New Beginnings at Seaside Blooms by Jessica Redland

Author:Jessica Redland [Redland, Jessica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books

Damn! I’d have to approach someone. Scary. I stared at the group, trying to decide who looked the most approachable. A tall, slim woman with long blonde wavy hair caught my eye and headed towards me. ‘Are you Sarah?’ she asked.

I nodded.

‘I thought so. You look just as lovely as Nick described. I’m Skye.’

‘Hi.’ Eek! Nick’s best friend.

‘I’m so pleased you’ve come tonight,’ she said. ‘I know Bay Trade doesn’t sound like the most exciting of concepts but I promise you it’s great fun and fantastic for business too.’ She beamed at me and ushered me towards the bar. ‘Nick’s running a bit late I’m afraid. Domestic crisis. He asked me to look out for you. Can I get you a drink?’

‘It’s all right, I’ll get it.’ I reached for my purse, not wanting to impose.

‘Nonsense. Put it away.’ Skye laughed gently. ‘You can get me one later if it makes you feel better. Now, what would you like?’

‘Dry white wine please.’

I studied Skye while she placed the order. I instantly felt comfortable in her presence, possibly because she reminded me of Elise. She wore the same sort of clothes – long floaty cream dress, bolero-style turquoise cardigan, some chunky silver and turquoise beads and a turquoise flower in her hair – and was the same tall, slim build.

‘What sort of domestic crisis?’ I asked tentatively while we waited for the drinks. I suddenly had a vision of a wife and children at home that he’d conveniently forgotten to mention.

‘I’m not sure of the full details,’ Skye said. ‘Something to do with his new puppy and some feather pillows I think.’

I heaved a sigh of relief that I hoped wasn’t obvious to Skye. ‘Nick says you paint?’

‘Yes. I’m an artist first and foremost but I also love making jewellery and have probably spent more time doing that than painting recently. I enjoy anything creative.’

I pointed at her necklace. ‘Did you make that?’

‘I did. And these.’ She pushed her hair behind her ears to show me some stunning silver and turquoise earrings.

‘They’re gorgeous. I might need a pair myself.’

‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘With compliments like that plus a glowing reference from Nick, I already adore you.’

Glowing reference? Look just as lovely? What had he been saying about me? My heart raced.

Skye was the perfect hostess, introducing me to various members of the group and asking me lots of questions about my background, the shop and how I was finding life back in Whitsborough Bay after so many years in big cities. She couldn’t have done more to make me feel at ease. She made me laugh with anecdotes of nights out with Nick. Each time she told a story involving him, I found myself hanging onto her every word. It was obvious that Skye – and everyone else in the group – thought the world of him, which made me like him even more.

About twenty minutes later, I saw Nick out of the corner of my eye and my legs went momentarily wobbly.

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