He gave her the thumbs up, then went back to sorting his truck.
Ginny smiled once more at the snow, then got on with her task, and before long, Will was saying goodbye to his old home.
‘Do you want to visit anyone before we head off?’ Ginny asked. ‘I don’t mind if you want to pop in and see your old foster mum or someone?’
‘Nah, it’s okay. The only one that gave me a touch of stability died a few years after I joined the navy.’
‘Oh, that’s a shame.’
Will shrugged. ‘Story of my life. Anyway, time to move on again.’
‘I feel sad on your behalf,’ she told him, climbing into the truck.
‘Don’t be. It’s all good. I’ve had a lot of homes. Not found one I’ve missed yet.’
‘I hope you find a home in Port Berry,’ she said softly. ‘And I don’t mean a place to live. I mean somewhere that feels homely that you would miss when you’re gone.’
‘You didn’t want to leave here a minute ago.’
Ginny laughed. ‘True. But I do love my home.’
‘Well, I have plans to put down roots, so—’
‘You do?’ There was way too much excitement in her tone. She told herself to reel it in as he jumped out the truck to stick the envelope containing his door keys through the letterbox at the estate agents.
‘I’ll tell you my secret if you promise to keep it to yourself.’
Ginny almost squealed at him sharing private matters. They really did need something uplifting to bond over. It couldn’t all be doom and gloom that brought them closer.
Will pulled out of Tenby, hitting a main road and thicker snow. ‘I’m starting a business in Port Berry. A shop.’
‘Ooh, what are you going to sell?’
‘Tea and cakes, I guess. I’m opening a tearoom.’
Ginny frowned. ‘Where?’
‘Along the front. Harbour End Road. I noticed there wasn’t one, and I think it would be a good fit, don’t you?’
Yes, she knew that. She’d known way before he came to town with his cute smile and sexy man hands, which were now annoying the life out of her.
He glanced her way. ‘What do you think? A tearoom will do well along the front, eh?’
‘Well, yes, but—’
‘That’s what I thought.’
Ginny told herself to calm down. It wasn’t as though any premises were available along there anyway.
‘Mabel hooked me up with the woman from the perfume shop,’ added Will. ‘Sheila wanted out and fast, so we got a solicitor on the case straight away. She wanted the money as soon as possible. Don’t know her story, but I think she got lumbered with the place after her husband died. I didn’t get into it with her. Anyway, she signed on the dotted line as soon as someone handed her a pen. I think she said she was moving to Florida. There were a few swear words involved about her husband, but I shut off halfway through the conversation.’
He was the only one smiling and hadn’t noticed the scowl on her face.
Ginny unclenched her fists and took a calming breath. The news was all a bit too much.
‘I won’t make a start until the new year,’ he added. ‘But I’ll probably have a clear-out once Sheila’s packed up her stock. Perhaps get the shopfitters in. Feel free to give me some pointers.’
It was too late. The rage was burning the back of her eyes, and the fire in her gut was ready to erupt. How bloody dare he muscle in on her idea and take over! Of all the cheek. That was her dream not his.
