Page 72 of Best Summer Ever

‘Oh, Nick,’ she sobbed, and began to properly cry.

In her hands was a blue hardback book. She pulled in a ragged breath and composed herself a little before opening it.

‘This is it,’ she sobbed again. ‘This is the one.’

Josh looked questioningly at me, but I had no idea what the significance of the book was or even what it was about.

‘And there was this too,’ Nick said, sounding as choked as Penny as he pulled another book out of the basket, unwrapped this time.

All of the colour drained from Penny’s face as she took it and I honestly thought she might pass out.

‘It can’t be,’ she murmured, putting the hardback down on a table and turning her attention to its dog-eared companion. I could see that one was so packed full of loose bits of paper it could barely be closed. ‘How is this even possible?’

She looked at Nick and Nick looked at her and then suddenly she stepped forward and kissed him on the lips. She kissed him hard and long, to be precise, and Nick willingly reciprocated and I felt so happy I thought my heart was going to burst right out of my chest. Who knew a couple of tatty-looking books could have such an emotional impact?

Josh started to quietly edge towards the door and I grabbed the blankets and silently followed him. We slipped out of the café and didn’t speak until we were down on the sand, for fear of the pair hearing us and ending the kiss I had so longed for them to share.

‘What,’ whispered Josh, even though we were easily far enough away for them not to catch our conversation, ‘was that all about?’

‘I have absolutely no idea,’ I smiled up at him and only then realised that my eyes were full of tears, ‘but that kiss has been years in the making. I had honestly begun to think it was never going to happen.’

‘Well, I could see they were made for each other the first time I met them,’ Josh grinned, ‘but I didn’t think it was my place to mention it.’

‘I used to feel that way too,’ I confessed, ‘but I have to admit, it had been my intention to speak up and somehow try to get them together this summer.’

‘But those two books seem to have done the work for you.’ Josh smiled.

‘Apparently so.’ I smiled back.

‘And they’re really nothing to do with you?’

‘No,’ I said, shaking my head, ‘they’re not. They’re all Nick and they obviously mean something very special to Penny given her reaction to receiving them.’

We giggled about that.

‘So,’ said Josh, ‘do you fancy a swim?’

‘I do,’ I told him. ‘But I need to get changed somewhere first and have something to eat. I haven’t had a proper bite since breakfast.’

‘Nick has got most of the food in the basket,’ Josh groaned. ‘You do suppose they’ll come out at some point, don’t you?’

‘Well, let’s put it this way,’ I said as my tummy rumbled loudly, ‘if they don’t, then I’ll be going back in.’

We didn’t have to wait many minutes for our friends to appear and in the meantime, I managed to wriggle into my swimming costume hidden under one of the blankets. I couldn’t stop grinning as I watched Penny and Nick walk over to where Josh and I were sitting. They were holding hands and looking happier than I’d ever seen them.

‘I don’t know what to ask first,’ I laughed, looking at the pair of them.

‘I think you should start with the significance of the books,’ suggested Josh. ‘Given your reaction, I’m guessing they’re something rather special, Penny.’

‘They certainly are,’ she beamed. ‘And that’s why I’ve left them in the café for now. Absolutely no sand allowed, even though I’m desperate to look through them.’

‘So, tell us then,’ I said, patting a space next to me on the blanket, ‘what are they?’

While we gorged ourselves on the delicious picnic Nick had prepared, Penny explained why she’d been so overwhelmed by what she’d just been given.

‘I’ve been trying to find that particular copy ofMrs Beeton’s Family Cookeryfor a couple of years,’ she explained. ‘It belonged to my great-grandmother and has a very special dedication in the front. I’ve been searching high and low for it since it was lost during a house clearance organised by my mum. Unfortunately, the book wasn’t missed for a while, and in that time, it disappeared without trace.’

‘And Penny told you about this?’ I asked Nick.

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