Heartbreak cottage

Stacey had come away to get over her ex, and now she had to deal with the neighbour from hell

When Keelan dumped me, I was in pieces. We' d been together for three years and I thought we were solid.

I want to go travelling, Stacey,' he said. I want to see new places, try new things and meet new people¼'

He quit his job, sold his car and packed a rucksack. Then he was gone.

I was devastated. I was almost 30, and still at home with my mum and dad, while Keelan was spending his evenings under the stars, sharing a beer with a new bunch of friends.

Then, one day, I got an email from a holiday company. I' d completely forgotten that Keelan and I had booked a self-catering cottage for a week in summer. We' d paid for it ages ago, and it was too late to get our money back.

I rang my friend Eleanor to ask if she could join me, but she' d already booked a different week off. Mum and Dad were busy too.

I' d have to go alone. It would be a complete break from everything familiar that reminded me of Keelan. Perhaps that was just what I needed.

The cottage was amazing. It was very cosy and as it overlooked the sea, I could hear the waves from the little garden.

I unpacked, then I filled the old-fashioned whistling kettle and lit the gas ring I was ready for a coffee.

When the kettle boiled,

I poured my coffee and took it outside.

I had just slathered on some sun cream, put on the radio and stretched out on the hammock, when a man' s voice barked: Do you mind? I' m trying to concentrate.'

I looked round, startled. But there was no one there. Hello?' I said.

Hello, yourself,' the voice replied, gruffly, and I realised it was coming from the other side of the hedge. I' m in the garden next-door, and your music is bothering me, so if you don' t mind¼'

I felt a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

I' ll turn it down,' I offered, thinking it was best to keep the peace.

Off would be better,' the voice grumbled.

All right, I' ll turn it off then.' I stuck my tongue out at the hedge.

Just my luck to be landed with a grump in the cottage next door.

I slid my feet into my flip-flops and walked back indoors to fetch my book. Presumably even he wouldn' t complain about me turning the pages too loudly.

Next morning, I poured myself some cornflakes and took my bowl and a mug of coffee out on to the sunny patio.

This is the life, I thought, as I basked in the day' s early warmth.

I began to sing to myself or at least I thought it was to myself.

Oh, really!' came an exasperated voice. Him on the other side of the fence again. First it' s the clatter of what I can only presume was your breakfast spoon, then the endless stirring of your coffee, and now singing! Is there to be no peace this week?'

I was so shocked, I almost spilt my coffee.

This time, he' d annoyed me. I dragged the patio' s bench seat over to the hedge, climbed up and looked into the next door

It would be a complete break from everything familiar that reminded me of Keelan

garden.

There he was, parked under an awning, sitting at his laptop.

Thirty-five, I reckoned, and very handsome or he would be, if his face wasn' t twisted into a scowl.

I' m sorry if my presence is upsetting you,' I said. But

I' ve paid for my holiday, the same as you, and I don' t think it' s unreasonable to enjoy my breakfast in the garden or even have a little sing to myself now and then. Perhaps you should shut your laptop and get into the holiday spirit.'

The man stared back at me, then said: I' m not on holiday, I live here. I also

That afternoon, I wandered into the nearby village.

There was a little café by the clock tower, with tables sheltered by parasols. I decided to stop and have a cold drink.

You here on holiday?' the waitress asked, as she set down my glass.

Yes, I' m staying at Willow Cottage,' I told her.

Then you' ll have met one of our regulars.'

Who' s that?'

Anthony Tallis. He lives next door to where you' re staying. Actually, you could do me a favour he left his hat behind when he was in here this morning. Maybe you' d give it to him?'

Sure,' I said, and the waitress popped inside and fetched an expensive-looking Panama with a black band.

She hovered by my table, then continued.

I was just thinking¼ Anthony spends too much time on his own in that cottage. He could do with some company. If you' re not too busy, maybe you could look in on him, have a chat and a glass of wine.'

You think he' s lonely?' I know he is. He' s been on his own for a year now, since Stella went off with that actor fella. He only comes out to pick up his newspaper in the morning, have a coffee here and then goes back home.

It' s not healthy.'

I' m not sure I can help we didn' t exactly get off to the best of starts and I really think he' d prefer me to keep my distance.'

So prove him wrong,' the waitress said. And as a show of goodwill, that fruit juice is on the house.' work from home, which isn' t easy when every week another batch of people arrives and goes about tormenting me in new and inventive ways.

Last week, it was a family with two badly behaved little boys. They chucked pebbles at me over the hedge and attacked me with water pistols the size of machine guns. I had to retreat indoors, right in the middle of a heatwave.'

I felt a small stab of sympathy the little boys did sound annoying. And trying to work from home never knowing what the next group of people would be like did sound unsettling.

Well, it' s just me until

Saturday, and I promise to stay firmly on my side of the hedge,' I said. I' ll try to hen I gave him the remember to save my singing hat, he seemed for the shower and I won' t more relaxed than put the radio on in the I' d seen him before. garden during the daytime.' Are you having a good day?' Thank you,' the man said. I asked.

hend

And I was right when Actually, yes,' he answered. stopped scowling, he was A scene I' d been struggling incredibly handsome. with just suddenly took on a life of its own. I love it when that happens.'

So you' re an actor?'

Good grief, no! Nothing so glamorous. I write plays. Or I try to. The past year has been decidedly sluggish.'

Given what the waitress had said about this Stella leaving him for someone else, I thought I knew why.

Tell you what,' he said, since I' ve finished my work for the day, let me cook you dinner tonight. Nothing

Wfancy steak and salad.' Well, this was unexpected. Say yes. Please.' Anthony looked into my eyes.

OK,' I replied. What time do you want me?'

The steaks were perfectly cooked, the salad cool and crisp and the conversation surprisingly easy.

Anthony told me how he' d first rented his cottage for a month, to isolate himself so he could finish a play. He' d fallen in love with the spot and put in an offer to buy the little house.

I don' t know if you' ve discovered it yet, but the cottages have a path down the cliff to a private beach

there' s no other access to it,' he said. I could show you after we' ve eaten.'

The evening was still warm as we carefully made our way down the slope, then we took off our shoes to pad over the wet, rippled sand.

We sat on some flat rocks and watched the waves lap gently on the beach. If I' d allowed myself to think it, I' d have had to say the scene was somewhat romantic.

I' m sorry I was so grouchy, when we first met,' Anthony said, staring out at the sea. I don' t know what I was thinking. Too much time on my own, I guess.'

You should take something for that,' I told him.

Maybe you' re just the tonic I needed,' Anthony murmured.

We climbed back up the