Page 25 of Best Summer Ever

‘Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll certainly keep it in mind,’ I told Sam. ‘What’s left for me to do tonight?’

‘Nothing,’ he said, looking around. ‘We’ve kept on top of it all and I’m happy to finish up. Tess won’t be too much longer, so you can get off if you like. You did really well tonight, Daisy. I hope you enjoyed it.’

‘Thank you.’ I blushed. It was a long time since anyone had said something kind about my efforts in the workplace. ‘I did.’

‘So, you’ll be back tomorrow then?’

‘I will.’

‘It’ll be much busier,’ he told me.

‘Turns out, I like busy,’ I was surprised to hear myself say.

‘Good,’ he laughed, ‘because Saturday you’ll be rushed off your feet.’

‘In that case, I’ll probably wear the trainers I used to exercise in then,’ I laughed back, as I wriggled my toes. ‘See you tomorrow.’

‘Night.’

‘I’ll walk you back to your car if you like,’ Josh offered, once we were outside.

‘Thanks,’ I smiled, ‘I’d appreciate that.’

The air felt chilly after the warmth of the pub and I could hear the tide was in by how close the lapping waves sounded to the end of the lane.

‘You don’t really have to walk with me,’ I said when we’d taken a couple of steps and I remembered how close my car was.

The cottage was literally right next to the pub so we were already outside the gate and the car park was just a few yards beyond that.

‘I’d like to,’ Josh said, looking down at me. ‘Unless you’d prefer to come in for a while. For a nightcap, perhaps?’

I could see he’d left a lamp on in the sitting room and the interior of the tiny cottage looked warm, cosy and inviting. The front garden was full of colourful hollyhocks, straight and tall enough to rival those at Wynbrook, and there were poppies too.

‘Thank you, but no,’ I said rather regretfully. ‘I really should get back.’

‘Of course,’ said Josh, distractedly running a hand through his hair. ‘I probably shouldn’t have asked. You hardly know me, so—’

‘Please don’t apologise again,’ I cut in.

He grinned at that and I suddenly felt aware that even though we’d only met a couple of times before, and for the briefest of moments on both occasions, it actually felt like I knew him far better than the time we’d spent in each other’s company warranted.

‘I wasn’t asking you in for any nefarious reason,’ he then said.

‘Well, that’s disappointing,’ I teased, giving him a nudge. ‘I’m even more pleased that I said no, now.’

‘I just thought it would be nice to get to know you a little better,’ he said, sounding heart-meltingly sincere.

I was delighted that he wanted to and wondered if he already felt as relaxed in my company as I felt in his. Not that being around him wasn’t a turn-on. There was a definite spark burning in tandem with the familiarity.

‘On any other day I would have accepted your invitation,’ I truthfully told him. ‘Nefarious or otherwise, but with this being the night of my first shift in the pub, I have a feeling my parents will be waiting up to find out how I’ve got on and it’s way past their bedtime.’

It was the sight of the hollyhocks in the Crow’s Nest front garden that had put thoughts of Mum and Dad back in my head.

‘You live with them?’ Josh asked.

‘I do at the moment,’ I explained. ‘I recently moved back. Just on Monday actually. The day I nearly ran you over. I’m most likely going to be here just for the summer though.’

‘Just like me.’

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