Winter Magic in Port Berry (Port Berry #3)

Chapter 28

Ginny

Ginny already had the heating on in the old farmhouse, so it was nice and warm as she entered with Will. Ever since she took ownership of the place, she had wanted to show him around. ‘We can walk and talk,’ she said, removing his jacket from her shoulders to place on the coat hook by the front door.

Will was eyeing up the walls and ceiling. ‘It’s higher than I expected.’

‘Bigger too.’ She pointed down the hallway. ‘It goes quite a way back.’

‘What did the surveyor say?’

‘It’s in pretty good shape. There’s nothing that would cost too much to fix.’ She glanced over her shoulder as they walked up the stairs.

‘That’s good. I can help with anything you need. I’m not sure if I’ll be any good as a handyman. Not really tested those skills, but I’m always up for trying.’

Ginny smiled. ‘Thanks. I’m someone who likes to call in a professional, but there is one thing I’d like you to do for me.’

‘What’s that?’

She motioned for him to follow her into the main bedroom at the back of the house. ‘Look down there.’ Pointing out the window, she waited to see his expression.

‘Oh wow! That’s a nice bit of land you have there.’

‘That’s for the animals.’

Will’s eyes smiled along with his mouth as he gazed her way. ‘You definitely doing that then?’

‘I’ve got a meeting tomorrow with an animal welfare centre to talk all things chicken.’

He glanced back at the field below. ‘So an enclosure is needed, and a henhouse.’

‘That’s what I’m going to find out. They’re going to teach me everything.’ She hesitated, debating whether to include him after all, but seeing how he’d declared his love and offered a business swap just to make her dream come true, she wanted to be totally honest. ‘Would you like to come with me?’

‘Yep.’

His quick reply had the corners of her mouth twitch into a small smile. ‘I was hoping you’d say that.’

‘I told you. I love you. I want to help, even if you only want me as a friend now.’

‘I . . . It’s just . . .’

Will touched her hand. ‘It’s okay, Ginny. I get it. I messed up, and I hurt you.’

She huffed out a breath, then nodded. ‘I accept your apology. We’ve moved on from that, right? In fact, I’ve moved on from a lot. I don’t want to live a life where my past gets to control me. So I made the decision to wipe the slate clean and just focus on what I have here and now and what I can build for a better future.’

‘I made that decision too.’

Ginny smiled, staring down at their linked fingers. ‘It’s refreshing, isn’t it?’

‘Oh yeah.’

‘You know, for a moment, I thought you would leave Port Berry.’

Will grinned. ‘What, because you tried to run me out of town?’

Ginny dropped her gaze. ‘Yeah, sorry about that. I shouldn’t have—’

‘It’s done. We’ve moved on, remember?’

She shot her head up to meet the warmth in his eyes. ‘Yes.’ She turned to the large empty room. ‘So, this is the main bedroom. I . . . Would . . . I . . .’

His brow lifted as he shook his head. ‘Spit it out, love. You’re killing me here.’

‘It’s just, well, I had this other dream where we lived happily ever after.’

‘You and me?’

Ginny nodded, all the while thinking she was making a right pig’s ear of explaining her feelings. ‘I just . . .’ She lowered her head, and the next thing she knew, Will had dipped to peer up at her.

‘Talk to me, love.’

‘I’m a little scared, Will.’

‘Of?’

‘How vulnerable I feel.’

He lifted her chin. ‘I feel it too.’

‘I don’t want the past to guide me, but it’s hard to shake off the trauma. With my mum, all I wanted was for her to love me, and I don’t want to feel that way again. I don’t want to have to fight for something that should be given freely, and when I look at you, I worry I might spend the rest of my life needing your love and suffering for that want.’

Will sighed quietly. ‘I’m with you all the way with that, because I always craved the love of a family as well, but I need you to know that you won’t ever have to fight for my love. It’s yours. I’m yours. I want to walk this journey with you, Ginny.’ He raised their joined hands. ‘I came here searching for a home and I found you.’

Water filled her eyes as she took a steady breath. The last thing she wanted was to cry, but his words were meaningful and wrapped around her like a comfort blanket.

His fingertip met the escaped tear rolling down her cheek. ‘Hey, it’s okay,’ he whispered.

‘I always believed you existed.’ She blinked away the dampness and sniffed. ‘You helped get me through some tough times.’

Will bent to kiss her cheek. ‘We’re a team, you and me, and even though we’re at the start of our journey, I can tell we’re going to have a long and happy one.’ He pulled back and grinned. ‘Just like the Henshaws.’

Ginny giggled at the thought. ‘I blimming love that place.’

‘Well, I would take you back there, but I can’t find the website.’

‘Oh, they must have one.’ She pulled out her phone from her dungarees. ‘Look.’ Humming quietly while flicking through her search, she came to realize he was right. ‘But I’m sure . . .’

‘Wait, let me get the map up, now I know where we were stranded.’

Ginny snuggled into his side as she peered down at his phone.

Will kissed her head, then laughed. ‘There’s nothing there.’

‘There has to be. We were there.’

He faffed about with the map some more, showing a street view that only offered trees and fields. ‘It’s not there, love.’

‘Why isn’t it showing up? That’s so bizarre.’ She put her phone on the windowsill, widening her eyes. ‘Ooh, what if it’s one of those magical places that only appears once every so often?’

Will grinned. ‘And it just so happened to appear for us?’

Ginny laughed. ‘Yeah, because we were stranded in a snowstorm. The magical Henshaws knew we needed help.’

