Autumn Dreams at Mermaids Point, page 11
She would let Doc get away with a lot, but not with that. Rounding on him, she wagged a finger across the table. ‘Stop it! I’m meeting Tom and the children for lunch to answer any last-minute questions they might have before they head home tomorrow. He’s a nice man and I’ll be happy to work for him if he decides to move here – but THAT. IS. ALL.’ She crossed her arms and glared at him. ‘Weren’t you the one complaining about village gossip not five minutes ago, and now you’re trying to put me in the middle of something!’
Doc held up his hands. ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, my dear. I was just teasing. I didn’t think for a moment there was anything between you.’
‘Well,’ Nerissa shoved a hand through her hair, feeling all hot and bothered about how much she’d overreacted. ‘Just make sure you keep it that way.’
‘Whatever you say.’ Doc reached for his glasses, popped them on the end of his nose and studied her over the top of them. ‘That’s a very pretty blouse. Is it the one Sylvia bought you for your birthday?’
She stared down at herself. The peach coloured top she’d taken from the wardrobe that morning was one of her favourites. It had two layers: a plain opaque wide-shouldered vest, with a floaty sheer square-necked upper the same shade and covered in white cherry blossoms. It was perfect for a summer’s day and could be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. She’d teamed it with a pair of white denim cropped jeans and white deck shoes. Was it a bit too much for a casual lunch? She’d thought only about how cool and comfortable it was on a day as hot as today was promising to be, but what if Tom thought she was dressing up for him?
‘I’ve got a few things to sort out upstairs,’ she muttered to Doc, who was already back behind his paper, then rushed from the room and up the stairs to get changed.
With her pretty top back on the hanger and replaced by a baggy white T-shirt with embroidered sunflowers around the neckline and hem, Nerissa bound back her thick hair with a white cotton scarf and gave herself one final check in the mirror. She’d applied a touch of make-up – a tinted moisturiser with a high SPF factor and just a dash of eyeliner and lipstick – the same as she would normally wear.
She checked her watch and decided to head to the café early. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too busy, and she could catch up with Laurie for a chat between customers.
Nerissa took one look at the packed tables and headed straight behind the counter and into the kitchen to wash her hands and pull on a spare apron. Though her hair was loose at the back, the scarf was wide enough to keep it well away from her face. If Laurie needed a hand with any food prep, she could tie it back more securely, but it would do for taking orders and waiting on tables.
She grabbed a spare notepad from the pile beneath the counter and glanced around the room. A cross-looking woman sitting at one of the smaller tables by the window caught her eye and immediately raised her hand. Deciding it was easier to tackle someone who was already looking frustrated, rather than worrying about if she was next or not, Nerissa fixed a broad smile to her face and hurried over.
‘Hello, so sorry if you’ve been kept waiting. What can I get you?’
‘A large cappuccino, a small latte and is there any chance you can warm this up for us?’ The woman reached into a huge bag on her lap and drew out a bottle of milk. The initial wave of conversation had hidden the sounds of the very fractious baby being jiggled by the man occupying the other seat at the table.
‘Yes, of course. I’ll do that straight away and then I’ll sort out your coffees, okay?’
‘Please,’ the woman’s expression melted into a grateful smile and Nerissa realised she hadn’t been cross at all, just likely stressed about having a crying baby bothering other customers.
‘I’ll be right back.’ Nerissa took the bottle and hurried back towards the kitchen. She squeezed her way between Laurie, who was now manning the coffee machine, and Sylvia, who was lifting an enormous Victoria sponge cake out of the display cabinet. ‘Morning both!’ She blew them a kiss.
‘Oh, Nerissa, thank goodness! Katie called in sick this morning and it’s been an absolute zoo since I opened for breakfast.’ Laurie banged the milk jug a little harder than necessary to settle the foam.
Nerissa popped the bottle in the warmer in the kitchen and left it to heat up. Laurie got enough families in that it had seemed a sensible investment, much easier than heating a pan of water or risking an accident in the microwave. She leaned against the door frame, where she’d be able to keep an eye on the warmer and still speak to Laurie. ‘You should’ve called me.’
