Read Summer Evenings at the Seafront Hotel: Exclusive Short Story for Free Online

metal flap, and waited. She thought back to the missed calls. He didn’t usually ring her at work.
    She lifted the metal knocker and prepared to bring it down when she felt the door give. Her dad stood in front of her in his tattered green dressing gown.
    ‘Blimey, Cally,’ he said, doing up the belt. ‘Give your old man a minute, will you?’
    ‘Sorry, Dad,’ she said. ‘I just … I was worried.’
    ‘What about?’ he said. ‘I thought you were going to the hospital this evening?’
    ‘I was. I changed my mind.’
    ‘Everything OK down there?’ a female voice came from upstairs.
    ‘Dad,’ Cally said, taken aback. A smile spread over her face as she realised what was going on. ‘You old devil,’ she whispered.
    ‘I’ve been meaning to tell you …’ He was blushing right to his ear lobes.
    ‘You can tell me later.’ She laughed. ‘Right now I’m going to make myself scarce.’
    Cally walked along the South Bay, thinking about what had just happened. Her dad had looked so different – younger. The way he used to look, before the pain of losing her mother, and his health. She had a dozen questions, but they could all wait.
    As she passed the funicular, a text buzzed through on her phone. Joe.
    Hello there. Meet you in room 14?
    Cally walked back into the hotel, and unhooked the familiar wooden key. The work on the room was almost finished now, and it made her smile to think the new guests would never know what stories the room held.
    Upstairs, the French doors were open and the balcony twinkled with fairy lights. Soft jazz drifted into the room, and Joe turned round to face her.
    ‘Hi, Cally.’
    ‘Hello.’ She closed the door and walked over to the balcony.
    ‘You came.’
    ‘It looks like I did.’
    ‘I’m glad.’ Joe smiled. ‘Here,’ he passed her a drink. ‘The strawberry mojito I promised you.’
    ‘Thanks.’ She took the glass, and their hands met, sending a tingle up her arm.
    She took a sip of the drink. ‘Delicious. Worth waiting for.’
    ‘Great. I’m happy then.’
    ‘So my opinion is the one that matters?’ she joked.
    ‘I care what you think.’ He shrugged, but his gaze was steady and calm, and for once he wasn’t smiling.
    ‘Oh.’ Cally felt a blush rise to her cheeks.
    ‘I thought you’d know that by now.’
    The silence hung in the air, and she sipped at her drink, glancing down, as she tried to work out exactly what he’d just said. ‘Know what exactly?’
    ‘That you are the reason I enjoy working here, the person who brightens my day.’ He smiled. ‘That getting to know you has made this summer brilliant.’
    ‘Really?’ she said.
    ‘Yes. Have you not noticed me hanging around the reception desk lately?’
    ‘Wellllll ….’ She laughed. ‘Now I think about it, your visits weren’t always
strictly
necessary.’
    ‘I’d be in the bar making up excuses to come and say Hi, just so I could see you smile.’
    ‘Ha. I didn’t mind. In fact, I liked it.’
    ‘Good. Because spending time with you has been my favourite part of this summer.’
    A rush of excitement spread through her body at hearing his words, and a smile came to her lips. ‘Really? Better than the macaroons?’
    ‘So much better.’
    He took a step towards her, and smoothed her hair back and rested his hand on her neck. It felt so good, his touch on her skin. She moved forward a fraction until their bodies were touching, looked up at his mouth, so close. Her words kept coming.
    ‘Better than a chocolate ec—’
    He silenced her by putting a finger to her lips and laughed. Then he followed up with a soft kiss, pressing his mouth to hers, and gently stroking her hair. She put her arms around him, feeling the warmth of his skin and bringing him closer to her. The waves, the music playing, and everything that had been holding Cally back fell away in a single moment.
    Cally pulled her wool cardigan more tightly around her at the reception desk of the South Cliff. September had brought