‘It worked for you.’
Nina wrinkled her nose. ‘What do you mean?’
‘It was the first time we went out. Remember when you were peering in the window?’
How could Nina forget? She’d loved the night. It had been the beginning of pulling her out of a rut she’d been in for years. There’d also been the fact that she’d absolutely loved being with Robby right from the word go. He hadn’t disappointed one single bit. Straps. Now, she was about to spend the rest of her life with him. Ding-blimming-dong.
Robby chatted. ‘We really need to make a decision about the reception and what we’re going to do about the wedding itself.’
‘I know.’
‘Time is ticking on. We did the legal bit and then it’s kind of come to a standstill.’
‘At least we know it’s in The Summer Hotel now.’
‘Yep, but caterers and all of the rest of it. We need to get that organised.’
‘We do. We’ll make a decision by the end of the week one way or the other. Or we have to wait until next year when the weather will be warm again, and I’m not waiting a year.’
‘No.’
They disembarked from the boat and strolled hand-in-hand towards the end of the road where The Summer Hotel was located. Nina had walked along the road many times and had heard all about the secret speakeasy chowder place, but had never been invited. Numbers were limited, demand was high, and according to just about everybody in Lovely Bay, it was booked up even before it went live. Nina adored being part of it and the Lovely Bay community; it was feel-good. People said hello to you as you walked along the street, you received smiles when the day was looking a bit grey, and sometimes it just felt nice to be in on things.
From the outside, the house looked like every other house in Lovely Bay. It was old, a little bit tumbledown, with beautiful shutters on the outside painted in white that had been weathered by the sea. The garden was quintessentiallyEnglish and quintessentially beautiful, but other than that, quite unremarkable. From what Nina had heard, when she walked inside, all of that was going to change.
For a moment, they stood on the pavement, observing the house from the outside. It appeared very quiet. Robby extracted his phone from his pocket, swiped up, and tapped a few buttons. 'Okay, the password is noted,' Robby announced. 'We need to walk around to the right-hand side of the house.' He glanced up from his phone, squinted, and then peered back at the screen. 'A door halfway down leads into the side of the house.'
Nina frowned. 'I thought you've been to one of these before.'
Robby nodded. 'I have, yes, but that was in the winter, and the instructions for that one directed us to knock on the front door. This one is, hopefully, going to be in the back.'
Nina nodded and trailed behind Robby. He pressed the doorbell on the side, and after two minutes, the door swung open. Colin from the boat stood there, chuckling and arching his eyebrows as if awaiting Robby to utter something. Robby voiced the password. Nina giggled as she stepped in, with Colin opening the door wider.
'Welcome, our Nina and our Robby. Delighted to see you this evening. It’s touch-and-go with the rain, but we'll see how it goes,' Colin greeted.
'Fabulous, thanks, Colin,' Nina said as she began to peel off her jacket and looked around. If the rest of the evening, and indeed the rest of the house, matched the entrance hall, she was in for a delightful experience. She gazed around, her chin nearly touching the floor and a peculiar flutter stirring in her stomach. The house was undeniably stunning. It was going to be a good night.
Nina surveyed the hallway, with its stripped floors and the colossal mirrors above a narrow shelf that sat about three-quarters up the wall beneath the highest ceilings. On the shelf,an array of jugs looked as if they’d been collected over time. A staircase with a hessian runner and brass rods led upwards, while three or four doors branched off the hallway. Colin led them through, opening one of the doors into a large sitting room. The room boasted three sofas, one in pale pink velvet, a massive fireplace, and beautiful gilt mirrors leaning against the walls. A chandelier hung from the centre of the ceiling, and through the doors at the back, Nina glimpsed willow trees swaying in the wind over a narrow orangery. She had to stop herself from gasping at the decor; the sofas, the paintings, the mirrors, and the high ceilings were all exquisite.
Stepping into the narrow orangery, the ambience changed dramatically. Tiny lights nestled in small glass jars illuminated the space as guests mingled, drinks in hand. A few nodded and greeted Nina as she edged towards the doors, taking in the sight. Outside, a series of vintage fringed sun umbrellas stood in a row above trestle tables, each adorned with distinctively English printed tablecloths. Rugs draped over the backs of chairs, and lanterns hung from the trees, their tea lights flickering. At the garden's end, a fire pit crackled away to itself. Shabby it was not.
Colin handed Nina a drink, glancing up at the sky. 'Looks like it might rain, but hopefully, it won't. Believe it or not, those umbrellas are actually rainproof, or so they say. More like drizzle-proof, if you ask me.' He laughed at his own joke and Nina chuckled.
About ten minutes later, she found herself seated outside next to Robby, with a man she didn't recognise on her right and a very pretty woman with her hair in an elaborate updo opposite her.
Colin brought out pitchers of beer and bottles of wine, placing them down the centre of the table. Robby poured her a glass and one for himself, passing her one. About ten minuteslater, the chowder was served in the same small sourdough loaves as in the deli that were ubiquitous all over Lovely Bay.
After everyone had been served, Nina picked up her spoon and tucked in. Just as the first time she’d ever tasted the famous Lovely Bay chowder, her taste buds couldn’t quite believe what had happened. The chowder was more than tasty; it was like something she’d never tried before, better than Birdie’s, better than any of the chowder she’d had in Lovely Bay. She nodded, didn’t say anything, put another spoonful in her mouth, and just continued to enjoy everything about the setting. The fire at the end, with smoke billowing up into the sky, the beautiful stars, the low lighting, the mix of people all on a mismatch of vintage chairs, the beautiful old tablecloths, the house in the background, and the tiny little lights flickering everywhere.
She whispered to Robby. ‘Wow, I know why this has always been the one to get an invite to.’
Robby nodded. ‘Yes, it’s amazing.’
‘I don’t mean the food,’ Nina said. ‘I mean, look at it.’ She gestured around her.
Robby agreed. ‘It really is.’
He put his fork down. ‘Do you know what? This is what we should do. Something like this. Just have the chowder in the garden of The Summer Hotel and leave it at that. We’ve been talking to caterers and suchlike when this would be just right. All we need is chowder. Everyone loves it.’