Laurie topped off a couple of wide-rimmed cups with the milk, creating a perfect swirl of foam and coffee. ‘I literally haven’t had a chance. Poor Mum came in to get her and Dad a brew and that was forty-five minutes ago.’
‘Don’t fuss about me, darling, and your dad won’t die if he has to wait a bit for his morning break.’ Sylvia slid thick slices of sponge cake onto two plates. ‘These for table six?’
‘Yes, please, and these coffees as well.’
‘I’ll take those.’ Nerissa pushed away from her spot and reached for the cups Laurie had just added a dusting of chocolate to. ‘Can you do me a large cappuccino and a small latte?’
‘Of course.’
Within a couple of minutes, the family by the window had their coffees and a nice warm bottle of milk, which the baby grabbed at with both hands, her whimpers settling the moment her father popped the bottle in her mouth. Nerissa had no time for more than a smile at the sweet little thing before she was called away by another customer.
Twenty minutes of madness later, Sylvia was back in The Mermaids Cave next door with a couple of carry mugs full of coffee and a slice of Andrew’s favourite millionaire’s shortbread which Laurie had insisted she take for her dad. ‘I’ve sent Jake a message and he’s on his way to help me with lunch,’ Laurie said as she joined Nerissa behind the counter. She surveyed the decimated remains of the display cabinet. ‘I’d better top this up.’
Nerissa stilled her hand as she was reaching inside. ‘Leave it for five minutes, you look shattered already.’ When Laurie gave a weary nod, Nerissa fetched a bottle of sparkling water from the fridge and split it between two glasses. ‘Drink,’ she ordered, pushing one of the glasses towards Laurie.
‘Yes, ma’am.’ Laurie grinned before gulping down the icy cold liquid. ‘Oh, I needed that. What brings you here, anyway? Not that I’m not grateful you showed up when you did!’
‘I’m meeting To— the Nelsons for lunch. They’re heading home tomorrow, so I said I’d help with any last-minute questions they might have.’
Nerissa picked up a cloth and wiped down the already clean counter, hoping her niece hadn’t noticed her slip over Tom’s name. Ever since Doc made that stupid joke, she’d been having second thoughts about the meet-up. Dinner at the surgery had been a surprisingly relaxed affair given the panic over Doc’s angina attack, but they were all such easy company it hadn’t taken long for her to put aside her worries and enjoy the evening. What if they’d rather have spent their last day relaxing but were too polite to refuse her invitation? She thought she was being helpful, but maybe it was a bit too pushy. They were supposed to be on holiday after all.
‘What’s going on in that head of yours?’ Laurie nudged her hip. ‘I can practically see the cogs whirring.’
Nerissa folded the cloth into a neat square and dropped it in the sink with a sigh. ‘I don’t know. Nothing, everything.’ She pressed a hand to her forehead, wishing she had an on/off switch for her brain. ‘Doc made this stupid joke about how me being an attractive woman would help persuade Tom to take over the practice, and now I can’t stop thinking about it.’
Laurie rolled her eyes. ‘Nice one, Doc.’ She nudged Nerissa’s hip again. ‘He’s got a point, though, you are very attractive – and I’m not just saying that because family loyalty obliges me to.’
Nerissa laughed. ‘That’s why you’re my favourite niece.’ Laurie was her only niece, but it was something she’d started saying when Laurie was an adorable toddler and it had stuck. ‘But, seriously, if he does decide to move here, I don’t want the gossips putting two and two together and making five.’
‘Putting one and one together, you mean,’ Laurie said with a knowing grin.
‘Yes, exactly that.’ When Laurie continued to smile like the Cheshire Cat, Nerissa swatted her arm lightly. ‘Stop it! Oh God, if you’re thinking it, then everyone else is bound to as well.’ She picked up the cloth and started folding and refolding it again. ‘I don’t want people talking about me.’
Laurie snatched away the cloth, tossed it in the sink, then took both of Nerissa’s hands in hers. ‘This is the Point. People are always talking about someone.’ She said it with some feeling, having been the target of some malicious gossip when she’d been younger, and recently a more benign topic of interest when she and Jake had started seeing each other. ‘This week’s news is next week’s chip wrapping. The best thing to do is ignore it and it’ll blow over. Besides, you don’t even know if Tom’s going to move here, so you’re borrowing trouble that might never come to pass.’
