Page 3 of Happier Days (Family Life in Somerley #1)
CHAPTER THREE
The taxi driver drove down a sweeping drive, depositing Ava outside the front doors. She glanced at her watch: it was past nine p.m. now. She was desperate for a cup of tea and couldn’t wait to get settled into her room.
‘Are you staying with friends or seeing family?’ the man asked once he’d retrieved her suitcase from the boot of the car.
‘Work,’ she replied, pulling up its handle. ‘But I’m hoping to have a bit of down time, too.’
‘That’s good. Sapphire Lake is amazing at this time of year. Well, to be fair, it’s beautiful all year round.’
She smiled, not letting on that, as a child, she’d fallen into the lake and thought she was going to drown until she’d found she could easily touch the ground beneath the water.
The ledge she’d been paddling on had been slippy – a few steps on it and whoosh, over she’d gone.
It had been an early lesson that had taught her to respect the lake and the beast behind the beauty.
Once inside, Ava’s gaze roamed around the hotel reception.
It seemed to be almost the same as she remembered.
Light oak wooden panelling on the walls, a reception desk built to match.
The red carpet had been replaced by cream marble tiles, inset with runner carpets.
Several oil paintings and charcoal drawings of Sapphire Lake, sold by a local artist, adorned the walls, the only bright colours amongst the pales.
The young woman behind the desk gave a radiant smile, as if she was welcoming Ava back rather than it being their first encounter.
‘Good evening, I’m Sara. You must be Ava?’
‘Yes. I’m so sorry I’m late. Trains.’ She rolled her eyes in frustration.
‘Oh, don’t worry, you’re here now. I’ll get the chef to make you something. Sandwiches okay? Perhaps a bowl of chips?’
‘Sounds like heaven. Cheese and onion?’
‘I’ll get it brought to your room as soon as it’s ready.’
‘Thanks, that’s very kind of you.’ While she waited for Sara to sort out the relevant paperwork, she glanced around, memories of her and Eliza Broadhurst sliding down the bannisters in a fit of giggles flooding back to her.
Eliza was the same age as Ava and had been her friend for the four summers she had holidayed there.
Ava wondered if she’d still be around or if she’d moved out of the village and onto pastures new.
‘You’re on the third floor, room four.’ Sara handed her a form and a pen. ‘I hope you don’t mind, but it has a wonderful lake view. And as you’re going to be here a while, you’ve been allocated one of the best rooms.’
Ava smiled again as she signed her name. Was Sara always this friendly with guests? Or maybe she was out to make a good impression.
‘Eliza told me you’ve stayed at Sapphire Lake when you were younger?’ Sara took back the form.
‘I was just thinking of her.’ Ava couldn’t help the smile spreading across her face. ‘I used to spend summers here with my parents. Eliza was the first person I came to find whenever I arrived. How is she?’
‘She’s doing well. She’s not on the rota for a couple of days, but she says she can’t wait to catch up with you again.’
‘I’m looking forward to it.’
Sara handed Ava a key card. ‘If you need anything, the reception details are in the room. The lift is there.’ She pointed to her right. ‘Breakfast is between seven and ten on weekday mornings and eight and ten at the weekend. Do you need any help with your luggage?’
‘No, I’m fine. Thanks, Sara.’
‘You have a good evening, what’s left of it.’
Ava wheeled her luggage over to the lift. Once inside it, she breathed a sigh of relief. London was a hive of people rushing past each other, not even offering a smile for the most part. Seeing Sara for a few minutes had been a breath of fresh air.
In her room, she left her unpacking until she’d had a shower and, when the promised meal from Sara had materialised, she ate with gusto.
Afterwards, apprehensive but excited, she climbed into bed and reached for the paperback she’d brought with her.
It was Jack Broadhurst’s first novel, written under the pseudonym of CJ Brody.
The cover was on-genre, but she wished they’d used images of Sapphire Lake looking all moody and menacing.
Working closely with a few publishers, Ava knew what was expected in terms of tropes and genres, but equally she knew she could do as well.
She turned the book over to reread the blurb.
There was a serial killer loose in Sapphire Lake.
Ava shuddered involuntarily. Crime fiction wasn’t one of her favourite genres, but she’d made an exception because she’d been curious to read what Jack had written.
Already she was on chapter ten. The story had reeled her in from the first line, not that she was going to admit that to Jack if she saw him again.
Her mind slipped back to the last evening she’d spent with him. The weather that summer had been amazing, and as she had recently celebrated her sixteenth birthday, her parents had gone on day trips and left her there, knowing the Broadhursts would look after her if required.
Most of the time she’d been either in the hotel with Eliza and her friend, Ruby, or down by the lake with the kids from the village and any who were visiting like her. This year, though, Jack was mainly missing through the days as he was working.
Ava remembered every evening she would go home for tea and then get herself changed and add makeup to her tanned face.
Although she’d had a crush on Jack during the last two summers, it was the first year she’d begun to develop feelings for him.
They’d spent as much time as they could together, mostly in their group of friends.
So, on the evening before she was due to leave, they’d taken a last walk around the lake. Ava couldn’t recall now what Jack had said to her, but she’d burst into tears at the thought of leaving him behind again.
He’d kissed her, leading to them having a fumble, but she hadn’t wanted to take it further, and so he’d stopped his wandering hands.
Now, all these years later, she thought maybe she should have taken a chance with him – although who knew if it would have been special enough to carry in her memory for all these years.
Sometimes fantasy turned out better than reality.
Or maybe she hadn’t found the right man in Giles. She certainly shouldn’t have wasted so many years married to him.