Page 79 of The Seaside Cocktail Campervan

‘Oh, right. How come, if you don’t mind me asking?’ Jack instinctively opened and placed a bottle of chilled beer beside the groom.

It wasn’t unusual for personal revelations to spill out at the bar, it often seemed to be a part of Jack’s job – lending an impartial ear.

Maybe the layers of daytime drinking loosened the groom’s tongue, or perhaps he was just punch-drunk on love, but he began to open up.

‘Cheers. Ah, well it was no secret, so I don’t mind talking about it.’ He took a swig of the cool beer. ‘Yeah, Jen kept hinting about settling down, getting engaged, and well … I couldn’t get my head around it. We were fine as we were, or so I thought. Then, I had a bit of a panic … about being tied down and all that … Told Jen we needed a break.’

Rob looked across at his new wife then, now dancing and holding hands with both a little girl and an elderly lady, smiling and laughing. ‘Worst thing I ever did, mate. Yeah, I moved out, late nights drinking with my mates. Seemed fun for a week or two. Even headed off for a couple of lads’ holidays. Well, we hit the clubs … The girls out and about looked about twelve … and well, we’d all changed, hadn’t we? Some of us had kids back home, so we ended up playing golf and having a few quiet bevvies. The rock and rollers that we were!’

Jack chuckled empathetically.

‘I suppose we’d all grown up a bit,’ Rob continued, shaking his head. ‘It didn’t feel like freedom at all. I felt bloody miserable the whole while, and I missed her. I nearly lost her, mate. It took a long while after that to bring her round, to make her realise that she meant the world to me.’

Rob took another sip of beer, shaking his head, yet smiling as he looked over at his bride once more. ‘She’s the best thing that ever happened to me. I just didn’t see it at the time.’

‘Ah, all’s well that ends well, hey mate,’ Jack added reassuringly.

‘Absolutely. She’s made me the happiest man today.’ A beaming grin broke across his face.

‘Well, cheers to that.’ Jack lifted the glass of water he’d got for himself behind the bar.

‘Yeah, cheers. Thanks, mate,’ Rob raised his beer bottle. ‘On that note, I’d better get back to the party and my lovely wife, I suppose.’ He gave a happy wink.

‘Yes indeed. Enjoy the rest of your night, you two.’

‘We will … and all the years to come. Hey, thanks for listening.’ The groom grinned and gave a huge thumbs up.

Jack felt his heart fill, Rob’s words resounding in his ears.

She’s the best thing that ever happened to me.

He suddenly had a feeling that he was the one who should be thankful.

Chapter 43

It was the Cinderella hour. ‘Carriages at midnight’ for the wedding guests, with a hum of taxis waiting in the car-park area outside the portcullis gates. A few close family and friends were fortunate to be able to stay in rooms at the castle overnight, but most were on their merry way.

It was time to pack up and clear up for Lucy and Abby, who were now preparing the horsebox for its exit home too. It had been a gorgeous wedding event, and Lucy had enjoyed the privilege of working in such an amazing setting, and for such lovely people. They really were a special couple and evidently made for each other.

She was just getting the last bits in the horsebox when she saw a familiar figure wandering across in her direction: Jack.

‘Hey,’ he said.

‘Hi.’ Lucy paused, her damn heart lodging up near her throat How did he still do that to her?

‘Busy?’

‘Yeah, but it was good, wasn’t it?’ she stammered. ‘What a lovely atmosphere.’

‘Yeah …’

Jack then stood silent for a moment, looking slightly awkward.

There was so much they both needed to say, and yet … It just seemed so damned hard.

Abby moved behind Lucy, thoughtfully heading out of the horsebox, a black bin bag to hand, ready to clear paper plates and debris from around their pitch.

‘Lucy, can we talk for a minute?’ Jack finally said, looking serious.