Page 60 of Finding Love in Micklewick Bay

‘Would you believe he even asked my mum if he could stay with her for a while until he got himself “sorted out”? Had the nerve to ask for money too.’

‘You’re kidding me? And the last time your mum had seen him was not long after you were born?’ Their so-called father certainly wasn’t looking any better in her eyes.

‘That’s right. She hadn’t seen or heard anything for almost thirty years.’ He paused, gazing out to sea, pushing his thick, blond hair off his face. ‘It didn’t take me long to reach the conclusion that he was the most selfish person I’d ever met. And I know it might sound harsh, but I didn’t care if I never saw him again. He didn’t fill my heart with love the way I thought he would. There was no rush of the father/son bond that I’d expected to feel. Just a great big disappointment instead.’ He turned to face Stella. ‘Does that make me sound bad? Unkind? Make me sound like him?’ he asked softly, his face wreathed in concern.

‘It doesn’t make you sound bad or unkind at all.’ Stella rested her hand on the top of his arm, the sadness in his eyes triggering a rush of pity. ‘And it most definitely doesn’t make you sound like him.’

‘Thank you.’ His expression brightened. ‘That’s what Bill says, but I wondered if he was just being nice.’

‘He wasn’t just being nice, Pim, you’re a genuinely good guy, everyone says so.’ She smiled up at his gentle face. ‘And what you just told me is exactly how I feel about Johan de Groote, there’s no getting away from the fact that he’s an inherently self-absorbed man with a shocking lack of conscience. In fact, I saw him in the Jolly on Friday night.’

‘You did? Did he join you and the other girls? Please tell me he wasn’t holding court and spoiling your evening, boasting about himself.’

Stella gave a scornful laugh. ‘Quite the opposite; he’d have got short shrift from the lasses if he tried, especially Jasmine.’

Pim chuckled. ‘Ah, yes, that I can believe.’ He caught her eye, a mischievous smile lighting up his face. ‘Would’ve been fun tosee. For one so small, she’s pretty fierce.’ They both laughed at that.

‘And loyal,’ Stella added. ‘They all are, we all look out for each other.’

‘I know, Bill and I think that’s so cool.’

They resumed walking in the direction of the pier as Stella recounted what had happened on Friday evening, Pim shaking his head in disbelief.

‘I expect he’ll be looking for somewhere else to stay once his pal Guy gets sick of him. I should imagine he was hoping to charm one of the young women he was talking to at the Jolly,’ he said.

‘Oh, from what I saw, he was definitely pulling out all the stops to get them wrapped around his little finger, seemed to be working too.’

They watched as two dogs of indeterminate breed raced by them, chasing a ball their owner had thrown, kicking up lumps of sand in their wake, before plunging into the sea after it.

‘I guess he’s had years of practise to hone his charm,’ said Pim.

‘Hmm. If that’s what you can call it. I rather think it’s more like manipulation.’

As they made their way along the beach, Pim told her how on his return from Holland, Johan had been in touch, asking if he could stay with him and Bill for a while, telling him it would give them a chance to get to know one another, to build a bond. In the next breath, he’d asked if Pim could transfer him some money.

Stella’s face was burning with anger. The man really had no shame or self-respect. ‘I know it’s none of my business, but please tell me you told him what he could do with his request.’

Pim chuckled. ‘Tempted as I was to put it in blunt terms, I simply said I didn’t think it was a good idea. It didn’t go down well but, hey,’ he shrugged, ‘I don’t owe him anything.’

‘You certainly don’t! The man’s no more than a stranger.’

‘The next thing I know, he rocks up in the bar telling me he’s staying at his friend’s place for a few days, orders a load of beers and doesn’t put his hand in his pocket once, not that I would’ve asked him to, but the fact that he just presumed they’d be on the house and doesn’t offer a word of thanks, well…’

‘Why doesn’t that surprise me? I’m getting the impression he’s a seasoned freeloader.’ Stella shook her head. ‘And this mate he’s referring to is Guy, right?’

‘Yep, apparently they know each other from way back – he did say how, but he told me in such a vague, convoluted way I couldn’t make sense of it. Top and bottom of it is that Guy’s family used to live here in Micklewick Bay years ago and Johan used to visit them. This Guy has recently bought a holiday cottage over in Old Micklewick and is here for a couple of weeks, so Johan is staying with him.’

Stella absorbed this new information. So that was why her mother had headed to Micklewick Bay just after Stella was born. She must have still held a torch for Johan de Groote, must have hoped there’d be a chance she’d bump into him when he visited Guy. Stella couldn’t help but think things wouldn’t have turned out quite so well for her mother if she had. Keeping this thought to herself, she turned to look up at Pim. ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he hopes Guy will let him stay on for a bit longer after he’s gone.’

Pim nodded. ‘That thought had crossed my mind too, but then I wondered if Guy was wise to him; they’ve known each other for a long time.’

‘I dare say we’ll find out soon enough.’ A feeling of doom sat heavy in the pit of Stella’s stomach. For all he seemed keen to create the impression he was laid-back and happy-go-lucky, something told her Johan de Groote’s visit was going to cause ructions.

THIRTY-FOUR

By the time Stella was making her way along the top prom the temperature had dropped, the wind had picked up and lumpen grey clouds had crept over the sky, smothering any last traces of sunshine. Now, large, chilly drops of rain were splashing down. A rash of goosebumps erupted over her skin, urging her to push forward, her long legs making short work of it.

Though her conversation with Pim was running through her mind, thoughts of Alex had started to nudge their way in the closer Stella got to home. She wasn’t used to her personal life occupying so much headspace, her cases were usually responsible for that, leaving her emotions unscathed. But now…

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