Page 61 of The Seaside Cocktail Campervan

Okay, let’s do it. X

Lucy’s heart gave a little anxious lift. Tomorrow … She’d see him again tomorrow.

Meet me on the beach, 7 p.m. X, she repeated out loud. It had a nice ring to it, she had to admit.

The next day seemed to drag. Lucy had a mound of paperwork to tackle, health and hygiene reports to keep track of, monthly accounts and her income and expenditure to update, as well as some essential ordering to do.

In fact, she had plenty to keep her occupied, but it was a damp drizzly morning, and she was finding it hard to focus. Her thoughts kept drifting to Jack and their arranged meet-up this evening.

After lunch, the mists lifted, and she ventured out for a walk with Daisy along the back lane from the village, past the farm. Meandering as they went and passing time watching the cows and sheep graze, with Daisy barking at a chicken that was clucking and pecking her way around the farmyard. It was still only two o’clock when they got back.

Things got more intriguing when a message popped up on her phone:

BTW, don’t eat much before you come out. X

She wanted to ask why, but had a feeling Jack wanted to surprise her. Maybe he was planning a picnic supper, that’d be nice. Or was the beach just a ploy, and he’d be whisking her away to some pub or restaurant? Her mind was full of all sorts of scenarios, but she told herself not to get carried away, she still felt unsure as to how they stood.

Can I bring Daisy along? she asked.

Yeah, sure. X came back.

Hmm. Still a mystery then. But she found the suspense rather thrilling.

With the countdown on, Lucy dressed casually in pale-blue cropped jeans and a Breton-style striped top. She also tied a fleece cardigan around her waist. The beach was often breezy, with the wind straight off the North Sea, and it would soon cool down there of an evening.

Ten to seven, at last.

‘Come on then, Daisy. Let’s go,’ Lucy said aloud, fetching Daisy’s lead.

It was thankfully now dry outside, and the little dog was more than happy to head out for another walk. In contrast, with each step nearer the bay, Lucy was feeling a strange mix of excitement and trepidation. The beach was a big expanse, especially when the tide was out. Should she text him and ask where to meet? But he’d probably wait for her somewhere near the main track from the dunes … wouldn’t he?

Oh, there was Ruby, parked up down the lane. So, Jack was already here. Oh damn, skip-a-dee-do-dah went her heart.

She went over the dunes now, following the well-trodden sand track. Passing a couple walking with a spaniel. A quick ‘hello’, and dog-sniff by Daisy. On again, thump-a-dee-thump went her heart.

She caught a glimpse of the blue-grey sea, appearing between the spiky fronds of beachgrass. The path opened out and she took a slow breath before scanning the bay. Oh, he wasn’t waiting here on the sands as she’d imagined. There was a dog walker with a slow-ambling Labrador down near the shoreline. But otherwise, the beach was pretty empty.

Apart from … a table covered in what looked to be a white cloth, set out halfway down to the water’s edge. A man dressed in a dinner suit stood beside it. Not any man either … it was Jack … and he was grinning from ear to ear.

‘Over here!’ he called. ‘Cocktails are served.’

What on earth …!

As she approached, Lucy recognised the fold-up chairs and table which he kept in the campervan, and the table really was covered with a crisp white tablecloth. A cocktail shaker was set out, along with an ice bucket containing what looked to be a bottle of something bubbly, along with two flutes. There was also a platter of delicious-looking bite-sized canapés – bruschetta and cheeses, mini sausages, figs, olives, grapes.

‘Jack, this is … crazy.’ She was smiling whilst creasing her brow, trying to take it all in. And there he was on the beach, in a black-tie-style dinner suit. ‘Hah, I didn’t realise I was meant to dress up for the part. Full cocktail dress might have worked better than my jeans and T.’

‘Hey, you look beautiful just as you are, madam. Please take a seat.’

She didn’t have an answer to that, feeling slightly stunned, so positioned herself on one of the wooden chairs as instructed, with Daisy soon settling down beside her.

‘A glass of chilled champagne to start?’

‘Wow, well that’ll do nicely, Jeeves. Oh, I mean, Jack.’ She put on a posh voice and then started giggling.

He popped the cork with a flourish, and it was indeed the real thing – someone was pushing the boat out here. And you know what, it was rather lovely to be spoilt for a change.

‘Here you go.’ He passed her a flute of fragrant champagne, which was popping away deliciously. His feet were bare in the sand, with the bottom inch or two of his smart black trousers rolled up.