Jagged ends, p.1
Jagged Ends, page 1
Table of Contents
Books by Thom Collins
Title Page
Legal Page
Book Description
Dedication
Trademark Acknowledgements
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Epilogue
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Pride Publishing books by Thom Collins
Single Books
Closer by Morning
Silent Voices
Anthem
Anthem of the Sea
Anthem of the Dark
Anthem of Survival
Success
Never Too Famous
Tomorrow’s Hero
The Runner
Jagged Shores
North Point
Safe Harbour
Deep Waters
Cold Day Dawning
Anthologies
Brothers in Arms: Gods of Vengeance
Right Here, Right Now: The Coach
Jagged Shores
JAGGED ENDS
THOM COLLINS
Jagged Ends
ISBN # 978-1-80250-628-0
©Copyright Thom Collins 2024
Cover Art by Kelly Martin ©Copyright April 2024
Interior text design by Claire Siemaszkiewicz
Pride Publishing
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Pride Publishing.
Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Pride Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.
Published in 2024 by Pride Publishing, United Kingdom.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors’ rights. Purchase only authorised copies.
Pride Publishing is an imprint of Totally Entwined Group Limited.
If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book”.
Book one in the
Jagged Shores series
Jerico is about to meet two figures from his past—one filled with love, the other consumed with vengeance.
The coastal town of Nyemouth is the perfect location for celebrity chef Jerico Osman to fulfil a lifetime ambition. With its stunning harbour and brisk holiday trade, there’s no better place for him to open his first restaurant. It’s a dream that has been a decade in the making. But there’s another attraction in Nyemouth, one Jerico was completely unaware of.
Andy Quinn is content with his life. He has a great job managing Quay House, the popular waterfront hotel, and a peaceful home with a cat called Patches. Andy spent his twenties working in the cruise industry, exploring the world, and has finally settled in his hometown of Nyemouth. Those years at sea were a time of adventure and discovery, including a ship-board romance with a young Jerico. After fifteen years, Andy doubts the famous chef will even remember him, but from the moment they reconnect, the time they spent apart falls away.
Andy isn’t the only figure from Jerico’s past. A week before the restaurant is due to open, an act of reckless sabotage puts everything he cares about in danger, including Andy. Jerico has made an enemy, someone who will stop at nothing to see his long-realised dream become a nightmare. As a plan for vengeance is played out, who will survive until the end?
Dedication
To my family.
Trademark Acknowledgements
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
Instagram: Instagram LLC
Facebook: Facebook Inc.
Sleeping with the Enemy: Nancy Price, 20th Century Fox
Trip Advisor: Tripadvisor Inc.
Top of the Pops: BBC Studios Music Productions
X-Factor: Freemantle
The Voice: ITV America
James Bond: Ian Fleming
Abba: Polar Music International AB
Google: Google, Inc.
YouTube: Google, Inc.
Grindr: Grindr LLC
Polo: PRL USA Holdings Inc.
Jack Daniel’s: Jack Daniel’s Properties Inc.
Diet Coke: Coca-Cola Corporation Inc.
TikTok: ByteDance
ELO: Jeff Lynne’s ELO
Mr. Blue Sky: Jeff Lynne
Bluetooth: Bluetooth SIG Inc
Rolex: Rolex Watch USA
Sprite: Coca-Cola Corporation Inc.
Dracula: Bram Stoker
Chapter One
“I saw Jerico Osman for the first time today,” Mari Quinn said. “On my way to work. He’s much better looking in person than on TV.”
Despite her casual tone, Andy caught the interest in his mother’s eyes as she watched him for a reaction. He pretended to be interested in the events diary on his computer and feigned indifference. “He’s always been handsome. The cameras have never done him justice.”
“So, you’ve seen him around, too?”
“No. Not recently. It’s an observation, that’s all.”
Mari held a mug of coffee in both hands and blew across the frothy surface before taking a sip. “I bet he’d love to see you. Why don’t you go over and say hello?”
Exasperated, he gave a good-natured sigh, finally taking the bait. “It’s been years, that’s why—fourteen, if I’ve got my dates right. We lost touch. I doubt he even remembers me.”
“You remember him.”
“Because he’s famous now. I’m not. There’s a difference.”
“But you knew him before he was famous. That counts for something.”
“You know, I’m beginning to wish I’d never told you about him.”
Mari grinned. “Tough. You did tell me, son, and you can’t take it back.”
