Chapter 20
"Oh my god, I can't believe you're here. I was afraid you would never speak to me again." Beth sobbed, hugging her friend.
Trish pushed her away slightly and looked into her eyes. "Why would you think that?"
"Because I never told you that stuff about me. Then spewed it all out to a virtual stranger, and to add insult to injury, I told you in an email because I couldn't face telling you on the phone. I am the worst friend anyone could have." she groaned and rubbed her teary eyes.
"Hey, why do you think I dropped everything and came down here? I knew there was something, but I wasn't going to force it out of you. I'm not mad because you felt ready to tell Liam and not me. I just thought you might need me now, so here I am."
She smiled and hugged Beth again. "So, are you going to invite me in, or do I have to interrogate you about the hunk who just dropped you off, out here on the doorstep?"
Beth sniffed but couldn't help laughing as she opened the door and led Trish into her cottage.
Switching the kettle on as she walked through the lounge and running up the stairs, she called back to Trish,
"Make yourself at home while I go and change out of these damp clothes."
"It sounds like you have a lot to tell me, girlfriend." Trish shouted up to her as she settled herself on the sofa.
Beth quickly rinsed the salt water out of her hair and changed into a bikini, covered by a vest top and shorts.
Towelling her hair, she walked back down to the lounge. "Wow! I still can't believe you're here."
Trish grinned at her, "Well, I won't be much longer if you don't shift your arse and make that coffee."
They sat together on the sofa, and Trish told her how she had literally dropped everything, including the kids, at her mother's and caught the first available train down to see her.
"I realise you're getting to know some people in the village, but it sounded like you needed an old friend to help you get your head around what's been going on. Especially as some of your new friends, seem to be heavily involved in this. My god, Beth, you don't do things by halves do you?" she chuckled and patted her knee.
Beth grimaced, "I came down here for some peace and quiet and to sort myself out."
"So, how's that working out?" Trish laughed.
Beth loved the fact that no matter what they talked about or how deep the conversation got, Trish always had the capacity to make her see the lighter side of things. She just wished she'd been able to open up to her earlier, she still felt ashamed that she turned to Liam and not Trish.
Watching Beth's expression change to one of pain, Trish slapped her hand. "Hey, missy, I can see where your mind is going so stop beating yourself up, ok?"
Beth gave her a small smile. "Ok."
"Now, tell me all about getting down and dirty with Liam." She leered at her, wiggling her eyebrows.
Beth blushed when images flashed into her head of what happened on the very spot where she was sitting.
"Oh my god! This is where you did the dirty deed, you little slut!" she giggled.
"I want all the details and marks out of ten." When Beth nearly choked on her coffee, Trish carried on, "Just remember, I am a bored married woman with two kids. I need to live my sexual fantasies vicariously through you, so spill." She sat back and crossed her arms.
"Well, let me put it this way, it was even better than my dream, and that was hot!" Beth giggled. She gave Trish all the details of her night with Liam and the events that led up to it. They touched briefly on her mother and how her actions had affected Beth. But Trish didn't want to push her, so tried to keep the conversation on the present. It was their stomachs' rumbling that called a halt to the chatter, and Beth thought it would be a great idea to take Trish for a picnic on the beach as it was still warm. They packed a basket full of goodies, including wine, and started walking slowly down the lane towards the footpath she had taken with Ginny and the gang on the horses. It took a bit longer on foot, but they were soon settled on a blanket enjoying crusty bread with cheese, ham and salad, washed down with a glass of wine.
"So, have you found out any more about the prophecy they keep going on about?" Trish asked as she leaned back on her elbows, enjoying the late afternoon sun.
Beth sighed, she knew this was coming. "I haven't had a chance, all I know is what Bunny and Ginny told me last night."
"Which has something to do with kissing your soul mate in the stone circle on midsummer's eve?"
"Hmm." Beth mumbled through a mouthful of wine.
"And they reckon Liam is your soul mate?" Trish pushed on, even though she knew Beth was getting uncomfortable.
"Ha! I don't know where they get that idea. They just keep going on about two lost souls. Grr, it's so frustrating." She slumped back on the blanket.
"But you and Liam seem to have some chemistry from what you told me earlier." She winked at Beth.
"That was just sex, Trish. It doesn't mean we're soul mates for fucks sake!" she ground out.
"So, he's happy with just being friends with benefits then?"
"That's what he said this morning." she huffed out.
"So why don't you sound so sure about it?"
Beth lifted her head and looked at Trish. "I don't know, it was just the look in his eyes when he said it. Something flashed across them before he became closed off again. But it doesn't matter because that's all I want it to be, end of story."
Trish was about to reply when something caught her eye at the end of the beach, or rather, someone. "Oh, my." she whispered.
Beth's head shot up. "What? What's wrong?" She turned her head to follow Trish's gaze.
Walking across the beach was a surfer with a wetsuit slung low around his waist and surfboard under his arm. He was too far away to make out his features, but Beth could see the perfectly formed bare chest, muscular arms, and shoulder length dark hair blowing in the breeze as he made his way towards the sea. She felt a very familiar tingle in her bikini bottoms when she realised there was only one man who had a body like that around the village.
Trish whistled under her breath, "Hubba, hubba, the view just got so much better."
Beth sat, feeling strangely uncomfortable, while her friend drooled over Liam as he stopped at the water's edge to put his arms in his wetsuit and zip it up.
"Hey, Beth, do you know who that is?"
"Just some local surfer," she mumbled. Her reluctance to answer made Trish whip her head around to look at her intently. "Hang on, you're blushing. You do know who that is!" she cried, "Shit! That's him!"
Beth sat up and put her hand over Trish's mouth. "Shh, do you have to broadcast it to the whole beach?"
"We are the only ones here, Beth." she grumbled as she tore Beth's hand away. "Well, except hunk of the year, and he can't hear us."
"I bloody well hope not." Beth muttered.
Trish sat up straighter and squinted towards where Liam was moving into the surf.
"Fuck me, Beth. You said he was hot, but whoa! He is smoking, girl."
Beth couldn't stop the smug grin as she heard her friend's opinion of Liam, but then she frowned as she remembered something he had said the night before.
Trish saw her face drop. "Hey, what's up?"
"He told me last night that he hasn't been surfing since the day of his family's accident."
"Hmm," Trish watched as he paddled his board out to sea, "Well, I think maybe you helped him last night as much as he helped you. Perhaps he's finally ready to face his own demons."
They both held their breath as he caught a wave and stood up on the board, skilfully twisting and turning through the surf.
Beth felt something tug at her heart as she watched Liam slicing through the water, and a shiver ran up her spine.
Trish turned to her friend and saw what looked like a deep yearning in her eyes as she stared out to sea.
"I have a feeling there may be more between the two of you than you'd care to admit at the moment." she said softly, rubbing Beth's hand.
Her touch jolted Beth out of her daydream. "Did you say something?"
"No, just thinking aloud." Trish waved it off, knowing that Beth would not be up to discussing her growing feelings for Liam yet.