Do We Really Have To Do This? : She can't let go. He can't hold on. What next? by Ellie Barker

Author:Ellie Barker [Barker , Ellie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781838296544
Publisher: Flowerpot Publications
Published: 2023-11-16T16:00:00+00:00

Iris decided not to say anything until they got in the car. They’d eaten a delicious lunch of grilled fish and salad, and they’d all drunk more of Claudia’s lemonade.

“That lemonade was the best I’ve ever had,” Peggy declared as she walked back up the path.

Lennie welcomed them and pulled back the door of the air-conditioned car.

Iris was just about to say something when Peggy spoke.

“If you don’t mind darlings, I’m going to walk back.”

“Walk?” Jack turned around. “You can’t.”

“Why not? Lovely Albert I was just talking to told me there’s a lovely path that takes you all the way back to the hotel.”

“But it’s miles.”

“Albert says it’s the pathway to heaven.”

“But it’s too hot,” Jack said, and Iris noticed the frown reappear.

“I’ve got my phone. If it’s too far I’ll call. Albert says it’s perfectly fine.”

“But Albert is used to the heat, and the signal is terrible here,” Jack tried.

“Are you saying I can’t manage it?”

Iris watched some colour flush into his cheeks.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine,” she tried. “Would you like me to come too?”

Peggy shook her head. “No, darling. That’s ever so kind but I just want to take in this slice of heaven by myself.” Peggy took a bottle of water from Lennie. “Thank you, Lennie. Now, I’ll be seeing you. It’s this way I believe. Albert has drawn me a wonderful map.” She waved a piece of paper in front of them. Then, before Iris or Jack could say another word, she’d disappeared out of sight.

Iris looked at Jack. “I don’t like this at all.”

Jack shook his head. “I’m sure Albert wouldn’t have told her about it if he didn’t think it was okay.”

“How do you know?” Iris raised her eyebrows. Where had Jack from the beach gone? She watched him as he climbed into the car, and then she followed him. Her earlier relief was now replaced by a feeling of unease and she wasn’t sure why. Still, this meant she could talk to him about Lemon Cove and the article on the way back to the hotel.

She waited for Lennie to pull away and drive for a few moments, the cool air conditioning wrapping around them. He sat back in his seat and closed his eyes. Perhaps he was just tired.

His eyes opened.

“So, what did you think of Lemon Cove?” he asked her.

She clapped her hands. “It’s one of the most special places I’ve ever been.”

He smiled now – a smile which seemed to fill his whole face – and Iris’s worry started to slip away. “I thought you’d like it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“That you built the whole place.”

A frown returned. “It’s irrelevant.”

“Of course it’s not irrelevant.”

He shook his head. “I didn’t do anything really. It was just some plumbing and some woodwork.”

“That’s not what Claudia and Beatrice said.”

He shook his head. “They’re exaggerating. They’ve probably drunk too much of Claudia’s lemonade.”

“But this changes everything.”

“What do you mean?” He wiped his face with a cold flannel.

“When this is in the article…”

“No.

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