Jerico Osman was the only person anyone in Nyemouth seemed interested in right now. Winner of the TV show Top Cook and now a celebrity chef in his own right, he was a big deal. Andy had heard that Jerico had taken a long-term lease on a property on South Bank with a view to opening his own restaurant. Like most gossip, the story seemed to have been around for years with little to back it up until eight weeks ago when a top-to-bottom refit started on the property. Soon after, people reported that they had seen Jerico in town, supervising the refurbishments. A new kitchen was being installed, as well as a bar and completely new flooring. The restaurant was due to open in less than a fortnight’s time. The long-gestating rumour had become a reality.
The venue was even on Andy’s route to work. He walked past it every day. He’d seen the teams of contractors coming and going as they transformed the one-time bank building into a high-end eatery, but he had yet to catch a glimpse of Jerico, an old boyfriend he’d known in his early twenties.
Jerico had indeed aged well. Though they had lost contact, Jerico had been in the public eye for the best part of a decade, turning up on Saturday morning cookery shows and appearing as a guest judge on later seasons of Top Cook. He had a massive social media following and had written several cookery books. Andy even had two of them on the shelf at home, birthday presents from his mother when Mari learned of his past connection to the famous chef.
On TV and Instagram, Jerico looked fit, handsome and fun. His cheeky smile was as infectious as Andy remembered, and he had an easy way of presenting his recipes that made even the most complicated ingredients sound easy to use. Jerico specialised in dishes that celebrated his Syrian heritage, and Andy understood that the new restaurant was to be the same.
“You should go over,” Mari persisted. “It’s perfectly reasonable. As the manager of Quay House, you could say you want to recommend his business to your guests. You might even get an invitation to the opening party.”
“And sound like I’m on the make? Scrounging for freebies? No chance.”
“He’ll be glad of all the customers you can send his way.”
Andy laughed. “I doubt he needs it. That restaurant will get all the publicity it requires.”
She tutted, putting the coffee cup down to give him her serious face. “Don’t you want to see him again? Aren’t you just a bit curious?”
“I’m sure I will see him. Nyemouth is a small town. But I think he’ll be too busy right now. He’s got a lot going on, and I don’t want to push in looking like a nosey local.”
“But you’re not. You already know him.”
“Knew him,” he corrected. “And a long time ago. He’ll probably think I’m desperate or looking to get something from him. I’d rather that we ran into each other casually. Or I’ll go for a meal sometime when the initial interest has died down. That could be a good way to reconnect.”
She grimaced. “You told me you liked him.”
“I did like him. But we were barely more than kids when we knew each other…in our early twenties. There’s no reason for us to have anything in common now. He might be in a relationship, for all I know. Then how pathetic will I look? The sad ex-boyfriend hoping to pick up where we left off…”
“He’s single,” Mari said.
“And you know this how?”
“I’ve been stalking his socials. There’s no mention of a partner, and I’ve gone back through a whole year of posts.”
Andy shook his head. “That doesn’t mean there isn’t someone. Not everyone lives their live on Facebook, you know.”
“Celebrities do. I should know.”
His mother was once the front woman for a dance band in the mid-1990s and had scored a handful of top-twenty hits. Though she was now his part-time events planner, she still had a decent side-hustle going with weekend club-nights and themed gigs around the UK. A couple of times a month she would put on her glitzy outfits, belt out her hits and relive her fifteen minutes of fame with crowds of people buzzing on beer and nostalgia. The celebrity world had changed beyond recognition since Mari had her moments on Top of the Pops, but she still considered herself part of the crowd.
“Why don’t you go over and introduce yourself?” Andy said. “I’m sure he’ll find a table for Nyemouth’s resident dance diva.”
Mari tutted and went back to her coffee. “You’re the one he’ll be excited to see…not your mother.”
Mari meant well, but her constant matchmaking could be a drain. Andy was thirty-seven, and she seemed to be on a mission to get him married off before forty. He didn’t share her eagerness. He’d come close to marriage several years ago, but after eighteen months, he’d discovered his fiancé had been shagging around behind his back the whole time they were together. Since then, he’d had no desire for another serious relationship.
“Can we get back to work?” he said, keen to change the subject. “Let’s go through the diary for next month. Have the outstanding balances been paid on these weddings?”
It was hardly the most exciting task, but it succeeded in getting Mari’s mind off his love-life.
