The Holiday Cottage by the Sea

Book 1: Sandcastle Bay

by Holly Martin

Genres: Romantic Comedy; Literary Fiction

Synopsis

Tori Graham is in need of a holiday. Trying to piece her heart back together after losing the love of her life, she escapes to Blossom Cottage, with its picturesque views of the sea. And plans to spend the summer in gorgeous Sandcastle Bay, where her best friend Melody Rosewood lives. Tori's not expecting her summer by the beach to be eventful, until she meets handsome and mysterious Aidan Jackson…Aidan looks after the holiday cottage Tori is staying in. Healing from past hurts, he wants to avoid any further chance of heartache. But could this newcomer be the breath of fresh air he needs? Finding herself embracing life in the coastal community, Tori starts to fall in love with Sandcastle Bay and its welcoming cast of residents. But that's not all she begins to fall for, as Tori is swept away by Aidan's genuine heart and mischievous sense of humour. The attraction between them is undeniable, but will a simple holiday romance be enough? As Tori's stay in Sandcastle Bay comes to an end she has a tough decision to make…. Has her heart found a new place to call home?

Release date: April 12, 2018

Publisher: Bookouture

Print pages: 284

Sample

As Tori Graham navigated her way down the tight country, cliff-top lanes, she caught her first glimpse of the indigo sea, glittering and twinkling through the trees, and she felt some of the tension in the back of her neck seep away.

She needed this break. Having been locked away in a darkened studio almost every day for the past year and a half, she needed to feel the sun on her face, the wind in her hair and talk to people other than plasticine models or her colleagues who she had worked with on the latest stop-motion animation film. By the time shooting had finished, they’d all had tiny squinty mole eyes from the lack of seeing daylight for months on end. The studio had almost become her home with the amount of time she had spent there, which had been much more preferable to spending the evening alone in her flat every night.

She needed a break from that too. Even with the TV and radio playing, the flat had been way too quiet. She had never considered her best friend to be the loud and noisy type, but since Melody Rosewood had moved out of the flat they shared in London, she had missed the laughter, the silly conversations, just the sound of her clattering around in the kitchen.

Melody had suggested a long overdue visit to Sandcastle Bay and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Tori had missed her friend so much and she was looking forward to catching up with Melody, her sister Isla and their adorable nephew Elliot while she stayed here.

Melody had put Tori in touch with Emily Breakwater, whose family owned a fruit farm, and in return for help with some fruit-picking she was going to stay in Blossom Cottage for free. It was an idyllic-looking dusky-pink thatched cottage with views over the sea. It was going to be the perfect summer holiday.

Tori rounded the corner in her little sky blue convertible VW Beetle and slammed on the brakes because right in the middle of the road was a large sheep’s bum. Several sheep bums actually. The road, as far as she could see, was filled with fluffy white sheep that seemed in no hurry to move or even remotely bothered that they had nearly been mint sauce under the wheels of her car. To top it off there didn’t seem to be anyone with them, apart from a mangy old sheepdog who was fast asleep on the side of the road.

As the sheep moved lazily around the side of her car and then crowded around the back, effectively trapping her, she stood up and leaned over the windscreen of her car to see if she could spot anyone who might be in charge of this rabble.

As luck would have it, a middle-aged couple wearing bright yellow Lycra were walking towards her, pushing their bikes along the grassy bank at the side of the road. The woman was striding ahead of her husband who was huffing and puffing in her wake.

‘Excuse me, do you know what’s going on?’ Tori gestured to the sheep, though that was obviously unnecessary.

The woman didn’t even break her stride. ‘It’s Saturday,’ she trilled as she strode past.

Tori stared at her in confusion. She said it as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. Tori waited for further explanation, though it was quite clear that none was coming.

‘What does that mean?’

The man clearly thought this was a good excuse to stop. ‘Everyone knows not to take the west road on a Saturday,’ he shrugged, looking after his wife who had the word ‘Mindy’ emblazoned on the back of her neon vest. Tori wondered idly if her husband was Mork. Seeing that Mindy wasn’t looking, ‘Mork’ slipped a toffee from his pocket and quickly popped it into his mouth.

‘Well who’s in charge of the sheep?’ Tori asked.

