‘Yes. It’s just…’ She shook her head. ‘I was looking for someone. She needs a room and I’ve just had a cancellation. It would have helped us both out.’

Mae could have kicked herself. Those rooms being empty for two weeks was a massive blow for her business. She relied on the money the bed and breakfast took in over the summer as it made up the bulk of her earnings for the entire year. During off-peak times, she rented out her rooms to students from nearby colleges and universities, but that didn’t bring in anywhere near the revenue the summer holidays did, so every booking was crucial. She needed to fill those rooms as quickly as possible, otherwise she’d be in trouble further down the line.

‘Do you mean Willow?’ Alfie asked. Mae’s brow crinkled. She didn’t actually know the woman’s name. ‘The woman in the dungarees?’ Alfie turned to look at the now-empty seat at the table with the abandoned glass of lemonade.

‘Yes!’ Mae reached forward, grasping hold of Alfie’s forearm. ‘Do you know her?’ Her grip relaxed as Alfie shook his head, her shoulders slumping once again.

‘But I know where she was heading, if it helps?’

Mae’s fingers curled around Alfie’s forearms again. ‘It does. It really, really does.’

Alfie dropped his gaze down to his arm and Mae snatched her fingers away. There was enough gossip about her and the vet around here without her fanning the flames.

‘She was meeting someone at her shop. It’s on Thorpe Lane, near the station. I didn’t catch which shop it was, but it’s a start.’

‘Thank you!’ Mae would have happily leapt across the bar and planted a kiss on Alfie’s cheek in return for his help, but that really would have set tongues wagging in overdrive. Instead she gave his arm another quick squeeze. ‘I owe you a pint!’

‘Only if you’ll join me,’ Alfie said, flashing the grin most women found irresistible. ‘How about tonight? After work? I could pick you up, or meet you back here?’

Mae was shaking her head before Alfie could finish his request. ‘I’m sorry. I’m so busy right now, especially now it’s the summer. I’ve got the B&B, Hannah…’ Mae trailed off as Alfie nodded and started to back away. He’d heard it all before, many times. ‘I still owe you that pint, though. I’ll get it for you now.’

‘It’s okay. Another time.’ Alfie grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair. ‘I should be getting back, make sure Anna hasn’t wrecked the joint in my absence. I hope you find Willow.’

Mae pushed her mouth into a brief smile as she lifted a hand. ‘Thanks again. And sorry about… Well, you know.’

‘No worries.’ With a wave of his own, Alfie ducked out of the pub and, although Mae was relieved she’d sidestepped the messy date request, she couldn’t help the feeling of dread worming its way into her stomach. Alfie was a good bloke and for most women he’d be perfect with his unquestionable good looks and caring profession, but dating him was out of the question for Mae. Dating anyone was out of the question for Mae. She hadn’t been lying when she’d told Alfie she was incredibly busy – between the B&B, her bar work and Hannah, she simply didn’t have any time left over for romance.

Or so she told herself on a regular basis. She was almost starting to believe it.

‘Did you manage to catch up with her?’ Corinne asked, nodding at Willow’s vacated table.

‘No, but I know where she’s gone.’ Mae looked up at the clock hanging on one of the pub’s low beams. ‘Hopefully she’ll still be there when my shift’s over.’

Corinne grabbed a pint glass and started to fill it with bitter from the pump. ‘What did you need her for?’

Mae explained about Willow’s situation and her own sudden vacancy.

‘You’d better get off now then.’ Corinne placed the filled glass on the bar and accepted the money from her customer, thanking him before turning back to Mae. ‘Hurry, before you miss her. You don’t know how long she’ll be hanging around this shop for. If she leaves, you might not find her again and then you’ll both be screwed.’

‘I can’t leave now.’ Mae looked at the clock again. She still had a couple of hours left of her shift.