It was early June, and the summer season was looking like it could be one of their best. The hotel was fully booked for the weekends all the way through until October, with very limited availability mid-week for that period. The function side of the business was also at capacity, with weddings, engagements and birthday parties. There was even a three-day sci-fi convention booked in for late July. It was already shaping up to be one of the busiest seasons ever.
It was also one of the most stressful.
Like every other hospitality business in the area, the staffing levels at Quay House had not recovered from the combination of the pandemic and Brexit. Recruiting and retaining staff was the biggest headache he faced in the management of the hotel. They were currently short on bar staff, housekeeping, waiters, a kitchen porter and a sous chef. While all these upcoming events were marvellous for the turnover, he didn’t have enough staff to meet the service level required.
“You don’t fancy a shift in the restaurant this Saturday, do you?” he asked his mother. Mari had been worth her weight in gold these last few years. As well as doing her own job to the highest standard, she was always willing to help him in other departments when the need arose—be it in the bar, the kitchen or housekeeping. She could turn her hand to anything.
“Sorry, hon. I would, but I’ve got a gig in Leeds. It will pay a lot more than you do.”
“No problem. It was just if you were free.”
“You desperate again? I can ask Bev next door. She might be available.”
“Thanks, Mam. That would great.” He pushed his chair away from the desk. “I’ll tell you something. I hope Jerico isn’t offering to pay his people too much over the standard rate. I’ve got a hard time holding on to staff without my rival poaching the ones I already have.”
Mari’s eyes widened. “Well, if you went over and spoke to him, you could find out his plans for yourself. A sort of Sleeping with the Enemy deal. Find out what’ he’s paying them and offer more.”
Andy couldn’t stop from laughing. “God, you never stop, do you? Nice try, but no.”
* * * *
Andy ended up working late that evening. His deputy manager Sheila had found someone interested in the sous chef job and arranged a hasty interview before the candidate could change their mind. Andy and Sheila had interviewed the applicant, a local lad called Ste, along with the head chef Andrea. Ste had recently lost his job when the restaurant he worked at went bust. He was eager, experienced and perfect in every way. Andy offered him the job there and then, and he could start the next day.
One problem solved.
If only everything in the hotel was so easy.
He was further delayed by an issue with a guest in one of the smaller rooms who didn’t believe the accommodation was up to standard and was clearly haggling for a free upgrade. Andy explained that the hotel was full, and there was nowhere else to put them. He arranged for a bottle of Prosecco to be delivered to the room as a sweetener before instructing the staff on reception that no matter how much the man complained, no further freebies were to be offered. Andy had been in the hospitality industry for long enough to spot a grifter on sight.
He never gave in to the extortion of leaving a bad review on Trip Advisor, no matter how much power the guests seemed to think it gave them.
He finally left the hotel at ten minutes to seven, nearly two hours after his shift was due to end and after almost twelve hours on duty. Thank God for his neighbour Jacob, who would have called in to feed his cat Patches that afternoon. Andy loved his job but tried not to let it rule his life. He believed in hard work but also in taking proper time off. An eight-hour day had become a thing of the past in the era of staff shortages and recruitment crises.
But he was done for now. He stepped out of the front door and breathed a sigh of relief.
It was a stunning June evening, with the sun still high above the town and the skies as blue as sapphires. A light breeze coming off the sea kept the temperature from getting too hot and sticky. The town was buzzing with tourists. The beer garden at the front of the hotel was full, while the harbour was lined with people enjoying ice creams and takeaway fish and chips.
Andy unfastened his tie and stuffed it into the inner pocket of his jacket, already looking forward to ditching the suit. A cool shower, a fresh pair of shorts and a T-shirt and he would be ready for a beer in his front garden before dinner. On evenings like this, his house on South Bank, looking down on the town, was the perfect spot to relax and soak up the last of the day.
He picked his way through the crowds and crossed the bridge to the other side of the river. The faces of the tourists, suntanned and happy, proved what a great day it had been. Andy had spent most of it inside Quay House, only venturing out for twenty-minutes to grab some lunch, but it was easy to share the joy he saw all around. Nyemouth could be cold and bleak through the winter months, but in the summer, there was no place better.
On the other bank, the narrow streets offered shelter from the glare of the sun, but it was just as warm. The modern development of bars, takeaways and restaurants along the marina were packed. The Lobster Pot appeared to have a queue of people waiting for tables. The Seagull Café had recently obtained a liquor licence and extended its opening hours. While it served fresh, local food by day, on an evening it transformed into a high-end cocktail bar with live music. It was fantastic to see everywhere doing so well and the tourist trade bouncing back.
