Passionately Taken By Surprise

Ellis stirred. The insistent tapping of some metal object on the windscreen of his car woke him. A traffic warden stood by the driver's side window and it was clear that he would have to move on.

'Your time's almost up,' he was told gruffly. 'At least you bothered to 'pay and display'.'

'Quite so,' Ellis grinned with a yawn. 'Sorry about that. If I put more money in the machine can I stay a spell longer?'

The warden shrugged his broad shoulders. 'Go on then. It's nearly the end of the day, anyway, but pay for the time left and you're obliged to show an hour...just over.'

'Got you.' He saw a cheery wave from the man as he strolled off. It wasn't an exchange you heard much of these days.

Ellis fed the meter and put the sticker in the window of his battered Peugeot runabout and he made sure that the car was locked up. He was soon on the beach with St Michael's Mount to his left and Newlyn fish harbour before him and along a sweep of sand that was slowly being revealed as the tide went out.

His year off since leaving college was drawing to a close. In a month or so he would be heading off to university; a motley collection of odd jobs had seen him through and he had even put money aside to offset his first year's student loan costs. He had lived it up, some, and now he would take in some sea and sand; to do some surfing and try and eke out an existence by seeing if any seasonal jobs still needed a helping hand.

He soon reached the water's edge, the wavelets almost too lazy to reach the sand where he stood. Ellis shoved off his trainers and hopped on one foot, then another, as he took off his socks. The remains of seashells pricked the soles of his feet but he set off in a westerly direction and faced the setting sun.

He heard the quickening splash of water.

'Jasper! No...come here, Jasper!' A woman's voice cried out, but he chose not to turn. He didn't have to, for a large black retriever had bounded up to him through the water and soon he had little wet sandy spots on his jeans and white T.

'So, you're Jasper,' he laughed and gave a tug on the stick that the animal clenched in its mouth. Ellis was surprised to find that the animal trusted him. It relaxed its grip on the stick and waited for it to be thrown. Ellis did so and turned to see a woman approach.

'He's such a handful!' she laughed out, in some embarrassment, sweeping a hand at her hair on meeting Ellis' appraising look upon her for an instant. 'He just wants to get out and burn it off! I can't keep up sometimes.'

He wondered about that as the leash she had been carrying was picked up off the sand before the next wavelet surged up the beach. She looked only to fit and how she behaved had drawn him into her, unexpectedly so. They now stood facing each other and waited for Jasper to return.

'Again?' Ellis asked, looking at the dog and then at the woman before him once more. He felt somewhat dismayed to feel a sexual attraction to her and how she behaved, the hems of her cropped slacks wet from the sea and her blouse shaping a willowy figure. 'Is it allowed?'

'I'll risk it!' she laughed. 'Doing this gets me out of the house too.'

'You holidaying here?' Ellis asked as they set off in the direction he had chosen to take. 'I'm just walking and getting to know the place.'

'And I'm heading off home, it's over there,' she said and pointed. 'It's that sky blue painted property you see there, just above the town. That's my place.'

'Wow!' he said in evident admiration. 'It's a beacon.'

'No, it's often a trial for me,' she smiled again, despite what had been confessed to, and walked in easy strides beside him along the water's edge. Jasper had calmed down but still had the stick in his mouth. 'I run a Bed and Breakfast...get so little time to do this...to walk along the beach as so many trippers do and they can't keep from telling me.'

Her voice was light and easy, conversational and friendly, her surprisingly blue-grey eyes staring out at him from a lined face; the set of her mouth more relaxed after some time of talking to him.

'That's what I am, a tripper...but I'm working my way about as I do it. I try to earn some readies as and when I can.' Ellis stopped and looked back to where the car was parked. It already seemed a long way off. He checked his watch and sensed that the woman was looking at him.

'What's your name?' she asked directly, pushing her large sunglasses up onto her head; over the tangle of her sandy-blonde sun-bleached hair that hung down onto her shoulders. 'I'm Sophie Rackham, and 'Westerlies' is my place over there.'

'Great name...'

'Apt to when you're being blasted by the winds we still get here...in winter, thankfully.'

'Not as often as in other years,' Ellis opined.

'No, that's true. You're not a climate change zealot are you?'

