Summer Loves Read online

  Ellie giggled and joined her. ‘For some of us, being bought a drink by your director is as good as it gets.’

  ‘Point taken.’ Dora clinked their glasses together.

  ‘I’ve never asked, not really. What brought you back to the UK? Looks to me as if you’ve made it in the States.’

  Dora gave Ellie a fleeting look. She didn’t know her well enough to trust her completely. Not yet. ‘Oh, you know,’ she said, affecting an airy tone. ‘Only so much sunshine and perfectly teethed muscle men you can take. It’s good to have a fresh challenge.’

  ‘Speaking of muscle men, do you think Mike will ever get Greg into shape? I hate to say it of a fellow actor but he’s crap, isn’t he?’

  Dora pulled a face and nodded. They looked over to where Mike and Greg were deep in discussion.

  ‘And I hate to say this too, but it would be so much better a production if Mike was Wentworth,’ Ellie went on. ‘When he did that scene with you it was electric. I thought the scenery would combust. It was hot, hot, hot.’

  ‘Talented man, is our Mr Love,’ was Dora’s only answer. As ever, Mike sensed he was being talked about. He looked over and saluted them with his glass.

  ‘God, he’s gorgeous,’ Ellie sighed. ‘I’d heard he had killer looks, but the reality is so much better than the rumour. I’m curious Dora,’ Ellie went on. ‘I’ve seen the way Mike looks at you. Did you ever, I mean have you ever …?’

  Dora forced a laugh. ‘He’s probably looking at me and wondering why he cast me. No, we’re just old school friends, Ellie. I try to never mix work with pleasure. I think it’s unprofessional.’ Aware she was in danger of sounding pompous, Dora stood up. ‘Now, come on, it’s the end of the working week. What’ll you have next?’

  As she passed Mike, he stretched out a hand and stopped her. ‘What were you and Ellie talking about?’ He glared at her. The heatwave was official now. It had been in the seventies for the whole of May and a scorching summer was promised. The temperature in the Bear’s scruffy function room, however, instantly dropped to arctic.

  Dora smiled up at him, ignoring how sexy he looked in his threadbare jeans and white-linen shirt. ‘Oh, you know, how it’s never wise to have a relationship with one’s work colleagues.’ The contrary devil in her nodded over in Ellie’s direction. ‘Think you’ve got a fan there. And you’ve got to admit, she’s gorgeous. And talented.’

  Mike gave Dora a cool look. ‘Which is precisely why she got the part. But I happen to agree with you. Never a good idea to play too close to your own doorstep.’ He arched a brow. ‘So maybe I should follow your advice?’

  She went to leave but he put his empty glass into her hand. She looked down at it in surprise. Mike used to be a beer drinker, but this glass held the remains of orange squash.

  ‘You’ll probably remember what I drink, Dora, but this time make it a pint of squash. I’m driving later.’

  Dora met his look with a challenging one of her own. ‘Oh, you’d be surprised what I remember about you, Mikey,’ and fled before she gave in to temptation and kissed his face off.

  When she returned, perilously carrying three drinks on a battered tin tray, Mike was nowhere to be seen. ‘Typical,’ she said to Ellie as she balanced it on the edge of a table. ‘I buy him a drink and he’s not here to take it. Where’s he gone?’

  ‘Not sure, maybe he’s gone back to London already. He announced he expects us to be scripts down next week, that we’d had long enough to learn our lines, and disappeared.’ Ellie sounded gloomy as she took her wine off the tray. ‘Cheers, Dora.’

  ‘Cheers,’ replied Dora absently. She drank her vodka. ‘Scripts down already? Seems a bit soon to me. Won’t be popular.’

  ‘It wasn’t.’

  Going without the comfort blanket of a script in your hand was a hurdle to get over during the rehearsal process. Even if the actor knew his lines, to have them to refer to made everything else fall into place. Having no script to clutch onto often put rehearsals back a stage or two before everyone regained confidence. Timing was crucial. Too soon and you risked nerves failing just as the actor was getting to know his character. Too late and the rhythms and patterns of gestures were in danger of being stifled by the encumbrance of a script. Dora thought Mike had called it too soon and wondered why.

  ‘That’s my long weekend gone, then. Better get learning those lines,’ she said to Ellie.

