Will chuckled. ‘Are you trying to earn a cupcake eating badge now, lad?’
Leo’s eyes widened at Spencer.
‘Nope,’ said Spencer. ‘You’ll be sick.’
Leo grinned at his mum. ‘Okay, no badge for that. I’ll just have one.’ He picked up two. ‘Maybe more.’
Bonnie spotted the lady painting Sophie’s face at the other end of the shop. ‘Look, Leo, let’s go get our sparkle on.’
With a mouthful of vanilla frosting, he agreed, nudging Spencer in the same direction.
Normally, Spencer would be one of the first in line to have some fun, but he just couldn’t shake off the gloominess he’d been feeling since Ryan hurt his arm. He told Leo to go ahead without him, then turned back to the window to see if Ryan and his mum had turned up. The odds were slim, but he had hoped they would take up the invitation. At least then he could have another chance to talk to Annette before their meeting.
Jax was outside with his dad, but no sign of Ryan. He waved at Spencer, then moved to a table to watch a man make balloon animals.
Ginny lightly placed a hand on Spencer’s back. ‘You okay, chick?’
He forced a smile as he nodded. ‘Yeah, fine. Good turnout, Gin. Lovely what you’ve done with the place.’
She smiled up at the dark wooden beams crossing the white ceiling. ‘I’ve been visualizing this business for a good while now. It’s a good feeling when you see it all come together.’ She laughed, motioning towards Will, surrounded by a group of kids. ‘He used to get more excited over my mood boards than I did.’
‘You had mood boards?’
‘It helps. Haven’t you got one for anything?’
‘I don’t think I put that much detail into things.’
Ginny leaned into his arm. ‘I’ve always been a dreamer. When you spend so much time doing it, you just picture everything in so much detail.’
Spencer placed an arm around her shoulder as they both stared outside. ‘Did you dream up Willard Pendleton?’
Will walked towards them with an empty tray. He was grinning from ear to ear, and Spencer noticed the smile in Ginny’s hazel eyes.
‘I think I did,’ she told Spencer, before following her partner to the counter for more cupcake samples.
Jax approached, holding a balloon dog aloft. ‘What are we doing for our next badge? Leo said something about cupcakes.’
‘I don’t know yet. I’m not sure what’s happening with the Sunshine Superheroes until next week.’
Jax tapped the leg of a nearby table with his foot. ‘You mean once Ryan’s mum has spoken at our progress meeting.’ He looked to his dad, who was talking to Bonnie, waiting in line at the face-painting table.
Spencer poked the nose of the balloon dog. ‘Hey, don’t you worry about anything. Debra’s been running that centre for years. She’ll sort everything. All you have to do is enjoy your day. Now, how about getting your face painted? I’m thinking lion.’
Jax wrinkled his nose, then went over to Leo, who was ordering a milkshake.
Beth came back, still holding Archie, and proceeded to tell him that Jed was out front, dressed as a pirate. She was laughing while encouraging him to take a look.
It was no surprise to Spencer to see their friends helping to make Ginny’s day special. Jed already had a group of people around him, listening to his tall tales of treasure maps and ferocious storms.
Lottie came whizzing along the pavement, dressed as a mermaid, telling everyone she passed that the pirates had saved her, and to celebrate they should all drink tea and eat cake.
Samuel was close behind, looking like he’d just stepped off a pirate ship. His hat was held high, then dipped low to rest upon Archie’s head, hiding him immediately.
Beth laughed, removing the headwear so the baby could stare at the birds once more.
Spencer went back inside to order a couple of orange juices. One of the framed harbour paintings on the wall was lopsided, so he straightened that while he waited, then forced himself to hum along to the music playing to see if that would lift his mood.
Beth was sitting inside by the time he got their drinks. A piece of pastel floral bunting was draped over her chair, having become detached from the window. ‘I was just going to put Archie in the pram and pin this back up.’
