Part 24 (1/2)

She thought of her own recent troubles. 'It seems that moving forward and being thankful for what you still have is the right thing to do. Although often, for some of us, it can be a hard road.'

Realising she had said too much, she fell silent.

After Lucy's outburst, Dave was made to wonder what kind of 'bad' things' were haunting her.

For a while, the two of them sat quietly looking out to sea, and reflecting on what had been said.

Eventually Dave asked her, 'I hope I'm not intruding again, but am I right in thinking that you have recently suffered a sadness?' He paused before asking gently, 'Is that why you were crying ... that night, when we first met?'

With the tears threatening, Lucy nodded but said not a word.

Dave understood, and he did not push it. 'Look ... I think hope that I've found a friend in you. So would it be too bold of me if I suggested the two of us might walk along the beach? It is a lovely day, after all. Such a shame to waste it, don't you think?'

'Yes.' Taking a long, deep breath, Lucy composed herself. 'I believe I would like that very much,' she answered shyly.

The two of them set off at a leisurely pace, at first merely skating the rim of the beach, before somehow they began to meander towards the water's edge.

'You're right,' Lucy said, kicking her toe at the sand. 'It is a lovely day. And I'm so glad that you came and sat on my bench.'

Dave laughed at that. 'Oh! So it's your bench, is it?'

'Well ... no, I didn't mean that.' Lucy felt so natural in his company, it seemed as though she could tell him anything. 'I saw you today,' she confessed. 'I was behind you on the train, and when I got off I ran away.'

'Why did you do that?' he asked kindly. 'I saw you hurrying away from the station, and I even asked a taxi driver how I might find out where you'd gone, but he couldn't help me.' He looked Lucy in the eye. 'I did so want to talk with you.'

'I'm sorry. I just felt so ashamed at the way I was when we first met. I needed to put it behind me.'

'Tell me, on that particular night, would you have run away if you'd known that Nancy was my sister?'

Lucy blushed bright pink. 'I don't know.'

Just then, the heel of her shoe went into a dip of sand where children had been making sand castles, and she nearly fell over. 'Whoops!'

Reaching out, Dave caught her. 'Careful! I don't know if I'd be strong enough to carry you back if you injured yourself,' he teased.

Lucy laughed at that. 'You cheeky devil. D'you think I weigh a ton, or what?'

'Well, I can't answer that, can I?' he finished cheekily. 'Never having held you in my arms.'

For some strange reason, this man's natural friendliness brought out the devil in Lucy. Kicking off her shoes, she set out at the run. 'Catch me if you can!' she taunted. 'I bet you can't!' Her idea was to put a distance between them because, surprisingly, she was enjoying his company much too much.

'Hey! I never turn down a challenge. Here I come!' Kicking off his own shoes, he went after her.

Within a few minutes he was on her, sweeping her into his arms and swinging her round. 'One thing I can do, is run!' he admitted. 'So, come on, then. An apology, if you please!'

'Give over. Put me down!' Lucy was a little angry at being manhandled, then she was flattered, and now she couldn't stop laughing. 'You're a crazy man!' she shouted. 'Absolutely crazy!'

He did not put her down as she asked. Instead, he swung her over his shoulder, and ran back to collect his shoes, Lucy screaming for him to stop.

As he ran along the beach with her, the holidaymakers laughed at their antics, and one even called out, 'Go on! Throw 'er in the ocean. That's why I brought my missus 'ere! Only I'd need a winch to lift 'er!'

The big woman beside him, bursting out of her swimsuit, did not appreciate his joke. 'Shut it, bird-brain!' she roared. 'Or you'll be the one thrown in the ocean!'

When someone else joined in, a slanging match broke out, and Dave suggested, 'We'd best run for the hills, before his missus comes after us ... what d'you think?'

Carrying their shoes, the two of them went at a run, stumbling and laughing, towards the harbour cafe.

Once on the wooden walkway, they poured the sand out of their shoes and put them back on their feet. 'I've haven't had so much fun for ages,' Dave confessed breathlessly. He felt like a teenager again; albeit a bit foolish.

