Page 17 of The Big Dip in Crumbleton
‘Who’re they?’ said Scarlett.
‘Surf club committee,’ said Pete. ‘Right, I guess we’d better get the show on the road.’
Scarlett watched in surprise as Pete headed over to greet the decidedly salt-crusted new arrivals. Two seconds later, the guy with long dreadlocks and a plaited beard shoved two fingers into his mouth and let rip a piercing whistle, calling everyone to order in a split second.
‘Thanks, man!’ chuckled Pete, clambering onto a chair.
‘Looks like there’s more to your man than meets the eye!’ Lou whispered in her ear as she reappeared at Scarlett’s side.
Scarlett gave her a sharp nudge in the ribs in response, making Lou chuckle as she leaned her behind against the counter.
The surf club committee might look like a bunch of salty, sandy hippies, but it quickly became clear that they knew their stuff. After a bit of banter, Pete and the dreadlocked guy—whose name was Mick?—
settled into their safety briefing.
The mood in the café shifted from light-hearted to attentive as they outlined the swim route, the potential hazards, and the emergency procedures. Everyone listened intently, the earlier laughter replaced with serious nods and occasional questions.
Scarlett did her best to take it all in. If she was being honest, though, she was having a hard time concentrating. She kept getting distracted by the serious expression on Pete’s face, the way his strong hands moved as he talked, and the way the sunshine streaming through the café window was kissing a path along the sharp lines of his jaw.
She wouldn’t mind kissing that path too…
Scarlett shook her head, doing her best to dislodge the thought that had just made her knees turn to jelly.
‘You okay?’ said Lou, looking at her in concern.
‘Did he just sayjellyfish?’ Scarlett quickly invented.
‘Yeah,’ Lou whispered back, ‘but it’s not likely. Don’t you wuss out on me now!’
‘Wouldn’t dream of it,’ Scarlett lied quickly, turning her attention back to Pete.
Jellyfish? What else had she missed while she’d been ogling the guy?!
‘We just want to make sure that everyone stays safe and has a lovely day,’ said Pete. ‘Remember, stick between the flags, and if you get into difficulty or spot someone who needs help, raise your arm like this—’ he demonstrated ‘—and we’ll be right with you.’
There was a ripple of applause from the crowd when he finished. Scarlett found herself joining in.
‘Oh – one more thing,’ yelled Mick. ‘Don’t forget to bring your costumes for tomorrow!’
‘Wait… costumes?’ said Scarlett, turning to Lou as excited chatter broke out around them.
‘Yeah,’ said Lou. ‘For the fancy dress dip.’
‘You didn’t tell me about that!’ Scarlett squeaked. ‘I didn’t bring a costume…’
‘I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to chicken out on me,’ said Lou. ‘Don’t worry, we always bring spares. Though, they might be a bit... eccentric.’
‘Define “eccentric”,’ said Scarlett.
Lou’s grin was worryingly mischievous. ‘Let’s just say last year, I went as a jellyfish, complete with trailing tentacles that got so waterlogged I nearly drowned. Apparently, the year before that, Joan went as a ship, with a cardboard hull that disintegrated about thirty seconds after she hit the water. It’s meant to be fun, not practical.’
‘That’s very… comforting!’ said Scarlett with a sigh. Still, she’d worry about that later. First things first—it was nearly time to brave the waves.
As people began to filter out of the café, heading down to the beach to prepare for the swim, Scarlett found herself oddly reluctant to leave the safety of the café. She’d enjoyed her unexpected morning of coffee-making.
‘You ready?’ said Lou, gathering her bag and turning to make her way to the door.
‘I’ll join you guys in a minute,’ said Scarlett. ‘I should help Libby clean up a bit first.’
