Free Beach Combing by Emma Lee-Potter

hair. And Ollie told me you had a new girlfriend.’
    ‘Oh for goodness sake, Lara. Ollie talks a load of bullshit. He probably saw me chatting to a girl at the Turtle one night, then put two and two together and made a hundred and three. I mean, I’m devoted to my brother – well I am most of the time – but he’s not the sharpest knife in the box.’
    Lara was trying to get her head round what Ed had just said.
    ‘And why are you at the beach?’ she said suspiciously. ‘You told me you’re an art teacher. Why aren’t you at school? Or is that something else I’ve got the wrong end of the stick about?’
    A flicker of amusement appeared on Ed’s face.
    ‘What’s the date, Lara?’
    ‘Er, October the 29th.’
    ‘So what does that mean? I would have thought you’d know, being a head’s daughter.’
    ‘Ex-head’s daughter,’ said Lara, correcting him. ‘But I see what you mean. It’s half-term. That’s why you’re out surfing.’
    ‘Exactly,’ smiled Ed. ‘And now I’ve got a question for you.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘What do you think of this?’
    Before Lara could say anything he stepped towards her and took in his arms.
    ‘Tell me what you think, you darling girl,’ he whispered into her hair.
    ‘This is what I think,’ murmured Lara, kissing him on the mouth.
    ‘That’s what I hoped you’d say,’ said Ed as they both came up for air. ‘And now can you tell me again?’

 
    About the Author
     
    Emma Lee-Potter is a novelist and journalist. She has written three novels, Hard Copy, Moving On and Taking Sides , and four previous novellas, Olympic Flames , School Ties , White Christmas and Lessons in Love . Visit her website at www.emmaleepotter.com or follow her on Twitter @EmmaLeePotter
    Emma’s books have been widely praised:
    ‘pacy expose… tightly written, with snappy dialogue’ Daily Mail
    ‘fast and furious’ Daily Mirror
    ‘couldn’t put it down’ Best
    ‘If you enjoy pace, dialogue and a glimpse of life behind the headlines, you’ll love this’ Belfast Telegraph
    ‘An authentic witty insight into life behind the headlines’ Books Magazine