Life's A Beach by Portia MacIntosh

Author:Portia MacIntosh [MacIntosh, Portia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Published: 2021-05-05T23:00:00+00:00

21

It turns out, if you walk down the driveway and turn left, there is a hidden pathway that leads to a secret beach.

After dinner, we all agreed it might be nice to head down there for a bonfire, so we gathered blankets and bottles of wine, and made our way down the winding, grassy pathway until we hit the genuinely perfect sands of the beach. We were like children, all racing to see who could reach the sand first. On the beach, there’s a fancy metal firepit surrounded by benches covered with big, cosy-looking cushions – the perfect spot for chilling out after dark. It stands out from all the natural beauty that dwarfs it, but at the same time it looks like someone put a great deal of time and attention (and money) into making it blend in.

Di, the perfect hostess, poured us all a drink while we each chose our spot for the evening.

We’re all settled now. Matt is sitting opposite me, which means I can see his face peeking over the top of the flames, which seems appropriate. Charles and Di are sitting next to him. Van was quick to claim a two-seater bench for herself, so she could lie across it, cuddled up under her blanket, with her giant glass of red wine cradled in her hands with all the love and care you’d give your first born. That left just two two-seater benches, and me, Lex, Ben and Alex to decide who sat where, and oh-ho, the look on Lex’s face when Ben sat down and patted the seat next to him, for me to sit there.

‘The two Alexes together,’ Alex announced happily as they sat down together – which only made Lex look angrier.

We’ve been sitting here a little while now and it’s glorious. This side of the island faces out to sea, so there is nothing to see but water that fades into the dark night sky, and given that there’s nothing else around us, it’s like nothing exists outside the glow of the firepit. It does feel a bit like that when you’re on holiday, doesn’t it? Like real life doesn’t exist. You forget about your job, your family, where you live, what you do for fun. You create this whole new life for a short period of time, and it’s hard to imagine much else mattering while you’re in the holiday bubble.

‘Are you cold?’ Ben asks me softly.

‘A little,’ I reply, but I’m not, it’s a nice evening and I’m feeling just right.

Ben scoots a little closer and wraps an arm around me, pulling me in to his body. He gives my arm a rub, but only for a few seconds before settling his hand on me.

I feel even better now.

It’s a beautiful, calm, clear night. Perfect for sitting around and taking in the scenery, just having a drink, relaxing…

‘We should play a game,’ Lex says with a clap of her hands.

I can’t help but roll my eyes. Thankfully she doesn’t notice.

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