Winter Magic in Port Berry (Port Berry #3)

Chapter 6

Ginny

Waking up with a spring in her step on a Monday was never on Ginny’s to-do list, but ever since taking home a gorgeous, muscular man Saturday night she was smiling before she’d even opened her eyes. Goodness, had she really done that? What would her friends say? She knew perfectly well what they would say, and it would come with a few wagging fingers.

Ginny sat at her kitchen table, sipping tea, wondering if she felt liberated or just plain old stupid. Was thirty-four too young to have a midlife crisis? What possessed her? She hadn’t had that much to drink. She really needed to stop going over it. All day Sunday had been bad enough. There was no point carrying it over into a new week.

A slow smile crept over her face as the memory of the stranger loving her for a couple of hours warmed her. How had she felt so safe with him? And why did it feel like she’d kissed him before? Everything about her encounter with him was odd, even the moment they’d stood side by side at the sink to wash their faces so they could see each other without the zombie make-up before heading to bed.

She glanced out the window to check the weather. A coat was needed. The memory of him wasn’t about to keep her warm during a cold day.

Was it possible he was drinking his morning cuppa thinking about her? Probably not. She was sure that was the last she’d seen of him.

It didn’t matter. Ginny wasn’t about to cry over a one-night stand, especially as she’d helped orchestrate the thing. She had to laugh at her madness. At least she hadn’t done the walk of shame, and neither had he, seeing how she’d waved him off while still dark out, neither of them swapping numbers or agreeing to see each other again, both seeming happy to have just had their shared moment.

Ginny whistled a merry tune as she sorted her bag. There was no way her mum was going to get her down. None of Birdy’s negativity worked yesterday. Maybe it was banished forever. Perhaps now Ginny Dean was invincible.

Her grin stayed with her on the drive along the country lanes leading to her mother’s house. The sun was rising, the birds waking, and all was bright and cheery in the world, or at least in her own little one.

It was quiet along her mum’s street, and part of her wanted to turn around and drive off. If there was one person who had the ability to drain her of all energy in two seconds flat, it was her mother. Did she want to risk being taken down? Could her mum destroy her good mood today?

Lucky was mooching around by the wheelie bin. Skinny little thing looked hungry and tired.

‘Oh, you’re back again. Did Mary give you back?’ Ginny sighed, getting out the jeep. ‘Come on. Let’s get you fed.’ Scooping up the scruffy kitten, she whipped out her key and unlocked the door.

Suzanne wasn’t about, so she quietly made her way into the kitchen to put the kettle on and see what was available for Lucky.

‘You’ll have to make do with some cooked chicken for now.’ Ginny shook her head in disbelief at the lack of cat food as she got on with shredding chicken into a bowl. If her mum had made arrangements with Mary to keep the cat, she could have at least bought some food.

It was decided. Little Lucky would have to be returned again. That was a conversation she dreaded.

A thumping sound came from the ceiling, and Ginny visualized her mum’s walking stick slamming into the beige carpet of the bedroom directly above her.

She fed Lucky, then quickly made the tea and headed upstairs. ‘Coming, Mum,’ she called, wanting her mum to know it was her and not some burglar helping themselves to the antique brass lamp.

‘Where’s Suzanne?’ asked Birdy.

‘Running late, I guess.’ Ginny placed a mug of tea on the oak bedside cabinet. ‘Drink that, then I’ll help you into the bathroom.’

‘Too late. I needed the loo ages ago and couldn’t hold myself any longer.’

‘Oh, Mum. Don’t worry, I’ll get you cleaned up.’

Birdy scoffed. ‘Like you care.’

‘Of course I care.’ Ginny went to grab the top end of the quilt, but her mum slapped her hand away. ‘Don’t touch me.’

‘You can’t stay like that.’

‘I’ll wait for Suzanne.’

Ginny knew to pick her battles, so she nodded and slipped out the room to call her mum’s carer to see how long she would be.

‘I can’t reach my tea, Gin,’ called Birdy.

There was no answer on the phone, so Ginny went back into the bedroom to help her mum.

‘I’m going to send another email today about getting you into a home. You need round-the-clock care now, Mum.’

‘Why do you always want to send me away, Ginny? What have I ever done to you?’

How long have you got?

‘It’s not about me, Mum. You need professional help.’

Birdy tried to toss her mug at Ginny, but her hand was too weak, causing the mug to tumble straight onto Ginny’s wrist.

