Page 84 of One Golden Summer

Kirsty leaned back in her chair, before letting out a frustrated breath. “You might want to make yourself a coffee if we’re going to have an iced bun together.”

A half-smile split Helena’s face. She stepped towards Kirsty.

Kirsty held up a hand.

Helena stopped in her tracks.

“I’m still mad at you. You still have a lot of making up to do. But one break-up is as much as I can take in 24 hours.” Kirsty pointed at Helena. “You’re on probation, okay?”

“Probation is as good as I can hope for.” She stepped inside the beach hut, before coming straight back. “Shall I make a fresh pot?”

Kirsty gave her a nod. More coffee was definitely needed.

Chapter 29

Ginger swung the door open, took one look at her baby sister, and then opened her arms wide. “Come here.”

Saffron unable to lift her own arms to return the hug, fell stiffly into Ginger’s embrace.

“I’m guessing this is girl trouble. Nothing in the world wrecks a person more than a broken heart.” Ginger held on tight.

“I should have known better than to get involved with anyone,” Saffron mumbled into Ginger’s shoulder.

Ginger wrapped an arm around Saffron’s shoulder, guiding them to the back door. “Let’s chat in the garden. Go on. I’ll get the wine.”

Saffron sat in the chair closest to the door, not caring the view of the sea was blocked by the dark green clematis climbing a trellis, the white flowers long gone for the season. The sound of people merrily chatting as they strolled on the promenade and the whiff of grilled fish irritated Saffron. How dare people go about their happy lives while hers had been smashed to pieces by Echo Black, Pearl, and Helena. Not to mention, Saffron had started to believe she found her forever home, along with her forever person.

That’d gone up in smoke almost as swiftly as the flame had sparked between them.

Movement outside of the garden caught her eye, and she lowered the brim of the baseball hat where she could hardly see. The paparazzi had been relentless since the Echo stunt.

“Kirsty gave me this bottle of white and I think it’s the perfect chilled wine for whatever this is.” Ginger circled a finger in the air.

“You don’t drink white,” Saffron snapped, regretting immediately biting Ginger’s head off simply because she’d dare mention Kirsty’s name.

“This is part of my rebirth. Kirsty’s been showing me how a lot of what I believed about myself was based on Dave’s likes and dislikes. And, as it turns out, I dig white wine.”

Saffron refused to accept the glass, still unable to set aside her bitterness.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this.” Ginger forced it into the clenched hand.

Saffron took a deep breath.

Ginger grabbed a chair, placing it in front of her sister. “Start at the beginning.”

“Why? The only part that matters is the end.”

“Not true, because what led to this moment is the part that can be fixed.” Ginger sipped the wine, crossing her legs.

“Not every problem has a solution. It’s not like I inserted the wrong number into a Sudoku puzzle.”

“You’re terrible at maths, so I can’t picture you trying one.” Ginger’s face crumpled with disbelief.

“I find them oddly calming when flying.” Saffron picked at a thread on her shirt cuff.

“Stop stalling. What happened between you and Kirsty?”

“I never said anything about Kirsty.” Saffron’s nostrils flared.