‘You’re right. I know you’re right, and it’s not me I’m worried about so much as him. Having lost his wife, the last thing he’ll want is anyone speculating about his love life. Not that there will be any love life to speak of,’ she added in a rush. ‘Not with me, at least.’
Laurie squeezed her hands. ‘Like I said, it’ll be something and nothing.’ The bell over the front door jangled, signalling the arrival of yet more customers. ‘Right, I’d better see if I can squeeze them in somewhere. Do you think you could do a quick walk round, clear a few empties and perhaps see if you can clear out those who have finished – politely, of course!’
‘No problem.’ Nerissa knew the drill. Asking customers if they were finished or if they wanted anything else often prompted them to ask for their bill.
‘Thanks.’ Laurie stepped away, paused and glanced back at Nerissa. ‘Word to the wise. Don’t cling to preconceived ideas of what can and can’t happen and risk cutting yourself off from something wonderful. Look at me and Jake, if I’d stuck to my silly rule about not dating visitors I might have let the best thing that’s ever happened to me slip right through my hands.’
Nerissa shook her head, amused and frustrated in equal measures. ‘You’re worse than your mum.’ She adored her sister-in-law to bits, but Sylvia was never shy about interfering if she thought someone she loved needed a push in the right direction.
That unrepentant grin was back on Laurie’s face. ‘That doesn’t mean I’m wrong, though. Besides, you have to admit Tom’s hot for an old guy.’ And with that she swanned off across the café, leaving Nerissa wishing she’d kept her big mouth shut. She wanted no assistance from the Morgan Matchmaking Service, thank you very much. Tom Nelson might be decent-looking – okay, hotter than the surface of the sun – but the only relationship he and Nerissa might ever share would be a professional one.
13
A few minutes before their prearranged meeting time, Nerissa hung up her apron, washed her hands and grabbed the last free table. It was near the back of the room and a bit too close to where a couple of the knitting circle ladies were lingering over a pot of tea and a pair of crumb-covered plates. Though Kitty was an absolute sweetheart, Bev had a bit of a sharp tongue and Nerissa tended to avoid her whenever possible.
She cast a final hopeful scan over the rest of the room, but everyone looked settled in, so she had no option other than to sit down. Pulling her chair a little to the left away from them, she acknowledged their smiles of greeting. ‘Hi ladies. Busy today.’
‘I was just saying the same thing,’ Kitty said with a nod. ‘We’d better finish up, Bev, let someone else have our table soon. Laurie will be wanting room for her lunchtime customers.’
‘We’ve as much right as anyone to sit here as long as we like,’ Bev retorted. ‘She’ll be glad enough of our money when the visitors pack up and go home at the end of the season.’
Nerissa closed her eyes on a brief prayer for patience. ‘You know how much Laurie values you. Take all the time you need.’
‘I was going to, but thank you so much for the permission,’ Bev snapped before turning back to Kitty. ‘As I was saying, it’s been over a month since Michelle picked up the phone to me, and I know they’re not busy because the kids are at her mother’s.’
‘Why don’t you call her then if you’re worried? That’s the wonderful thing about phones, Bev, they work both ways.’
Nerissa bit her lip to hide a smile at Kitty’s soft but deadly rebuke, before she tuned the conversation out. If she wasn’t careful she’d be drawn into their circle and then Tom and the children would have to contend with Bev’s scrutiny. And if anyone was likely to put them off moving to the Point it would be her.
The familiar jangle of the bell above the door drew her attention and she spotted Tom enter the café and hesitate at the sight of the packed tables. She stood and gave him a little wave, which he returned with a relieved smile as he began to weave his way towards her. It was only as he reached her table that she realised the children weren’t with him.
‘Is this seat taken?’ he asked, grasping the back of the chair opposite her.
‘Help yourself.’ She waited until he was settled before asking. ‘No kids?’