‘That’ll be Trevor, he’ll be having his lunch right now. I’m sure if you wait an hour or two, he’ll move them along,’ Mork said, still huffing and puffing.

‘An hour or two?’ Tori echoed, incredulously. Her carefully laid plans were starting to crumble. This kind of thing never happened in London, an entire road closed for an hour or two. Everything moved fast there and, if it didn’t, drivers felt free to lean on their horns until something was done about the traffic. Though in this instance she suspected leaning on the horn wouldn’t achieve a fat lot. ‘What should I do for an hour or two?’

‘I’d suggest you go and get yourself lunch too. The Cherry on Top does a mean bacon sandwich, best in the village, especially with lashings of brown sauce,’ Mork said, dreamily.

‘And how would you know that?’ Mindy said, suddenly turning round, and he quickly swallowed his toffee before he had finished chewing it. He coughed and cleared his throat.

‘Just what I’ve heard, dear,’ he called after his wife. ‘Mindy and I are vegan,’ he explained to Tori. ‘And I’m on a diet, so no lovely, erm, horrible bacon sandwiches for me, but I’m sure you will love them. Just down the hill on the left, blue parasols; it sits right on Sunshine Beach, you can’t miss it.’

He trundled off despondently after his wife and Tori smiled at the matching writing emblazoned on his top. Mark. Mark and Mindy. Close enough. Poor Mark, he looked like he’d kill for a bacon sandwich.

She looked back down the hill. The Cherry on Top was Emily’s café. Emily had told her to pop in there to collect the keys to Blossom Cottage around three o’clock. Tori had planned to have a drive around the tiny seaside village first and get a feel for the place and meet up with Melody and Isla if they were free, but she guessed that she could change her plans. She looked back at the sheep. It didn’t look like she’d have much choice.

She grabbed her bag and locked the car door as she got out, though it was quite obvious that even if some opportunist car thief came along, they wouldn’t be able to go anywhere either.

She started her walk down the hill and the sheepdog eyed her with something that looked like a smirk at her predicament.

She fished her phone out of her bag and texted Melody and Isla to say she had arrived in Sandcastle Bay a bit earlier than expected, explained her predicament with the sheep and said she’d be in The Cherry on Top if they were free.

The emerald tree canopy above her provided shade from the sun for a while but as she rounded the corner and the trees cleared she saw the tiny village of Sandcastle Bay for the first time.

Most of the houses that tumbled down the hill were a gorgeous pale yellow with slate roofs that almost glistened blue in the sunshine. Some were round or had round towers, making them look like little sandcastles perched up on the hillside. There was a row of shops all facing out onto Sunshine Beach and a large village green with multi-coloured bunting fluttering gently in the sea breeze. At the foot of the hill there appeared to be a café which was probably The Cherry on Top, based on Mark’s description and the navy and turquoise parasols outside the front.

It looked picturesque.

She was leaning back against a garden fence to take a photograph of the idyllic view when she heard the strangest sound behind her. It sounded like a high-pitched squeaky child’s toy. She looked over the pale blue picket fence into the garden and saw a flash of black and red. Then the largest turkey that she had ever seen burst out from the garden gate, wings flapping, wattle wobbling under its beak as it launched itself at Tori.

She quickly stepped back and slipped in something slimy, landing on her knees in what was probably sheep poo. There was no time to dwell on that though as the turkey was still propelling itself towards her.

She scrambled to her feet and started running down the hill, her flip-flops flapping against her feet. To her surprise, the turkey chased her all the way down, still gobbling loudly. What would happen if the turkey caught her? Had anyone been savaged to death by a wild and angry turkey before? She guessed she would find out as, impossibly, the bloody bird was gaining on her with every step she took.

Tori made for The Cherry on Top, hoping they might have some kind of security guard or bouncer that would be able to protect her from the turkey, although in the village the size of Sandcastle Bay, it was very unlikely.

The turkey was right on her heels as she swerved through the gate, losing one of her flip-flops in the process. She burst through the door of the café and slammed it behind her, heaving and panting with the exertion of the most exercise she’d done in months.

