Chapter five
G eorgina walked back into Christine’s salon carrying two mugs of tea with a Cheshire-cat grin plastered on her face.
Christine was sitting down on the sofa in the waiting area. ‘You’ve been gone a while love. I thought you might have fallen down the plug hole.’
Georgina laughed softly. ‘Nothing like that. I saw Marcus in there. He looked flustered and I offered to make his tea for him. Now I’m glad I did, because I have just landed myself a parttime job working at Ruff to Regal.’
Christine’s face lit up. ‘Oh my goodness. That’s fantastic. I didn’t know he was looking to take on an employee.’
‘I think he literally only just decided to. I guess I was in the right place at the right time.’
‘Congratulations love. So does this mean you’ll no longer be working at the petrol station?’
Georgina shook her head. ‘Unfortunately, no. Like the petrol station, the position with Marcus is only parttime, so I need to keep both jobs. He did say it could become a fulltime position though.’
Christine nodded. ‘I wouldn’t be at all surprised. He’s getting busier and busier by the week.’
Georgina passed Christine her tea and sat down opposite her. ‘This job couldn’t have come at a better time as well. My car broke down yesterday, but thankfully that’s being sorted out now.’
‘Oh dear. Nothing too bad gone wrong, I hope. Any idea what it was?’
‘No idea. But it’s all good. It’s actually at Harris’s Garage. Matt who works there is fixing it for me.’
‘Harris’s Garage. Ah yes. That’s the place on the right just before the petrol station isn’t it?’
Georgina’s head cocked to the side. ‘So you’ve heard of the garage before?’
Christine nodded. ‘Yes. It’s been there for years, Robert took over it from his father, and I dare say Matt will do the same when Robert is ready to retire.’
Georgina's curiosity was instantly piqued. ‘Do you know Robert and his family well?’
‘No. Not well. Robert’s wife Linda has been here to have her hair cut and coloured a few times over the years. Lovely lady, but not big on idle chit-chat. She’s very quiet and usually reads a magazine when she’s having her hair done.’
‘Oh right. So you don’t really know much about...Matt then?’ Georgina tried to ask after Matt as casually as possible, but the facade didn’t get past Christine. She knew it wouldn’t. Christine had a knack of seeing right through her, like she had done for years. After all, Christine had known Francis and Georgina all their lives. She’d been the first person to cut their hair when they were just toddlers. Christine knew practically everything about the Shelley sisters.
Georgina felt the weight of Christine’s stare on her as she sipped her tea whilst pretending to study a picture on the wall she’d seen a thousand times over the years.
‘You’re asking about Robert’s son, Matt?’ Georgina met Christina’s eyes. They twinkled knowingly. ‘I can’t possibly think why you would be interested in him.’
They both burst out laughing. Georgina quickly relayed the story about how Matt had helped her yesterday and was continuing to help her by doing the work that needed to be done on her car in exchange for her answering the phone at the garage. Georgina ended with an exasperated whine. ‘But how am I meant to fit all three jobs into one week, in addition to getting residents to sign up to be voluntary entertainers at the annual sunset picnics event?’
Christine looked thoughtful as she sipped the last of her tea. ‘The thing is Georgina, you don’t even know yet when Matt and Marcos need you to work for them, so there’s no way of figuring out how you are going to fit each job to work alongside each other. Until you know, there’s no point worrying about it.’ Georgina nodded and the tinkle of the bell above the door announced someone entering the salon. ‘In the meantime, I’ll find out what I can about the handsome Matt for you.’
‘Oooo. Handsome Matt. Who is that?’
Both Georgina and Christine’s heads turned in unison when they heard Mrs Calloway’s voice. Georgina looked at Christine with wide eyes. The last person she wanted to put two and two together and get five was Mrs Calloway.
‘Oh it’s nothing Mrs Calloway. Sit yourself in front of the washbasin and I’ll be with you in a moment.’ Christine dipped her head in the direction of the door, prompting Georgina to make a quick exit. She led Georgina to the door.
Mrs Calloway headed for the washbasins but paused to look in Georgina’s direction. ‘How’s the name collecting going for volunteers, Georgina?’
Georgina continued to follow Christine and called back over her shoulder. ‘It’s a work in progress Mrs Calloway.’
Mrs Calloway lifted her eyebrows as if surprised by the answer.
At the door, Christine leaned into Georgina. ‘Don’t worry, your secret crush is safe with me.’ She finished the sentence with a wink.
Georgina’s mouth dropped open. ‘Crush?!’
Christine opened the door. ‘Lovely to see you Georgina love. I’ll be sure to regale our topic of conversation and your R to R news to your father.’ Georgina smiled, she loved Christine was talking in code so that Mrs Calloway couldn’t pry.
‘News?’ said Mrs Calloway from behind. ‘Anything exciting?’
Christine shook her head with a smile and gave Georgina a reassuring look.
‘Thanks Christine. Speak soon.’
Georgina left the salon and stood outside contemplating where to go next. Her plan was to do a street-by-street sweep of Seagull Bay. She’d started in her own street, but that was way up at the top of the bay. Her stomach growled and reminded her she’d started the day without filling it.
Turning her head in the direction of Tammy’s Tearoom, her body quickly followed suit, and her legs began to take her there.
Holidaymakers were already milling about in their summery attire for the day. Georgina loved to see what tourists coming to the area wore. She especially loved to see women wearing big straw hats, oversized sunglasses and flowing flower printed dresses. Men usually wore polo shirts or tee-shirts teamed with shorts and caps.
