Page 7 of A Little Love Song in Seabury (Seabury #16)

WILLIAM

‘ H ey, Rosie Posie!’ said Will, forcing a smile as Matt’s girlfriend barrelled into him for a hug.

They’d known each other since they were kids, and there was usually something incredibly comforting about her familiar grin and tight embrace.

Right now, though, Will was having a hard time not giving her the third degree about why Leah was busy disappearing in the opposite direction.

One minute, she’d been heading towards their little group—looking like he’d never seen her before—all long legs and tanned curves. But by the time he’d disentangled himself from Connie, Leah had changed direction and seemed to be retreating from the beach in a hurry.

‘What’s up, little brother?!’ said Rosie, stepping back. ‘You’ve not been eating enough!’

‘Trust me, I have,’ said Will. ‘Leah makes sure I don’t starve.’

‘Poor girl, I don’t envy her having to babysit you all the time,’ said Matt, who was crouched low, giving Stanley a head rub.

‘You guys make me sound like a complete nightmare,’ tutted Will.

‘Hey, you said it, not me,’ chuckled Matt.

‘Be nice,’ hissed Rosie, prodding Matt with her foot and sending him sprawling onto the pebbles. Stanley was delighted and instantly pounced on him, licking his face.

‘Yeah, be nice. I’ve got Stanley on my side!’ laughed Will, watching the serious doctor trying to save himself from drowning in doggy kisses. ‘Anyway, I don’t know what I’d do without Leah.’

‘Oh yeah?!’ demanded Connie, wiggling her eyebrows.

‘Yeah,’ said Will, ‘she’s brilliant.’

‘Brilliant, huh?’ said Rosie, joining in.

‘Yes,’ said Will, rolling his eyes. Man, he couldn’t get away with anything around these two. ‘She’s a brilliant Personal Assistant ,’ he added, with heavy emphasis on the last two words.

‘Well, I hope you tell her that,’ said Matt, still wrestling with Stanley. ‘Regularly.’

‘Of course I do,’ huffed Will.

But… did he? Really?

Sure, he’d called her a miracle worker in his tired haze last night…

but how often did he really show her any real appreciation?

Then again, actions spoke louder than words, didn’t they?

Will always made sure Leah had nice rooms when they travelled.

Plus, she knew that if she ever needed something, all she had to do was ask.

Of course, it went without saying that he paid her well.

So… why did Will feel quite so guilty all of a sudden?! Hadn’t he invited her to join him on his first proper break in ages?

Will frowned. Now he came to think of it, Leah probably had plenty of places she’d much rather spend her rare time off. Maybe… with a boyfriend?

Urgh! The thought made his blood run cold. It had never occurred to him that Leah might have a private life he knew nothing about. After all, she was pretty much always at his side.

Maybe his annoying family had a point!

‘Where’d Leah go, anyway?’ he muttered. He had some serious making up to do, and the least he could do was start by buying her breakfast.

‘She’s gone back up to the flat to change,’ said Rosie.

Will bit back a retort when he saw a meaningful glance pass between the two girls.

‘But she is coming to breakfast?’

‘Yep,’ said Rosie, looking triumphant.

‘Well, you guys go on ahead,’ said Will. ‘I’ll join you in a bit.’

He needed five minutes away from their knowing looks.

They didn’t know anything.

How could they know something when he barely knew anything himself?!

‘Why, where are you going?’ said Matt.

‘The Sardine,’ said Will. ‘I’ll take Mega-Fluff here back over to Kate.’

‘No need,’ said Connie. ‘Her other half owns the Froth. You can just bring him to breakfast with you.’

Great. There went his excuse for a few moments to get his head back on straight!

‘Fine, let’s go,’ he sighed, offering Connie his arm.

‘No need to sound like we’re leading you to the gallows!’ she laughed, taking it gratefully. ‘Anyway, I’m not joining you guys. Some of us have got to go to work.’

‘What?!’ said Will, glancing at her in surprise. ‘I’d have thought you’re meant to be taking it easy.’

‘Don’t get me started,’ said Matt, taking Rosie’s hand and letting her tow him to his feet.

‘Yeah - don’t get him started, I beg of you!’ said Connie. ‘Dr Pepper here has been super careful with me this entire pregnancy.’

