Page 60 of Summer at Harbour View House
‘You know, or you wouldn’t be calling. He would.’
‘You mean … Mr. Willard?’
‘He threw my Elizabeth in the Thames. That can never be undone.’
‘Perhaps if I asked him to call you—’
The line went dead.
23
A Blunt Refusal and Bonding Over Chips
‘Natasha, hi.’
For once, Ben was wearing a t-shirt as he sat on a rock outside the lifeguard’s hut, watching a handful of children running back and forth along the shoreline. After two days of terrible weather, the sea was choppy and dangerous, so he had put red flags up along the beach to forbid bathing. Natasha took a deep breath as she approached, even though his warm smile made her feel welcome.
‘Hi, Ben. I have something to ask. I’m afraid it’s a little late notice.’
‘Sure. Anything.’
‘Well, you know that Hannah and Davey went off to Barbados on honeymoon….’
‘Yes, sounds fun.’
‘Well, she left me her notes to follow up on.’
‘Oh? How’s it going?’
‘Well, we’re still a couple of musicians short. And there was a note on there at the bottom that suggested you might be able to play drums….’
Ben smiled. ‘Me?’
‘Yes, you. Is it true? Can you play?’
He shrugged. ‘Well, I used to, but that was back in school. I was in a local rock band for a few years.’
‘Really? Do you think you could?’
Ben climbed down from the rock and ambled over, checking over his shoulder for anyone going too close to the sea.
‘I mean, I’m not that good, and my shoulder might not appreciate it after the accident—’
‘Please? I’ve called round every session drummer in Cornwall and they’re all either booked or prohibitively expensive.’ She shook her head. ‘Well, apart from this one guy, but he said he’d rather stuff his drumsticks in his ears than ever play a song by Cowslip. Please…?’
For once, Ben looked a little uncertain. ‘Okay, I suppose I could try. Dad has my old kit up at his place, in one of the sheds somewhere. When’s the first rehearsal?’
Natasha grinned. ‘Tomorrow.’
Ben ran a hand through his hair. ‘Right. Well, okay.’ He smiled. ‘I’ll do it on one condition.’
‘What’s that?’
‘You let me buy you dinner.’
Natasha gave a little yelp of surprise. ‘Oh. Sorry about that. Really?’
Ben shrugged. ‘I mean, our only local option with seats is the pub, so we’re probably not likely to get much peace and quiet, so what about fish’n’chips on the breakwater? I know it’s hardly upmarket, but the harbour takes on a special kind of charm around sunset.’
