PART 25

June was turning out to be a very hot and sultry month, the dry heat oppressive even in the north of England, it seemed no where was cool. On one particularly hot and humid day, Archie and Lexie decided to decamp to the garden for the afternoon, taking portable phone, mobiles, lap top and paperwork. They sheltered under a large oak tree, relishing the meagre breeze.

Archie was leaning back against the trunk of the tree, talking to a client on the phone who had very exacting demands for their dinner party. Lexie was lying down, propping her head up on her hand, watching Archie and making faces to try and distract him, having abandoned the accounts she had been balancing.

She sighed thinking the call was never going to end, she decided the time had arrived to take matter into her own hands. She moved herself closer to Archie, as he gave her a look as if to say what are you doing and then she dropped a kiss on the base of his neck. Gradually, one by one she began to undo each of the buttons on his shirt, running kisses down his chest as she went. Archie was becoming more and more distracted and she could hear he was desperately trying to end the conversation. Just as she was sliding her hands into the waistband of his shorts, he hung up and threw down the phone, he reached down and put this arms round her waist, moving his hands and her top up her back, as she leant up to kiss him, he grabbed her and rolled her over.

A little later as they lay back against the tree, Lexie resting her head against his shoulder as Archie twisted his fingers through her hair

"Arch I really don't want to move but I have to go inside and get a cold drink, you want something?" she turned her head to look at him. He smiled and kissed her lingeringly

"mmm Lex well apart from you, I'd love a cold drink thanks"

As Lexie stood up, he grabbed hold of her hand

"Lex don't be long?" She bent down, to pick up her top which was entangled on the ground with Archie's shirt, and kissed him promising she would hurry.

Lexie had just got the ice cube tray out of the freezer and strawberries from the 'fridge, when Jill popped her head round the door

"Hi Lex, hot enough for you?"

"Oh hi Jill, come in" Lexie said a little distractedly, Jill watched as she put the ice cubes and strawberries down

"um Lex have I called at a inconvenient moment" she asked with a smile

"no no of course not, why?"

"well" said Jill laughing "you can't see you, but Lex you look a little flushed, your top is on inside out and your hair is all over the place, and then of course there are the strawberries and ice cubes!"

Lexie looking a little embarrassed replied "ah! rumbled, lets just say Arch and I were whiling away a hot afternoon in the garden!"

"right well I'll be quick"

"no Jill honestly its...."

"Lex come on are you telling me you'd rather be standing her talking to me?"

Lexie laughed "don't take it personally but no!"

"right well, I was wondering if you would be able to come into school to talk to the children about Scottish food for a project on food around the world"

"no problem, would you like me to bring in some samples of food?"

"that would be great, you'd need to tell me what first though, so I can inform the parents before hand, we are working on the plans, so I'll get back to you about when. Now I am going to leave you to go back to Archie!"

"bye Jill"

"bye Lex, enjoy!"

Lexie carried the tray outside with the drinks and strawberries, Archie looked at her dolefully as she placed the tray down

"Lex you were ages" he said as he pulled her towards him, so she was half lying on the ground and half on him

"I know Jill popped round" Lexie said giggling, Archie looked at her quizzically

"what?" he asked

"well she guessed what we had been doing as apparently I looked flushed, my top was inside out and my hair was all over the place"

"oh no how embarrassing"

"och Arch lighten up its quite funny really" Lexie said "she wanted to know if I'd go into the school to talk about Scottish food, for a school project"

"great, now Lex have we finished talking about Jill" Archie asked as began kissing her shoulders running his hands over her body. Lexie responded by slipping her hands inside the waistband of his jeans.

Eventually by the time they got their drinks the ice had melted and they were lukewarm, they lay back against the tree in a relaxed silence both lost in thought until Lexie spoke

"Arch I have to go to the post office, those invoices to send"

"oh Lex no don't go"

"come on Arch haven't you got those email inquiries to reply to?"

