Page 27 of The Seaside Cocktail Campervan

Daisy merely gave her a look, as if to say it was worth it for that morsel of scrumptious sausage roll.

Lucy was still crouching when she felt a rhythmic thud vibrating through the sands close by. Someone must be running. As she stood up, she found herself facing a very sweaty but not-unattractive-looking man. A man she knew. Jack.

‘Hey, I thought it was you,’ he said breathlessly, pausing beside her and jogging on the spot for a few seconds.

‘Oh, hi.’ Lucy’s lips lifted into a smile.

‘So how are things? Did you have a good night Friday?’

‘Yeah … yes, all fine,’ she stuttered vaguely. Was he referring to the Merry-Go-Round or the pizza van takings?

‘Well, it’s good to see you here. Out for a walk with the peeing Devil Dog, I see.’

Daisy looked up at him haughtily, with a slight curl to her lip, which made Lucy’s smile broaden. Never diss a Dachshund. ‘Hey you, don’t be cheeky. She’s not usually a nuisance. And yes, well, I live nearby, I have a cottage in the village, so it’s our usual walking spot.’

‘Ah, right. I fancied a change of scene for my jog today. The sands are always a good workout.’

‘O-kay.’ She took in the running shorts and sweat-marked vest. He evidently had put some effort into his run. And, she had to admit, zooming in for a sneaky peek, his physique did look pretty fit in the sports gear. With bare legs and arms showing, and clingy Lycra over the rest, it revealed a lot more than his smart-casual workwear did.

‘Look, do you fancy a cold drink or a coffee or something?’ Jack mooted. ‘I mean, I won’t stay like this, but I can quickly freshen up at the van …’

Lucy felt frozen for a moment. Part of her wanted to bolt back to the cottage, and part of her wanted to jump at the invitation. What was with her?

‘Well, er, Daisy and I were about to head back to the cottage, weren’t we, Diva Dog?’

Daisy looked up at her with a bemused expression, as if to say, ‘That isn’t the plan and you know it!’

‘But, well, I suppose we could stick around for a little bit. It’s such a gorgeous day, after all …’

‘Maybe I could fix us up a drink in Ruby – the camper’s always well stocked – and we could take it and sit in the dunes?’

Should she agree to a drink? It was just by chance they’d met up, and it did sound a nice idea. They’d have to rattle along at future events, for sure, so better to keep things friendly. She was also a little dehydrated from last night’s pub antics. Where was the harm?

‘Okay then.’

‘If you fancy, I could even fix you up a cocktail? It’s nearly lunchtime and I take it you’ll not be driving anywhere, if you live nearby.’

‘Urgh …’ The acidic dregs of last night’s drinking session were still lying in her stomach, not to mention her just-cleared head. ‘Maybe not alcohol,’ she confessed. ‘Bit of a heavy night last night … with my girlfriends.’

‘Hah, I see. Well, I do some great mocktails and juices, so no worries. Right, well, I’ll just freshen up a bit first.’

And with that he whipped off his top, then his running shoes, left them in a little pile by her feet, and dashed down the sands in just his shorts. Oh! … Lucy had to admit it was a very pleasant sight indeed, as she watched him dash into the shallows and then take a neat dive over the first big wave, out to the open sea. Well … that was one way to freshen up.

She wasn’t quite sure whether to watch and wait for him, or to wander slowly up the sands, back to the lane where she knew the campervan was parked up. But Jack wouldn’t realise that she knew Ruby’s whereabouts. So, she sat with Daisy at the base of the dunes, not far from Jack’s little heap of clothing, and watched the world go by – as well as taking several glances in his direction – until Jack came sauntering back out, shaking off his wet hair on the way. Just watching him stirred something very basic in her, a need … a desire … that she hadn’t felt for quite some time.

Bloody hell! Well, that was disconcerting and rather inconvenient.

Jack jogged back up the beach, the sun already drying his salty skin. He spotted Lucy, sat at the base of the dunes. She looked tanned and pretty in casual cropped jeans and a yellow spotty T-shirt, her dark hair loose at the back but swept behind a yellow-and-white scarf thing that looked kind of cute in a sixties sort of way. Her smile was gentle as he approached, warming him.

He gathered up his T-shirt. No point putting that sweaty thing back on. ‘Okay? Ready for a cooling drink in the dunes?’

‘Ah … yeah.’ She sounded slightly hesitant. ‘Of course.’

‘Great, I’m parched.’ That run had really dehydrated him. A large glass of water and then an icy cool beer were totally in order.

They walked together, with short-legged Daisy strutting in between them.

‘Nice place to live. It’s a great little village,’ commented Jack on their way back up the lane.