Everyone turned to look at her, conversation stopping mid-flow. The café was filled with people, mostly over the age of seventy, but in the corner, there was a young dark-haired guy about her age who seemed amused by her arrival. But then she probably did look a state. Her hair had come loose from her ponytail, leaving it in a tangled mess of red curls as it spilled onto her shoulders. Her knees were stained with green sheep poo, though thankfully not her beloved denim shorts, and even her pink sea-shell print top seemed to be marked with something, although that was totally normal for her. Standing there in only one shoe, it wasn’t the greatest first impression on the people of the village. She couldn’t even catch her breath to explain her impromptu arrival.

‘You alright, love?’ A blonde-haired girl who obviously worked at the café came towards her, wiping her hands down her apron as she approached. She had cute freckles on her nose, lightly tanned skin – probably from days out on the beach – and looked to be in her mid-thirties. Tori wondered if this was Emily, the girl she had been speaking to about staying at Blossom Cottage.

‘Turkey,’ Tori managed to get out, gesturing behind her, and the young guy in the corner snorted with amusement.

The girl turned to him in exasperation. ‘Jamie, can you not do something to stop Dobby escaping? He’s scaring my customers.’

Jamie laughed. ‘The way I see it, he’s bringing you customers.’ He turned to Tori. ‘Sorry about him, he’s completely harmless. He just loves people and when they run he thinks it’s all a game and chases them. He grew up with three dogs, so I’m afraid he thinks he is a dog as well. I’ve even heard him bark when the other dogs bark – well, at least he attempts it. I better make sure he gets back OK.’

He stood up, slugged down the rest of his coffee and pulled on a baseball cap over his black curly hair. He was tall and broad and cute in that roguish, mischievous kind of way. He passed her a wink as he strolled out the café.

The girl rolled her eyes as conversation resumed around them. ‘I’m sorry about my brother, and his bloody turkey. Are you OK, you’re not hurt or anything?’

Tori’s heart was slowing down as she looked down at herself. ‘I lost my shoe.’

Just then Jamie walked back in, proffering her missing flip-flop like a peace offering. Tori gladly took it, sliding her foot back into it before Jamie disappeared out the café again.

‘Here, let me get you a wipe for your knees, get rid of those stains,’ the blonde girl said as she quickly grabbed a packet of baby wipes from behind the counter. ‘These are little miracle workers, I carry them everywhere.’

Tori took one from the packet and wiped away at her knees, surprised to see the green sludge coming off very easily.

‘Can I get you a coffee or something to eat? On the house to apologise for your trauma.’ The girl was smiling, and Tori smiled too, starting to see the funny side of being chased by an over-affectionate turkey.

‘A chai latte would be great.’

The girl’s face fell. Tori suppressed a smile. She definitely wasn’t in London any more.

‘How about chamomile tea?’

The girl’s face brightened. ‘We have that.’

‘And is Emily around?’

‘I’m Emily.’ She paused for a moment. ‘Are you Tori?’

Tori nodded and, to her surprise, Emily threw her arms around her and gave her a big hug. Tori had never really been a tactile person. She hugged her friends and family, but she was never really keen on hugging strangers. But for some reason, this hug felt nice. She had spoken to Emily over the phone and via email a few times and she knew that Emily was chatty and friendly so it kind of felt like she already knew her. Tori found her arms snaking around Emily’s back and hugging her too.

‘Oh, it’s so nice to meet you,’ Emily said, stepping back. ‘We need someone every year to help with the fruit-picking but we can never get anyone to commit to two weeks. People generally have other commitments. And it’s so hard to get the right person for the job, as people come down to Sandcastle Bay and see it as a bit of a holiday and don’t really want to commit to the early mornings and late nights of fruit-picking. But Melody said you’d be perfect.’

Tori nodded. ‘I’m looking forward to it. I need some time outside, I’ve been locked away inside with work for the past eighteen months, so I need to be out. I’ve never been much of a sunbather – I can’t keep still for that long, I get too restless – and hiking or cycling isn’t my idea of fun, so this seems like a great way to spend a few weeks outside in the fresh air. I don’t mind the work, I like to be kept busy and it’s a good way to spend some time with Melody too. I’ve really missed her since she moved here.’

‘Melody adores you, that’s easy to see, and I’m starting to see why.’ Emily stood back to look at her. ‘God, my brother is going to fall in love with you.’