  ‘I know,’ she answered, nodding vigorously. ‘Bummer, isn’t it?’

  Looking over to where Greg was at the centre of a particularly loud group, Dora wondered how he had reacted to the news. His eyes had been glued to his script all week. ‘Well, Mike’s an experienced director,’ she added, still staring at Greg. ‘He knows what he’s doing.’

  Chapter 16

  The evening turned raucous. Some locals spilled into the back room, one or tourists strayed in and some not so friendly banter started up between them over an impromptu game of skittles. Dora thought it was time to leave. It was exactly the small town mentality she’d tried to put behind her. ‘Why can’t people just get on?’ she murmured, as she pushed through the crowd.

  ‘Hey,’ slurred a northern voice. ‘You’re that bird off the telly!’ The man in question thrust his red face into Dora’s. She flinched. He stank of beer and sweat. Smiling politely, she tried to shrug off his grip.

  ‘You are, aren’t you? You’re that bird from that Yank show. What is it, Gary? That American thing your Stacey’s glued to?’ He turned to ask his friend and Dora took the opportunity to escape. Hearing the words, ‘It’s that Theodora summat or other,’ behind her, she fled. Taking the wrong door, she ended up in the pub’s tiny car park rather than the alley that led to the main street.

  ‘You seem to make a habit of running out of that place.’ It was Mike locking the door of an expensive-looking silver car.

  ‘Don’t I just?’ said Dora a little bitterly. ‘Thought you’d gone home.’

  ‘No. Went to collect the car. Thought I’d drive up to London tonight. Less traffic.’

  Dora cast an anxious glance behind her. She could hear the northern guy’s voice getting nearer and had no desire for an awkward conversation with him. If she was friendly, he’d misunderstand. If she was standoffish, he’d claim she had no time for her fans. Experience with drunk male fans had taught her you just couldn’t win.

  Mike saw her expression. ‘Problem?’

  Dora nodded.

  ‘Get in, then. I’ll give you a lift home.’ When he saw her hesitate, he added, ‘Don’t worry, my drink-driving days are over.’

  ‘You never drove when drunk,’ she said, as she slid into the car. It was a Mercedes she noted. ‘Nice car.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Mike was silent as he concentrated on easing it out of its tight spot. ‘And you’re right. I never drove when I was drunk. That was my dad’s speciality.’ He turned right up the high street and overtook the last bus to Axminster. ‘Where are you staying?’

  ‘At my parents’,’ Dora answered, embarrassed to have to admit it.

  Mike said nothing, but his silence was deafening.

  ‘Thought I’d see a bit of them while I’m here,’ she added, defensively. ‘Haven’t seen much of them in recent years.’

  ‘How have they taken the news that you’re working with me?’

  ‘It hasn’t really arisen in conversation. Besides, if you hadn’t noticed, I’m all grown up now. Who I work with is up to me.’ She shrugged. ‘And if they have a problem with it, I’ll go and stay at the Lord of the Manor.’

  Mike winced. ‘You don’t want to go to that extreme. I hear it hasn’t improved.’

  They travelled the rest of the journey to Dora’s house in a charged silence.

  Mike pulled up in the only gap on the street available, a short distance away. ‘I won’t park in the drive. Don’t want them to think I have designs on their daughter again,’ he said as he killed the engine.

  The light was only just going, but Mike had parked under so
me conifers, which darkened the car interior. The only sound was the engine ticking and a distant gull calling mournfully.

  ‘What was the problem in the pub?’

  ‘Oh, just a drunk and over-attentive fan.’

  ‘You okay?’ Mike’s voice was sharp with concern.

  ‘Fine. It’s just I’ve managed to go about fairly incognito recently, it caught me by surprise.’ She felt Mike nod.

  ‘Would you be willing to do some publicity when the time comes? I don’t want it to cause you any problems, though.’

  She turned to him. ‘Of course I will. I’d be happy to.’

  ‘Would you?’ He rested an arm along the back of her seat. ‘Even though your period of anonymity would end.’

  ‘Yes. I know how much this means to you, Mike. And I know I can bring some attention to the production.’ When he didn’t answer, she added, ‘I’m really not the walking-ego diva you think I am, you know.’

