Chapter 15
Will
The atmosphere on the drive to Port Berry was light and cheery, with talk of chickens and donkeys and how much snow had hit the country. Most of the main roads were clear, but Will had to slow for the back streets as he got closer to the harbour.
Due to their happy chatter, he took a turning leading away from Ginny’s house, driving on autopilot straight towards the B&B. He wasn’t too bothered once he’d realized what he had done, as he only had to pull around the corner and head up Berry Hill, but the way he was going meant they would pass by the shop he’d bought, and within seconds of Ginny seeing the place, their tearoom conflict came flooding back, and the whole mood in the truck turned to ice.
‘You can stop at the B&B,’ she told him flatly. ‘I’ll walk the rest of the way.’
‘No, it’s fine. It’s just up the road.’
‘Yes, I know. That’s why I can walk.’
‘But it’s cold.’
She turned in a strop. ‘Are you seriously going to make me do a stunt roll-out of this vehicle?’
Will parked and shook his head. ‘What is wrong with you?’ Like he didn’t know. ‘Let me take you home. The pavement is covered in snow.’ It made no difference what he said, Ginny was already halfway out the door.
‘Hello, lovey,’ called Mabel, sweeping snow from her doorstep.
Will raised a hand her way, then tried to help Ginny with her bags.
She tutted, snatched back a holdall, then marched off, crunching through slush and ice.
‘Ginny, come on,’ he called, but she turned the corner, leaving him alone.
Will was deflated on every level, so he headed off to his room, put his things away, then came back down to help Mabel clear the pathway and pavement out front.
Jed stopped to say hello. ‘I saw your Babs this morning. Was up at the home visiting a friend.’
‘I’ll pop up later. How was she?’
‘Doing as well as can be expected. Didn’t remember me, but it is what it is. You come to choir practice tomorrow. It’ll help cheer you up.’
‘Who says I need cheering up?’
Jed pointed at him. ‘Your face.’
Maybe he did look how he felt. He was too busy sweeping snow to care. ‘I’m okay.’
Jed folded his arms. ‘Talk to me.’
Will straightened, holding the broom in front. ‘Life was a lot easier at sea.’
‘Life’s always easier out there.’ Jed motioned across the road. ‘But we have one right here too, and we just have to get on with it, no matter what.’
Will inhaled the salt in the cool air and relaxed his shoulders.
Jed thumbed up the road. ‘I’m just popping in to see Luna, then I’ll be onMrs Berry. You come sit on my boat with me in a bit, okay?’
Will nodded. He put the broom back inside the foyer, then walked along the road to see if Ginny had popped into her café on the way home.
She wasn’t there, and maybe that was a good thing because he honestly had no words for how immature she was being about the tea shop.
He walked to the Hub and had a nosey at the notice in the window advertising Christmas opening times. With or withoutGinny’s approval, he was going to help wherever he could for the festive season, but it did make him think about his priorities.
I’m taking on too much.