‘Ow!’ Ginny jolted backwards, then rushed to the bathroom to run her skin under the cold tap.

She will not ruin my day. She will not ruin my day.

Ginny repeated the mantra until her wrist felt a bit better, then she headed back to her mum to pick up the mug and mop up what hadn’t landed on her.

‘You always were clumsy,’ said Birdy, huffing. ‘Where’s Lee?’

It wasn’t unusual for Ginny to hear her mum talk about Lee, but lately she was asking for him every day, and it was starting to become concerning. She would have to ring him later. See if he could pop down for a weekend or something. She wasn’t holding out much hope, knowing what a selfish git he was, but still, if she explained how poorly their mother was, maybe he might have a change of heart.

Ginny attempted to help her mum out of bed again.

‘Are you deaf as well as stupid?’ Birdy yelled at the top of her lungs. ‘Leave me alone.’

The scream vibrated through Ginny’s body, removing anything warm and fuzzy immediately. She needed a timeout so went back downstairs to see how the cat was getting on.

‘Ugly cow, you are, Ginny. You hear me?’ Birdy bellowed.

There wasn’t one name known to man that Ginny hadn’t been called by her mother at some point in her life.

Ginny sat by the kitchen window, staring lifelessly out at the overgrown back garden. She knew how to shut down, avoid emotion, and pretend she was somewhere else far, far away.

Holding her own hand, she did what she often did. Pretended her soulmate was with her, holding her hand and making everything perfect. She stroked over her knuckles, but no smile followed, just more insults echoing in the hallway.

Time after time, Ginny made excuses for her mother’s behaviour, and she was doing it again.

It’s not her fault. She’s sitting in urine. Embarrassed, I know.

Ginny tried calling Suzanne again. Straight to voicemail. Oh, where was she?

‘Right, that’s it!’

Lucky meowed, then padded off to the living room as Ginny marched up the stairs. One way or another, her mum was getting cleaned.

‘Mum, I’m going to run a small bath for you.’ Before a response came, Ginny got on with the task.

There was silence in the bedroom, and Ginny hoped her mother wasn’t plotting something.

With the bath ready Ginny returned to her mum’s side, bracing herself for whatever was to come.

Birdy moaned and groaned, trying to get her legs out of bed, and Ginny was starting to admire just how strong Suzanne must be to lift such a deadweight whenever alone.

The journey to the bathroom seemed to take forever, and Ginny was quite certain they wouldn’t make it at one point.

‘Almost there, Mum.’

The hardest part was getting her mother into the bath, as Birdy struggled to raise a leg.

Ginny flopped to the floor by the tub, drawing gulps of steam. Her mum was twice her size, but somehow she found the strength to get her into the warm water.

‘Ooh, this is nice, thanks, love.’

Unclenching her jaw, Ginny stood. ‘Just sit there while I change the sheets.’

Birdy grinned. ‘It’s not like I can move.’

Ginny took a calming breath as she entered the bedroom. She’d never felt so unfit. ‘I need to start jogging with Robson.’

The sweetest song wafted out the bathroom. At least her mum was in a better mood. Ginny got on with the bed while mentally planning a spa day with friends. Perhaps a facial would lift the weary look her face always seemed to have. Shame it couldn’t raise her spirits.

The stranger with the rather nice hands popped into her head. He definitely raised her spirits.

The front door slammed, making Ginny jump.

‘Only me,’ called out Suzanne. ‘Sorry I’m late. Car trouble. Phone trouble. All sorts of trouble this morning.’

Ginny leaned over the banisters as Suzanne headed for the kitchen. ‘Mum’s in the bath. I’m just changing sheets.’

Suzanne said something about the skip next door being taken away, but Ginny couldn’t hear her properly.

Birdy started singing something about sunshine just as light rain began to splatter against the bedroom window.

Ginny looked down at the garden, wondering what her one-night stand was up to. Was he looking at the rain thinking about her? She shook her head slightly, steaming the pane with her small laugh, then mouthed his name. ‘Will.’

Will who?

She shrugged, gathered the sheets, checked on her mum, still happily singing, then headed off to the washing machine.

‘You’ll be late for work, Gin,’ said Suzanne, putting milk in the fridge. ‘Speaking of which, these extra hours you pay me for. Any chance I could get a raise? Only, things are a bit tight at the moment.’