"yeah" Archie replied rolling his eyes

"well you do that while I go to the post office and then well I think we'll both need a shower and then who knows!" Lexie said

"you're on" Archie replied cupping her face in his hands and kissing her one last time

"Arch is the heat supposed to be an aphrodisiac?" Lexie asked laughing

"not sure, but if it is I hope this heat wave lasts all summer this has certainly been an afternoon to remember! Oh and Lex this time put your top on the right way round!" Lexie turned managed to find an ice cube which was only semi melted and threw it at his chest.

She made her way up the lane to the village post office, the village was very quiet everyone taking refuge from the heat. As she entered the post office it was stifling and she felt sorry for Bill who had obviously been stuck inside all day.

"Hello Bill, how are you?"

"I'm fine just a bit hot, how are you, hope you and Archie haven't had to slave over hot ovens today"

"no um luckily we haven't, just 12 first class stamps please Bill and this needs to go recorded delivery"

"rightio Lex, that's £6.48 please, they say this heat wave is due to last all summer, do you like the heat"

Lexie smiled thinking about Archie's comment earlier "I quite like it actually, well as long as I'm not cooking!"

"well then Lexie you and Archie must make sure you take a trip over to the coast you know it is an area of outstanding natural beauty and the beaches are amazing, Bamburgh is probably the best with the wide expanse of beach and the castle"

"oh Bill sounds lovely is it far from here, Archie and I fancied doing something this evening we could pack a picnic and go"

"no head out east towards the A1, cross over it following signs for the heritage coastline and it is about 5 miles on"

"oh Bill that's fantastic, well I'd better go I've got a picnic to pack, say hello Jean for me, see you soon, bye"

"bye Lexie, enjoy Bamburgh"

Lexie meandered back home lost in thought reliving her afternoon and thinking about the evening ahead, when she spotted Mandy sitting on a bench on the village green looking a little perplexed. Lexie debated whether or not to go over, in the end she decided she would, as really she had no issue with the woman.

"Hello Mandy, how are you?"

"oh hello Lexie, yes fine, fine"

Lexie took one look at her face and sat down "are you alright?"

"well actually no I'm not"

"what's up?"

"well um its Dan" Mandy explained somewhat awkwardly

"yes"

"well he's just given me £5000 in cash" Lexie raised her eyebrows as Mandy continued "the thing is where on earth did he get that kind of cash from, and he was very sort of well secretive when he gave it to me, I don't know something doesn't add up, he said it was to make up for all Jakey's maintenance that he'd missed, but no"

"mmm I see, so you think he had an ulterior motive in giving you the money then?"

"yeah I do but I just don't know what, look Lexie you won't tell anyone will you, I mean well just in case its not ok if you know what I mean"

"no no of course not" Lexie responded, something was niggling at the back of her mind about what Mandy had just told her, but she couldn't figure what exactly "look Mandy I've got to go, but well if you want to talk to anyone you know where I am"

"yeah thanks Lexie" she said distractedly.

Lexie continued on her way home, still trying to work out what was niggling her, in the end she dismissed it, and began to work out what was in the fridge for the picnic.

"oh Archie, Archie, Archie" Lexie called out in a sing song voice when she returned home "where are you, have I got the perfect plan for you this evening my gorgeous gorgeous man...............oh no" she said covering her face with her hands as she finally found Archie ensconced in the dining room with Matt pouring over plans for the office conversion "how embarrassing" she said, Archie turned and caught her eye and smiled suggestively. Matt stood watching this exchange and suddenly felt like he was intruding on something very private

"Matt I'm so sorry what must you think of me?" Lexie said mortified, as Archie tried to suppress a grin

Matt looked from Archie to Lexie and laughed "I'm kind of sensing I'm intruding here, this is a bad time we can do this tomorrow, I don't want to ruin your plans Lexie"

"no Matt it's fine, just excuse my wife I think the heat has affected her"

"no Matt stay I've got something I need to be doing in the kitchen, you boys stick with your architectural talk, I'll be fine, I'll just go and squirm privately with embarrassment in the kitchen"

"now are you sure?" Matt asked Archie raising his eyebrows as he spoke

"yep, but um mate be quick will you" Archie said laughing

Lexie retreated to the kitchen to prepare the picnic. She was in a daydream packing it all up when Archie snuck up behind her putting his arms around her waist and kissing her neck, she spun round in his arms "oh Arch how stupid do I feel"

"oh Lex they're friends and at least we've given them something to talk, now tell me what is this plan of yours?"