As she hurried alongside him, Lucy, also, was invigorated and happy. 'If someone had told me that I'd be carried along the beach over some stranger's shoulder with people pointing and laughing, and calling out I never would have believed it,' she smiled.

Dave was surprised at his own behaviour. 'Like you, I never intended making a fool of myself, and if my business a.s.sociates had seen me, they'd have thought I'd lost my senses. But you know what, it was such great fun I could do it again. Right now.'

'You can forget that!' Lucy chided him. 'As you've discovered I'm no lightweight, and anyway I haven't got my breath back yet. Also, I'm ready for a cold drink.' She shook her head in disbelief. 'I don't know what came over us!' she giggled, 'but you're absolutely right. It must be this place. It seems to have brought out the child in each of us.'

'It's not this place,' Dave said softly. 'It's you. To be honest, I really don't know how you managed it, but you made me want to run wild ... without a care for what anyone thought.'

'I'm glad.' Lucy smiled up at him. 'It seems we helped each other forget our troubles ... just for a few crazy moments. And that's good ... isn't it?'

He was silent for a moment, smiling into her s.h.i.+ning, brown eyes, and noting how curls of that rich chestnut-brown hair were blown every which way by the playful breeze. Instinctively, he took hold of her hand. 'You're right,' he agreed. 'A sunny May day with you and me together on the beach. That's what you might call a rare bit of magic.'

Suddenly conscious of her hand in his, Lucy withdrew it. She felt the need to create a little s.p.a.ce between herself and this stranger; this warm-hearted stranger who had made her laugh out loud. Made her squeal with delight, and completely lose her inhibitions.

More worryingly, she now felt a certain intimate affinity with him, and that made her truly nervous.

The cafe reminded Lucy of a picture postcard, its setting was so perfect. The cafe itself was an ancient stone building. It possessed the most amazing views of the towering cliffs, and the beaches stretching away.

Outside, the wicker tables and chairs made a very welcoming sight.

'Where shall we sit ...?' Dave paused, looking at Lucy in disbelief. 'Well, I never! I've just run across the beach with a beautiful woman over my shoulder ... and I don't even know your name!'

With the widest, warmest smile, he looked down on her face, held out his hand and said softly, 'Let's start again, shall we? I'm Dave ... Dave Benson.'

'Ah! Well, h.e.l.lo, Dave Benson. I'm very pleased to meet you.' Lucy held out her hand and introduced herself in a jovial manner. 'And I am Lucy Lovejoy.'

Dave gave a cheeky wink. 'Lovejoy, eh? Well, that's very apt, I must say. Yes ... I like that. How do you do, Lucy Lovejoy?' He shook her hand again. 'And, may I say, I am very pleased to meet you as well.'

Just then, Lucy noticed that the people at a nearby table were watching them with interest.

She blushed bright pink. 'Let's sit down,' she told Dave quietly. 'We're causing a scene.'

Dave now noticed the couple, and when he smiled at them they got up and left. 'See! That's the way to get rid of nosy parkers.'

Lucy laughed, but fearing the couple might overhear her laughter and mistake it for rudeness, she covered her mouth with the flat of her hand, although tears of laughter sparkled brightly in her eyes.

Dave leaned closer to her. 'Now then, Lucy Lovejoy, let's concentrate on the menu, shall we?'

He handed it to her, while putting on a stiff, though pleasant manner. 'May I ask, what would you like from the menu, madam? I can heartily recommend the chocolate ice cream topped with nuts and choc flakes. Or if you prefer, how about a dish of fruit topped with strawberry ice cream? But if you're really hungry, we do a wonderful cheese and bacon on toast.'

Trying hard not to giggle, and feeling just a bit embarra.s.sed, Lucy played along. 'Oh, now let me see ... oh, yes. I think I would like a portion of ... mmm ... yes! The chocolate ice cream, please, with choc flakes and nuts on top. Oh! And could I also have a wafer, please?'