  Mike traced a finger over the nape of her neck. He appeared to be concentrating very hard on doing so, his eyes narrowed and dangerous. His touch made her shiver with excitement. ‘I’ve never thought that about you, Dora.’ He shifted nearer.

  ‘No?’

  He shook his head and kissed her.

  It was like coming home. Every muscle relaxed into the familiarity of him. And at the same time every nerve flared into life at the excitement of touching him once again. It was a releasing of a long, pent-up breath. One that she’d been holding for years. The missing years. She remembered the shape of his jaw as she held it, the feel of his stubble raking her skin, his warm breath, his skilled lips.

  His hand reached under her t-shirt for her breast and caressed it, finding the nipple with an expert thumb. They knew so much about how to please each other. Had never forgotten how their bodies melded into each other as if the fit was meant. Had always been meant.

  She thrust a hand through his curls, bringing him closer and the press of his muscled chest made her moan with need. She found a gap between the buttons on his shirt and heard desire catch his breath as she raked her nails over his skin.

  His mouth found where he knew she was most sensitive; where her neck met her shoulder. She arched up violently, craving to feel as much of him against her as she could.

  He was first to break away. ‘Christ, Dora,’ he said, on a ragged breath. ‘I’d forgotten how good snogging in a car could be.’ He rested his forehead against hers.

  She giggled a little. Need for him was making her ache. ‘Remember those afternoons on Woodbury Common?’

  He shuddered. ‘Don’t I just.’ He kissed her again. ‘We spent hours necking. The frustration nearly killed me.’

  She grabbed his collar and pulled him to her. ‘I know exactly how you felt,’ she murmured against his lips. Her hand reached down and found his hardness. She got as far as unbuckling his belt when his hand stopped her.

  ‘Dora,’ he said on a strained laugh. ‘What are you doing? We’re in a car in the suburbs of Berecombe.’

  It was a bucket of ice to her senses.

  She reared back, appalled at herself, at what she had been about to do. There was a horrified pause. ‘No,’ she snapped, shame at her behaviour making her frosty. ‘We’re not teenagers any more, are we?’ She fumbled for the door handle, desire for Mike replaced by an urgent need to get away from him. As far away from him as possible. ‘I’ll see you next week.’

  She got out and stood on the pavement for a second, trying to pull herself together. There was no way she could greet her parents in this state. She shook her hair into place and wiped off what was left of her lipstick.

  Mike leaned over the passenger seat and called out, ‘You bet you will. You owe me a pint.’ He sounded uncomplicatedly cheerful.

  Dora slammed the car door shut and it was only as the red tail lights disappeared around the corner that she remembered Kirstie.

  What the hell were she and Mike playing at?

  Chapter 17

  Millie glanced at her watch for the umpteenth time. Dora was very late and it wasn’t like her. Glancing up at the sound of the restaurant door opening, she saw Jed framed in the doorway. Her heart simultaneously leaped and sank – if that were possible.

  He looked just as shocked to see her. ‘Millie! How great to see you. I was expecting Mike and Phil. Are you joining us for dinner?’

  It had to be a set-up. It was so typical of Dora. When they’d caught up with how the challenges were going, Dora hadn’t bothered to hide her disappointment that her match-making wasn’t going to plan. Dora was never happy when things didn’t go her way.

  ‘Sit down, Jed,’ Millie said as he hovered by her table. ‘I can explain.’

  After she’d told him what she guessed had happened, they’d laughed a little and decided they might as well stay.

  Once their first course was eaten, Jed sat back and grinned. ‘Well, I’ve got to say, I’d much rather spend the evening with you than Mike and Phil. Don’t get me wrong, Mike is great, but a little of Phil goes a long way.’

  ‘Not sure he’s Dora’s favourite person, either.’ Millie reached for her water glass. ‘Thank you,’ she added to the waitress, who removed her plate. ‘That was delicious. It makes a change not to have to cook myself.’

  ‘Do you come here a lot? Sorry. That sounded corny, didn’t it? I’m nervous.’

  ‘Oh, Jed,’ Millie sighed. ‘However did it get to this? We were always so relaxed with one another. It was so easy between us.’

  He reached for her hand. ‘And it can be again. If I can only get you to trust me.’

