The Lavender Bay Collection. Sarah Bennett

then visitors could check-in when they came to browse, and she could run a few little contests…

      As the ideas swirled in her head, she clicked on the little speech bubble which indicated someone had sent her a personal message. Still distracted, she frowned at the little sun-tanned profile picture of Charlie. Charlie?! Why would he be messaging her after all this time?

      After the countless texts and messages he’d ignored she was tempted to do the same. Curiosity got the better of her though, so she clicked on the message and began to read.

       Hi, stranger!!! Long time no speak. I hope all is well with you. I’m fine, crazy busy at work though. I’ve just had a promotion at work so things are SUPER stressful, as I’m sure you can imagine ☺ Look, I’m sorry for what happened before. You probably hate me (and I can’t say I’d blame you) but everything got really complicated and it felt like a clean break would be the best for everyone.

      Anyway, I know you keep in contact with a few of the gang, and I didn’t want you to hear the news from anyone else.

      A lead weight formed in Beth’s stomach. Had something happened to him? The rest of the message lay below the edge of the screen and for a second she was tempted to close the whole thing rather than use her thumb to scroll down. Whatever was going on with Charlie, it was no business of hers any longer. Hadn’t he made that abundantly clear when he’d cut her out of his life? Oh, who was she trying to kid? If she didn’t read on, it would prey on her mind. She scrolled down.

      Kimberly and I have known each other forever. Our parents have been friends since university, you probably won’t remember but her dad and mine set up the partnership together. There was always this expectation that she and I would end up together.

      ‘B? Are you okay, you look really pale.’ Libby’s voice seemed to come to her from far away. The lead weight in her middle grew exponentially heavier, and Beth slumped down on the side of the cloth-covered bed. Swallowing against the bile burning in her throat, she continued to read the rest of the message.

      We dated all through school, and it was all going swimmingly. Only, then I met you, and that put a spanner in the works.

      Anyway, I don’t want to rake up the past, I just wanted you to know that Kimberly and I are engaged and there’s going to be a big announcement. I wanted to forewarn you, so it didn’t take you by surprise if you saw anything on here.

      I know I didn’t treat you right, but I want you to know that I really did love you.

      Let me know if you need to talk XOXO

      ‘Let me know if you need to talk?’ Libby snatched the phone away and started browsing.

      ‘Give me that.’ Beth made a grab, only to have her knuckles slapped by Libby who then turned away, eyes still locked on the phone.

      ‘Who wants to talk, what’s going on?’ Eliza leaned across Beth’s lap to try and see the screen. She tilted her head to one side and Libby turned the phone, so she could see better. ‘Married? Charlie’s getting married?’

      ‘According to this message he is.’ Libby clicked into Charlie’s profile and started scrolling through his photos. ‘God, look at this lot. They look like those people you see in the back pages of OK magazine—all trust funds and privilege.’ She looked up at Beth, her nose wrinkling like she’d smelt something nasty. ‘What did you ever see in him?’

      Beth considered Libby’s question. Charlie had been everything she’d wanted in a boyfriend. Charming, good-looking, and attentive. She’d given him her heart without hesitation, and if his text was to be believed, he’d loved her too. But that sophistication, which had impressed her at first, had begun to grate. His attitude towards waitstaff in restaurants, his weary sigh if she asked a question he deemed naïve—he’d been just a touch too cynical, his humour a shade too cutting for her liking. She’d buried those doubts, put them down to the disparity in their backgrounds.

      Now though she could see they had never really been suited. She’d been drawn to him because he was exactly the sort of man her mother had spent years telling her she should be with. The fact they’d fallen in love with each other didn’t negate the underlying dishonesty at the heart of their relationship. If Charlie had used her to try and escape his parents’ expectations, then she’d surely used him for the exact opposite.

      The walls seemed to close in on her, and Beth stumbled to her feet. She needed to get some air, to get away from the concern in Eliza’s eyes, and the furious anger in Libby’s. They probably thought she was devastated by the news, but she didn’t know how to explain the guilt churning inside her. Unwittingly or not, she’d been the other woman. She’d been responsible for the break-up of a relationship. No wonder the others in the group had been a bit frosty towards her. Poor Kimberly.

      Heedless of her lack of coat, and the slippers on her feet, Beth ran down the stairs, through the shop and out the front door. The stone steps leading to the beach were a few doors down from the emporium and she ran for them like a woman possessed.

      A disgruntled flock of seagulls scattered into the sky before settling back onto the sand behind her. The beach was mostly empty, just a couple strolling hand in hand near the water’s edge and a familiar figure, just a few feet away, wearing a bright orange high-vis vest with the words ‘Beach Patrol’ inscribed in big white letters across the shoulders.

      Not in the mood to talk, Beth turned away too quickly, losing one of her slippers in the process. Her toes sank into the sand and she bent over to brush them off and try to shake the worst out of her slipper. A pair of black Wellingtons loomed into her eyeline. ‘Hello, lovey, everything all right?’

      She closed her eyes and tried to rein in the tangle of emotions roiling inside her. Straightening up, she pasted on the best smile she could muster and greeted Libby’s father. ‘Hello, Mr Stone. How are you today?’

      The big man grinned. ‘I’m very good, thank you. Did you forget your shoes?’

      Beth laughed in spite of herself. ‘Looks like it.’

      Mr Stone joined in for a moment, before his expression grew solemn. ‘You look upset, lovey. Are you sure you’re all right?’

      ‘What? Oh, no, I’m fine.’ Beth brushed a strand of hair off her cheek, surprised when her fingers came off wet. ‘I’m fine.’ Her shoulders heaved. ‘I’m really fine.’

      Before she knew it, she was snivelling into the front of his thick sweater while poor Mr Stone patted her back with a big, clumsy hand. ‘Don’t cry. Shh, don’t cry.’

      Get a grip, for goodness’ sake, she told herself. After a few more sniffles, Beth forced herself to straighten up one more. She pressed the palms of her hands against her eyes to try and stop the flow of tears. ‘So…sorry, about that. I’m just being silly.’

      His hand patted her shoulder a couple more times before disappearing into his pocket to produce a neatly-folded pristine white handkerchief. He shook it out then pinched her nose between the folds. ‘Blow.’

      Beth couldn’t help herself, and started to giggle. The noise came out more of a squeak with her nostrils trapped between his thumb and forefinger, making the giggles worse.

      With a tenderness that touched her deeply, Mr Stone wiped her nose, dabbed at her cheeks with more concern than finesse then tucked the dirty hanky back into his pocket. When he withdrew his hand, a shiny round grey pebble tumbled out and fell to the sand.

      Bending to pick it up, Beth stared in wonder at the stone. A miniature boat had been painted on one side of it. There was a delicacy to the brush strokes which spoke to the artist’s talent. She couldn’t begin to fathom the patience and concentration it would take to render something so small in such detail. ‘This is great, who gave it to you?’

      Libby’s dad shrugged, as though embarrassed. ‘I made it, Beth. It gives me something to do in the evenings.’

      Tears forgotten, the beginnings of an idea formed in her mind. Nurturing local talent