‘Don’t worry. It’s only the three of us, and she won’t ask you any awkward questions. Remember, she’s just about holding things together. It’s a good distraction for her from thinking too much about Dad.’
Time dripped by. Sean swore he could hear every single raindrop that hit the patio outside. Every rumble of thunder on the peninsula. Maybe he should have told his mum the truth. Or made up a story about Cherry being too busy playing poker to come to dinner.
‘I understand.’ Cherry put down her cutlery. ‘I’d love to meet her. I’ll get something nice to take along.’
And of course, his immense relief had to manifest itself as a stupid joke. ‘What, like five hundred condoms?’
‘I was thinking more a bottle of wine or some flowers.’
‘Definitely a better idea. Thanks, Cher.’Thanks so much.
Chapter 14
Cherry
Standing barefoot at the kitchen counter, Cherry muddled a large measure of Butler’s whisky with freshly squeezed lemon juice and sugar syrup, poured it into a highball over crackling ice cubes and topped with a serving of soda water. Plucking a maraschino cherry from the jar in the fridge, she speared it with a cocktail stick and slipped it into the glass.
A long whisky sour: the perfect refreshment after seven hours sweating it out in an online tournament.
She padded out to the garden, unlatched the weathered wooden doors of the summerhouse and spread them wide as if airing her house for the spring. Inside was like a chaotic antiques sale, but she found two rickety wooden chairs, one to sit on and the other to rest her feet on. From under a myriad of random boxes, she located a small metal table upon which to place her drink. Who needed poolside in Vegas when you had this?
Facing the garden and the warm afternoon sun, Cherry picked up her phone and messaged her old Edinburgh schoolfriend Kirsty McGee. Over the years, their contacthad dissipated. Looking at Kirsty’s profile photo – a toddler in cute blonde bunches – she feared they may have grown apart. No harm in testing the waters, though.
CHERRY: Hey, McGoo! I’m back in Scotland. Got married a couple of weeks ago. How are things? Xxx
The reply came quickly.
KIRSTY: Paradise! Welcome home! Married?!Whaaaaaat?! Amazing! Congrats! Who is he? Tell me more! Send pics of the big day. So, so, so good to hear from you. Things are full on with a three-year-old and…wait for it…another one on the way! Due Christmas day. Soooo, besides snagging a husband, how is party poker queen life treating you? Let me live vicariously through you. Xxx
Cherry laughed but her heart caught in her throat. She knew Kirsty had one child, but it had been remiss of her not to prepare for another one. Of course, she was delighted for her friend, but baby news always required recalibration. And ‘party poker queen’. Did Kirsty really envy Cherry her lifestyle? Or did she think that, at thirty-seven, she should have all that out of her system by now?
Those could be your own insecurities.
CHERRY: Congratulations! I’m so excited for you. We’ll have to catch up before the little one arrives. I might be through in Edinburgh soon, working out what’s next for the party poker queen. This is me and hubby. Xxx
She attached a wedding day photo to the text but didn’t mention the annulment. It was too complicated for text.
KIRSTY: Wow! I can see why you might be thinking of ditching poker for married life. ;) Hope you’re still honeymooning like there’s no tomorrow. Would be so awesome to see you, if you’re in town. K xxx
Honeymooning like there was no tomorrow. They hadn’t honeymooned at all. What a waste.
Cherry turned at the clicking of the patio doors. There he was, her non-honeymooner in crime, in the sentience-addling workwear of dirty jeans, grease-stained t-shirt and what her gran would call tackety boots. The herculean pull towards him never seemed to abate.
‘Alright, Paradise, you found the summer-cowp then.’ Sean moved into the doorway of the summerhouse, eclipsing the sun with his broad frame. And as if that weren’t enough, he stretched up and gripped onto the top of the door frame whilst surveying the inside of the summerhouse.A quick glance, and she could hardly miss his t-shirt hanging forward and showcasing those glorious abs and the tantalising strip of hair leading to the land of her fantasies.
Fuck! He was so disarmingly hot.
‘I like this place.’ She lifted the rim of the glass to her mouth to disguise her gawping. ‘The junkyard aspect makes it all the more charming.’
‘If you say so.’ Thankfully, Sean released his hold on the door frame and some of her self-control. ‘But I could sort it out for you, if you want to hang out here. Could even make it into a wee gaming den.’ He pulled up an equally rickety chair, facing her, his back to the sun.
‘You’d do that?’ She put down her drink.
He laughed. ‘I’m not offering to build a replica of the Taj Mahal. Just to clear some space in a place that badly needs tidying.’
‘That’s really kind.’ Cherry glanced back into the summerhouse, trying to imagine working here. ‘Casino Cherry – the world’s most rural, one-woman casino.’
‘Is that good?’
