A Pretty Beach Wish by Polly Babbington (funny books to read txt) 📕

look that had crossed his face when Maggie had been talking about Jack. She wasn’t sure what it was, but the more she thought about it the more she knew - Jack’s arrival on the scene had amalgamated a lot of things that Luke had mentioned over the months since he’d moved in. Sitting on the beach Juliette had realised that maybe Luke was sad - sad that he wouldn’t be getting married, sad that he wouldn’t be having a baby, sad that he wouldn’t ever, if he stayed with Juliette, have a child of his own.

Juliette wiped the cheese knife on the tea towel and put the board back in her basket. Maybe she’d have to do something to change that.

Chapter 58

Luke leant up against the bar and took a sip of his pint.

‘So, he turns up at the funeral, gets in touch with Bella and now is back in her life?’ James queried from the other side of the bar as he held up a glass underneath an optic.

‘Yeah, and he’s been to Pretty Beach now too. Supposedly wanted to see the area where Bella had grown up.’

‘Oh, I didn’t know that bit. Wow, so he was here in Pretty Beach!’

‘Yeah, the weekend of the storm and the jellyfish. When you opened up for us that morning and we had the coffee. He came for lunch that day.’

‘Right. You didn’t mention it?’

‘No. I guess I didn’t.’

‘He’s in her life permanently now, then?’

‘Looks like it. Apparently he’s been to stay with Bella in Oxford now, too.’

‘Cor, must be tough on Sparkles having to swallow that,’ James mused.

‘Yes, it is. Especially as he is acting as if he is the best thing since sliced bread.’

‘Left her when they were eighteen, that’s right, isn’t it?’

‘Yeah. Wasn’t even there for the birth. Never wanted to know anything - until now. And her parents disowned her, too.’

‘Ouch. What a complete idiot.’

‘I know.’ Luke nodded and sipped his pint. ‘From what I’ve gathered if it wasn’t for Daisy in those early days there might be a very different story to how Bella turned out. How it all turned out, in fact.’

‘She always was a trooper that one. Very popular at school too,’ James said a fond look on his face.

‘James! Do you have a soft spot for our Daisy?’

‘Not at all mate,’ James coughed and started wiping the tops of the beer taps. ‘Just saying...’

‘Sounds like it to me,’ Luke said with a wink.

‘No way, mate. So, you’re telling me that Juliette had to deal with that when she was a teenager and then she married old Jezza? Not the two best experiences, then,’ James said leaning onto the bar with his chin on his hand.

‘Correct. She’s had quite the ride as far as relationships go, from what I can make out.’

‘It’s good for you though. The only way is up after those two. You can do no wrong, mate. Though you pulled the secret wife in the cupboard trick in the early days. That was some feat to come back from that,’ James said laughing.

Luke nodded and looked over towards the window. He turned back to James. ‘You know what? It’s been on my mind for ages. I’m going to bite the bullet. I’m going to ask her to marry me. You saying all that has made it crystal clear to me. She has had a tough old ride with those two. I know she said she’d never get married again, but I’m going to buy a huge in your face diamond and ask her anyway.’

Chapter 59

Juliette drove slowly down the street of tiny little pastel-coloured terraced houses and looked for a space. Eventually, right down at the end, she just about managed to squeeze her car into a minuscule spot. She patted herself on the back for her excellent parking skills and tapped on the steering wheel. It felt good to be back to work. Good to be back in the community.

She took out her list of appointments for the day. It was not short. Back in at the deep end, she supposed, was a good thing. She scanned all the way down the list - at least most of them were in Pretty Beach itself with only one in Pretty Beach Old Town and two on the new estate up on the hill.

She turned off the radio and the ignition, checked her lanyard, and pulled the rear-view mirror down towards her so that she could check her appearance. Hair was up and presentable, face was still perky and not going to scare anyone as she walked in. She smiled at her own little joke to herself. It had been a really long time since she’d joked, whether to herself or to someone else. She really was on the mend.

As she got out of the car and took her midwifery bag out of the boot, a mum with a toddler and a pram walked past and said hello, and an old lady with an even older dog who was moving along the pavement at a snail's pace asked her for the time.

Juliette walked along the pavement, smiling at the hanging baskets here and there, and looked for the address of her first appointment. Her phone started ringing in her pocket.

‘Good morning. What’s this my cordial morning call to make sure I made it into work on time?’ Juliette kidded.

‘Wow. You sound livelier! I knew it would be good for you to get back into the community. Get back to what you love,’ Daisy replied.

‘You were right. I needed that time off, though. Time to step back a bit.’

‘You did, Sparkles. But I for one, am very glad you are back.’

‘Me too. There was no way though I could have done this job the way I was feeling. I was so lethargic. I have a full day today and I mean I will hardly be able to go to the loo full day.’

‘Well, at least you’ll be occupied.’

‘I won’t be able to think