Table For Eight
Page 42
She smiled. She’d taught him about jazz as a teenager.
“It was lovely.”
“Made a new lot of friends?”
“Going to have dinner with a couple in a day or so.”
Ketty studied Greg. He hadn’t started the car but sat sideways looking at her. A little niggle of concern chipped at her excitement. Perhaps her brother’s call wasn’t good news and that’s why he hadn’t left a message.
“How’s everything here?” she asked.
“Fine. Everyone’s well.” He rattled the keys in the ignition.
“You said you had news.”
“I’m getting married.”
“Good heavens.” She reached out to hug him. “How wonderful. Who to? Will I approve?”
“Cass. I love her.”
“Then I’m sure I will too.”
“Aunt Ketty, there’s something else.”
“Uh oh.” She studied him closely. “You only call me ‘Aunt’ when you’re in trouble. What’s happened?”
“I want to tell you the rest before you meet Cass. We’re having a low-key wedding very soon.”
“How eminently sensible. Weddings are getting out of hand these days.”
Once more the keys jangled. She waited.
“Like I said, I love Cass.”
Ketty nodded.
“And, she’s pregnant. We’re having a baby.” His face split in a huge grin.
Ketty threw her arms around him again. “Oh, Greg, that’s terrific news. A wedding and a baby.”
“You’ll be its surrogate grandma.”
She let him go. “I’m having none of that. Your mother can be Grandma. I’ll be plain Ketty.”
Greg laughed. “There’s absolutely nothing plain about you, Ketty.”
He started the car and they drove out of the carpark and past the taxi rank where Jim was helping Celia into a taxi. Ketty waved and they waved back. She looked beyond them to the cruise ship towering high above the wharf. Was Carlos still on board or would he have gone ashore already? She felt a moment of sadness at the thought she’d probably never see him again. Her phone pinged and this time she dug it out of her bag.
She smiled when she saw the latest text was from Carlos, as if thinking about him had conjured him up. She had to find her glasses to read it. It simply said look at this and was followed by a long line of blue text that she knew indicated a link to a website. Something to do with the Ghan rail journey. She put the phone down again. Ahead of them Sydney sparkled under a brilliant blue sky and her spirits sparkled with it. Not only was she blessed with dear family and good friends but she had Ketty Clift Couture and she was eager to find out more about the changes that had taken place in her absence. She peered at the phone in her lap, thinking about the photos she’d seen on her new website depicting a much more modern-looking shopfront. She’d like to look at them again but she had no idea how to do that on her phone.
“Greg, dear.”
He glanced at her. “Now it’s my turn to ‘uh oh’. I know that tone.”
“Nothing you can’t handle. I’ve already had a bit of a lesson on the ship but I think you are going to have to help me get up to speed with emails and websites and things.”
“Sure Ketty. Any time.”
He accelerated, opened the sun roof and turned up the music. Ketty watched the harbour and caught her last glimpse of the Diamond Duchess as it disappeared behind sheds and fences.
The breeze flicked her scarf as she settled back in her seat. The sun was warm on her face and the wind ruffled her hair. Jazzy piano blared from the speakers and Bryan Ferry sang ‘As Time Goes By’. Greg began to sing along. She joined in and flung her hands in the air through the open roof. They looked at each other and laughed.
Ketty had no regrets now. She sang louder as the car accelerated over the bridge. She was going home and looking forward to what the future would bring, both for her and for Ketty Clift Couture.
Acknowledgements
My husband and I have been lucky enough to take several short cruises, both with friends and as a couple; either way, we’ve made many more friends and enjoyed the experience immensely. Exceptional staff did their best to look after our every need with a smile. We visited other countries, dipped into other cultures and met many friendly fellow travellers, none of whom are the characters in this story.
There are a couple of small exceptions, of course. I did sit next to a woman one night at dinner whose love of cruising inspired me to create Ketty. And I would like to thank Jan Fenell and her daughter Sally, whose company we enjoyed on a trip to the South Pacific and who allowed me to embellish their real-life water snake experience.
My thanks also to Jesse, a customer support officer, who, after my reassurance that I was asking purely for research for my next book, very kindly answered questions about the process that is followed if someone is suspected missing on a cruise ship.
Other than that the rest is fiction. Cruising set my imagination cogs turning and whether you’ve cruised or not, I hope you enjoy the result.
A lot of work goes into bringing a book to you and I am so grateful to be part of the Harlequin and now HarperCollins family. This is our tenth book together, a place I never imagined myself being. Thank you to my fabulous publisher, Jo Mackay, who kept me focused on Ketty’s story when it seemed too challenging, and to editor extraordinaire Annabel Blay, who helped me, sometimes with the jab of a blunt pencil, to draw out the best in the tale. I am grateful to the rest of the dedicated people who’ve had a hand in bringing this book to life from proofer Alex Craig, to the design team and cover designer Michelle Zaiter – I love the cover – sales director Darren Kelly, marketing and publicity team Adam van Rooijen and Natika Palka, and the many others involved. It’s been a real team effort and I look forward to the next.
Big cheers to my local community who sustain my writing in many ways – your words of encouragement and support for events are much appreciated. New publicity photos were taken for this book and I want to thank locals Selina at Tangles for her cut and style of my wayward hair and Kym from Kym Gregory Photography for his photographic expertise. And thank you to Sandra Paddick and her team from Kadina Travel who always make sure our holiday plans run smoothly. I am very lucky to live where I do.
I appreciate the support of writing buddies, ever at the end of an email or the phone or happy to chat over a drink, ready to share ideas and reassurance in this sometimes isolated writer’s life. In particular, thanks to Meredith Appleyard and Rachael Johns for the many chats that helped keep me going.
As ever I am grateful to my dear friends and family whose encouragement is boundless. I am so lucky to have my children and their partners, who look out for me and help me in many ways. This book is dedicated to my wonderful daughter-in-law Sian, who is always there for me when it comes to tweaking and proofing. And thank you to Daryl, who is cooking me a gourmet meal as I write this. How blessed am I?
And a big hello and thank you to all the booksellers and librarians who champion my books, and to you dear readers. It’s my delight to bring Table for Eight to life for you.
Finally, this story has touched on different aspects of the grieving process, something that everyone has to deal with at some point in their life. If this has raised issues for you, please remember no one needs to face their problems alone. Help is always available from family and friends and further afield. Two of the groups who offer support are:
Lifeline, a national charity providing all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. Call 13 11 14.
Beyondblue, providing information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live. Call 1300 22 4636.
ISBN: 9781489246905
TITLE: TABLE FOR EIGHT
First Australian Publication 2018
Copyright © 2018 Tricia Stringer
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