Unfortunately, this mostexcellentplan did nothing to help with the fact that Leah felt like she could eat a horse. Still, she had an emergency box of her favourite spiced chai teabags in her handbag. At least she could have a hot drink before grabbing a shower and heading to bed.
Filling the kettle, Leah set it to boil and then turned to the fridge. Maybe Doris kept some milk in there for whoever came up to clean the place.
It was probably wishful thinking…
‘Oh my goodness!’ she gasped.
The under-counter fridge had a lot more going for it than just milk. Yes, there was a full, fresh bottle waiting for her, but there was also a box of eggs, a pack of bacon, a pat of butter, and several full, labelled Tupperware boxes.
‘Allotment salad, veggie lasagne, chilli, chicken soup,’ she read.
There was probably enough food in there to feed a family of five for a fortnight. But the fridge’s crowning glory wasn’t the abundance of provisions—it was the collection of miniature bottles nestled in the door right next to the milk. Two champagne, two white wine, and two red wine sat like tiny treasures in their designated slots.
Had Leah somehow made a mistake? Was this the flat Doris had promised her, or had she somehow managed to wander right into the middle of someone else’s holiday?
Closing the fridge door quietly, Leah was about to go and check the rest of the flat for signs of other occupants when she spotted an orange post-it note on the floor a few feet away. It was face down, its stick having clearly given up the ghost.
Leah grabbed it. Turning it over, she let out a sigh of relief and then grinned as she scanned the cramped writing.
Hi Leah – Welcome to Seabury! Fridge and cupboard fully loaded. Fresh bread on the counter courtesy of Ewan. Help yourself to everything. If you need anything, just shout. Can’t wait to see you.
Rosie & Connie xxx
‘Wow, what a welcome!’
Leah had spoken to both Rosie and Connie regularly over the last few months, and they were on their way to becoming close friends. She might not have met them in person yet, but the girlshad clearly pulled out all the stops to make sure she got a warm welcome. What a lovely start to her holiday!
Leah turned to the cupboard in the corner and opened it. Sure enough, it was heaving with all manner of goodies, from sweet treats to dried pasta.
The sound of the kettle rolling to a boil and flicking itself off made her turn. Excellent. A cup of teawithmilk and something to eat was just what the doctor ordered!
Lifting the lid of the old-fashioned bread bin, Leah found a pack of soft white rolls and a gloriously crusty golden loaf that looked like it was homemade. Well… she might not have the energy to cook herself a full fry-up, but she might be able to manage a bacon sandwich!
Leah stared for a long moment at the newly boiled kettle. Then she shook her head and, with a grin, fetched the pack of bacon and a bottle of bubbly from the fridge.
It was time to kick her holiday off in style!
After a quick search along a high shelf, Leah unearthed a tall champagne flute. Unwrapping the foil from the bottle, she popped the cork and poured. Then she grabbed the glass and lifted it.
‘Here’s to you, William Pepper,’ she sighed. ‘Royal pain in my backside… and the most impossible man to be in love with.’
CHAPTER 3
WILLIAM
The first thing Will noticed when he woke from fitful dreams of scales gone wrong and empty auditoriums was the most epic crick in his neck. The second thing was the weird, creeping sensation that he was being watched.
‘Holy mother of…’ he groaned, heaving himself upright on the vast sofa and kneading the knot in his neck as he peered around.
The room was filled with intense, bright light and the rushing sound of waves… and for a long moment, he was completely nonplussed.
Where on earth was he?
Wherever he was, he clearly hadn’t bothered to close the curtains! Will hastily tugged his dressing gown into place and eyeballed the sofa he’d crashed out on.
Nope. Not a sofa he recognised!
It wasn’t just the fact that he didn’t recognise the house that was making him feel quite so discombobulated. He was having a hard time putting his finger on which town he was in… or which country, come to that.
