Page 53 of Barging In

Clem let out a long breath. She wasn’t going to let her mum’s interruption — or her ignorant comment — get her down.

Victoria had kissed her again. Kissed her and wanted to talk.

It would be a welcome change to speak to Victoria about anything other than signage, marketing copy, stall layouts, or contingency plans.

The thought of finally having a conversation about them sent a rush of adrenaline through her, which drowned out the flicker of lingering frustration at her mum.

She turned her attention back to filling the trays with rich, chocolatey batter and slid them into the oven. Heading out to a thrumming café, she checked in on Emma at the counter.

“Set a timer for twenty-five minutes on your phone,” she instructed.

Emma gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up. She seemed to have everything under control. Packaged sandwiches and rolls had been the right call for fast, efficient service, and the new staff were already easing the pressure.

As Clem headed outside, Max passed her on his way in, a broad smile stretching across his face.

“How’s it going?” she asked.

“Great. I have a cider barn, I’m making proper cider, and Jasper’s asked me to move in with him.”

Clem clasped his shoulder. “That’s amazing! Congrats.”

“It’s all thanks to you.”

“Well…” She shrugged one shoulder. “I might have sown a seed or two, but you watered them. What will you do about your boat?”

“I’ll transfer the vinyl into the barn in the next few weeks, now that everything’s set up in there, then get it sold.”

“Wow. Big step.”

He nodded.

“I have news, too,” she added.

“Tell me?” he said, eyes glinting with interest .

“I’m going to be working here full-time at least through the winter. I can always go back to Florence in the spring, but we’ll see. Oh, and… Victoria just kissed me in the kitchen.”

He nudged her. “What! Leave that juicy highlight until last, why don’t you? I’m so pleased for you. The best things in life are worth waiting for.”

“Well, it’s early days, and we have a few things to talk about... Also, my mum walked in on us.”

Max howled with laughter. “Well, I hope you weren’t planning on keeping it a secret?”

“No. I don’t think so.” Clem chuckled.

“I’m happy for us both,” he said, slipping his arm around her shoulder. “To think only a few months ago we were both single boat traders. Now we’re both spoken for and living the dream. How far we’ve come.”

“Okay, enough with the sentimental bull crap,” she said, shrugging him off with a chuckle.

“Yeah, fair enough. Back to work. I only escaped for coffee. I’m glad Emma’s changed it, though my bank account is less than happy. See you later.”

He strode off into the café, leaving Clem with a warm glow.

She was so happy for Max; he deserved to find love and have his business dreams fulfilled.

Having been the one to guide him in promoting his cider, she’d seen firsthand how hard he worked the last few months in preparing the barn, installing the equipment, and somehow producing, bottling, and branding four ciders in time for today’s launch.

As for herself, she was ready for a new chapter. There was still so much to do here. Preparations for today’s fest had eaten into the few hours she could spare the wharf over the summer months, leaving her barely any time to start on her wider plans for it .

She was eager to start baking in the wharf kitchen, too, though a twinge of guilt lingered over leaving Florence and her business behind. It was the right thing to do, and she wasn’t abandoning her completely; Florence was still her home.

Most of all, she was looking forward to working alongside Victoria every day and watching their relationship unfold. Now she needed the day to end so she could be alone with Victoria… and kiss her again.

Victoria had left the kitchen feeling like a naughty schoolgirl caught in the stationery cupboard.

It brought amusement to her lips; the thought of the kiss softened it into a satisfied grin.

It was something she’d been thinking about doing for days, maybe weeks, if she was honest, but the right moment had never quite presented itself.

Today, with the wharf full of people enjoying the place she’d put so much of herself into, she felt a joy she couldn’t hold back. She had to find Clem to show her how she felt.

Before heading back outside, she slipped into the museum and hunted down Jasper. She found him finishing up a chat with a group of women who were promising to book a tour.

“How’s it going?” she asked as they dispersed.

“Busy,” he said with a tired sigh. “Tours are booked out for the next two months.”

“That’s great. Our passion project might be flourishing into a fully fledged business.”

“Let’s hope so,” Jasper said, his eyes suddenly narrowing at her. “You’ve got a bit of brownie—” He reached over and wiped her cheek. “How did that get up there?”

