Page 28 of One Golden Summer

Saffron flashed her superstar grin. “Nothing youshouldknow, believe me. TheGirl Racermovies?”

Blank stares from Kirsty’s parents. “Not really our sort of thing,” her mum confided. “But welcome to our little town. You’re just visiting I take it?”

Saffron nodded. “A few weeks of fresh air and the sea. I’m loving it so far.” She put an arm around Ginger’s shoulder. “But my sister here has bought a house, so she’s here for the duration.”

“You’re having the divorce party?” Dad picked up his paper. “You might know this clue.” He picked up his pen. “Divorce, or abort. Nine letters.”

“Terminate,” Ginger replied almost instantaneously.

Dad checked, then gave her a grin. “Well done.” He reached for his pen and filled it in.

Kirsty could have happily clunked him over the head.

“This is a fantastic beach hut,” Ginger told Kirsty. “This is where you keep your kayak? Saffron was just telling me all about that. Sounds like fun.”

Kirsty nodded. “We’ll have to go out one day.”

Ginger shook her head. “I’m strictly a look-at-the-sea girl. I’ll leave that to you two.” She stared out to sea. “It’s so relaxing here, though. I can feel my tension seeping out of me. Like summers when we were kids in Cornwall, isn’t it?”

Saffron gave her a slow nod. “Exactly that. We just need ice cream, buckets and spades, and we can recreate it properly.”

“Nathan’s Ice Cream Hut is just down there.” Kirsty leaned over the porch and pointed along the promenade.

Saffron put her elbows on the wooden railing and leaned next to her. “Is that right?”

Saffron’s lips were close to Kirsty’s as she turned her face. She nodded. “Just there,” Kirsty replied, her eyes dropping to Saffron’s lips, then pulling away.

Too dangerous.

Kirsty might be ready for another shot at love, but not with someone who was skipping town in a few weeks. Saffron had just more or less said so to her mum. She was not a viable option forsomany reasons.

Saffron stood back up. “Who wants a 99? On me?”

Four hands went up.

“Yes please!” Mum said, turning to Dad. “A delicious vanilla ice-cream cone with a chocolate flake in the top will make up for the iced bun disappointment.”

Dad gave her abutter wouldn’t meltgrin.

Mum leaned in to Ginger and Saffron. “Nathan, who runs the ice cream hut, was Kirsty’s first boyfriend when she was seven.”

“Mum!” Kirsty needed to keep a leash on her mum’s tongue sometimes.

Saffron turned as she jumped down to the promenade. “I’ll look forward to checking out your taste in men.” She gave Kirsty a wink.

Saffron was back in minutes holding five 99s, ice cream running down past both wrists.

“Take them!” Saffron held out her hands, before licking all her fingers one by one.

Kirsty gulped. She stared at the wooden slats beneath her feet and clenched her toes in her flip-flops.

Focus on your ice cream.

Nothing else.

“You know what? You two should come to our BBQ tomorrow.” Mum took a bite of her chocolate flake. “Ian’s cooking the best lamb chops in town, and we’ve never hosted a real live movie star before. Are you free?”

Ginger swirled her tongue through her ice cream, before nodding. “I’m free most nights seeing as I know nobody except the people right here, so that would be wonderful.”