‘Of course I have,’ said Matt, his face serious. ‘This is the first Pepper of a whole new generation!’

Connie sighed. ‘I put it to you—again—that there’s nowhere more restful or cosy than Ewan’s shop. I mean, it’s literally a little nest of wool!’

‘She does have a point, ‘ said Rosie, lacing her fingers through Matt’s spare hand while he kept a firm hold of Stanley’s makeshift, fluffy lead with the other.

‘Plus, Ewan added that lovely armchair in there for me,’ said Connie. ‘All I have to do is sit and knit, gossip and occasionally take some money.’

‘Okay, I know when I’m beaten,’ said Matt.

‘Good,’ said Connie with a nod. ‘Otherwise, I’m giving you a name change from Dr Pepper to Old Mother Hen.’

Will smiled. As lovely as it was to see this extended Pepper-family chaos in action, he couldn’t help but thank his lucky stars that he’d stuck to his guns about not staying at Seabury House.

He loved his brothers dearly, and Connie and Rosie were wonderful…

but there wasn’t a moment’s peace when they were all together like this.

‘Well, as long as Ewan’s pulling his weight?’ said Will.

‘Of course,’ said Connie, with a dopey smile. ‘Try keeping that man out of the shop for more than five minutes! I might be pregnant, but All Things Woolly is his one true love and firstborn, all rolled into one.’

Will laughed. ‘Where is my little brother anyway?’

‘Off on a buying trip,’ said Connie. ‘There’s this woman with the most amazing Border Leicester flock. It’s really interesting, actually. They?—’

Matt and Rosie interrupted her with identical, loud groans. Will turned to them in surprise.

‘Please, don’t get her started!’ said Matt.

‘But—’ said Will.

‘But nothing,’ said Rosie. ‘If you think Ewan’s wool obsessed, let’s just say he met his match with this one!’

Connie promptly stuck her tongue out at Rosie. ‘All the best people have a passion,’ she huffed. ‘Like Will and his music.’

Will smiled at her, but it felt forced. He really didn’t want to talk about his music right now.

‘Right, I’ll love you all and leave you,’ said Connie, coming to Will’s rescue. She leaned up and kissed his cheek. ‘It’s good to have you here, but I’m off to hang out with people who actually want to talk about wool!’

Connie kissed both Matt and Rosie on the cheek too, before heading off towards the end of North Beach. Their pithy banter was clearly all for show.

‘So… what time’s Ewan back?’ said Will, as he led the way across the road towards New York Froth.

‘Later this afternoon,’ said Matt. ‘He’ll be back in time to join us at the hotel for our meal. You haven’t forgotten about that, have you?’

‘Of course not!’ said Will, rolling his eyes.

Yep, he totally had!

‘Great,’ said Matt, not sounding convinced.

‘Anyway, Ewan left first thing this morning. I did suggest he travelled up yesterday and stayed the night to break his journey, but you can’t keep that pair apart for more than a few hours.

In fact, I don’t think they’ve spent a night apart since they got together. ’

Will nodded. A strange pang of longing hit him in the chest as he held open the café door and watched Rosie troop inside, followed by Stanley and Matt.

The nearest Will had ever come to that kind of closeness was with Leah…

and sadly, she didn’t really count because he paid her for the privilege of her company.

No, not her company. He paid her for her skills.

‘Earth to William?!’

‘Huh?’ Will blinked, only to find Rosie and Matt watching him with amusement from beside the counter. He was still holding the door of the café open, and various bemused tourists were filing past him with nods of thanks.

‘You make a great doorman,’ laughed Rosie. ‘But you need to come and choose a cake.’

‘Right, erm… right!’ said Will, feeling the tingle of heat creep up his neck.

What a plonker.

He really needed to stop zoning out when he was in company! The last thing he wanted was for Matt to start insisting that he needed a medical, or for Rosie to decide that he should talk about his feelings.

Will didn’t have feelings for anything much at the moment. There was the music, of course, but right now, silence had descended. He was between tours, and he’d asked Leah not to take any more bookings until he’d figured out what was next.

There were so many decisions to make… what music, where to tour, how many appearances…

First, he needed a break.