‘Who, Jamie?’ Tori asked, in surprise. He had been cute but not really her type. Hell, no man was really her type. It had been three years since she’d been in a proper relationship and she liked it that way. Luc had broken her heart. And then there’d been Matthew and that had hurt like hell. She wasn’t keen to repeat that again.

‘No, Parker. He owns Heartberry Farm. He has a bit of a thing for red-heads.’

‘I’m not interested in love,’ Tori said. That was an understatement. She’d actively run away from it most of her life. Put up her walls, pushed people away. It had worked just fine. No risk, no getting hurt. The two times she had let her barriers down hadn’t worked out, so she had now closed herself to the possibility of love completely.

‘Neither is he. But doesn’t mean you can’t have a bit of fun while you’re here.’

Tori blinked and laughed. ‘Are you suggesting I have some kind of one-night stand with your brother?’

‘No, I’m just saying enjoy your time with him; he’s a big flirt so enjoy that if nothing else. He’s one of my favourite people in the entire world. Don’t tell Jamie and Leo I said that, but I adore him. Have some fun with him, god knows he needs it, he works way too hard. And Melody says you do too.’

Tori couldn’t deny that. Throwing herself into work was one way that she didn’t have to spend time alone at home.

‘Look, take a seat and I’ll grab your tea,’ Emily said as she looked around for a table and pointed to one in the corner.

Tori nodded and made her way over to the table, but before she got there, the door opened, and Melody and Isla Rosewood rushed in.

Melody slammed into her hard, giving a little squeal of excitement as she hugged Tori tight.

Tori smiled as she wrapped her arms around Melody. Then she found herself holding her tighter. She really had missed her best friend.

She felt guilty that, although she had seen Melody a couple of times when they had met halfway between Cornwall and London, she hadn’t seen her as much as she would have liked since her friend had moved away. However, with Sandcastle Bay being so far from London and Tori being the lead animator on the film she had been working on, there just hadn’t seemed to be the time to make the long trip down here. She thought about the last year since Melody had left London. Melody had gone through such a tough time with her twin brother Matthew dying in a car accident. The thought of Matthew’s death hurt so much. Coming to Sandcastle Bay was always going to be hard as this had been Matthew’s home. Tori had been meaning to come to see Matthew even before Melody moved down here but life had got in the way. Or maybe she had let it get in the way but then it had been too late, and Matthew was gone. And now she was here, under completely different circumstances, and she’d be lying to herself if it didn’t hurt.

‘It’s so good to see you,’ Melody said, leaning back to look up at her.

‘It’s really great to see you too.’

Tori looked down at her friend. Her skin was glowing, her eyes shone with happiness. She had been down here less than a year, but it seemed to have done her the world of good.

‘You look really well,’ Tori said.

‘I’m happy here. I really am. I never wanted to leave London or you, but this is home for me now. I can’t imagine ever going back.’

‘Who knew that our Melody was a country bumpkin at heart,’ Isla said as she moved to hug Tori too.

Tori loved Isla. She was a few years older than Melody and Tori, and though that older sister mentality had come with loads of advice about boys and kissing and sex when they’d been teenagers, it also came with a crazy sense of humour and a silliness that Tori adored.

They moved to a table and sat down.

‘I can’t believe you’re here in Sandcastle Bay – it’s so far away and a complete pain in the arse to get to,’ Melody said.

‘It is far away, but that’s still no excuse,’ Tori said. ‘I should have visited you sooner. I’m sorry it’s taken this long to get down here.’

Melody waved away her attempt at an apology. ‘You have nothing to be sorry for. You were making a movie, that’s such a huge deal, especially in the animating field. We couldn’t be prouder of your achievements.’

‘We know how much work goes into that sort of thing,’ Isla said. ‘I bet you’ve been down at the studio night and day.’

‘It certainly feels that way, but I should have tried to make more of an effort to get down here.’

‘And we could have come up and seen you so we’re all as guilty. You’re here now, that’s all that matters,’ Melody said, and Tori loved her for not holding any kind of grudge.

‘You had family commitments,’ Tori said, glancing at Isla. Matthew’s death had such a big impact on all of their lives, but as Isla was now looking after his son, Elliot, her life must have changed the most. She wanted to ask her about it, but it seemed insensitive to word it like that. ‘How has it been moving down here, it can’t have been easy?’

