Summer Fate by Emma Nichols

Author:Emma Nichols [Nichols, Emma]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance
Publisher: Britain's Next Bestseller
Published: 2019-06-12T23:00:00+00:00

13.

Grace entered the Crooked Billet with Harriet at her side and gazed around the room. Three large round tables occupied what might also double-up as a dance floor in their absence. Wood-carved, team name-cards sat in the middle of each table, and two of the tables were already filling with people. ‘Where’s the Parson’s Nose?’ she asked Harriet.

‘At the arse end of the chicken,’ Doug yelled from the table labelled The Duckton Arms. Laughter filled the small space, and groans hummed from the Parson’s Nose table.

‘Any new jokes, Doug?’ a man retorted from the competitor’s table.

‘It’s a paradoxical delicacy,’ the woman sat next to him added.

‘Old ones are always the best,’ Doug said and held his drink up in a toast.

Harriet stopped chuckling. ‘It’s the Lower Duckton village pub,’ she said.

Grace smiled.

‘Hi Dad, Elvis.’

‘Hello, my petal.’

‘Good evening Harriet; your usual?’ Elvis said.

‘Hello Grace,’ Bryan said. ‘How’s your waterworks?’

Grace felt the heat hit her cheeks. ‘Fine thanks, Bryan. I’m sorry, I should have let Harriet know I’d fixed it. I was a little distracted this morning,’ she said.

‘God bless you, Grace,’ Elvis said. ‘G&T?’

Grace pondered the Vicar pulling a pint and handing it across the bar to another customer. ‘Yes, thank you.’ She paused. ‘Umm, Vicar,’ she said.

‘It’s usually Elvis in here,’ he said, with a welcoming smile.

‘He blesses everyone on their first visit,’ Bryan said, with a wink.

‘And every time they buy a drink,’ Harriet whispered to Grace as Elvis poured their drinks.

Grace chuckled.

Two long drinks were placed on the bar, a slice of lemon wedged on top of the glass and a cherry on a stick resting on the ice.

‘He always puts a cherry in long drinks,’ Harriet said. She picked up the stick, pulled the cherry into her mouth and chewed.

Grace winced. ‘Do you want my cherry?’ she asked, holding up the fruit. Harriet looked at her with raised eyebrows, tilted her head and smiled. Grace felt the heat in her cheeks flame and send fire to her toes.

‘Thanks,’ Harriet said and took the stick and ate the fruit.

They turned towards the banter flying across the three large tables, the Crooked Billet table starting to fill.

Bryan passed in front of them and headed to the door, accosting Sheila Goldsworth on his route and whispered something in her ear. Moments later they both returned to the bar and Shelia approached Harriet and Grace.

‘Hello, you must be Grace; how lovely to meet you,’ Sheila said. ‘How was the cruise?’

Bryan closed his eyes for a long time and pursed his lips then opened them. ‘What would you like to drink, Sheila?’ he said, drawing Sheila’s attention.

Grace frowned. ‘I think you’re referring to Vera, my aunt, Vera,’ she said.

‘Oh,’ Sheila said, looking most confused. ‘I thought she was with her sister in Devon,’ she added.

‘Sheila, what can I get you?’ Bryan said, his voice louder and more insistent.

Grace was shaking her head, Harriet was frowning. Both women sipped from their gin in unison, leaving Sheila mumbling to Bryan something about Jenny, Delia, and the café culture.

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