  ‘The mad thing is, I can see exactly why you didn’t tell me. I can see what a difficult position you were in.’ Millie bit her lip. ‘Dora says I’m too attached to the café, that it’s all to do with my parents’ death. Maybe I overreacted?’

  Jed caressed a thumb over Millie’s knuckles. He shook his head. ‘I don’t think you did. The café is your livelihood, as well as being your parents’ legacy. And you were bound to be concerned when Blue Elephant opened in direct competition. Of course I don’t think you overreacted. I was a complete idiot not to be honest with you. And, if you can understand my position, I can certainly sympathise with yours. I just knew, as soon as I told you who my client was, that I’d lose you. And I did.’ He hesitated. ‘Actually, I have something to tell you.’

  Millie tensed.

  ‘I’ve given up the management consultancy work. As of March I became officially unemployed.’

  ‘Jed!’ Millie gasped. ‘Why ever did you do that? I thought you loved your job?’

  ‘I do. Well, I did.’ He looked down and kneaded a piece of bread into a ball. ‘I used to love it. Working with different companies, seeing the world. I met some great people. But the job changed.’ He looked up. ‘Instead of companies wanting help to be the best, it became more about cutbacks, saving money, raising profits for shareholders.’ He paused and drank some wine. ‘And how best to shaft their competitors. It lost its appeal for me when it became purely about the money.’ He looked at her from under dark lashes. ‘And it really lost its appeal when I discovered I wanted to be in one place. With one person.’

  They smiled at one another. Tentatively. As if they knew there was the tiniest of chances they could start again. It was humming in the air. Millie felt the knots of worry, of uncertainty, starting to unravel. But only a little.

  ‘Oh.’ To stop herself blushing, she busied herself with her wineglass. ‘So, what have you been doing with yourself ?’

  ‘Stayed with Alex in London for a while. You remember I have an older brother?’

  Millie nodded.

  ‘Couldn’t get a grip on his lifestyle, though. It’s manic. He never takes any time off. The hours he works are crazy.’

  ‘I know how that is.’

  Jed laughed. ‘Too right.’ There was a pause while their main courses were served and then he went on. ‘I’m worried about him, to be honest. He always took life way too seriously and now he
’s in danger of burnout. It’s quite common in the city, I’m told.’ Jed forked up some of his chickpea kofta and added, ‘This is so good.’ He raised his wine glass, ‘Thank you, Dora!’

  Millie giggled. His attitude to food was joyful. ‘Supposedly the best vegetarian food in town. This place is always booked up. Maybe Dora pulled her celebrity card to get us a table?’ They concentrated on eating for a few minutes, then Millie asked, ‘Are you staying at the Lord of the Manor again?’

  Jed pulled a face. ‘God, no. Wanted something a little more homely. I’m in a very nice B&B in Axminster. Mrs Silver is looking after me. Fresh towels and bedding every day, a cooked breakfast and unlimited wi-fi and all for a fraction of the price of the Lord.’

  ‘Sounds perfect.’

  Jed gave her a meaningful look. ‘Almost.’

  ‘I hope her cooking isn’t as good as mine.’ Millie stifled a quick pang of jealousy and wondered how old Jed’s Mrs Silver was.

  He took her hand again. ‘No chance of that.’ He paused and then teased, ‘Although she does a mean bacon sarnie.’

  Millie laughed. ‘Can you be bought for so little?’

  ‘Only by one woman.’ The expression in his dark eyes was eloquent.

  ‘I’ll remember that.’ She raised her glass and chinked it against his. ‘Can I be honest and admit how lovely it is to see you again, Jed? I was a bit worried, after we’d met in Lyme, that you wouldn’t ring.’

  Jed clinked his glass in return. ‘I wasn’t sure how to play it, to be honest,’ he admitted.

  ‘And you can be certain I’d take offence whatever you did.’

  Jed’s brows rose. ‘Well, there was that.’ He grinned. ‘It was more that I had a proposition to put to you and I wasn’t sure how to ask.’

  Millie drank some wine and held her glass for a refill. ‘Sounds ominous,’ she said. ‘I may need some more of this excellent white.’ When he’d refilled their glasses, she added, ‘Fire away, then.’

  Chapter 18