Second Chances at Samphire Bay (Samphire Bay Village #1)

Chapter 26

Robin surveyed the work he’d done on the floorboards. Not bad, he thought, rubbing his hand along the smooth sanded wood. Now all he had to do was stain and varnish them and the bedroom floors would look newly polished. Then that was it. Job done. The cottage would be fully renovated and ready to go on the market. It wouldn’t take long to sell, he knew that for a fact. Not only was property on Samphire Bay popular and in demand, this particular location on the coastal path was an absolute dream, plus the house had been restored to a very high spec.

When taking all these factors into consideration, Robin couldn’t help but consider buying the property himself. He had already decided long since that Samphire Bay was where he wanted to stay. But was he being practical? It was a three-bedroom property with a large renovated loft space, a huge kitchen diner and reception room. Could he really justify living in such a spacious house? Especially when his flat was more than adequate. Then again, an opportunity to buy a cottage like this, in such a good spot, may never present itself again.

He smirked to himself knowing what Jack would say. He’d accuse him of letting his heart rule his head, again. Jack would remind him of what he’d lost in the past after buying the barn they’d worked on. And, Robin conceded, he would have a point. Was the real reason he considered purchasing the cottage because of the next-door neighbour? Deep down, was it more about living close to Jasmine?

Robin kept replaying Ellie’s scornful words about Jasmine. Had she really been outside The Smugglers? He hated to think of her alone and not joining them.

Not wanting to put it off any longer, he made the decision to go next door and see her.

As he walked down his garden path, he looked over the hedge and saw she was working in the studio. He made his way through her gate and knocked gently on the window. She looked up startled, obviously deep in concentration.

‘Come in!’ she called.

Robin entered with a smile.

‘Am I disturbing you?’ He tipped his head towards her desk which was covered in sketches.

‘Not really. I was due a break,’ she replied, stretching out her arms.

He admired the toned contour of them. Her morning swims clearly kept her in shape.

‘I saw your visitor the other day.’ Jasmine looked directly at Robin, taking him slightly by surprise.

‘Yes, Ellie.’ He sighed. ‘She turned up unexpectedly at The Smugglers, then again-’

‘She was here, snooping about when I returned from Bunty’s,’ cut in Jasmine.

‘What?’ Robin’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘I saw her outside on the path, staring into your cottage, then she actually went into my garden to get a better view,’ she said, still staring at him.

Robin’s mouth opened, then shut in amazement. He couldn’t believe the cheek of Ellie, to have openly trespassed on Jasmine’s property.

‘She flew off when I challenged her,’ she continued.

‘Jasmine, I’m sorry.’ Robin felt he owed her an apology, feeling responsible in some way.

‘It’s not your fault.’ She shrugged, not quite comprehending why she was annoyed with Robin. Then to her astonishment, heard herself say, ‘But I think you’ve got lousy taste in women.’ Had she really just said that? She blinked.

Robin just stared at her, bewildered.

‘P–pardon?’

Oh my God , Jasmine cursed herself, she’d just blown her cover. Now she would have to admit to seeing him kiss Ellie.

She cleared her throat. ‘I saw you kissing her…’

‘You didn’t,’ he quickly replied.

‘Yes, Robin, I did.’ Jasmine moved to sit on the edge of the desk and folded her arms defiantly.

Robin stalled, still a touch perplexed. Was she accusing him? Did she expect an explanation? He exhaled.

‘No, what you saw was my devious ex-girlfriend force herself upon me, when I was totally inebriated,’ he replied matter of factly, suddenly feeling like a schoolboy in front of the headmistress. Then he frowned. ‘You must have been in the pub then?’

Now it was Jasmine’s turn to feel uncomfortable. She looked away, refusing him eye contact.

‘Jasmine?’ he gently probed.

‘Yes, I was. Then when I saw how… busy you were, I left.’

Silence fell as each absorbed the information.

‘You shouldn’t have left,’ Robin spoke first. ‘Believe me, I would much rather have seen you there than Ellie,’ he added, hoping she would at least look at him.

Jasmine’s mind was in a whirl, trying hard to digest Robin’s account, as well as process her own emotions. Her heart was thumping and instinctively she reached for the heart pendant round her neck, which then triggered even more commotion within. Her eyes began to fill.

‘Sorry, Robin… I… You don’t have to justify yourself to me,’ she choked.

‘Hey, listen, I don’t want anyone to think I still have feelings for Ellie,’ he half laughed, trying to diffuse the tension. ‘Just putting it out there, she’s history.’

