‘That’s Mr Hargreaves, head of the primary school.’ Ivy sighed. ‘He’s notorious for starting big ambitious projects and then never following through, and his latest show is no exception. I’ve been drafted in to do props.’ She chewed her nail. ‘Unfortunately, the library really needs the funds so I was hoping this onewouldn’tbe a complete disaster. Plus Liv – my little sister – she’s super excited about it.’ She shrugged and stood, picking up the fairy lights again. ‘But it sounds like it’s descending into the usual in-fighting and ridiculousness. The show committee need a firm hand and Mr Hargreaves isn’t it.’ She shuddered. ‘Wrangling children and their parents. Trying to help them remember their lines. Ugh. Who would want to do stuff like that?’
‘I mean, I would,’ Trip said. ‘I love … stuff like that. Community theatre.’
Brooke smiled. ‘He really does. Freak.’
Trip leaned an elbow on the table. ‘Actually, as my darling sister knows, I spent many summers at theatre camp.’
Ivy glanced up. ‘Theatre camp? That’s not a real thing. Is it? I thought it was a staple of High School movies.’
‘Oh, it’s real,’ Trip said. ‘I started when I was nine. I started out as a sapling.’ He cleared his throat. ‘If you chopmedown, you chop downall our dreams,’ he intoned solemnly.
Ivy couldn’t help laughing. ‘Stop. Oh no. That’s so sad.’
‘It was a spoken word piece about deforestation. I got a glowing review in the local paper. I preferred being behind the scenes though, so I got into the directing and stuff. Maybe I should offer to help.’
‘Or you could stop helping everyone constantly. Why would you give up your holiday to help with the school play, when you could get out of Fox Bay and explore the rest of Cornwall?’ Ivy asked.
Trip thought for a moment. ‘Because it’s … nice? In fact, whydon’tyou like it, Ivy?’ he asked. There was a glint of challenge in his eyes.
Ivy paused, tangled in fairy lights. ‘Hang on. I never said I didn’t like it.’
‘You don’t seem that thrilled to be here,’ said Trip.
‘You really don’t,’ Brooke agreed.
‘Oh.’ Ivy found both the siblings staring at her with their matching wide brown eyes. ‘Well, I grew up here, you know? No one loves the place where they grew up, do they?’
‘Um,’ said Trip. ‘I mean, I love wherewegrew up. Actually not so much where my parents live, but my grandmother’s house in Santa Cruz. It’s right on the water.’ His voice was dreamy as he went on. ‘This old place painted pink and turquoise, with a yard that looks like a wild herb jungle and wind chimes that make music even when there’s no wind. A bit like Wildest Dreams, come to think of it. Who wouldn’t love growing up someplace like that?’
There was a pause. Brooke shifted uncomfortably. There was that odd undercurrent between the siblings again, which Ivy couldn’t quite put her finger on. They didn’t mention their parents much, she thought.
‘Well, I know you think Fox Bay is a picture postcard but you trylivingin a postcard,’ said Ivy at last. ‘Stay here for long enough and you realise everybody knows your business. It can get suffocating.’
‘In that case,’ said Trip, ‘why did you come back?’
‘Er, I have notcome back. In case you haven’t noticed I’m atart school,’ Ivy said indignantly. ‘This is theholidays. I have literallyno choice. Not all of us can swan around the world on some luxurious gap year, you know. Sardinia, Rome, Paris and then … Fox Bay? Seriously? I blame that article.’
Trip shrugged, looking at the floor. ‘It sounded nice,’ he said.
‘Tell Ivy why you really wanted to come here,’ Brooke said. Her voice was teasing, but underneath she sounded unexpectedly gentle.
‘Well, I …’ Ivy was sure Trip was flushed. ‘I … wanted snow.’
She stared. ‘Snow?’
‘Yeah.’ He nodded. ‘Snow on a beach, specifically. I thought Fox Bay might have it.’
Ivy frowned. ‘Wait, that’s why you keep checking the weather app? Because you came here for snow? That’s the weirdest reason to travel halfway across the world I ever heard. And I’m afraid you’re out of luck. It’s like I said – itneversnows in Fox Bay.’
‘But maybe it will this year,’ said Trip hopefully. ‘The news says it’s unusually cold.’
Ivy opened her mouth to tell him it definitely, absolutely wasn’t going to snow because it never had in her whole life, and then caught Brooke’s eye. Something in her expression made her shut her mouth.
‘Besides,’ Trip said, smiling again, ‘there’s nothing wrong with being weird – you said that yourself.’ He nudged her. ‘We can be weirdos together.’
Something caught in Ivy’s throat.Weirdos together.
‘You’re both very strange,’ Brooke said, looking at them with something like affection. ‘Now would one of you weirdos fancy doing another coffee run? The stuff in the shop tastes like mud.’
