Page 79 of Meet me at the Seaside Cottages

‘Being ethical means not laundering money, it doesn’t mean “don’t restore a holiday cottage”.’

‘But people around here need homes.’

‘We’re not in the business of building homes. That’s the council’s business. They won’t do it.’ He shrugged. ‘Your cowboy friend worked damned hard for that money.’

‘He did.’

‘So, what, he should just hand the houses over to people who can’t be bothered working at all?’

‘You’re such a Tory.’

‘I’m not!’ says Connor, looking uncharacteristically worked up. ‘I’m literally standing here defending increased public housing provision and opportunities for the working classes!’

‘Ooh, trouble in paradise,’ says Tris, glancing up. ‘What are you two bickering about?’

‘Nothing,’ says Essie sullenly, just as Connor says,

‘The global economic system.’

Tris raises his eyebrows.‘How very undergraduate of you,’ he says.

‘Oh, shut up, Tris,’ says Essie crossly, without even thinking about it.

Tris gives her a look. ‘Time of the month?’ he says pleasantly.

It’s the kind of banter he resorts to often – out of working hours, obviously; he doesn’t want to lose his job. It’s silly,naughty, over-the-line, knowingly ironic stuff.

And today, Essie is done with it.

‘Seriously, just shut the fuck up,’ she said.

‘Are you okay?’ Connor says quietly.‘You’ve been on edge—’

‘No!’ says Essie. ‘Your patronising mate is being . . . ’

‘Being what?’

‘Nothing.’

‘No, really, we’d all like to know,’ says Tris. ‘After your little display earlier today.’

Essie is flaming red suddenly and doesn’t know how she got here.She stands up.

‘I’m going home,’ she says quietly and urgently to Connor, who is looking just as pink as she is and equally irritated and has already had to follow her out of one stramash today.

‘Um,’ he says, ‘aren’t we going for dinner?’

‘I’m not hungry.’

‘You’ll let the boy have his dinner, though,’ says Tris.

There’s a long silence.

‘Can I . . . can I catch up with you after dinner?’says Connor, finally.

Essie glances at Tris. He is enjoying all of this.

‘Sure,’ says Essie eventually. ‘Not a problem.’

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