'No, certainly not...and you're direct, aren't you, Sophie?' Jasper nuzzled her hand as if to make clear that standing still was not a part of the plan. 'Well, I'd better get back to my car...or I'll get a parking ticket. I've already met the parking man.'

He found it only too easy to talk to her and might have the chance to do that some more.

'What's your name, do tell me that?'

'Ellis Pardew...I live up near Norwich.'

'So, you're very far from home.'

'Wherever I lay my head..' he crooned giving her a cheeky grin, 'that's my home.'

She laughed for only an instant, the graceful sweep of her hand as she brushed back her hair quite captivating to his ways of seeing it done. 'Your luck may be in when it comes to some work...'

'Oh?'

'Yes, oh! I've been dropped in it by someone leaving me, only yesterday, and my husband's too wrapped in in his work, Plymouth way, to have the time to do odd jobs...like cleaning...doing basic maintenance chores, and even some room service for the older guests we get. So, I run the place...try to...almost on my own.'

'I hear you.' Ellis met a searching look upon him. 'I'm not carrying a lot of smart clothes for this jaunt. It's more a case of bumming around and making do.'

She liked his youthful ways of it.

'You look fine as you are. Keep it clean and you'll fit right in. Any good at DIY chores and the like?'

He laughed. 'Sure! My father had me helping about the place from the moment I could walk, or so my mother tells me, and it feels that way sometimes, even now.'

'Call by tomorrow, then...say at ten? We'll go from there, Ellis.' She called to Jasper and he came splashing back through the surf.

'Thank you, Sophie. I'll be there. Now, I've got to scoot and check in at the campsite I've decided on.'

'We may even arrange that, Ellis.'

She gave him a parting look and called to Jasper again. The dog wondered if he would follow, but Sophie's calls soon brought him to her side.

Ellis watched them go for a moment longer and knew that he had taken to her in his unpractised ways of it. He thought that he had struck gold and he hadn't even been trying. For a woman rushed off her feet Sophie was a looker in her sleeveless cotton blouse and washed-out slacks. Like him, she had been seen carrying her shoes in one hand and strolling easily along the shore.

He had reached the end of his cross-country journey and had time to see how this played out before deciding on the length of his stay. Upon his return, he was glad that his car remained untouched and his gear remained secure inside it.

♥

His eagerness to see Sophie, the 'shapely fair-haired lovely', as he had come to think of her already, was soon dulled on meeting Sophie's husband, Tony, a no-nonsense businessman who trekked to Truro every day. He made no secret of not having him working at 'Westerlies'.

'What we've got is not the kind of work for a guy like you,' he soon told him after Ellis had been introduced.

Jasper remembered him and brushed against his leg for an instant as if to remind him of it. 'Hello, mate...'

He met Sophie's soft smile, for only a moment before Tony engaged his attention once more. It seemed that there was some heat between the two of them; that they'd had a spat before he had showed up, right on time. It soon became clear that Tony was meddling in her business of running a tidy place that enjoyed stunning views of the bay and St. Michael's Mount. He made a note to visit it while he was here.

'I can do some of the heavy lifting and take Jasper for a walk, even...'

'Leave it out, no! There are plenty of other places to try your luck. Work in a bar like so many of your type do.' The guy's tone was only too uncompromising. He looked at his watch. 'I've got to get going...and you've got my answer on it.'

He glared at Sophie as if to remind her of who was ultimately in control of the place. Only, based on his first impressions of Sophie she was not a woman to be so easily intimidated.

'And I need some help, anything, seeing as we're full and...' Sophie glared at her husband. 'It's non-stop for one person, so help will suit me just fine!'

'Advertise for it then, darling. Ellis, here, will do a few days and be gone again. It's not a man's work, and it's not as though there's no women in town who'd like some pocket money from working here for few hours.'

'Two of them have been and gone, and have done that in next to no time at all! Ellis is here and I won't need to advertise or spend the money on that!'

Their differences eddied round about him and Ellis wasn't about to rock things still further.

'I see it's a problem for you both...so I'd best not bother you further. I've only just got here, last evening in fact, so I was lucky to get the chance to call in today...and to ask.'

He held Tony's stare upon him, either to intimidate him further or to judge him on appearances alone.

'Young guys like you don't go in for this kind of work...'

'I'm not looking for a career, just a few days in a gig while I take in the place in my free time. You set the hours and I'll work them. It will be fine with me...'