What could Ginny say? She needed Suzanne until a care home became available. The private arrangement she had with the woman had worked out quite nicely, but could she afford to pay out more? Lee wasn’t chipping in, and every penny of the benefits she got to help her mum was going straight to Suzanne, and there was no one else to help. The support plan she had in place sucked big time. Something had to change and soon.

‘Sure,’ she replied. ‘We’ll sort something. Oh, and we need to return the cat again.’

Suzanne pulled out some cat food from her shopping bag. ‘Birdy’s determined to keep her, and I bought the food today.’

Ginny sighed.

Suzanne smiled, then went upstairs.

After saying goodbye, Ginny stepped outside, pleased to see the sky had cleared a touch. She was about to walk to her jeep when she noticed a hooded man tampering with her neighbour’s street door.

Babs had been taken into a care home, Ginny knew. Goodness, someone was trying to break in. Without thinking, she leapt over the bush dividing the houses.

‘Oi!’ she yelled.

The large man spun around.

Ginny went to approach but stumbled on a rock along the pathway, causing her leg to dip, and in one quick move, she hit the ground. Her spine bruised on impact.

The man rushed to her aid. ‘Are you okay?’

She met kind dark eyes gazing her way as she gathered her bearings.

The man looked closer at her face. ‘Zombie bride, is that you?’

It took a moment . . . Ginny was still slightly stunned from her fall. ‘Will?’

His features softened as his smile grew. ‘We meet again.’

Ginny was mortified. ‘Are you a burglar?’

‘What? No. This is my grandmother’s place. Well, it was. I’m just locking up for the last time.’

Something else dawned on her. ‘Have you been in there long?’

The fact he hesitated gave her the answer. The walls in her mother’s house were paper thin. There was every chance he’d heard her mum shouting.

‘Not long,’ he replied. ‘Just one last check round before handing the keys over to the estate agents.’

Ginny glanced at his chest, trying hard not to smile at her memory of it bare. They locked eyes for a moment, and she was sure he might kiss her. She hoped. But something else took priority. ‘My back hurts,’ she mumbled, unable to remain on the cold, hard pathway any longer, even though she liked looking up at him.

‘Oh yes, let’s get you up.’ Will held out a hand, carefully peeling her from the ground. ‘Are you okay?’

She tilted her body from side to side, groaning.

‘How bad is it? Should I take you to get checked out?’

Ginny raised her palm. ‘Stop fussing. It’s just a bruised back, that’s all.’

Will met her eyes. ‘Where on your back does it hurt?’

After practically carrying her mother to the bath, then falling to the ground, Ginny had only one answer. ‘Everywhere.’

‘Let me take you home. You can put your feet up for the day.’

Ginny burst out laughing, then regretted it immediately, as the jolt hit her back. ‘Fat chance. I’m already late for work.’

‘Rest today.’

‘I can’t. I’m the owner.’

‘Owner of what?’

‘Harbour Light Café.’

Will smiled, and she so wanted to kiss him. ‘I’ve eaten in there. Didn’t see you.’

‘I was probably in the kitchen.’

‘You sure you can’t take the day off?’

‘Positive. I can’t call anyone else in to help. It’s short notice.’

Will’s smile widened. ‘Then it’s settled. I’ll drop these keys off, then head to the café and be your hands for the day. You can sit in the corner and give me orders.’

Ginny warmed from the inside out, hoping her cheeks didn’t flush. ‘You want to help me?’

Will shrugged. ‘Least I can do. It’s my fault you fell.’

‘It’s not, and you don’t have to help me. I’m okay.’

‘I want to.’ His tone lowered, causing Ginny’s butterflies to stir.

‘Looks like we’ve got ourselves a date then.’ Her neck heated as she realized what she had said.

Will pulled in his lips, then met her eyes. ‘By the way, thanks for the other night.’

Thanks for the other night?

Not knowing how to respond, Ginny headed for her vehicle. ‘I’ll meet you at the café.’

‘See you in a bit,’ he called.

She climbed into her jeep, feeling like a spoonful of cough syrup. ‘Guess I was just what the doctor ordered,’ she mumbled to the steering wheel. Not that she could complain. After all, she did invite him home because it was exactly what she needed as well. So why was she feeling as though she’d just been dumped? ‘Oh, get a grip, you silly mare.’ She took a deep breath, started the engine, and set off, wondering if Will really would show up to work in her café.