Jasmine gave a shaky smile, not trusting herself to speak and feeling a tad foolish now.

‘And for your information,’ Robin continued in the most jovial tone he could muster, ‘my taste in women has somewhat improved.’ With that, he looked intensely into those beautiful brown eyes of hers. She gazed back. The charge between them was palpable.

‘Jasmine…’ he croaked.

The sound of his mobile’s ringtone ruined the moment. She wished it would stop, but the ringing persisted.

‘You better answer that,’ Jasmine said with a grin.

Reluctantly Robin grabbed his phone. Whoever it was, this had better be good.

‘Darling, I’m in a bit of a pickle!’ exclaimed an alarmed Bunty.

‘Why, what’s the matter?’ asked Robin, then mouthed who it was to Jasmine.

‘It’s the boiler. It’s rattled and creaked for years, now it looks like it’s finally given up the ghost.’

Robin wasn’t surprised. He and Jack had looked at it in the past and managed to patch it up but, being so old, it wasn’t going to last forever. He winced at what a new boiler would cost her for a place that size.

‘OK, Bunty, I’m on my way.’

‘Oh thank you, Robin!’ she gushed.

Jasmine had overheard the conversation on the phone.

‘Off to the rescue?’ she asked.

‘Yep,’ he replied, rolling his eyes in good humour. Of all the times for Bunty to call, just when he’d been about to spill all to Jasmine.

‘A real knight in shining armour, aren’t you?’ she teased, then frowned at seeing Robin’s face fall.

Those were the very words Ellie had uttered, and some part of him worried that perhaps there was some truth in her snide comments – did Jasmine only care for him as a ‘knight in shining armour’?

‘Robin?’

He shook his head.

‘Sorry, I’d better go.’ He paused. There was so much he wanted – needed – to say, but now was not the time. ‘Jasmine, can we talk? I mean really talk?’

She nodded. ‘Yes, definitely.’

‘Good. How about dinner tomorrow?’

‘Yes,’ she repeated, then gulped. They both knew what was going on. They had reached an impasse, and it was time to address how they really felt about each other. ‘It’s my turn to cook,’ said Jasmine.

‘No, I’ve an idea,’ Robin replied, suddenly feeling inspired. ‘Leave everything to me. I’ll be here about six.’

‘OK…’

‘And don’t dress up, keep it casual,’ he smiled.

‘Why? What have you got planned?’ she asked.

‘You’ll see. Bye!’ he called over his shoulder.

Jasmine watched Robin go. Rushing off to the rescue again, she thought. What a truly wonderful man he was. It reminded her of how fortunate she’d been in having such a next-door neighbour. How much easier Robin had made the whole renovating process for her. Yes, she had indeed been lucky.

She looked out of the studio window onto the bay and longed to go for a swim, to help ease the tension that had steadily built momentum since… well, since seeing Robin and Ellie kiss, or, according to him, Ellie forcing herself upon him. Did she believe him?

Yes, Jasmine conceded, she did. Why would he lie? Robin had made it pretty clear he no longer felt anything towards his ex-girlfriend apart from resentment, as Jack’s comments had verified. But where did all this leave her?

Jasmine sighed and looked out to sea, as if the clear blue water held all the answers. It did help alleviate some of the troubles on her mind and had a calming effect on her. So much so, she eventually managed to untangle all the mixed-up emotions bubbling up inside her. Like it or not, she was attracted to Robin. And all this pent up stirring inside was in fact jealousy. She had to be honest with herself and accept that she’d developed real feelings for him. She hadn’t moved to Samphire Bay intending to meet someone, but she had – the boy next door. She shook her head and laughed, of all the cliches!

A trace of guilt edged across her conscience. Jasmine honestly believed she would never find anyone, ever, to match Tom. And, in a way, that was still true. Robin didn’t match Tom; he was an individual in his own right. He was Robin , every bit as decent a man. Paradoxically she knew Tom and Robin would have been mates had they met.

Jasmine looked down towards her hand, conscious of holding the charm around her neck. She slowly unclasped her fingers from the gold heart. It was time to let go and follow her gut instincts again.

Robin heard the old boiler rumble and sing like a kettle and immediately presumed it was to do with the heat exchange. He had been proved right when examining the deposit build up, clogging the flow of water. He’d cleared the pipes and bled the system to get the radiators working at full capacity again, but he didn’t hold out much hope for it long term. When saying as much to Bunty, she groaned.

‘I thought so. It’s as old as the hills,’ she said.

‘I think it may even be the original. To be honest, it’s done well to last as long as it has,’ Robin told her.

