Page 43 of The Seaside Cocktail Campervan

Remembering last night, he felt a churn of disappointment about Lucy’s renewed frostiness. He’d hoped they’d have had a chance to chat, maybe mention the great afternoon they’d had at the beach last weekend. He supposed it didn’t help that she’d had her brother in tow. Maybe he was overthinking it all.

Today was a new day. It was time to shake himself out of this daft Lucy-shaped reverie. Yep, he needed to check and update his Facebook and website this morning. He’d taken some great photos of his cocktails, plus some shots of the campervan in the driveway with the party in full swing last night. Nikki had said she was happy for him to use them. It would freshen up the pages and give potential customers a taste of what was on offer.

He got up. As he stood there in his boxers and stretched, he caught sight of a blue, wispy-clouded sky. It looked to be a nice day, so why not get out and on the bike too? Maybe go for a cycle ride down the coast and cut back into the hills – a forty miler. Get a welcome blast of fresh air and exercise. Perhaps Matt might fancy tagging along? His housemate pal had mentioned having a rare day off from the veterinary surgery, with girlfriend Jess having something on with a friend. It would be good to have some company. Hmm, perhaps they might stop for a chilled draft pint in a beer garden somewhere en route. The idea was forming nicely.

Sat outside of The Horseshoe Inn, in the quaint village of Kirkholme in the foothills of the Cheviot hills, Jack’s first sip of his refreshingly-cold pint of ale lived up to expectations. Twenty miles into their bike ride, the scenery was glorious with rolling hills and rugged moorland all around. The lanes were quieter out here, being away from the tourist traffic of the coast, though the cycling duo had plenty of challenging ascents. Jack’s muscles were aching but in a good way. He loved the outdoors life, and the feeling of pushing himself, whether it was with exercise or his business. He was never one to rest on his laurels.

‘So, how’s it all been going lately? Still winning at life with the Cocktail Campervan?’ Matt asked, stretching his long legs out at a pub picnic bench.

Though they lived together, it was rare for the two lads to sit and chat in any great depth. It was more casual banter, over a pizza or burger and a bottle of lager at the end of one of Matt’s long shifts, or watching the occasional footie match on the TV, or perhaps a Call of Duty session on the X-box. That, of course, was when Jess wasn’t about – which seemed to be increasingly rare. She was starting to become a permanent fixture. It was only a matter of time before she’d be moving in, Jack figured, and then he’d have to be on the lookout for alternative accommodation. He was pragmatic about it, as it was Matt’s house after all. Such was the way of life. But he’d had a few good years staying there, since finishing his travels, and coming back Alnwick way. It had suited him. He really hadn’t wanted to go back to living at his parents’. There were just too many memories there, ready to slam into him at every opportunity.

‘Jack? The campervan?’ Matt repeated.

‘Ah, yeah, it’s going good thanks,’ he said, shaking off the reverie. ‘I’m having a successful year so far, which is great. The bookings still keep rolling in.’

In fact, he had just been given the nod that morning about a new music festival coming to the area, which – with any luck – would provide an exciting new opportunity. A mate who he’d done some bar work with a while back was also in an up-and-coming band and he’d called to let him know there were a few catering pitches left for the inaugural Holy Island Music Fest. You did have to put down a decent deposit for your pitch, but it sounded like you could do really well with there being a captive audience, and you got to listen to some great music too. Jack told Matt about this new opportunity, buoying himself up as he spoke about it. He resolved to call the organisers as soon as they got back – and yes, he could call Lucy too, why not? Give her a chance to get a pitch. It’d be good to speak with her.

‘Sounds like it’s going brilliantly, mate.’

‘Yeah, and I still enjoy it too.’ Jack had found it had become more enjoyable lately, wondering if a certain horsebox and driver might pull up at the same events this summer. Well, until last night, that was, when it had all got a bit confusing.

‘Great. That’s cool. I always loved the idea of it, and Ruby is a proper beaut.’

‘She is that,’ Jack answered proudly. Ruby was indeed his pride and joy. ‘So, what about you? How’s life as a vet?’

‘Well, not as glamorous as yours, I bet. I spend half my life sticking a thermometer up animals’ arses, getting scratched by feral cats whose owners swear they are little sweethearts, and getting stomped on by cows in a strop. But weirdly, I love it.’

‘Well, I always knew you were a bit odd. But really, I’m pleased for you, mate. You were always meant to be a vet. It was your calling.’

‘Yeah, something like that.’

Matt was modest, but Jack had known him from school, known all the years he’d spent studying, working so hard to achieve his goal. It was more than a career; it was a way of life. Whilst Jack was drifting across the globe taking casual work, Matt was studying hard.

‘And you and Jess, looks like that’s going strong?’

‘It is indeed.’ Matt was a man of few words, so his affirmative nod and broad smile said it all. ‘Yeah, we’re good.’

‘What about you?’

‘What about me?’

‘Love life? Where have you been hiding all the pretty girls lately?’

‘Ah … now that would be telling,’ Jack jested, feeling suddenly uncomfortable.

The truth was that there had been no overnighters for Jack in quite some time. No awkward mornings at Matt’s house, making coffee and polite conversation. And the odd night he’d spent away himself, had been just that, by himself. Most of the time he was up in the hills, or down at the beach, with … Ruby … gazing up at the stars in a vast, empty sky. His sex life seemed to have disappeared, actually.

Yeah, he supposed he could go out, get himself a date, enjoy the buzz and the freedom of a casual one-night stand, like he used to do … But he’d totally lost the inclination of late. The last few times he’d ventured there, it had all seemed pretty soulless, mechanical. He wasn’t in any rush to go back to that.

‘Right then, Jack me lad, let’s hit the road.’ Matt downed his pint as he rose from the bench. ‘Next twenty to go.’

Jack joined him, setting off first, through winding stone-walled lanes, rolling green dales all around, with the breeze at their backs and the baa of moorland sheep in their ears. Soon finding themselves freewheeling down a sharp incline, Matt overtook him with a cheeky roar, ‘Keep up, mate!’

Jack grinned, but then found himself feeling a little uncomfortable, as he watched the retreating back of his close friend. Matt seemed to have his life pretty much sorted, didn’t he? Matt and Jess … weren’t they the ones who were moving forward, whilst he was still stuck in second gear, after all?

He suddenly pedalled harder.

Chapter 24