'Listen, Tony...Ellis can fill in while I find someone more permanent. You're gone all day and when I need help it's then that you're not around. Try and see it from my perspective?'

Her voice had fallen and she sought to persuade her uncooperative husband to see things her way.

Ellis saw the looks that they again exchanged; she pleading, almost, and Tony adamant in refusing her. He didn't need the hassle, good as Sophie was to look at and the first female to offer him some work on his exploratory tour of the west country.

'How about I leave you my mobile number? If you change your mind, then call me, please?' he said as an afterthought. Sophie was seen to take her iPhone out of a pocket in her slacks.

'Call it out, Ellis?' Sophie was heard to ask, in a soft voice, and he did so. She then followed him to the edge of the steps before turning away and not seeing him leave.

Anything can yet happen, Ellis thought as he strode down the hill and to the promenade once more. Sophie had wanted him to be there and he wasn't about to refuse the chance to know the woman a whole lot better. The ways he had seen things play out between the two of them, Sophie might want some distraction from the brusque and uncaring ways that Tony had displayed in front of him, a total stranger.

He didn't feel a stranger in Sophie's presence.

♥

Sophie called him at lunchtime. She had worked furiously to get rooms cleaned by the maid service that she relied upon, and for the few hours that she had them attend. Her helpers were always looked on as a second pair of hands.

'Hi,' she said brightly when she heard Ellis answer the phone. 'It's Sophie Rackham...I'm sorry about earlier.'

'It's okay, it must have come as a surprise to Tony.'

'That doesn't excuse how he behaved,' she answered tersely. 'Where are you?'

'Up at the campsite sorting out my things. I got in here a little late and fumbled about in the dark. It's becoming a habit on this trip,' he laughed. 'I may go down on the beach as the tide's in so I'll test the waters.'

'Too cold for me...'

'I've got a wet suit...'

'I should have known...'

'I'm not a beach bum...'

'No, I saw that in you yesterday!' Sophie laughed. As they talked, she sipped at an almost cold coffee that work had stopped her from drinking. She turned her face up to the sun. 'I never said you were a beach bum.' Sophie sensed that someone was at her shoulder. 'Excuse me a moment? Hello, Jenny...'

One of her regulars, an elderly guest, smiled somewhat distractedly. 'We've had an accident with our Teas-Made. It's blown a fuse and scorched the wall. We threw some water onto it...'

'You shouldn't do that with an electrical fire, Jenny! That's why we supply fire blankets...'

'Yes, I know. We acted in fear, sorry,' came a chastened reply.

'I'll come up in a moment, and...don't worry.' Sophie waited until Jenny was out of hearing. 'Ellis, did you hear all of that?'

'I heard most of it, yes.'

'Good. I have a small DIY job and I'll settle it in cash when you're finished. Are you any good with electrics?'

'I'm studying it at uni, come September.'

'Then you're the guy I need. Come over as soon as you can!'

'And what about Tony?'

'He's gone to work and I'll deal with him, Ellis. Just give it and me some time.' She paused. 'I need some help with the place and you've arrived here in the nick of time.'

Presumptuous the young man that she had met on the beach might be, but she needed his help and she might get to arranging things so that Tony would accept that what she had done was in the interests of her business. Anything else that Ellis might bring to her she would keep to herself.

♥

Ellis seemed unfazed by what had happened earlier.

Sophie met his smile and she saw evident pleasure in his look upon her as she greeted him at the door. She was, again, captivated by his even features, his straight lips, his attentive eyes, and his dark eyebrows. It felt as if he had been modelled on some ideal image of youth. His dark brown hair was thick and brushed up from his low forehead, but she didn't mind any of that. The young man that she had met on the beach, and who had dealt with Tony so confidently, was here and with her.

'I...I don't know what you'll make of it, and whether you can help me.'

'The only way to know is for me to have a look, right?' he suggested with a captivating grin. 'I've dressed just in case it gets mucky.'

She didn't know whether he was joshing her or not. She laughed anyway.

'Come on, then, it's on the first-floor front bedroom, number two. We have four on each floor; two in the rear wing...deluxe suites...and then Tony and I have our quarters above that.'

Sophie met his look as she turned on the landing; and saw him smile in embarrassment to have been caught ogling her.