‘Yes I know, but all good things come to an end, eh Robin?’ Bunty sounded rather melancholy.

Robin, misunderstanding her, replied, ‘Don’t worry about the cost Bunty, me and Jack will fit it for free.’

This earnt him a harsh look.

‘Indeed you will not, Robin Spencer. You’ll get paid just like any other job.’

‘Oh, I thought you were concerned about the expense—’

‘No, no.’ She waved her hand dismissing his remark. ‘It’s just… another thing that’s made my mind up, the maintenance of this place.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I’m selling up,’ she stated with conviction.

‘What, this place?’ asked Robin, stunned.

‘Yes. I’m going to put it on the market,’ she replied with a decisive nod.

‘Are you sure?’ Robin still couldn’t quite believe it. He pictured Bunty staying in this house until her very last day on earth.

‘Yes. It’s huge, costly and secluded. And I’m not getting any younger, Robin.’ She gave him a wary look. ‘One day I’ll conk out, just like that old boiler.’

‘But… where will you live?’

‘In Samphire Bay of course.’

Robin frowned. ‘But where?’

At this Bunty threw her head back and chuckled.

‘Why, in your cottage of course,’ she answered with a wry grin.

It took a moment for her words to sink in. So, Bunty wanted to buy back her renovated cottage. Oh, the irony thought Robin. Folding his arms, his mouth twitched.

‘And what if I don’t want to sell it to you, Bunty?’ It amused him to see her reaction; finally Bunty was the one on the back foot for a change.

‘Don’t play silly buggers with me, Robin,’ her voice was playful but tinged with a slight edge.

‘I’m not,’ he said innocently.

‘Yes you are, darling,’ said Bunty. He was enjoying this, the swine. ‘I’ll pay the asking price,’ she continued.

Robin forced a laugh. Now where had he heard that before? Not that it had done him any good. He raised an eyebrow.

‘Oh stop,’ scolded Bunty. ‘Who else would you sell it to anyway? Why not me?’

‘I was thinking of living there myself actually,’ Robin replied. Then couldn’t resist adding, ‘That was your intention, wasn’t it, Bunty? To get me and Jasmine next to each other?’

‘To meet yes, but now you’re…’ She looked at him quizzically. ‘What are you exactly, still just good friends, or have things moved on yet?’ She remembered the telephone call between her and Jasmine and suspected there was a shifting in the sand, judging by what she’d said. Something told Bunty that Jasmine wasn’t her usual self and had wondered if that trollop Ellie had anything to do with it.

At this, all humour had evaporated for Robin, his face suddenly turning serious.

‘Let’s just say I’m on the case.’

‘Meaning?’ Bunty obviously required him to elaborate.

‘We’re going to talk tomorrow.’

‘What, have a heart-to-heart you mean?’ Bunty’s face lit up with eagerness at this.

‘Yes,’ Robin said quietly. Wanting to distract her, he quickly changed the subject. ‘So, are you serious about putting this place on the market?’

The diversion worked.

‘The time has come, Robin,’ came the sad reply. It touched Robin. ‘It could take a while to sell though, darling, houses like this will only attract a certain amount of people, especially it being on a peninsula.’

‘Well, they’ll need deep pockets,’ said Robin, knowing how much the huge house needed spending on it. ‘It would make a fantastic hotel. Its location could prove to be a real selling point, a place to get away from it all.’

Bunty’s head turned sharply.

‘Yes, of course. What a brilliant idea.’ She stared into the distance, considering his idea. ‘That’s certainly something for the estate agents to bear in mind when advertising it.’

It was odd to think of a Deville no longer living in the big white house, standing proudly on the peninsula. This place had been her home since childhood and in the family for generations. A place which held many memories, some good, some bad. Flashes of her mother’s notorious parties came into focus, Bunty watching the glamorous guests through the spindles of the banister as she sat on the stairs. Seeing their chic clothes, how they air kissed and sipped from cocktail glasses, dancing so joyfully, it was all magical to a child. She pictured her father, busy painting in the studio, shafts of sunlight illuminating the room; the library full of countless books to escape into; she recalled helping out in the kitchen, standing on a small stool and washing the copper pans in a butler sink. Then she remembered Perry and how small and insignificant he was made to feel, stood at the bottom of the sweeping stairs, while Daddy looked down on him. She remembered crying in anguish, face buried in a pillow at the loss of her one true love. The four walls of her bedroom had certainly witnessed some tears. Yes, it was indeed the end of an era. But, as she had told Robin earlier, all things, good or bad, come to an end.