‘It’s so different. There’s nothing here.’ Melody had the biggest smile on her face as she spoke. This was not someone who was suffering in her new home. ‘Being a city girl like me, you’ll miss everything you love about London. The coffee shops, the amazing restaurants, the entertainment, the shows, the street performers, the fact that every day is different. It’s so quiet here and nothing ever happens. It’s such a startling contrast. I’m not sure why Matthew loved the place so much.’

The mention of his name was another little kick to the stomach. It hurt more than it should because Tori didn’t feel she had any right to grieve over him. Though she supposed they had been best friends long before anything had happened between them. Long before she had pushed him away. Twice. The worst thing was Melody and Isla had no idea that anything had ever gone on between them, or that part of the reason why Tori had put off coming to Sandcastle Bay was that it had been Matthew’s home and it hurt to be reminded of him and what she could have had, had she been brave enough to take it.

‘I love Elliot so much and I don’t regret for one second that Matthew asked me to be his legal guardian if anything was to happen to him,’ Isla said. ‘Elliot has changed my life, for the better. But it has been hard moving here. I love Sandcastle Bay, there’s so much community spirit here, everyone looks out for everyone else and I do love that, but coupled with that is this nosiness where everyone thinks they have the right to comment on your business. And I miss my job in London. Growing up, all I ever wanted was to be a window dresser. After watching Mannequin, I wanted to create masterpieces like that in shop windows and I do that… I did that. I trained hard to get where I was, head visual merchandiser in one of the biggest department stores in the world. I travelled the world to advise on different windows or specialised themes and I miss that so much. Not much call for a window dresser in the little corner shop in Sandcastle Bay. But I’m doing OK financially at the moment. Matthew’s life insurance finally paid out and that has helped quite a lot, but it won’t last forever and while I’ve been happy to just be there for Elliot over the last year, I will need a job eventually. There are no jobs round here, all the businesses are struggling to stay afloat and my skills are not exactly transferable.’

‘Would you ever move back to London, take Elliot with you?’ Tori asked.

Isla shook her head immediately. ‘He loves it here and I love being able to take him to Sunshine Beach every day and watch him play. I do miss my old life, but I can’t go back to that, not with a young child. Early mornings, late nights, all that travel. And what kind of life would he have living in inner London compared to living here? I miss London so much, but I can live vicariously through you.’

‘I think you’re amazing, I really do,’ Tori said. ‘You had this wonderful job, this brilliant life in London, this seemingly fabulous boyfriend – although he turned out to be a complete ass – and you gave it all up for Elliot. And I know there was no choice and you don’t regret it, but I admire you so much for doing what you did – both of you in fact. I know if I was Elliot’s godmother, I would have done the same thing, but leaving London would be so hard. I love my job and I love where I live. I’d miss it so much if I had to leave. I love being able to get something to eat at any hour of the day, and not just burgers but Nepalese, Portuguese, French, Australian, Icelandic if I so wish. I love the theatres and the museums, I’d miss the fast-paced life, where no day is the same. I’d miss the street performers and markets and restaurants and shops. Having said that, this place does have a certain appeal, I can see why you’d be happy here. And, I suppose, even if I did leave London, I would still be doing my job as I can freelance from anywhere. I couldn’t imagine giving up a job I loved as well, it would feel like I’d lost some of my identity somehow.’

Isla nodded her agreement. ‘It feels exactly like that. Someone referred to me as Elliot’s mummy the other day and I thought, is that all I am now? Isla Rosewood was a name that was recognised in London. Any department store managers or anyone who worked in visual merchandising knew my name. Here I’m Matthew’s sister, or Elliot’s mummy or “that poor girl.”’

Tori took Isla’s hand. She had lost so much more than a brother when Matthew died.

‘How is Elliot doing?’ Tori asked.

‘Thriving under Isla’s care,’ Melody said, proudly.

‘I’ve seen his photos, he looks so happy,’ Tori said. ‘I can’t think of a better person to raise him.’ She suddenly panicked that Melody would take offence at that. Tori had never asked her whether she minded that Isla had been asked to take care of Elliot and not Melody. She looked at Melody. ‘I didn’t mean that you wouldn’t do a great job, I just…’

‘Oh god, I’m not ready . . .