‘Ah! I hope Lucas gets the extra star; he’s worked so hard.’
‘Yes, so do I. It wasn’t a good start though, as she ordered the tuna dish and they had to go and get some from the Lobster Pot, as they had sold out.’
‘Oops!’
‘Right, I need to sort the boy out. We are going to Mary’s for lunch.’
Josh yawned. ‘And I need some breakfast. We are working again today, but as soon as we are finished, we can get away from here. Carlton is wanting to get back early now too. I will keep you posted.’
Rosa waved down the screen to him, then pulled down her top to give him a quick flash and shake of her growing boobs.
‘I forgot how big they get. Oh the joy, it’s a win, win for me, your pregnancy.’
‘You won’t be saying that when I’m demanding boiled eggs dipped in horseradish at midnight.’ Rosa blew him a kiss. ‘Love you to where the sky touches the sea.’
‘You beat me to it. Love you too and take care of you and Bump and our precious boy, won’t you?’ As if not to be left out, Hot suddenly let out a little bark. Josh laughed. ‘And you too, my other best boy.’
CHAPTER 39
Davina came through into the bar from the grotto. She was shivering. ‘Brrr, it’s freezing out there today. I need a coffee to warm me up.’
Tina Green came down the stairs and confronted her. ‘You greeted the inspector, didn’t you? And she categorically said that she had told the person who had checked her in that she was allergic to prawns.’
Davina screwed her face up. ‘I’ve no idea what you are on about, Tina. She must have told Rosa, as it was she who checked her in. I just showed her to her room.’
Lucas then appeared and went through to the kitchen where Danny was cleaning down after breakfast, ready to prep for the lunch rush.
‘I know you were angry with me, mate,’ Lucas said tightly, ‘but this takes it to a new level.’
‘What – you think I’d do that on purpose? And how she can prove she even had food poisoning, let alone pinpoint it to a bloody prawn? Prawns are only on the lunch menu; they are in a plastic box in the fridge.’
‘That’s not the point. She thinks she did and that’s it – we are fucking ruined.’
‘Nothing to do with her being so pissed that she could have puked up then?’ Danny’s face was getting redder by the minute. ‘Maybe Jacob gave us an old piece of tuna. Did you not think of that, or were you too busy trying to scapegoat me?’
Lucas raised his voice. ‘Whatever has happened, it’s come out of our kitchen and I don’t think I can—’ He stopped.
‘Have me work for you any more?’ Danny said slowly. He felt his temper rising. Pulling on all the memory points from the anger management course he had done in prison he took a deep breath. His own strength frightened him sometimes. Tapping his wrist as he’d been taught, he inhaled slowly again, then slowly and deliberately took off his apron and walked out of the hotel and on to the beach, where he stood staring at the sea and trying to cope with his emotions. Lucas went to follow but Tina put her hand on his shoulder to stay him.
‘Let him calm down, love. You’re both angry. I know my boy and he has the utmost respect for you. What’s more, he doesn’t bear grudges.’
Tina was still trying to pacify Lucas in the kitchen when she saw Danny sneak in the back door. He had changed into a smart top and jeans. He put a finger to his lips to shush her and made his way quietly up the stairs.
‘I can’t believe Rosa didn’t think to tell us that the woman had a bloody prawn allergy!’ Lucas banged his hand down on the metal kitchen counter. ‘For fuck’s sake. How could she let me down like that too!’ He sighed loudly. ‘We are definitely ruined. When this gets out, no one will want to eat here, let alone stay here, as she’s sure not going to keep this quiet.’ He ran his hands through his hair. ‘What’s happening with her upstairs now anyway?’
‘Last seen sorting herself out in the Mary Rose.’
‘I see. Thanks, Tina. Well, don’t let her leave without me speaking to her, OK? The least I can do is not charge her for her stay.’
‘A terrible mistake, you say,’ Alabaster Anna repeated breathily, as the rugged Londoner tenderly sucked each of her nipples. Then after delivering delicate butterfly kisses all around her full breasts, he slowly and deliberately moved down the wanton woman, using his hands and mouth to caress her in every which way. As he reached her sweet spot and pushed her legs gently apart, he found his head being shoved forcefully down by the now fully aroused hotel inspector.
‘Mary Rose, Mother of God,’ the woman moaned. ‘One orgasm per star, you say?’ She then gasped, sounding even more Scottish than before, ‘Is tha’ a promise?’ Without waiting for a reply, she arched her back and between animalistic growls of ecstasy, cried out, ‘Oh, Daniel. You bad, bad boy. Can’t you make it four?’
CHAPTER 40
‘It’s reindeer men, Hallelujah, it’s reindeer men,’ Titch sang as she entered the church hall for Carol-oke rehearsals then carried on singing while dancing on the spot, her pregnant belly moving up and down with her. ‘Ooh.’ She held her tummy.
‘Are you all right?’ Rosa asked, with concern in her voice.
‘Yeah. Just a twinge. Baby Rogers obviously doesn’t like my singing. And I still don’t know why we can’t sing the reindeer song. I think it will be funny.’
‘We are doing “Jingle Bells” and that’s it. It’s easy for us non-singers and everyone knows it. I mean, what’s not to like about the joys of dashing through snow-covered fields while riding on a one-horse open sleigh?’
Titch laughed. ‘Hark at you, getting all romantic.’ She went through to the kitchen to turn on the hot-water urn and put some milk in the fridge as the church hall door opened. It was Amira, with Zaki, who was sound asleep in his pram. She kissed Rosa on both cheeks.
‘I hope he will be OK here. I’ve just fed him, and he sleeps all through the night now.’
‘Bloody hell, what’s in the milk? – Whisky? I can’t remember the last time I had a whole night’s sleep.’ Rosa smiled at the young woman. ‘Next week, if you like, I can ask my mum if she will babysit. She’s got Little Ned and she and Kit would enjoy it. The babies might like it too.’
Amira blushed. ‘You have been too kind already.’
‘There is no such thing as too kind.’ Rosa squeezed the girl’s arm. ‘There are drinks and mince pies out the back if you fancy something.’ She so wanted to tell Amira that she’d been right – that she was pregnant – but she hadn’t even told her mum, Nate or Kit yet and it was still such early days that she wanted to keep it to herself for just a little bit longer.
Rosa looked around the hall. It had been decorated beautifully for Christmas. Cut-outs heavy with glitter that the older, pre-school children had made hung all around the walls, put up with Blu tack and drawing pins. Various Christmas-themed paintings done by the toddlers were stuck to one of the windows. The church had also put a splendid six-foot Christmas tree in the far corner of the hall. So all that would be needed for the Carol-oke concert was to bring the stage out to the front and get the chairs out of the back-storage area. Easy!