Summer Season on the Seafront by Katie Ginger
The
Greenley Players are back practicing their Shakespeare and, as usual,
things aren't going to plan.
Sarah
Powell is fed up with her sad single status and when her estranged
father walks back into her life things get even worse. Can dishy
doctor Finn MacDonald mend her broken heart and help her figure
things out?
TV
star, Nate Hardy's career is going from strength to strength until
his performance is interrupted and he has to flee the West End to
hide away in Greenley. Will he ever get his career back on track or
will Sarah and the rest of Greenley's madcap residents capture his
heart forever?
In
this extract, Sarah and Lottie know that the famous, sexy actor, Nate
Hardy is hiding in Gregory and Cecil's house and they decide to pay
him a visit!
‘Keep
an eye out for Gregory and Cecil,’ warned Sarah. ‘Just in case
they went to the shop first and are already on their way back. They
were talking about getting some champers and expensive shellfish.’
Scampering down another side street, Sarah began to sing the theme
tune to Mission Impossible.
Lottie joined in and as they approached the road where Gregory and
Cecil lived. They pressed themselves into the wall before ducking
down and glancing round the corner. In a final muffled burst of song,
they flung themselves round the corner and collapsed into giggles.
‘Shhh,’ Sarah said, pressing her finger to her lips.
‘You
shush,’ Lottie replied, still laughing. ‘You started it.’
Gregory
and Cecil lived in the third cottage along. The houses in this part
of town didn’t have front gardens, the front door opening straight
onto the street. From many a drunken dinner party, Sarah knew that
the sitting room was at the front of the house with large sash
windows that faced the road. Sarah hoped Nate was in there watching
telly rather than in the kitchen which was at the back of the house.
‘Let’s take a slow walk past and see if we spot him,’ she said,
gently pulling Lottie’s arm to bring her level. They strolled as
slowly as possible past the window. Sarah peered from the corner of
her eye, but a frilly net curtain blocked her view. ‘Pants. I can’t
see anything. Can you?’
‘No.
Damn their old lady net curtains.’
A
man walked past, eyeing them suspiciously and Sarah pretended to be
searching for something in her handbag. It was definitely excitement
filling her stomach with bubbles now. The adrenaline was surging
through her whole body making her feel jittery and giggly. ‘It’s
no good,’ Lottie continued. ‘We’re going to have to get closer,
right up to the window. Go on, you first.’
‘Why
me?’ asked Sarah, her eyes wide.
‘This
was your idea.’
‘But
you’re smaller than me. You should do it.’
‘Don’t
be heightist. Anyway, I’m not going on my own. Come on.’ Lottie
grabbed Sarah’s arm and she had to push down the laughter filling
her lungs, threatening to ruin their plan. ‘We’re the worst spies
ever,’ whispered Lottie and Sarah spluttered as the laughter forced
its way out again. MI5 certainly wouldn’t be recruiting them any
time soon.
They
came level with Gregory and Cecil’s house again and bent down
before edging towards the window. Sarah placed her fingertips on the
sill and slowly lifted her head just high enough to see. Her heart
gave a double beat as there, in real life, was Nate Hardy, lying out
on the sofa in jeans and a T-shirt, his hands behind his head, eyes
closed. He was just as handsome in person – or at least through
their friends’ window – as he was on-screen. Sarah’s mind
wandered, picturing what it would be like to wake up, roll over and
see that face every morning. He had long dark eyelashes and a manly,
rugged sexiness. A hint of toned abs peeked out where his T-shirt
rode up. ‘He’s absolutely bloody gorgeous, isn’t he?’ she
whispered to Lottie.
‘He
really is. I wish I had my long lens camera.’
‘Pervert,’
Sarah replied, and they giggled again.
A
male voice that Sarah instantly recognised broke into the moment.
‘And what do you two think you’re doing?’ asked Gregory. A
shiver of shock ran down her spine. Both Sarah and Lottie looked over
to see Gregory glowering at them and Cecil giving them stern looks
while holding two shopping bags.
‘Run!’
Sarah shouted. And like a couple of kids caught stealing sweets, they
legged it down the street and around the corner, only pausing when
the laughter caused a sharp stitch to pierce Sarah’s side.
KATIE GINGER lives in the South East of
England, by the sea, and apart from holidays to very hot places where
you can sit by a pool and drink cocktails as big your head, she
wouldn't really want to be anywhere else. Summer Season on the
Seafront is Katie's second novel. Her debut novel The Little Theatre
on the Seafront was shortlisted for the Katie Fforde Debut Novel of
the Year award. She is also the author of some cosy mystery short
stories. Katie loves making her characters either fall in love, or
killing them off - it depends on her mood!
When she's not writing, Katie spends her time drinking gin, or with
her husband, trying to keep alive her two children: Ellie, who
believes everything in life should be done as a musical number from a
West End show; and Sam, who is basically a monkey with a boy's face.
And there's also their adorable King Charles Spaniel, Wotsit (yes, he
is named after the crisps!).
For more about Katie you can visit her website: www.keginger.com,
find her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KatieGAuthor,
or follow her on Twitter: @KatieGAuthor
