The Beach Hut Club: a delicious romantic comedy about love, loss and new beginnings (Romance, comedy and friendship series) by Julie Butterfield

Author:Julie Butterfield [Butterfield, Julie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Butterfield Books
Published: 2024-08-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

When Beth woke up the following morning there was a brief moment, more of a millisecond really, before the events of the previous evening came back to her and with a howl of embarrassment, she slid beneath the sheets, pulling them over her head.

She could not face Jake Balfour today. In fact, she may not be able to look him in the eye ever again and with her cheeks hot with shame, she stayed beneath the covers for as long as she could.

What on earth had made her think he was on the verge of asking her out, she asked herself cringing with mortification. This was the man who had openly criticised her for neglecting her aunt, laughed at her attempts to renovate her beach hut and made no attempt to hide his mocking amusement at her every move. Why would he ask her out? And even if he had done so, wouldn’t it have been better to let him go right ahead and then say a cool ‘No’? A dignified, ‘no, thank you for asking but no,’ instead of making a complete fool of herself.

Eventually climbing out of bed and pulling on some clothes, Beth made her way down the stairs to the balcony. It would look far too obvious if she insisted on having her breakfast in the small formal dining room on the ground floor, or in the seclusion of her bedroom. She could imagine his glee if he found out she was too embarrassed to join him on the terrace.

Hoping that he’d had several pints with his friends the previous evening, and had woken with no memory of Beth jumping to conclusions and humiliating herself, she crept hopefully onto the balcony, only to meet his grin.

‘Good morning!’ he said cheerfully. ‘Did you sleep well- oh, sorry!’

She slipped into a chair, staring at him in confusion. ‘What?’

‘Just remembered, I’m not supposed to ask you any questions. Especially not about how you’re feeling.’

It had been a forlorn hope thought Beth, resigning herself to the worst.

‘Wouldn’t want you to get the wrong idea,’ said Jake with a grin. ‘With us not liking each other, I mean.’

Reaching out for the teapot, Beth poured herself a cup. ‘You don’t like me,’ she muttered. ‘You’ve never pretended otherwise.’

‘Haven’t I?’ He looked thoughtful, one hand scratching his head. ‘I’ll admit I was a little - judgmental when I first met you. I was angry because I thought, wrongly, that you had neglected your aunt and then swooped in to sell her hut.’

‘Exactly,’ snapped Beth.

‘But then I apologised,’ Jake reminded her with a beatific smile. ‘I admitted I was wrong and apologised.’

‘Yes, yes you did but I know it was only for Aunt Lizzie.’

‘Was it?’ asked Jake in mock surprise. ‘I hadn’t realised you knew me so well.’

‘It was just for Aunt Lizzie,’ confirmed Beth, suddenly uncertain. ‘Wasn’t it?’

‘If you say so. Absolutely.’

‘So you don’t have to pretend that you like me.’

‘Or ask you out?’

‘Or ask me out,’ said Beth her cheeks glowing.

‘Okay,’ said Jake solemnly.

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