“Waaah, stop it,” shrieked Tula as Riley scooped her up into the air. “Put me down! I’m too heavy…”
“Don’t give me that. You’re light as a feather. Okay, hang on tight…”
“You hang on tight,” Tula retorted, before letting out another yelp as he expertly threw her over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift.
In front of them in the parking lot of the Mermaid Inn, CJ called out, “Everybody ready? Down to the beach, around the rocks at the end, and back again.” He raised two ominously murky pint glasses like trophies. “Losers have to drink these.”
There were six couples taking part. Tula was just glad she wasn’t wearing a short skirt. But the party was brilliant, everyone was incredibly friendly, and the drinking games had been hilarious. So long as they didn’t lose this one; God only knew what had gone into making that muddy-looking brew.
“Three…two…one…GO,” bellowed CJ, and they were off.
Urgh, being carried in a fireman’s lift was a bumpy experience. Clinging on for dear life, Tula admired Riley’s physique; his shoulders were broad and his biceps rocklike as he ran out of the parking lot and down onto the beach.
“Don’t be sick down my back,” he warned as they headed for the outcrop of three rocks exposed by the low tide at the far end of the beach.
“I’m never sick.” Raising her head and seeing the rest of the party cheering them on, her heart clenched with joy at the sight of Josh’s instantly recognizable figure among them. He was here; at last he’d turned up. Hooray!
It was dark, but the full moon and the strings of lights looped between each of the street lamps along the esplanade went some way toward illuminating the beach. She could see and hear the white, foamy waves breaking along the shoreline. The whoops and shrieks of the other contestants mingled in the warm night air with the yells of encouragement from the pub behind them. Just as they reached the rocks, Riley tripped, lost his footing, and stumbled…
And then they were lying on the sand, tangled up in each other, and he was saying, “Sorry, that was the seaweed. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” He’d been the one who’d broken her fall; she’d managed to land inelegantly on top of him. “How about you?”
“Never better.” He was grinning up at her, his long, blond hair spread out on the sand beneath his head. His eyes glinted with mischief as he slid his hand around the back of her neck. “Well, now we’re here, seems like an opportunity too good to waste…”
“Losers!” bawled one of the other couples, racing past them.
“That’s what they think,” Riley murmured. “Sometimes losers win.”
“Ooh no, no no no.” Before he could guide her mouth down to meet his, Tula vigorously shook her head and wriggled away.
“No?”
“No.” Glancing over in the direction of the Mermaid’s parking lot, she could still see the others outside, watching the racers. And if she could see Josh from here, the chances were that he could see her.
“Oh dear. Someone else you’ve got your eye on?” Riley’s tone was playful.
“No.”
Ignoring her protest, he raised his eyebrows. “Josh?”
“No!”
“Come on. I saw the way you were looking at him this afternoon. It was pretty obvious.”
“Oh God. Really?” Tula’s heart sank; just for once in her life why couldn’t she be the cool, enigmatic type?
“To be fair, I’m pretty much an expert.” Rising to his feet and brushing the sand off his jeans, Riley added, “Although I’m usually the one on the receiving end.”
“Sorry.” She smiled at his wounded expression.
“And I really liked you too. This is crushing.” Holding out his hands, he hauled her upright. “I’ve lost all my confidence now.”
“I’m sure you have.”
“I’m not that ugly, am I?”
“You’re beautiful,” Tula assured him as her phone beeped.
It was a text from Sophie:
What are you two DOING out there??
Leaning in to read it, Riley said, “Nothing, sadly.” Then he took the phone from her, switched it to camera mode, and held it at arm’s length, capturing both their faces on the screen. “There you go, a little something to remind you of the time we met, that romantic fireman’s lift you were given on the beach. In years to come, you’ll look at this photo and think, damn, what an idiot I was to turn him down, the one who got away.”
“I had my chance and I blew it.” Tula nodded sympathetically.
“You’ll probably regret it for the rest of your life. Your friends will see this picture of us and go, ‘Wow, who’s that? He’s gorgeous!’”
“They will say that.” If she’d thought for one second he meant any of this, Tula wouldn’t have been able to joke about it. “I’ll probably have this photo blown up to poster size and hung on my bedroom wall. I expect I’ll cry myself to sleep every night in my lonely single bed.”
Riley slung a companionable arm around her shoulders as they made their way back up the beach to the Mermaid. “I really hope that happens. It’s no more than you deserve.”
***
Okay, downing that drink as a forfeit probably hadn’t been the best idea. Having spent the last hour dancing madly along to the band, Tula headed out to the balcony for some fresh air. It was hot inside the pub. She’d danced with CJ, and with Sophie, and with several other people too, even the posh girls, who were good fun once you got to know them…
Hearing low voices on the beach below the balcony, she bent over the wooden railings and saw a couple leaning against the wall beneath her. One streaky blond, one dark haired. Their bodies were pressed together and they began to kiss. Smiling to herself, Tula wondered what Riley would do if she were to tip her glass and allow a few drops of icy white wine to land on his head.
Then the door opened behind her and someone else stepped out onto the balcony. Tula’s stomach did a giddy flip when she half turned and saw it was Josh. Honestly, the effect he was having on her was just ridiculous. Also, had he noticed her leaving the pub and deliberately followed her out here? Because if so, that was exciting.
“Hi.” His smile was brief. Oh, but still bone-meltingly gorgeous.
“Hot.” Bugger, that came out wrong. Fanning herself energetically, Tula said, “In there. Needed some fresh air. Anyway, hi to you too. Again!” A few drinks and a fanciable man tended to have this effect, rendering her stupid.
“So how long have you and Sophie known each other?”
“Four years now. She moved into the flat above mine in Aston and we’ve been friends ever since.”
Josh nodded. “Right. And what’s she like?”
“Mean. Nasty. Not a nice person at all.”
He smiled. “I can see that. So, does she have a lot of boyfriends?”
“No.” Oh, that dismal sinking feeling when you realize he’s only talking to you in order to find out about your friend.
“Any boyfriends?”
“Why?”
“Just interested. Did she tell you I asked her out the other day?”
Tula shook her head; how like Sophie not to mention it, so as to spare her feelings. “No, she didn’t.”
“She turned me down.”
“Oh dear.”
“I know.” Detecting the note of sarcasm, Josh said wryly, “I just wondered why.”
“If it helps,” said Tula, “she did tell me she wasn’t interested in you.”
“Right. Well, thanks for that.”
“Just letting you know.” Tula sensed that offering herself up as a willing substitute probably wouldn’t be the best idea. Which was disappointing, but oh well. Taking a glug of wine, she changed the subject. “So, I hear you used to manage Go Destry.”
“That’s true, I did.”
“My friend Danny loves them; they’re his all-time favorite band.” Was it an unbelievably dorky thing to do? On impulse, Tula took out her phone and said, “Could I have a photo with you to make him jealous?”
Josh’s shrug was good-natured. “If you like.”
She took the photograph quickly, already embarrassed. Enough humiliation; time to play it cool.
“Right, thanks. I’m going back inside now. Bye!”
If he followed her in, it would be a good sign, wouldn’t it?
But all he did was smile, stay where he was, and say, “Bye.”
In her fantasy, this was because he was playing hard to get.