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 whilementally 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.’
