Page 23 of Love from Pretty Beach

T he next morning, Darby felt as if the previous day had been a dream.

The end of the dream had been very nice.

Right in front of her eyes was proof that it hadn’t been a dream at all.

She had no cupboards on her kitchen walls and the evidence that she had been out for a drink with a man was sitting right there on her phone by way of a message from him, which told her that he’d enjoyed the drink.

The text from Archie had come in just as Darby had been waiting for her tea to brew and as she stared at it over and over again, she wasn’t sure what to think. She’d tried to remain calm.

Her first reaction had been to gush something back, but she’d resisted, because, honestly, she’d had her fingers burnt before. Unsure what to do as she sat and flicked from looking at the bare wall to her phone, a message came in from Penny.

Penny: Just woken up here in sunny Morocco. I’m sitting by the pool. It’s heavenly. What are you up to?

Darby: Alright for some. I am in my dressing gown. Is everything okay with you?

Penny: Yes, all good. Do you want to do a WhatsApp video call so that I can show you the pool?

Darby: What, just so you can make me jealous?

Penny: I did ask if you wanted to come and I would pay for it.

Darby: You know that wasn’t going to happen.

A few minutes later, Darby’s phone buzzed with an incoming WhatsApp video call.

She propped it against a bottle of olive oil and accepted the call, immediately squinting at the screen as Moroccan sunshine beamed through the phone.

‘Oh my God, you look disgustingly tanned already,’ Darby took in Penny’s sun-kissed face and a glimpse of azure pool water behind her. ‘That looks amazing!’

‘Three days of solid sunshine will do that to a person.’ Penny adjusted her phone so Darby could see more of the poolside setting. ‘Look at this view, Darbs. It’s absolutely gorgeous here.’

‘I hate you,’ Darby settled back in her chair. ‘It’s grey and miserable here, and I’m sitting in my dressing gown surrounded by the aftermath of yesterday’s kitchen demolition.’

‘Kitchen demolition?’ Penny’s voice crackled slightly through the connection. ‘What kitchen demolition? You’ve gone quiet for a couple of days and now you’re talking about demolishing things? You are on a roll.’

‘I finally snapped and removed all those orange cupboards. Six of them, all gone in one hit. My kitchen looks like a building site, but at least it’s no longer orange.’

‘Blimey, Darbs! You actually did it? After five years of threatening to tackle those cupboards, you finally went through with it. Who even are you?’ The video call pixelated for a moment, Penny’s face froze mid-expression before it stabilised again.

‘I did indeed. My entire body aches as if I’ve been hit by a truck.’

‘I can’t believe you did that on your own,’ Penny picked up a very tropical-looking drink. ‘Please tell me you didn’t try to shift all that by yourself.’

Darby felt her cheeks warm. ‘Well, actually, I had some help with the final bit.’

Penny immediately frowned and narrowed her eyes. She leaned closer to her phone screen. ‘Help? What sort of help? You’ve got that look on your face.’

‘What look?’

‘That look you get when you’re trying not to tell me something important. I’ve known you for twenty-five years, and I know all your faces and the voices. Come on, spill.’

Darby took a sip of her tea. ‘Well, err, actually, I do have some news.’

‘I knew it!’

‘I went to the pub yesterday. With a man.’

Penny’s voice was incredulous. ‘I’m sorry, what did you just say? The connection’s a bit dodgy here.’

‘I said I went to the pub yesterday. With a man. For a drink.’

‘An actual man? Like, a romantic-type situation?’ Penny’s voice was getting higher with each question, and she was now sitting bolt upright on her sun lounger.

‘Yes, an actual man. His name’s Archie, he’s a building restoration specialist, and he helped me move the last of the cupboard doors.’

‘I’m so surprised, I’m speechless.’ Penny’s phone wobbled, giving Darby glimpses of palm trees and poolside tiles. ‘You haven’t been out with anyone in forever. How do I not know about this? Who is he?’

‘You know that listed farmhouse down the lane here and the right of way with that old stone wall? He’s working on that, or at least his company is. It’s a long story. I was taking out the cupboards and he was out there with a gadget.’

‘Convenient.’

‘He helped me with the timber and then suggested we grab a drink. It was very casual.’

‘Darby, you went to a pub with someone. This is headline stuff. What does he look like? What did you talk about? Do you fancy him?’

I’m in lust.

‘He’s nice. Quite attractive and I may have found him somewhat appealing.’

‘You’re practically glowing just talking about him. Crikey! Are you smitten?

‘I am not smitten. I barely know the man.’

‘But you like him.’

Darby paused, considering how much to admit to her oldest and really, only, friend. ‘I suppose...’

‘This is fab.’

‘It wasn’t a date. He helped me with the doors and then we just walked to the pub. I was in paint-stained dungarees, a stripy T-shirt, and gardening boots. I looked like I’d been dragged through a hedge backwards.’

‘And he still asked you for a drink? The man is clearly interested.’

‘Don’t get carried away, Pen. It was just a drink.’

‘It’s a step in the right direction.’

‘It’s been a rather eventful time, to be honest. What with the channel and now this. I may need a lie down.’

Penny’s face disappeared from view for a moment as she rummaged around for something. ‘Has he been in touch?’

Darby glanced at her phone. ‘He sent a message this morning saying he enjoyed the drink.’

‘And?’

‘And I haven’t replied yet. I’m not sure what to say.’

‘You say that you did, too, you absolute muppet! Darbs, this is exactly what you need. It’s been long enough.’

‘It’s all a bit sudden, though. How come suddenly there’s this perfectly nice man appearing in my life just when I least expect it?’ Darby shook her head. ‘It’s too good to be true.’

‘The best ones always come out of nowhere when you’re not trying. You must text back something positive.’

‘I’ll think about it. I don’t know. I’ve completely forgotten how to do this. It’s been years since I went out with anyone. Look at my track record. It does not bode well. Some of me can’t be bothered.’

‘Don’t even go there. Sometimes the universe sends you exactly what you need exactly when you’re ready for it.

Don’t overthink this.’ The video call crackled again, and Penny’s face froze mid-smile.

This signal is awful. I’m so happy for you, I could cry.

Text that man back and send me updates. I want to know everything about how this develops. ’

‘Will do. You go back to your disgustingly perfect poolside paradise.’

‘Love you, Darbs. Oh, and well done on the cupboards and the man. It’s about blooming time.’

After saying goodbye, Darby stared at her reflection in the phone screen and wondered.

Surrounded by the evidence of the day before, she shook her head.

Strangely, she felt a bubble of hope. Had good luck come her way?

Did, as Penny had said, the universe send you things when you were ready for them?

Had forcing herself to take control and get a grip on her situation actually worked?

It seemed as if the answer to that was in the affirmative.

Somehow, it felt very much like things, her life, her existence, were beginning to take shape. Who would have thought?