Tom shook his head. ‘I left them on the beach. They wanted to make the most of their last day before the dreaded drive home in the morning.’
Nerissa felt her stomach lurch. It was as she’d suspected and she was encroaching on their time when she’d only meant to be helpful. ‘We don’t have to do this.’ She waved a hand between them. ‘I’m sure you’d rather be enjoying the sunshine.’
‘No, it’s fine.’ He glanced around, then leant forward like he was sharing a secret. ‘You’ve done me a favour, actually. I hate sitting around at the best of times, and hate it even more when it’s this hot.’ He straightened up and gave her a smile that she tried to pretend didn’t make her tingle all the way to her toes. ‘We can lunch in peace and then I’ll grab some takeout for them. After nearly a whole week with me, they were very insistent about how happy they would be to hang out on their own.’ His smile turned rueful.
‘Well, as long as you’re sure.’ Pointedly ignoring the interested looks she could feel emanating from the table next to them, Nerissa turned the menu around and pushed it towards him. ‘Here you go.’
‘Don’t you want to look first?’
She shook her head. ‘I know it off by heart. I help out here sometimes when Laurie is stuck. If you’d come in about ten minutes earlier you would’ve caught me in my apron.’
It was Tom’s turn to frown. ‘Does she still need your help? I must admit this is the busiest I’ve seen it in here all week.’
‘The sunshine has brought an influx of day trippers, most likely, and Jake came to help out.’ She pointed across the room to the man who made her niece light up like a Christmas tree. Jake’s pen was flying across the notepad in his hand as he took an order from a large group who’d pushed two of the tables together. ‘He’s her boyfriend, they’ve just moved in together in a cottage up near the top of the Point.’
‘How is it possible for anyone to write that fast? My handwriting is illegible at the best of times,’ Tom said as they both watched Jake scribble something, point his pen at the next person at the table, nod, scribble, repeat until he’d covered everyone in the group in no time at all.
‘That old doctor cliché?’ Nerissa asked with a laugh as they turned back to face each other.
‘Sorry?’
‘You know, the bad handwriting thing.’ When Tom continued to frown at her, she hurried on because the joke had fallen flatter than a pancake. ‘Never mind. I think Jake was using shorthand so that’s why he’s so fast. He’s a journalist by trade. He came here to investigate the mermaid sightings and ended up staying.’ Realising she was babbling, Nerissa forced herself to stop.
An awkward silence stretched between them as Tom studied the menu and she looked everywhere but at him or at the table next to them, which had fallen suspiciously silent. When he pushed the menu back towards her and said, ‘I’ll have a cheese and ham panini and an iced coffee,’ she felt a wave of relief that he’d broken the silence.
‘That sounds good.’
She was about to go and fetch their order when Jake approached. ‘What can I get you?’
‘Oh, I can sort it out,’ Nerissa protested.
Jake pointed the end of his pen at her. ‘I am under strict instructions from the boss to let you have your lunch in peace, and I’m not arguing with her.’ He softened his declaration with a grin towards Tom. ‘Hello, I don’t think we’ve met.’
They introduced each other, Tom half-rising from his chair to shake Jake’s hand. ‘I hear you’re a journalist. Is this an undercover assignment?’
Jake and Nerissa exchanged a look. ‘Strictly above board. No more sneaking around for me.’ When he’d first arrived in the Point, he’d posed as a writer on a research trip, which had led to some problems between him and Laurie, but they seemed to have settled everything between them, much to Nerissa’s relief. Jake turned his attention back to Tom. ‘I hear you’re checking out the village. What do you think so far?’
‘It’s a great place, and the kids love it here.’
‘Yeah, it has its attractions, all right.’ Jake smiled the smile of a man in love. ‘Right, what can I get you?’
They placed their order and once Jake had headed back towards the kitchen, Tom leaned across the table once more. ‘Sorry for being a bit weird, just now. It was the handwriting thing, it struck a nerve.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry. I just meant it as a joke because, you know, doctors’ writing being illegible and all that.’ Nerissa grimaced.
Tom placed his hand over hers, sending a jolt of warmth up her arm. ‘It’s not your fault.’
