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

about anything else, least of all the state of my beautiful daughter’s toes or the fact that her father has appeared from out of the blue and is in my face.’

‘I suppose that’s a good thing,’ Daisy said, sighing.

‘Enough of me anyway. What are you up to today?’ Juliette asked as she pulled her cardigan on over her uniform.

‘You’re actually not going to believe it, Sparkles.’

‘Oh no. What? Whenever you say that it reminds me of the Matt days. When he’d ask you on some clandestine date when he hadn’t spoken to you for weeks and when you said I wasn't going to believe it, I really didn’t.’ Juliette laughed.

‘I’ve told you a million times, Matt is dead and buried to me.’

‘Good. I’m getting that tattooed on the inside of your left arm.’

‘I have the pleasure of debuting someone on my channel today. Well not quite today, we are filming today, and it will be broadcast soon.’

‘Who? Xian? Have you finally persuaded Xian to spill the beans on her special drink recipe?’

‘Ha! Fat chance of that, although I’m still working on it. One day I will persuade her. No, not Xian, but tada the one and only Syd Sprinton. He’s coming to do a pickling episode - I proposed it to him and he said yes. He’s going to be fabulous.’

‘Gold. Your followers are going to adore him. He’s like the real version of those gardening shows on television that used to be on Friday night.’

‘I know. He’s a complete natural too. We did a little test run the other day when I popped up to see his allotment.’

‘Ooh, I can’t wait to see it, Daisy. So, what’s the plan?’

‘Well, it feels as though I have pounds and pounds of produce that has grown overnight in the veggie garden and it’s positively groaning with things ready to pick. There is a huge glut of tomatoes and courgettes and all sorts. So, we are going to start with that.’

‘Right, so what he’s going to show you how he does it?’

‘Yep, pickled whole cherry tomatoes, cucumber pickles and I think I have convinced him to part with his Pretty Beach Locals Only chutney.’

‘Ha, you’re kidding me! You’ll have the Pretty Beach squad car at your door if you put that anywhere online! You will be lynched. The mob will be round to cart you off.’

‘That did cross my mind,’ Daisy replied laughing.

‘Yeah, if I was you, I’d be giving that a little tweak and calling it something else.’

‘I do believe you are correct.’

‘I mostly find that I am most of the time,’ Juliette joked as she approached the tiny little terrace house for her visit.

Juliette could hear Daisy pottering around in the kitchen and then the low rumbling groan of the funicular railway.

‘That reminds me - did you get the surprise railway trip booked in? Did they have a space?’ Daisy asked.

‘They did and they've got champagne and fairy lights at the ready just for us.’

‘Hmm, what are you up to, Sparkles? You’re scheming something. I can tell.’

‘You’ll just have to wait and see, Miss Daisy. You’ll just have to wait and see.’

Chapter 60

Juliette had one last community visit to make. She opened up her tablet and cast her eye all the way down to the end of the list. A postnatal visit on Strawberry Hill. She put her car into drive and wound her way from the new estate all the way down through Pretty Beach, along the laneway, past the Boat House and headed over towards the Old Town. She sighed happily as she drove along in the slow traffic. She loved Mermaids where she’d ended up, but she adored the Old Town too. Not that she would have had any hope in buying a house there; it was well and truly out of her price bracket.

She turned up the old High Street, decided that she simply did not have enough time for a quick, cheeky visit to the Pretty Beach Hospice shop, and drove on up the cobbled road under the bunting flapping in the breeze.

She passed the beautiful old five-storey villas with the steep steps out the front, including Strawberry Hill House, and five or so houses up from that the large one on the end owned by her friend Lottie. The house loomed over her as she drove up the lane past the double yellow lines and looked for a space. She found a space and took her phone out and sent Lottie a text.

I have a visit right up the end of the lane and I’ll be driving back down in about thirty minutes time. Are you in for a cup of tea?

She watched as the little dots flashed as Lottie replied.

Fabulous! It seems like forever since we’ve caught up. Pop in. I’m out the back gardening. Text me if I don’t hear the bell or come around the back.

Half an hour later, Juliette walked all the way back down Strawberry Hill Lane to save herself the bother of having to find somewhere else to park. As she walked down she looked up at the huge, old Victorian villas, and it reminded her of the time when she’d first met Lottie when Bella was little. They’d instantly clicked and when Juliette had Maggie, Lottie would walk over to Pretty Beach Gardens with a huge basket of goodies from her garden, home baked cakes and one pot meals, and pop them under Juliette’s pram and Juliette would look at Lottie and shake her head and wonder just how she did it all.

Juliette took her cardigan off and put it over her arm, and as she strolled down the hill came to the first of the villas. She now had two friends not too far from each other now that Sallie would soon be moving into Strawberry Hill House.

Lottie’s house was on the end of the row of just-about detached Victorian villas with a large corner plot. The same as Strawberry Hill House further down Lottie’s