Winter at West Sands Guest House by Maggie Conway

Author:Maggie Conway
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2017-11-23T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

‘Ta-dah!’

With a flourish, Eva revealed the cake she had made for Fraser’s twelfth birthday party. Heather looked in admiration at Eva’s butter icing creation, complete with glitter sugar and chocolate sprinkles.

‘Wow, that looks great, thanks.’ She beamed at her friend gratefully. Eva placed it on the table in Heather’s dining room already groaning with sandwiches, sausage rolls, biscuits, and bowls of sweets.

‘Are you sure you’ll manage with all these boys in your house?’ Eva asked as Jamie took off in the direction of what sounded like general mayhem.

‘Are you kidding? I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I didn’t have a house full of testosterone. Plus I have my secret weapon.’ She peeked opened a cupboard door, pointed to a bottle of Merlot, and shut the door again. Heather’s husband Douglas emerged from the kitchen holding a giant helium balloon, emblazoned with Happy 12th Birthday, and greeted Eva with a peck on the cheek.

‘It’s too late for me but you should escape while you can,’ he implored Eva before Heather shooed him away.

‘Honestly, I can stay and help if you want.’ Eva giggled.

‘Nope, I’ve got it all covered. Food, films, and sleepover although I doubt much sleeping will get done.’

‘Sounds perfect.’

‘What about you? What will you do?’

‘All sorted. I also have a bottle of wine and I’m sure there’s an episode of Friends I haven’t seen fifty times yet.’

‘Really? Nothing else you’d rather do?’

‘Like?’

‘A gorgeous woman like you, a night of freedom. The possibilities are endless …’

Eva rolled her eyes at her friend.

‘Okay, I know. But you will be all right won’t you?’ Heather asked with genuine concern, fully aware how nervous Eva was being separated from her son.

‘Don’t worry about me, I’ll be all right,’ Eva reassured her.

‘And Jamie will be too. I promise I’ll look after him.’

‘I know you will.’

‘Anyway, have you not seen the forecast?’ she said tipping crisps into a bowl. ‘A storm warning’s been issued for the east coast. You’d better get going.’

Eva made her way back to her car, a little shiver running down her spine as she looked up at the sky, which had grown ominously dark. The drive home was a nightmare. Within minutes of leaving Heather’s house the rain had started and was lashing against the windscreen and bouncing off the road. Gripping the steering wheel she negotiated the massive puddles that had sprung out of nowhere, vaguely listening to a voice on the radio explaining the weather system responsible for the storm and predicting worse to come.

Relieved when she finally reached home, Eva slammed the front door gratefully behind her. She spent the rest of the afternoon securing everything outside and making sure the chicken coop was safe. Hamish ran around manically, refusing to leave the garden, and looked up at Eva accusingly. ‘They’ll be fine,’ she reassured him.

In her living room Eva lit the log burner and poured herself a glass of wine, determined to try and relax despite the wind howling down the chimney and buffeting the windows.

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