Victoria’s face burned as she pulled back and then wiped it herself. Was he teasing, or did she really have chocolate brownie on her face? A small, brown smudge on her finger revealed the truth.

“Oh… well, they’re so delicious.”

Jasper levelled a look at her, one she knew meant she wasn’t getting away with anything.

“Okay, fine. I kissed Clem,” Victoria said, throwing her hands in the air.

“Finally! I was wondering when you two were going to get it together.”

“There was the small matter of my recent break-up.”

“Break-up?” he smirked. “Don’t you have to actually be together to break up?”

Victoria narrowed her eyes at him, and he held his hands up in mock surrender.

“We should double-date,” he said, still grinning.

“Give us a chance to work things out first,” she protested. “I just kissed her! We’ve still got things to discuss.”

“Discuss? Like what, who is having what side of the bed? You love her, and she indefatigably loves you. Have you not seen her pining these past months, like a lonesome puppy?”

“Hmm,” Victoria replied. “You better go…” She nodded at a group of women all holding his book. “I think your fans want your autograph.”

“Will my fame never end?” Jasper said, spinning on one foot and hurrying off to greet them.

Now alone with her thoughts, Jasper’s claim rushed back: Did Clem love her?

Victoria had seen the way Clem looked at her when she thought no one was watching; the look was full of feelings clearly held back.

Then there was the careful distance she kept, even as her fingers always seemed to find Victoria’s arm or hand under the guise of a casual touch.

The way her voice softened when she said her name.

Clem had pulled back just enough these past months to give her the time and space she needed, but the warmth and desire in her eyes had always remained.

Had she fallen in love with Clem?

That question had been answering itself for weeks now, in the stir beneath her ribs, in the ache she felt when Clem wasn’t nearby.

She might have been packing away her past, but her future had been quietly building itself inside her.

It was there in the nervous energy she had before they were due to meet, the flutter she tried to suppress when their eyes caught for too long.

In the way she took Clem in every time she entered a room.

How she inhaled a little more deeply when Clem passed, hoping to catch her scent.

How she grabbed Clem’s arm or hand at every opportune moment, just to have some physical contact with her.

It didn’t feel like falling. It felt like finding something she hadn’t realised she was missing. Something that made everything else quieter. Simpler. And still, it overwhelmed her sometimes.

She left the museum and went to her office, in need of five minutes down time away from the bustle of the day. As she was about to close her office door Clem appeared, and that familiar flutter rose in her chest once again.

“Ah, I’ve been looking for you,” Clem said, stepping in “Some people want to speak to you.”

“More?” Victoria groaned. “I’ve already done three press interviews.” Her tone softened. “It was a great idea to invite them, though. You really are very clever.” She pressed herself closer to Clem and took her hand .

Clem smiled at the compliment, but her voice held a note of caution. “Err… I don’t think they’re journalists.”

An elderly couple appeared in the doorway.

“Oh — Mum. Dad. What are you doing here?”

“They’re your parents?” Clem whispered.

“Mmm,” Victoria murmured, instinctively stepping away from Clem — only to realise too late she was still holding her hand. She was about to let go when a voice in her head reminded her that she was fifty years old. She didn’t need or want their approval. Not anymore.

Her parents’ eyes dropped to their clasped hands as they cautiously entered the room. Surprise flickered across their faces, but it quickly faded, almost turning into tentative smiles.

“We thought we should come and see what you’ve done with the place,” her mum said gently.

“Why now?” Victoria asked, not unkindly, but still in a pointed way. She figured she was at least owed that, after many years of silence.

Her mum hesitated. “We missed the grand opening…” She looked down.

Her dad stepped in to take over. “But when we saw this event advertised on Facebook, it felt like the right time to come and see you. We’ve always kept an eye on things from afar, and we’re proud of what you’ve achieved. Aren’t we, love?”

He glanced at Victoria’s mum, who nodded.

“We wanted to see you, regardless of…” She looked at Victoria’s and Clem’s hands again.

“It’s been too long. All we ever wanted was for you to be happy,” she said, her voice almost pleading.

“We wanted more for you than you had… with him. A family, for one thing. Not for us, but because we knew how much it meant to you. You were always so adamant that you wanted children. When Drew coul dn’t give you that, it was an opportunity to leave him. ”

Victoria sighed. It seemed they were back there again.