Page 9 of Dead in the Water (Lily Larkin Mysteries #4)

Chapter Nine

Lily’s lack of attachment to material possessions was probably a result of her upbringing. Moving between European cities every few years in her childhood – and her uncle’s minimalistic tendencies – meant they’d never accumulated much unnecessary stuff.

The mindset had stuck with Lily in adulthood. There was some comfort in a lack of clutter, and knowing she could pack most of her things into a couple of suitcases with little notice. It gave her a sense of freedom.

It also had its downsides.

Staring at the contents of her wardrobe strewn across her bed, she couldn’t help but think it would have been a good idea to have accumulated a better selection of clothes over the years.

What were you supposed to wear for a date at the beach, anyway?

Surely comfort was the major factor. Or it should be. It annoyed her that she wanted to look good for Flynn. Not just for him. She’d feel more confident if she was happy with her clothing choice.

But she’d also like Flynn to rake his gaze over her appreciatively when he set eyes on her.

With a groan, she rummaged under the clothes until she found her phone, then sank onto the bed to call Seren.

“What would you wear for a sunset picnic on the beach with a guy you fancy?”

The response was a high-pitched squeal that made Lily move the phone away from her ear. It also brought a satisfied smile to her face.

“Are you going on a date with Flynn?” Seren asked breathlessly.

“Yes.”

“Did he ask you, or did you ask him?”

“I asked him.” Lily’s smile widened at her friend’s obvious excitement. “After I kissed him on the beach.”

“What!” Seren screeched. “Tell me everything.”

“There’s not much to tell. I was feeling down about the guy who died at the harbour. Flynn found me on the beach, and I suppose I just felt like making the most of life… so I kissed him. It felt natural in the moment.”

“Wow. And he kissed you back?”

“Briefly. He was on duty, so it wasn’t anything wild.”

“Okay. And then you asked him on a date?”

“He asked if I wanted to go to the pub tonight, and I suggested a picnic instead.”

“Right.” Seren’s enthusiasm dulled. “I don’t want to squash your excitement, but I just want to check… does he definitely know it’s a date?”

“Yeah.” Lily grinned. “He knows.”

“Are you sure? Because he’s a man. Maybe he heard picnic and just thought food and nothing more. Not that I’m saying he wouldn’t want to go on a date with you, just that I wouldn’t trust him to know that’s what’s happening.”

Lily laughed. “I agree completely. I didn’t trust him to realise either, so I told him clearly that I was asking him on a date. He said he’d already figured that out. Anyway, there’s definitely no confusion.”

“That’s great,” Seren said. “It’s good that you checked. Men can be dense about these things.”

“So what do I wear?” Lily asked, getting the conversation back on track.

“I don’t think it matters too much. This is the beauty of getting together with someone you’re already friends with – there’s not too much pressure to impress. I was the same with Kit. We’d already known each other forever when we got together.”

“I want to make an effort, though. But it’s the beach, so it would be weird to make too much effort.”

“True.” Silence hung for a moment. “I’d probably suggest jeans since it’ll cool down later. Ooh!” She went slightly high-pitched. “Or wear a skirt, but take a blanket so you can snuggle up when you get cold.”

“I think I’ll go for jeans,” she said, feeling a pang of nerves. “I’m going to end up in jeans and a T-shirt, aren’t I?”

“Wear a vest top. Show off your figure and show some skin. Then you can throw a shirt or a cardigan over it if you’re cold. It’s casual, but you’ll still look hot.”

“Okay.” Idly, she sifted through the clothes on her bed.

“Are you excited?” Seren asked.

“I don’t know. I’m more nervous than I expected.”

“When was the last time you went on a date?”

“Ages ago. I’m out of practice.” She also didn’t remember ever being so anxious before a date – possibly because she’d never been overly attached to the outcome before.

“It’ll be great,” Seren said. “It’s been such a lovely, clear day. I’ll bet the sunset will be amazing tonight. It’ll be a magical first date.”

“Yeah.” Lily pulled a faded blue vest from the pile of clothes. “Do you think this is a bad idea?”

“No. Why? I know Flynn took a while to grow on me, but I really think the two of you are perfect for each other.”

“He’s only here temporarily.”

“Don’t let that stop you. Focus on enjoying the moment. Who knows what will happen in the future? Worry about that later. Besides, he’s still got a few months, hasn’t he?”

“I think so.” She didn’t know his exact leaving date, or if he even had one.

“Also, Sergeant Proctor has warmed to him now, so maybe he’ll be able to extend his posting here.”

“Perhaps.” The thought had crossed Lily’s mind too, but she hadn’t let herself linger on it, nor dared bring it up with Flynn. “I’m not sure he’d even want to stay here. He always says it’s boring to be a police officer here. I think he’s looking forward to getting back to London.”

“There’s an easy solution to that.” An edge of mischief rang in Seren’s voice. “You just need to make his life here a little more exciting. Starting tonight.”

Lily grinned and felt some of her nerves leave her.

“I have to get ready for work,” Seren said. “But message me later and tell me how it went. Or tomorrow, if that’s a more convenient time.”

Smiling, Lily shook her head and thanked Seren for her clothing advice.

An hour later, she was ready to go. She packed the picnic into her backpack and stared out of the living room window while she waited for Flynn to get in touch. Presumably it had been a busy day at work for him, so it wasn’t overly surprising that he would finish later than usual.

The feeling that something wasn’t right started a few minutes before a message popped up on her phone. It should have been a relief to hear from Flynn, but that niggling feeling stayed with her as she clicked into the message.

Sorry. Have to work late, after all. Rain check?

Disappointment hit her in a rush, along with a jolt of anger that was entirely unwarranted. It was hardly his fault he had to work late.

She waited a few minutes to reply, saying it was fine and that she’d talk to him tomorrow. The short, breezy message was entirely at odds with her internal state.

He was a police officer and dedicated to his job. It really wasn’t as though he’d stood her up.

That didn’t stop her from feeling as though that was exactly what had happened.