But the problem with breaks was that’s when the music stopped… and music was how Will both hid from his feelings and worked through them.

Perhaps he should just skip breakfast? He could head back up to the clifftop house and try that lovely upright Leah had arranged for him. After all, it would be practically rude not to…

‘Dude?!’ chuckled Matt. ‘You’ve zoned out again!’

Will shook his head and headed for the counter. Yes, he’d tell them he’d changed his mind and walk back up to the house. He’d…

‘There she is!’ said Rosie, beaming over Will’s shoulder towards the doorway.

He turned, and the sight before him did absolutely nothing to ease his befuddled brain.

Leah. She was wearing a pair of worn denim jeans, a simple, light blue sweater, and a pair of beaten-up trainers. Her hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders, and Will suddenly longed to run his fingers through it.

How had he never noticed that she had freckles? Did she usually cover them with makeup or something… or did the saltwater somehow bring them out? Either way, there they were, dotting the bridge of her nose and making her eyes look wider and clearer than he’d ever seen them before.

Leah was smiling at him tentatively, and Will realised that he was staring.

‘Hey. You’re here, then?’ he muttered.

Excellent… point out the obvious!

‘Erm, yeah. Is that… okay?’ she said, her smile slipping and a slight frown appearing on her lovely face.

‘Sure,’ he said, his mouth dry. ‘Of course. I guess. Cake… we’re just choosing cake.’

Leah nodded, taking a couple of faltering steps to join him at the counter.

‘I’m sticking with the carrot cake,’ she said. ‘That’s what I ordered earlier before I was kidnapped and forced into the sea!’

Will nodded. It was exactly what he wanted, too… but would he look like a total idiot if he chose the same thing as her?

‘Millionaire shortbread for me, I think.’

‘Really?’ said Leah, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

‘I… maybe?’ he hedged.

‘I just didn’t think you liked it.’

She was right, of course. He hated the way the chocolate layer always slid sideways when you tried to bite into it.

‘I’ll give it another try,’ he muttered.

What. An. Idiot.

‘Oh. Okay…’ said Leah, looking confused. Will could see why. After all, she clearly knew him better than he knew himself. ‘And… I’ll have a cappuccino.’

Will nodded. ‘Yeah, me too.’ If he was going to hate every bite of the cake he’d chosen, he was buggered if he was going to order a drink he hated too.

‘Mike says this round’s on him for rescuing Stanley!’ said Matt, mooching back to join them, having delivered the errant dog to the back of the café.

‘That’s nice,’ said Rosie. ‘Though I dread to think how much business he loses that way.’

‘It’s a daily occurrence!’ said the lad behind the counter as he placed the millionaire shortbread on a plate with a pair of tongs.

‘Who’s that for?’ said Matt, giving Rosie a peck on the cheek as she headed off to grab them a table.

‘Me,’ said Will.

‘Seriously? I thought you hated that stuff!’

Will bit his tongue.

‘Leah, why don’t you head over and join Rosie?’ said Matt. ‘I’ll bring this lot over.’

‘Okay, thanks,’ she said, shooting a look at Will that he didn’t understand.

‘You okay?’ said Matt, as soon as Leah was out of earshot.

‘Of course,’ muttered Will. ‘Why wouldn’t I be?’

‘Millionaire shortbread?!’ said Matt.

‘People change,’ he huffed.

‘Not that much,’ said Matt. ‘Not when it comes to cake.’

Will bunched his hand into a fist and glanced over towards where Leah was laughing at something Rosie had just said. A run of notes trickled through his head, and he took a shaky breath, letting it out slowly. A weird kind of calm descended.

‘You know… I’ve got to go,’ he said, turning to Matt with a smile.

‘Go?’ said Matt. ‘But why? Seriously, man, are you okay?’

‘I’m…’

The notes played again, trickling into his bloodstream like golden raindrops. Will’s fingers danced at his side, following them on imaginary ivory keys.

‘I’m great,’ he said. ‘I’ve just… got to go. Sorry. I’ll catch you this evening!’

Will didn’t wait to hear Matt’s response. He simply turned and strode from the café, focusing on the black dots floating on the stave in his mind’s eye, and Leah’s smile, and the music he suddenly couldn’t stop to save his life.

He needed to get to a piano!