‘And maybe not just in travel?’ Will chuckled. ‘Well, whoever they were, they accepted my credit card, so at least my bank account will prove we weren’t imagining things.’

‘Oh, Will, do you think the universe has been working in mysterious ways to bring us together?’

He laughed. ‘I honestly don’t care. I’m just grateful I met you.’ He took an obvious breath as he stepped back, holding her at arm’s length. ‘So, Ginny Dean, tell me straight. From this day forward, is it going to be just you and me joining our dreams and building a life?’

There had been many moments in Ginny’s life where she wished for the happiness she could feel flooding her whole being. She prayed it would stay that way after her next sentence.

‘No, Will,’ she said softly, gauging his expression. ‘It won’t be just the two of us, because we two are now three.’

He frowned, lowering their arms. ‘What does that mean?’

Ginny stroked over her stomach. ‘I’m pregnant.’ He didn’t respond, so she added, ‘We’re having a baby.’

A beat passed. Will’s eyes widened. His mouth sagged, then finally he spoke. ‘A baby?’

‘Yep. It’s early days. I’ve not long found out, but it’s true. Pregnancy confirmed.’

‘I don’t know what to say.’

‘That makes two of us. I was going to tell you about this even if we weren’t together. I want you to know that, but right now, I’m still getting my own head around it.’

Before she could say another word, Will pulled her in for a hug. ‘Ginny, a baby?’

‘Yes,’ she mumbled into his shirt.

‘I wasn’t expecting this when you brought me here. I honestly thought you were going to ask me to help with the chicken idea.’

Ginny giggled. ‘We have our own little chick to hatch.’ She pulled away so she could see his face. ‘How are you feeling about this? I know it’s a shock. It was to me too, but are you happy, mad, sad, or something else altogether?’

‘Oh, I think the latter, because I can’t describe to you just exactly how over the moon I am with my life right now. Ginny, love, I came to Port Berry to find answers, and I’ve ended up falling in love, settling down, and now I’m to be a father.’ Will’s smile dropped, and he flopped to the worn-through tweed carpet, slapping a hand to his head.

Ginny kneeled to his side. ‘Will, are you okay? Do you feel faint? Should I call a doctor?’

He reached out to her hand hovering by his forehead and held it. ‘I’m fine. I’m just having a moment.’

‘What kind of moment?’

Their eyes met. His filled with nerves. Hers with concern.

‘How am I supposed to know how to be a dad? I never had one.’

Ginny snuggled into his side, trying to find a comfy position on the hard floor. ‘Nor me, but I don’t think it’s about the way others raise or don’t raise their kids, it’s about how we do it, and if anyone knows that children need love, it’s us. We can do that much. We might not be experts, and I’m sure we’ll get loads wrong along the way, but as long as our kid knows it’s loved and wanted, everything should be okay, right?’

‘You asking or telling?’

‘Both.’

Will placed a hand over her stomach. ‘We certainly can give love.’

Ginny met his eyes and smiled. ‘I love you, Will,’ she said slowly.

They shared a gentle kiss, neither moving for a while.

‘We have a busy year ahead of us,’ said Will, standing and helping her up. ‘We need to get this home fixed up for you and the nipper.’

‘And you too, Will.’ Ginny took his hands. ‘I want you to live here with us. I know we haven’t been together long, but it feels as though we’ve been a couple forever, and now with a baby on the way, and rescue chickens, I want us to be all in. The businesses, our home, this relationship. No halves, no maybes, no uncertainty. Just a normal, everyday couple, doing normal, everyday stuff.’

‘With rescue animals.’

Ginny laughed. ‘I know you said you love me, and I know you’re a good man who would never let his family down, and we are one now, but I need you to say it out loud so the corners of my mind understand.’

Will nodded and shuffled closer. ‘Okay, well, listen up, Ginny’s brain, I, Willard Pendleton of the sea far and wide, do hereby solemnly swear to be everything you need and more. I love you. I’m here for you, and I’ll never leave you, because you, Ginny Dean of Port Berry, are my world, my family, and every inch my happiness.’ He tipped his head and winked. ‘How was that?’

‘Perfect.’

They kissed once more, then turned to face the acres of land belonging to them.

‘Our farm needs a name,’ said Will. ‘What do you say, love?’

Ginny twisted her lips to one side. ‘Hmm. How about Happy Farm?’

Will’s head bobbed. ‘Straight to the point. I like it.’

Ginny nudged him. ‘I like you.’

‘A minute ago, you loved me.’

‘You can love someone and not like them.’

Will smiled. ‘Ah, I see. So I get both.’

‘You, chick, get everything.’

Their hug tightened as they continued to stare out at the cold January day.

‘You never know where you’re going to find happiness, do you?’ said Will quietly.

‘Maybe it finds you.’

Will kissed her head. ‘All my life I wondered what home looked like.’ He cupped her face and smiled. ‘Now I know.’

Ginny smiled back. Peace filled her heart, and joy her mind. ‘All my life I wondered what happiness felt like. Now I know.’

Will nudged her nose with his own. ‘Now we have everything, love.’

‘We do. Except for one thing.’

‘Oh, what’s that?’

‘A nice cup of tea.’

Will laughed. ‘Come on then. Let’s start the way we mean to go on.’

Ginny held his hand as they left their bedroom. ‘By having tea?’

‘No, by being a normal, everyday couple.’

‘Except we’ll have a donkey.’

‘I knew I came to Port Berry for a reason.’

Ginny grinned into his arm as they walked side by side down the wide stairway. ‘You came to find happiness and a home. See, wishes can come true.’

THE END