Smiling and throwing out the occasional hello as she passed them, she headed for the tearoom.
Unsurprisingly, she could see it was already rammed full of a mix of locals and holidaymakers when she entered. To her delight, she saw her father seated up in a corner, tucking into a sandwich. His eyes lit up when he saw her, and he gave her a wave and pointed to the empty seat opposite him. Georgina nodded and headed for the small queue waiting to be served.
The smell of bacon and coffee made her stomach grumble again. A little boy standing in front of her who had his hand tightly tucked away inside what looked to be his grandma’s hand, turned around and looked at her stomach and giggled. Georgina scrunched up her nose and smiled. The queue soon thinned and before she knew it, she was at the front being greeted by Tammy.
Tammy wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, she already looked worn out. ‘Good morning, Georgina. What can I get you?’
‘Morning Tammy. Busy morning?’
Tammy nodded with a smile. ‘Yes, but I’m not complaining.’
Georgina nodded and smiled. ‘Just my usual please. Crispy bacon on buttered crusty bread and a mocha coffee.’ She held open her hand. ‘I have the exact money, but I’m sorry, there’s lots of twenty pence coins. I raided a money box this morning.’
Tammy took the money gratefully. ‘That’s fantastic. I was running out of change. Normally everyone pays by card, but this morning it’s been mostly cash payments. Sit down and I’ll bring your order over. Did you notice your dad is in here?’
‘Yes, I did. I’ll be sitting at his table.’ Tammy nodded. Georgina weaved through the bustling tearoom towards her father. ‘Morning dad. I’ve just come from Christine’s salon.’ Georgina plonked herself down in the chair opposite him.
Tom swallowed the food he was chewing. ‘Morning love. Have you just had your hair done? It looks very nice.’
Throwing her head back, Georgina belly laughed. She shook her head. ‘No. I didn’t have a hair appointment, I just called in. But thanks for the compliment all the same.’
Tom laughed. ‘You always look beautiful to me my little princess.’
Warmth spread across Georgina’s chest. Her father always knew the right things to say to brighten her day. ‘Have you finished an early job or are you about to start work dad?’
‘I had an early job—an emergency callout. No time for breakfast so I thought I’d reward myself with a sandwich and a slice of cake.’
Georgina eyed the larger than usual piece of carrot cake on a plate to the side of her father. ‘It must have been a very tricky job. Is that a double slice of cake?’
Tom roared with laughter. ‘Busted.’ He eyed the clipboard Georgina had placed on the table. ‘Only three names?’
Georgina sighed. ‘It’s hard dad. I thought I’d be able to charm people into signing up for the charity event when they refuelled at the petrol station, but I had zero takers. Now I’ve had to resort to house-to-house calls.’
Tom placed his hand on top of Georgina’s. ‘You’ll do fine. It’s early days. You still have a couple of weeks.’
A grimace formed on Georgina’s lips. ‘I hope you are right dad.’
Tammy appeared with Georgina’s order. ‘There you go.’
Georgina gave Tammy a warm smile. ‘Thank you. That looks fabulous. I’m already salivating.’
Tammy chuckled but continued to hover by the table. Georgina looked up at her expectantly. Tammy laid a cap down on the counter. ‘The man you came into the tearoom with yesterday left his cap. I wondered if you’d be seeing him again soon to return it.’
Tom looked at Georgina, his brow rising sharply, his eyes full of questions.
Georgina was instantly flustered. ‘Ye-yes. I’ll give it to him.’ Tammy shimmied her eyebrows as she backed away, a message she was impressed by the owner of the cap. Georgina looked up into her father’s curious eyes. ‘My car broke down yesterday and Matt from gave me a lift home. We both called in here to get food.’
Tom’s brow furrowed, his brain ticking as if he was trying to place the name. ‘Matt? Is that Matt Harris? Robert’s son from Harris’s Garage?’
Georgina’s eyes lit up. ‘Yes. That’s him. Do you know the family?’
Tom nodded enthusiastically. ‘Yeees. I know the Harris’s well. I did a job in the garage not too long ago. Nice family. I actually have my breakdown cover with them.’ Tom’s brow turned into a frown. ‘What’s happened with your car?’
Georgina took a bite of her sandwich. Her eyes rolled in ecstacy. She held her finger up while she chewed. Swallowing the delicious mouthful of flavours, she nodded as she answered. ‘It’s fine. It’s all under control Dad. Matt is going to do the work on it.’
‘Do you have the money to fix it? I can give it to you. I know you are a bit short at the moment.’
Georgina shook her head. ‘I don’t need any money. Matt and I have worked out an agreement. He’s going to fix the car in exchange for me answering his phone for a few days while his parents are on holiday.’
‘That’s very generous of him.’
‘That’s what I said. I was a little unsure at first as I know nothing about him or his family. I’ve never seen them at any annual events here in the bay. But now both Christine and you have put my mind at ease. I’ll give him a call when I leave here and arrange when he wants me to start.’
‘Oh you’ll be as safe as houses love. The Harris family have lived on the outskirts of the bay for years. They actually used to come to all the community events when you were young, but Linda had some sort of scare one year on the beach. I don’t remember what happened, but since then, they rarely come into the bay.’
‘Oh what a shame.’
‘I know. I suppose she must have developed a fear of some kind.’
Georgina shrugged. ‘Maybe.’ She took another bite of her sandwich as she thought back to community events that had been held in the bay when she and her sister were just children. But no matter how hard she tried to remember a young Matt, she just couldn’t.