The Cafe at Marigold Marina: The perfect feel-good summer read by Tennant Tilly

Author:Tennant , Tilly
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781803142500
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2022-04-08T00:00:00+00:00

The front door was finally locked. Everywhere had been cleaned and Rosie was ready for a bath and an early night when there was a knock at the door that she’d just closed. Through the windows she could see Kit waiting, a rucksack on his back. If it had been anyone else she might have been tempted to hide until they’d gone – it had been that kind of day.

‘Hi,’ she said as she opened the door. ‘Everything alright?’

‘Sure. Are you ready?’

‘Ready for what?’

‘Swimming.’

Rosie blinked. ‘We didn’t have an arrangement…’ She frowned. ‘Is this Tabitha’s doing?’

‘She said you wanted me to teach you how to swim. Said you’d be up for tonight…’ He paused and then grinned. ‘Little cow! I knew I should have asked you rather than take her word for it.’

Rosie smiled. ‘She said I needed to learn how to swim and that you’d be the person to teach me, but I never agreed to go.’

‘Well, now I feel like an idiot.’

‘It’s not that I don’t appreciate the offer, but I’m not really into swimming, and if I was, quite honestly, I’m exhausted right now.’

‘We could easily make it another night. It’s really no bother to me at all.’

Rosie shook her head. ‘I really don’t think swimming is me.’

‘So you don’t want me to take you swimming?’

‘I’m sure we’d have fun but—’

‘You really hate the water.’

‘Tabitha told you that much?’

‘Yes, and it’s actually why she thought I should take you. I thought she told you that she’d ask me and that it was all sorted.’

‘She didn’t say a word – because she guessed I’d turn the offer down if she did. Probably thought I wouldn’t refuse you if you were standing on the doorstep ready to go.’

‘She’s sneaky like that. Well, as I’ve got my stuff together, I guess I’ll just go alone.’

‘Oh! Now I feel bad…’

‘Don’t. It won’t bother me. I’ve found this great little spot on the river, lovely and calm… Actually’ – he grinned – ‘I think you found that for me last night by accident.’

Rosie laughed. ‘Stop it! I already feel bad enough about that!’

‘So you should.’

‘If I could make it up to you I would.’

‘You can.’

‘If you say by swimming with you tonight, I’m going to clobber you, guilty or not.’

‘OK, it was worth a try.’

‘It was a valiant effort,’ Rosie agreed.

As she looked at him now, smiling, relaxed – her friend – she was tempted to change her mind. Not because she wanted to learn to swim, but because he’d gone to the effort to come by and was willing to make the time for her, and because she would have enjoyed his company. But if Nicole got to hear about it, well… things were sticky enough in that regard without making them worse.

Rosie understood just what was going on – at least as far as Tabitha was concerned. For some reason she’d decided Rosie and Kit ought to be together, and for more than swimming lessons. But it wasn’t going to happen, no matter what Tabitha did to engineer it.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.