Chapter 9

Leaving the large Victorian houses and the quieter, more genteel part of town behind, Stella sound found herself weaving her way through the small, characterful terraces that fanned out from the centre like satellite shoots. Reaching the street that offered the quickest route home, she decided to take a detour, opting instead to go the long way round. She needed to clear her head and feel more awake before she could even think about tackling any prep on her brief.

Soon, she found herself on the top prom where the temperature was a few degrees cooler. A light breeze blew in from the sea, brushing refreshingly over her skin. It was a welcome relief after the intense heat of her mum's garden.

Though she'd enjoyed the afternoon, and finally getting to meet Rhys Baker, Stella still felt the need to assimilate her thoughts on her mother's relationship with him. Today, she'd learnt that they'd been "friends" for around five months – apparently hitting it off when Rhys had called in at Spick ‘n' Sparkle's small premises on Endeavour Road with a view to enlisting the company's cleaning services as well as having his laundry done. According to Rhys it had taken him three of those months to get Alice to agree to go out on a proper date with him and move their relationship up to the next level – something Stella hadn't wanted to think too much about. And though she'd never profess to being an expert on relationships, she couldn't help but think that things seemed to be moving pretty quickly – was it wrong of her to think too quickly? Or was this nothing more than her lawyer's brain stepping in and over-analysing the situation? It wouldn't be the first occasion if it was.

As she walked on, her thoughts swimming around her mind, the screeching of seagulls barely registered in her ears, nor the caterwauling busker who'd attracted a small, amused audience at the top of the one-hundred and ninety-nine steps.

Stella was jolted out of her musings when her gaze unexpectedly landed on a familiar tall, broad-shouldered figure ambling in her direction. Alex Bainbridge! Her heart leapt in the way it usually did when she set eyes on him and she cursed its inappropriate timing. He had a jaunty looking Fred on the end of a lead, and was walking alongside the young woman who'd arrived at the Jolly on Friday night. From her quick appraisal, Stella noted the woman was chatting away animatedly as Alex gazed down at her with what looked unmistakably like affection. Rat! At that moment, the pair laughed heartily at something the woman had said. Alex gave her a nudge with his shoulder. She reciprocated with a playful whack on his arm which set him laughing even louder. Out of nowhere, a pang of jealousy squeezed in Stella's chest, making her face burn, more with annoyance at herself for letting her feelings get carried away in such a ridiculous manner, than with him. Her nostrils flared and her breathing intensified. Gah! He really is a player!

It wasn't her style to avoid a situation; she preferred to tackle things head on, but right now there was no way she wanted to come face to face with either of them. She wasn't in the right frame of mind to deal with his self-assured manner, never mind have him introduce her to his girlfriend. Before either of them had a chance to spot her, Stella quickly slipped across the road and into the shade of the tall, Victorian houses, striding briskly in the direction of her apartment building, apparently unnoticed by Alex Bainbridge and his girlfriend.

Back home, her anger abated, Stella flung open the doors to the balcony, admitting the sea breeze before heading to the kitchen and her coffee machine. She'd have a quick kick of caffeine before getting stuck into her work. She not only had her brief to prepare for the following day, but also several forms relating to other cases to complete. She'd be working well into the evening which was why she'd gone easy on the wine at her mum's. If only she didn't have so much other stuff buzzing round her head.

As she sipped her coffee, gazing out to sea, comfy in her seat on the balcony, Stella's thoughts drifted back to Alex Bainbridge. Much as she'd decided unequivocally he was a rat, she couldn't help but feel a pang of regret that things hadn't panned out the way she'd hoped. Even she couldn't deny the sparks that had danced between them, nor the way he'd made her heart race so wildly. Maybe it was a good thing that he had a girlfriend, that whatever had been stirring between the two of them hadn't gone any further. She was only just getting her head around her mum having a boyfriend; she wasn't sure it was the right time to try and work out why Alex Bainbridge had triggered such a dramatic response in her, and in a way she'd never experienced before.

Her gaze fell onto a couple walking along, arm-in-arm, the man dropping a kiss to the top of the girl's head. Stella drew in a sigh, trying to imagine if she'd ever change her attitude to relationships as her mum appeared to have done. Tried to picture herself walking along with someone, looking as loved-up as the couple down on the prom clearly were. ‘Ain't happening!' she said aloud and with great conviction. Stella would be the first to admit she didn't have a romantic bone in her body, she couldn't bear all that mushy hearts and flowers stuff. Her job was her first priority; she was too busy to factor having a man in her life on a permanent or serious basis. If they weren't reasons enough, there was the fact that she liked her home neat and tidy; under no circumstances would she be able to tolerate smelly socks lying around the place, or underpants that haven't quite made it to the laundry basket, strewn over the floor as Maggie so often complained about Bear, albeit affectionately. ‘No thank you!' Stella shuddered at the thought, it was single all the way for her.

Her mind wandered its way back to the afternoon at her mum's house. From the various conversations they'd had, it was evident Rhys would be staying the night at Magnolia Gardens, and Stella surmised it wouldn't be the first time. This was new territory for her to navigate with her mum, and she couldn't deny it did feel a little strange, not that she wanted to think too much about it. On the other hand, it had been good to see her mum looking so happy. It was just that it had come so out-of-the-blue after she'd stressed to her for as far back as Stella could remember that there was no way she'd ever let a man into her life again after what Stella's father had done. And, much as she'd liked Rhys, the niggle that he might just be a bit too good to be true was starting to creep in.