‘You’d better come up,’ I say, dropping the net curtain and cutting the call. He has totally caught me by surprise. I sift through the feelings that are charging their way through my mind, a riot of thoughts and emotions.
I don’t have time to get them into any sort of order before I hear the rhythmic clang of footsteps on the wrought-iron staircase as Ed jogs up the steps. The rap of knuckles on the door announces his arrival.
Chapter 25
‘Why don’t you give it a rest now?’ said Joe wiping the oil from his hands on a rag. He threw the stained cloth into his toolbox. ‘It’s late. Let’s go for a pint.’
‘You go. I’ll finish off here,’ said Kerry, not looking up from the spark plug he was cleaning. Despite his chat with Joe earlier in the day, he still wasn’t in a great mood.
‘Come on, cuz,’ cajoled Joe. ‘Let’s go to the pub and then you can tell me exactly what’s going on. Whatever it is, it’s bigger than you can handle, judging by the mood you’ve been in all day.’
‘Leave it, Joe,’ said Kerry and then, because he knew he had been a bad-tempered bastard added, ‘I’m knackered. I’ll get this done and then go home. Going to get my head down early.’
Joe wandered over and crouched down beside him. ‘Those spark plugs look pretty clean to me,’ he said. ‘You, my friend, are bullshitting me. Now, come for that pint and tell me what’s really up.’
‘Look, it’s nothing,’ said Kerry, placing the spark plug on the cloth spread out beside the motorbike. He wracked his brains for an alternative reason to the one thing, or rather person, who had been playing on his mind. ‘Money worries. I’m on a three-day week now, so, you know…’ He left the sentenced unfinished, confident Joe would fill in the gaps.
‘Yeah, it’s tough. If it’s any consolation, I feel bad about it – guilty, like.’
‘Hey, forget it,’ said Kerry, glad the conversation had steered away in a different direction. ‘You’ve got Bex and the kids to think about. I’ve just got me.’
‘You’ve got a couple of paint jobs to do, though, haven’t you?’
‘Mmm, one’s cancelled as he can’t afford it. I’m thinking of getting back to him and giving a lower price, much as it pains me,’ said Kerry, standing up. ‘But I don’t have a lot of choice at the moment.’
‘What’s that, the Honda?’
‘Yeah, nice bike. Was a nice paint job too.’ Kerry blew out a breath. Suddenly a pint seemed like a good idea. He could do with taking his mind off not only Erin but money worries too. ‘Let’s get that drink after all.’
Joe gave him a punch on the arm. ‘That’s the spirit.’
‘You sure Bex won’t mind?’ He picked up the dog’s lead and whistled for Skip.
‘Not at all. You know, Bex.’
Kerry did know Bex. So easy-going and laid back. She and Joe were a good team together. They were lucky, they had found a kindred spirit in each other and now they had baby Breeze, their family unit was complete. Bex was a great mum and Joe, much to the surprise of a lot of people, although not to Kerry, had not just turned up but had totally owned being a dad. It kept a faint glow of hope burning in Kerry’s heart that, in life, there were parents who loved each other and loved their kids without condition.
Locking up, they left via the back of the workshop and wandered round to Beach Road.
It was a clear evening, the longer daylight hours adding to the hint of summer that was promising to come their way. The sound of footsteps somewhere behind him made Kerry look round.
Two figures, one male and one female, were walking over to the parking bays. They hadn’t noticed Kerry or Joe. Kerry gave another look.
‘What the…?’ he muttered under his breath.
‘What’s up?’ Joe looked back too.
Kerry pulled Joe by the sleeve of his jacket. ‘Come on.’
‘That’s Erin and Dick-Ed.’
‘I know. Now, come on.’ He gave Joe a shove forwards.
‘Thought we’d seen the last of him,’ said Joe.
‘So did I.’
As they rounded the bend, Kerry gave one final look back at the parking bays. The engine of a car sounded and it reversed out of its space. A rev of the throttle, followed by the tiniest of wheel spins, and the BMW accelerated along Beach Road, passing them both, heading out of the village.
‘Dick-Ed,’ said Joe.
‘You can say that again.’ Trouble was, Ed wasn’t the only one that fell into that category, thought Kerry, as they walked on towards The Smugglers. He felt a complete dick-head himself. He had thought there was something between himself and Erin; that she had meant it when she finished with Ed. Now, it seemed, she had only been using him, rebound material, and Ed was back on the scene. Yep, Kerry had been a dick-head to fall for that one.