had been caused by the thirty lanterns which had been released to celebrate the three-decade milestone. ‘You’ll have a captive audience.’
‘I don’t want to come across as all preachy though,’ she frowned.
‘It’s not preachy if you’re raising awareness,’ I told her.
‘That’s all right then,’ she nodded, ‘and with any luck, the lanterns will be banned nationwide before long. Joe told me that Charlie had found a barn owl completely tangled up in one the other day. It had been dead for a while.’
‘That’s awful,’ I shuddered, thinking of the beautiful bird before wondering when this conversation had taken place.
‘Charlie was devastated,’ she said sadly.
The sparklers were stored in a box under one of the three trestle tables which had been lined up and covered in a vibrant patterned oilcloth borrowed from Sophie. She had closed the café early to ensure she had enough time to transport all the food she had made, along with Hope’s cookies and a vast amount of secret-ingredient rum punch, down to the beach.
‘I’m so pleased that the sun has decided to put in an appearance,’ she said, puffing out her cheeks as she handed over a heavy box to one of the many people who had turned up to help. ‘When I watched the forecast at the beginning of the week, I thought we were going to be celebrating the longest day under a blanket of cloud!’
‘Oh blankets,’ tutted Hope, scouring her list. ‘I knew there was something.’
A few of the hardier souls were planning to sleep out under the stars and Hope had collected a big box of blankets and sleeping bags for anyone who forgot to bring one.
‘They’re all still at the pub,’ she tutted, sucking the end of her pen again.
‘I’ll go,’ I said. ‘You stay here and hold the fort.’
‘Thanks, Tess,’ she said, taking out her phone and waving it about. ‘I would text Sam and tell him but there’s absolutely no signal down here.’
It was only a short walk back from the stretch of beach where we’d decided to set up to the Smuggler’s but, given the problems Sam had been having with his leg, he was going to drive his car down as far he could. Not only was he saved some uncomfortable steps but he was also ferrying a few things he had been keeping at the pub. The box of blankets could go in with those.
Having decided that as everyone was going to be at the beach anyway there was no point in staying open, he was just locking up as I arrived.
‘All right?’ he frowned, when he spotted me.
‘Yes,’ I said, ‘everything’s running like clockwork, but Hope remembered she hadn’t got the box of blankets so I said I’d come and get them.’
‘I’ve just loaded them into the back of the car,’ he said, wincing as he picked up the chalkboard from the path.
‘Here,’ I said, ‘let me take that.’
‘No,’ he snapped, pulling it away. ‘I can manage. I’m not completely useless.’
I took a step back, my face burning with embarrassment. I realized I had made a mistake, but there was no need to bite my head off about it.
‘I’ll go back then,’ I said quietly.
‘You might as well come in the car with me now you’re here.’
After his uncharacteristic flash of temper, I wasn’t sure I much wanted to.
‘Just go around the back to the car park,’ he said, before I could object. ‘It’s unlocked. I won’t be a minute.’
I did as instructed, but he took so long I was beginning to think something must have happened. I was just about to go and look for him when he bumped through the beer garden carrying a guitar case. I could see he was struggling to manoeuvre it but knew better now than to interfere.
‘You might have helped,’ he muttered, climbing behind the wheel once he had managed to balance it on top of everything else stacked on the backseat.
‘Why would I do that?’ I shrugged. ‘You could manage. I mean, it’s not as if you’re completely useless, is it?’
He looked at me and I was relieved to see him crack a smile.
‘Sorry,’ he said, shaking his head.
‘No worries,’ I smiled back, accepting his apology. ‘Do you play?’ I asked, nodding at the case and feeling relieved that the moody moment had passed.
‘Nah,’ he said, securing his seatbelt, ‘I thought I’d just bring it with me so we would have something else to sit on.’
I leant across and lightly punched him on the arm.