Page 58 of Second Chance Summer
To her relief the crew were all polite enough to laugh.
‘I meant from Sam,’ Aaron said.
‘Ignore him,’ Sam said, squeezing into the space next to his friend so that Lily could have the end of the bench. ‘Though that may be quite difficult.’
Aaron roared and didn’t seem the least bit offended. ‘It’s good to meet you, Lily,’ he said.
‘Likewise,’ she said lightly, while realising just how under the microscope she still was.
After the introductions, some of the others started discussing the next gig race, leaving Lily to talk to her nearest neighbours on the table, Aaron, Sam and Penny, who broke the ice by asking how her holiday was going.
‘Are you finding enough to do on the islands?’ Penny said.
‘More than enough,’ Lily said, glad of a more normal question yet still aware that Aaron and Sam were listening. ‘I’ve been shopping on St Mary’s and browsing the galleries. I’ve walked, sunbathed, done some sketching and painting.’ She gave what she hoped was a winning smile. ‘Pretty much the same things everyone else does on holiday.’
‘Apart from almost drowning?’ Aaron said, deadpan.
‘That kayak thing was a gross exaggeration,’ Sam muttered. ‘The press are a bunch of arseholes.’
‘OK, mate. It was a joke. I’m sorry for bringing it up,’ Aaron said to Lily, sounding genuinely apologetic.
She looked him full in the eye. ‘It’s fine and Sam’s right. The press often have a very loose relationship with the facts.It’s what sells papers and gets clicks. I know that better than anyone.’
Aaron nodded but Sam wasn’t mollified. ‘Isn’t it your turn to get a round in?’ he growled at his friend.
Before he could reply, Lily rose to her feet. ‘I think I’d better do that. As I’m the newcomer.’
Penny also stood up. ‘I’ll give you a hand,’ she said. ‘It’ll be a big tray.’
‘Thanks.’
Lily headed inside the pub with Penny following. She didn’t care how big the tray was. She’d take any excuse to get away from Aaron and Sam for a few minutes so she could gather herself. While grateful for Penny’s offer, she’d rather have gone by herself.
‘Aaron can be a bit full on,’ Penny said, giving the other half of the order to the barman after Lily had managed to remember her half of the table. ‘But he’s got a heart of gold.’
‘They’re business partners, aren’t they?’ said Lily. ‘I heard he’s going to help finish the other cottages.’
‘Yes, he’s been a good friend to Sam when he’s needed it most.’
‘Oh?’ Lily was torn between wanting to know what had happened and her desire not to appear too interested in her host’s private life. Dare she ask more while she had Penny to herself and the bar staff were making up the mammoth order?
Frustratingly, Penny seemed more preoccupied with settling the bill. ‘Are you sure you want to pay for this lot andnot go halves?’ she said when Lily took her debit card from her bag.
‘I’m happy to get a round in. It’s nice to have been invited along, if I’m honest.’
‘If you insist then,’ Penny said, then lowered her voice. ‘As for being invited, it’s the first time in ages that Sam’s brought anyone – especially a woman – to rowing drinks.’
Lily laughed, yet this information gave her a thrill of pleasure. ‘Only because I’d be trapped on the island otherwise. I’m sure he feels guilty. To be honest, I think Aaron pushed him into inviting me. Probably curious!’
‘That sounds like Aaron, though Sam would never be pushed into doing something he didn’t want to. He’s a lovely man but he can be so stubborn.’
‘Really? I’d never have guessed …’
Lily waited for Penny to elaborate further on Sam’s character or to mention Rhiannon but she merely smiled, keeping any information she might have firmly to herself. ‘Like I said, Sam is a lovely man.’
Lily gave up on gleaning any more information and moved on to the subject of the island instead: ‘Between us, I jumped at the chance to come over to the pub because,’ she whispered, lowering her voice, ‘it would be a little bit spooky spending the evening on Stark on my own.’
Penny nodded in agreement. ‘Hmm. I can well believe it. It’s a gorgeous place but it does have an atmosphere, doubtless stoked up by generations of old wives’ tales that have been as exaggerated as your alleged near-death experience.’