"well we're going to the beach for a picnic, you know how Jill and Matt have always raved about the coast, well Bill in the post office was telling me about one today, Bamburgh, so that is where we are going"

"sounds good, now" he continued moving in closer, smiling "didn't you promise me a shower earlier?"

"perhaps, mmm I think I did"

"so............"

"oh you mean you want to share a shower"

"Lexie Macdonald you know exactly that's what I mean" Archie continued his face moving closer to hers, as she stood and grinned at him

"but how can you be sure I want to have a shower with you" she continued teasingly

"well" Archie said as he let go of her waist with one hand and reached for a jay cloth "because its that or I'll wash you down with this"

"no" Lexie squealed as she ran away from him giggling, Archie ran after her in hot pursuit and grabbed hold of her as was about to go upstairs and he dangled the cloth over her face.

"ok ok Arch you win" she said as she took hold of his hand and flung the cloth in the general direction of the kitchen.

Finally they were in the car on their way to Bamburgh, as they drove along Lexie filled Archie in on her conversation with Mandy and the fact something was niggling her about it.

"Lex what is it about her story that is niggling you?"

"well, its Dan and this money she thinks there is something suspicious about it and, oh no I remember now!"

"what?"

"well remember the day we had that publicity event in the pub, well when we were bringing in all the things from the car I remember Dan accepting from someone a box of something and cash exchanging hands!"

Archie smiled at her "Lex have you been watching crime dramas again on television, no more Midsomer Murders for you!"

"no Arch think about, we know Dan is decidedly dodgy, maybe he is accepting and selling contraband cigarettes and alcohol on the side, makes a tidy profit but can't put it through the books, needs to get rid of some cash in a hurry and off loads it to Mandy, it makes perfect sense"

"mmm you could have a point Lex but you're not Miss Marple and don't get too carried away, but it might be worth asking a few people discreetly"

"oh Arch look its stunning" Lexie exclaimed as they pulled into the car park, a wide expanse of fine sand that went on for miles, backed by rolling green sand dunes and in the distance a glistening sea. Standing on a crag above the beach providing shelter from the wind a castle.

"I can see what everyone has been raving about its beautiful and so unspoilt" Archie added as the took the picnic and rug out of the car.

They clambered over the sand dunes onto the beach, although it was early evening the sun was still hot as they lay down the rug on the sand. Archie grabbed hold of Lexie's hand and they ran down the beach to where the waves were gently breaking on the shore.

"eeek, its cold" Lexie shrieked as her feet hit the water

"you're such a girl Lex" Archie laughed. They stood and looked out at the horizon

"I love the way the sea changes colour as it reflects the light of the sky, do you think those are the Farne Islands" Lexie asked pointing to her right

"mmm yep and that most be Holy Island" Archie said as he pointed to a mass of land apparently out of sea to their left "come on Lex shall we walk" he asked taking hold of her hand. They walked in the shallow water along the beach.

"beautiful isn't" Lexie said

"yes and so unspoilt"

"funny a castle by water kind of reminds me of Glenbogle"

"do you miss Glenbogle Lex?"

"yes and no, but I don't want to go back, I'm happy here" she turned and smiled as Archie put his arm across her shoulder and pulled her close

"mm I know exactly what you mean the future is here, you know Lex this beach faces east I bet the sunrise here is amazing"

"mmm I bet"

"you know I'm sure I spotted a small hotel on our drive through the village, why don't you set out the picnic while I go and see if I can book us a room"

"you're on" Lexie said as she turned to smile at him

"I love you" Archie said kissing her

"I love you too" Lexie replied.