Page 78 of Secrets at the Last House Before the Sea

‘I know, babe, but she looks up to me as a mentor.’ He shrugged in an ‘I can’t help being fabulous’ kind of way. ‘And it’s her birthday today so I can’t give her the brush-off.’

‘Hey, Rosie. Wait up!’

Out of the corner of her eye, Rosie caught a flash of bright pink and spotted Nessa approaching in a fuchsia T-shirt dress, with Lily’s hand grasped in hers.

Matt had seen Nessa too and gestured that he’d take his call elsewhere before retreating into the doorway of Maria’s Rock Shop which, in addition to selling striped sticks of sticky Devon candy, sold every sweet you could feasibly think of.

‘Is that your boyfriend?’ asked Nessa, puffing to a halt in front of Rosie. ‘Very nice.’

‘He won’t be a minute. He’s taking a work call.’

‘Good-looking, flies across the continent to support youandhe’s in demand. Sounds like a very sexy combination to me.’

‘Behave! Hey, Lily, how come you’re not on your bike today?’

Rosie grinned at the young girl, who sucked her thumb and eyed her warily.

‘Jake was supposed to be picking her up this morning to take her out for lunch but he’s bailed on me at the last minute so Lily’s disappointed, aren’t you, love? We’re on an outing to Maria’s to cheer her up. There’s no heartache that a pineapple chunk can’t ease, and I speak from experience.’

‘I’ll bear that in mind. Shouldn’t you be at work?’

‘Scaggy has given me an actual Saturday off, which is a miracle. He’ll use it against me and make me go in every single summer Sunday, but whatever. I had a pampering day planned, to get ready for the dance tonight, but Lily can help me get myself tarted up. We might even fit in a trip to the beach if the sun ever properly comes out. What about you?’

Rosie didn’t reply because she’d just had a thought. If today was Carmen’s birthday, she wasn’t likely to be at work. It was her twenty-fifth – she’d been going on about getting ‘old’ for months – and she’d told anyone who’d listen about the fabulous day she had planned at a water park with friends. Rosie glanced at her boyfriend, who was laughing into his phone, more animated than he’d been all morning.

‘Earth to Rosie! Is anyone there?’

‘Sorry, Nessa. What were you saying?’

‘I asked how the visit from the Eppings went. I heard from Belinda that they’d called round unannounced, which sounds just the kind of thing they’d do – turn up early and take their prey by surprise.’

‘I’m hardly prey, but I was surprised, all right.’

‘So how did it go?’

‘Not great and I’m sure the house will be demolished.’ Rosie glanced again at Matt, who had turned so all she could see was his back. ‘Charles Epping said almost nothing, and Cecilia Epping hates me.’

‘She hates everyone, by all accounts. She’s a right sour-faced bi—’ Nessa glanced at Lily’s upturned face and clamped her lips tightly together. ‘So where does that leave you?’

‘I’ll be heading back to Spain next Wednesday. There’s only so long I can take unpaid leave from my jobs without losing them both.’

‘That’s a shame. It’s been good having you around again. Me, Katrina, Belinda, and Liam… we’ll all miss you.’

‘I don’t think Katrina will even notice that I’ve gone.’

Nessa gave her a grin. ‘Well, maybe not Katrina… Oh, it looks like your boyfriend’s finished his call. Hi, I’m Nessa.’

Matt wandered over and shook the hand that Nessa proffered.

‘Rosie said you were on a work call. You can’t escape the office, even in the depths of Devon.’

‘I sometimes think the office would collapse without me,’ laughed Matt.

‘You said it was Carmen’s birthday today,’ interrupted Rosie.

He hesitated. ‘That’s right.’

‘I thought, ’cos it’s her twenty-fifth, she was going to the water park to celebrate with friends.’