Page 48 of Best Summer Ever

‘In that case,’ said Josh, also standing, ‘let’s both get up there before they disappear.’

The last order was by far the largest and Josh and I had just finished transferring it to the café when Penny arrived.

‘I didn’t hang around once the bell had gone,’ she said, giving me a hug. ‘I couldn’t wait to get out of there.’

‘I don’t blame you,’ I said, squeezing her tightly in response.

‘Oh,’ she said, letting me go as Josh appeared around the side of the building carrying a pile of flattened cardboard boxes, ‘you’ve had help, I see.’

‘I hope that’s okay?’ I asked.

‘Of course.’ She smiled.

‘In that case,’ I said, feeling my face start to colour, ‘Penny, this is Josh. Josh, this is my very best friend, Penny.’

‘Don’t let Nick hear you say that,’ Penny laughed and when I looked at her, I could see she was flushed too. ‘I’ve seen you around of course, Josh.’

‘Likewise,’ he said, smiling, and she turned even redder. ‘It’s great to meet you at last. Daisy talks about you all the time.’

‘Don’t believe a word of it,’ she said, not really recovering. ‘Now come on. Dump that lot in the recycling bin and then you can show me what’s turned up.’

I had planned to head back to Wynbrook and surprise Algy by setting up the cat camera, but as Penny finished her stock check and Josh paddled in the incoming tide, he called me.

‘The delivery truck’s broken down and the parcel with the camera isn’t coming until tomorrow now,’ he said, sounding a bit fed up. ‘I know you’d said you wouldn’t be able to set it up straightaway, but I thought I’d let you know it hadn’t landed.’

‘What a nuisance,’ I tutted. ‘I’m in Wynmouth at the moment, but was just about to come back and do it for you.’

‘Just as well I caught you then,’ he said. ‘How about I messageyou when it arrives tomorrow and you can do it then, if it fits in with your plans?’

‘Sounds good to me,’ I agreed.

‘You’re sure?’

‘One hundred per cent.’

He signed off sounding marginally happier, though obviously still keen to know as soon as possible if it was the cat that was eating the food he was putting out.

‘What’s up?’ Josh asked, as he walked back up the strip of sand the tide hadn’t yet claimed.

‘Nothing,’ I told him. ‘Just a change of plan. I’ve got a free evening now.’

‘Oh, have you?’ he asked, with relish.

‘I have.’ I knew my smile was Cheshire Cat-size, but I couldn’t help it. ‘I don’t have anywhere to be between now and to- morrow.’

‘Do you not?’ Penny gasped, coming out of the café with a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other. She really did have impeccable timing. ‘How fab is that?’

‘Well, I think it’s very fab.’ I smiled at Josh. ‘Why do you though, Pen?’

‘Because you can both come to the pub, of course,’ she explained happily. ‘I was planning to have an end of term celebration and having you there, Daisy, will make it perfect. It’s been too long since we got merry together. And Nick will be there too, of course, because it’s board-game night, so you won’t be outnumbered, Josh.’

We couldn’t turn her down, even though I was keen to have an early night with Josh. Another adult sleepover was going to give him the chance to work towards an extra star for hisreview. That would make it six, but the more the merrier as far as I was concerned.

‘Sounds perfect.’ I smiled. ‘I’d love to come. What about you, Josh?’

‘Wild horses wouldn’t keep me away,’ he said, grinning.

‘And you can stay over at mine if you like,’ Penny offered, with a straight face. ‘Oh, well, no…’ she then fumbled. ‘I mean, you’ll probably want to stay with… or you might head back to Wynbrook…’

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