Page 38 of A Second Chance in Seabury
David nodded slowly, then put his foot on the brake and slowed the truck to a crawl.
‘What’s up?’ said Hannah in surprise.
‘How desperate are you to get home?’ he said.
‘Desperate?’
‘You know… are you busy?’
Hannah paused for a split second, then shook her head. ‘Nope. Not desperate at all. I’m in no hurry to get back to cleaning!’
‘So… I might be able to tempt you with a little detour?’ he said.
‘Sure!’ said Hannah. ‘Where to?’
‘I’m going to take you beachcombing,’ said David. ‘If you’re up for it, I mean?’
‘Really?’ Hannah let out an excited squeal before clapping her hand over her mouth. It was exactly the kind of reaction thatwould have brought a sneer to Gareth’s face. Her joy in the little things had always irritated him. So much so that she’d learned to keep her reactions to herself over the years.
Sod that. Not any more!
Hannah gave a little wriggle of excitement. ‘You’re seriously going to share your secrets with me?’
David laughed as he hit the indicator before pulling onto a narrow track that led sharply downhill towards the sea.
‘Not sure they’re my secrets to share,’ he chuckled. ‘But sure. I’ve not been to Honeypot Cove in a while, so there should be some good things to find!’
‘Honeypot Cove?’ chuckled Hannah. ‘Is that your spiritual home?!’
David’s shoulders shook as he laughed.
‘Sorry,’ muttered Hannah. ‘That was?—’
‘Brilliant,’ said David firmly. ‘Only my close friends and family make bee puns every five seconds. Which means we’re finally past being just neighbours.’
CHAPTER 16
‘Wow, I’d have never guessed this was here!’ Hannah gasped as David turned the truck off the narrow lane onto an even narrower path. In fact, it was little more than a goat track.
As they bumped along, low-hanging branches scraped the roof of the truck, and the path slowly became steadily more sandy beneath the tyres.
‘It’s a well-kept secret, this place!’ said David. ‘Probably easier to get to on a bike, if I’m honest… and on that note, I think we’d better walk from here.’
He pulled the truck into a tight layby at one side of the path and killed the engine. Hannah hopped out, instantly wishing she’d done so with a bit less enthusiasm as her thighs twinged in protest. She had a feeling that she was going to regret all the extra exercise in the morning!
‘Ready?’ said David, coming to join her.
Hannah grinned and nodded in excitement.
David led the way between two old stone gateposts. The track was flanked with dried reeds, which rose high above their heads on either side.
Hannah pushed her hair back off her face. She was suddenly surprisingly warm. The reeds created an effective wind block, and the narrow path was remarkably warm and airless.
‘Watch out here!’ said David, edging around a clump of trailing thorns.
Hannah nodded and picked her way around them… which was easier said than done with the white sand crumbling beneath every footstep. She’d just begun to regret her rash decision to agree to this adventure when the path suddenly opened out onto an expanse of white sand.
They’d reached the beach.
