Page 2 of Promise Me Ever After
“Love you too. Thanks, Darcy.” I ended the call, then looked at my phone screen where there were yet more messages from Russ. Without even bother to read their contents, I deleted them.
I rolled my head around, hearing my neck crack from being in such an uncomfortable position for so long. My gaze fell on the stack of wedding magazines. I wouldn’t be needing them any longer. Standing up, I went to clear them off the table and put them into the recycling bin, then had a better idea.
Slowly, deliberately, I tore page after page off the spines before ripping the smiling brides and grooms into the smallest pieces I could. Grabbing a handful of the shredded pages, I tossed it up as high as I could, watching as the paper fell through the air like confetti. It wasn’t long before the laminated wood flooring was covered in squares of paper.
A sense of numbing calm swept through me as I tore up the last page and threw it around like the others before it.
My hand closed around my notebook with all my plans for a restaurant.
Russ might have destroyed my heart, but I wasn’t going to let him destroy my dreams.
Two and a half weeks later, I hung out of the window of my sister’s spare room sneaking a cheeky cigarette, trying to gather my thoughts after Gran’s funeral. It had been a simple service at the local church, followed by a small gathering in one of the pubs she used to go to when she and Grandad were younger. Now they were both gone.
After the wake, Mum and Dad had come back to Darcy and Fraser’s for a family meal before I went back to Bristol in the morning.
Since I discovered Russ’s cheating behaviour, I’d thrown myself into work, taking on as many extra shifts as I could which meant I didn’t have to be at home. A few of my closest friends at the restaurant had taken pity on my situation and let me sofa surf. I’d been living out of a bag for so long, I almost couldn’t remember what it was like to have my own space and a wardrobe for my clothes.
Despite my initial reticence to spend time at Darcy’s, I’d actually enjoyed it, even helping out with the wedding planning. If I ignored the disapproving noises my mother had made every time there was a mention of Russ, then all had been fine.
“Georgie, dinner’s ready!” Darcy called up the stairs.
“Shit!” I hissed and dropped the cigarette, watching it float down and land harmlessly on their gravel driveway. I grabbed a mint from the packet on the bedside table and hurriedly sucked on it to try and lessen any evidence that I’d been smoking. Sure, I was a few weeks off thirty, but that didn’t mean my mum wouldn’t tell me off for a habit she disapproved of.
Mum, Dad, Darcy and Fraser were already seated at the table when I got to the dining room.
“Before we start eating, there’s something we wanted to tell you,” said Dad.
I frowned and sat down. That sounded serious, so I reached for my wine glass taking a hefty swig. Mum and Dad exchanged a glance, and I had a hunch something huge was coming.
Dad rubbed a hand over his jaw. “Georgie, we were thinking of giving Gran’s house over to one of the holiday lettings companies.”
“That makes sense.” I nodded. “I think a few of the other houses along that street are holiday homes too.”
“Yes, they are. But—”
“Oh, for goodness sake, Howard. Don’t beat around the bush.” Mum took over. “We thought that you could have it instead. After everything you’ve been through with Russ, it could be a good way to make a fresh start.”
My hand froze in mid-air as I went to take another slug of wine. I blinked several times, trying to understand what she’d said.They were giving me a house?
“And I don’t know if you’d be interested, but I spotted a poster in the window of Anna’s Kitchen for a front of house manager.” Darcy said, casually reaching for her knife and fork, but avoiding making direct eye contact with me.
What the fuck? Had they all been in on this ‘Rescue Georgie’ plan?
“It’d be great to have you here,” added Fraser, as if my family hadn’t dropped two massive bombs on me in the space of about two minutes.
The table fell silent as we all focused on eating some of the spaghetti Bolognese Darcy had cooked.
While I chewed on the pasta, I thought about what I’d just been offered. A house—potentially rent free—and a possible new job. It wasn’t a wedding, a husband and a restaurant I could call my own, but it was a damn sight better than what I currently had.
Could moving to Ealynn Sands be the answer to all my problems?
It was certainly worth thinking about.
1
Georgie
“I can’t believeI’m getting married in eight weeks!” my younger sister stopped twirling around the moving boxes in Gran’s— no,my—living room to state, before launching into another verse of ‘I Feel Pretty’at the top of her voice. Verse complete, off key and out of breath, she added, “I’m so glad you’re here to help.”
