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‘Usualstuff but it’s good.Theburgers are legendary.’
‘ShallIorder two of those then?’
Daisy’stummy rumbled in response.She’dbeen up early as usual and hadn’t eaten breakfast.Neitherhad she finished her cake.Maybethe lump lodged in her chest really was hunger and not lust? ‘Yes, please.I’llhave cheese on mine and a side of fries.’
‘Thesame for me.Andplease could we have another round of drinks too?’
‘Noproblem.’Vickylooked curiously fromDaisytoRick.
Daisyknew she’d be the topic of gossip for the next few hours.
Whenshe’d gone,Rickreverted to their earlier conversation. ‘So, in this imaginary restaurant of mine, nothing pretentious and nothing to compete with burgersand pies.’
‘Orcakes and sandwiches.We’vealso gotOnaRoll.’
Ricklaughed. ‘Thoughtyou said there was nowhere to eat around here?’
‘Idid, didn’tI?’Daisypulled a face. ‘Imeant the sort of place you go for a really special celebration.Birthdays, anniversaries, that sort of thing.Thinkthere’d be a market for it too.We’vegot the new houses onBeaminsterRoad; they’re all four- and five-bedders so we’re looking at disposable income there andUncleDave’sart school is gaining a reputation.Aftera dodgy patch, the town’s having a bit of a revival.Haveyou been up to the castle ruins yet, just beyond the public gardens?Thereare plans to illuminate it and have an outdoor theatre there.It’sall really exciting.’
‘Soall it needs is a destination restaurant.’Hiseyes glowed. ‘Itcould be just the place, you know.’
‘Lesscompetition than in a city where there are lots of others.’
‘You’reright,’ he said slowly. ‘Maybeserving seasonal food, good quality local produce?Organicmeat, cheese, local ciders and wines.Daisy,’ he said, with mounting excitement, ‘LullburyBaycould be the place!’Goingwith what was obviously an impulse he grasped her hand, took it to his mouth and kissed it soundly.
Vickychose that moment to return with their drinks. ‘Apint of very weak shandy and a spritzer heavy on the soda,’ she said, unable to take her eyes off them.
Daisydisentangled herself reluctantly.Thekiss, ridiculous as it seemed, had sent her insides liquid with lust.She’dalmost forgotten what it felt like to have the hots for someone.Itwas all spiralling crazily out of control, building from a simple physical attraction to a good-looking guy to something more.Somethingfar more.Rick’senthusiasm for her hometown and his longing to create a perfect new business in it warmed her heart.Sheloved her little seaside town and was proud of it, and more than a little protective.Shecould seeRickwas beginning to fall underLullburyBay’sspell as well.Ifhe was serious about opening arestaurant it could be just what the place needed.And, of course, there was the bonus he’d be around a whole lot more.
Rememberinghe had the fragrantMintyin tow, she blushed. ‘Thinkyou’ve just set the rumour mill running.Itdoesn’t take much.That’sthe downside of living somewhere like this.Folklove a good gossip!’
Chapter Eight
Overtheir burgers,Rickasked about the history ofVaVaBloom!
‘Iqualified as a teacher, scored a job teaching science at the grammar, thought my life was sorted.’Thatwas the short version.
Ricklooked surprised. ‘Hadn’tgot you pegged as a scientist.’
‘Notmany do.Don’tknow why.Biologywas my main subject.’
‘Andthen?’
‘Istarted hating it.’Anotherbrief version of the truth.
‘Okay.Why, if it’s not a stupid question?Althoughforcing science into the heads of teenagers obsessed with acne and the latestTikTokphenomenon doesn’t appeal in any way to me,Icould see why it might be an attractive career to some.’Heshuddered slightly. ‘Icouldn’t wait to leave school.Iwent straight into work, had enough of studying by the timeIwas eighteen.’
Daisychewed on a mouthful of burger before answering. ‘Thekids were mostly fine.Therewere always the ones who caused trouble and they could be difficult, really difficult at times,’ she amended, ‘and the paperwork was horrendous.Thehours were long too but that was part of the job.’
‘Therewas something else?’
Daisypuffed out a breath. ‘Ijust wasn’t very good at it.’Shewrinkled her nose and laughed, embarrassed. ‘Itwas weird.Iwas always very academic at school.Didwell in exams, got my head down, didn’t cause any ructions, got on with it.Whencareers suggested teacher training it seemed the obvious thing to do.Isailed through the degree, enjoyed the placements, got whatIthought was my dream job back at the schoolI’dattended, in my hometown.’Shepaused, staring into the distance, remembering the exact moment it had hit her. ‘Therewas another teacher in the science department.Hewasn’t head of department or anything, he’d been there since he joined as a twenty-one-year-old and was now fifty-three.Stillteaching.Stillin the same school.Infact, he’d taught me.He’dnever done anything else in his entire life.’Pickingout a stray piece of lettuce, she ate it absent-mindedly. ‘Notthat there’s anything wrong with that if it’s what you want from life.’
‘It’sjust you didn’t.’
‘Yeah.Suppose.’Shegave him a twisted grin. ‘Andthen the moreIthought about it, the less confidenceIseemed to have in my teaching.AndthenIgot a really difficult tutor group and they sensed the weakness, you know?Theyjust knew my heart wasn’t in the job.Causedme all sorts of problems whichIcouldn’t handle.’Plusthe factI’djust found out my boyfriend was cheating on me.Withhis wife.Daisydidn’t add that.Itwasn’t something she was particularly proud of.
‘So, what happened?’