'I hope I can be of some help to you in this.'

'We'll wait and see, Ellis. Go on through there, the door is open and so are the windows.'

'I see what you mean,' he said in dismay and soon stepped over the lightly patterned soft green carpet and up to the small table set to one side of the window. The wallpaper was scorched, and the Teas-Made a molten mass of plastic and charred metal. 'I'm surprised that the smoke alarm didn't go off when it happened.'

'Oh God!' Sophie put a hand to her mouth. 'It should have done! Have they gone wrong too?'

'I could test it all, the system I mean, and after sorting this lot out,' Ellis said in reassurance as he unplugged the machine and wrapped the cord around the molten mass of debris and the discoloured kettle. 'This kit's somewhat ancient...from the looks of it.'

'I know,' Sophie sighed. 'I inherited this place from my grandparents. It was a place they retired to, but they wanted to remain active. I haven't been able to do all the things that I want...Tony keeps reining me back.'

'You can't do that with safety,' he answered tersely and on seeing her look at him.

'No, you can't.'

Sophie couldn't help but give him a wondering look. His youthful ways, his polo shirt and chino shorts, were only a cover for what she was learning him to be; a clever young guy. Perhaps Tony had seen him as some kind of threat to his place in her life or in the business that she ran.

She just liked him for who he was, and how Ellis could look at her. That was only too disconcerting for its directness and what she dared to imagine lay behind such a look. It had been some time since Tony had looked in desiring ways at her. The impetuosity of youth was making Ellis behave in the ways that she had seen; discreet but unmistakable.

'Where do you keep the toolbox...paints and so on? I presume you have something in stock for routine repairs?'

'It's in a shed we built onto the wing at the back of the house.' She saw him tear a piece of paper from a notebook that the room's residents had left on the table set into the bay window. She drew closer and watched as he scribbled a few notes. 'What are you doing?'

Ellis looked her way and she felt his arm brush against hers and she took a half step away. 'I've got to find a double socket and hope that there's a place in town that stocks them.' He saw her nod. 'Good. I also need to get some batteries for your smoke alarms. Is me buying them okay?'

She nodded dumbly. He seemed to have taken control. 'Do what you think is best...and I'll pay you for your trouble.'

She moved away again as she felt her heart race. He put her at ease on something so crucial that she had quite overlooked; a fire officer's inspection had listed some points to make good, and the alarms had been one of them. She quelled the urge to curse him for not being of more help...Tony, that is.

'Show me the shed and I'll take things from there, Sophie. I guess you've got more than enough to be getting on with today.'

'Yeah,' she sighed. If only he knew what could play out in her life with Tony. 'Meeting you on the beach wasn't a chance thing was it?'

'No, I guess it wasn't.' He sought his car keys. 'I'll check out what I need and go back into town. Doing these odd jobs is second nature to me, but then...'

She met his wondering look and saw him smile.

'Don't go there, Ellis, just don't!' she snapped in a sudden rush of irritation. He was being far too forward, flirtatious even, and she was not ready for it; for her reaction on seeing how he behaved towards her.

He followed her to the store shed and Sophie left him to it.

♥

Ellis thought that he'd made a start with her; had won Sophie's confidence in getting the job done and saved her, and the business, trouble and money. She was restrained in her thanks; bunged him some money and was somewhat surprised that he had not asked her for more. But, the woman was awake to what was playing out in his mind and she seemed not to be uncomfortable with that, despite how she behaved when they were together.

Sophie now knew that he could take on anything that came his way, at 'Westerlies'. He put her and that Tony man at about forty years old, Tony a tad older perhaps, and into all that corporate stuff that passed for being important and that failed to grab him.

Like he had shown Sophie, his interests were in the tecky and practical aspects of life, and sorting out the smoke alarms and the control board had challenged his knowledge, stretched it even; but the system worked when he finally came to testing it.

'That's a load of my mind,' she told him. 'I can relax a bit, now, thanks to you.'

She stood close to him as they talked and surveyed the work he had done for her.

'And the room's decorated, so your residents will notice no change when they get back.'

'Except for the smell along with a new electric kettle and the rest of it. I'll have to speak to Tony about making those sorts of changes, make some safety improvements, and add a few touches. It'll improve our customer satisfaction rankings too. You helped me with that...opened my eyes to what needs doing.'