“Come on,” I say to Dillan after sliding the mystery box under the bed. “Let’s go and book Granny for Wednesday. Mummy has things to do.”
“Mum,” I say, my voice sickly sweet. “You know you love me?”
“The question is, do I love you enough to say yes to whatever it is you’re about to ask?”
“I have to go out on Wednesday. I’ll be leaving at ten, but I won’t be back until late. Can you watch Dillan? Please?”
“Where are you going?”
“I just have some things to sort out.”
She frowns, wanting to press me further but not knowing how to. “What about work?”
“I’m on the rota: Tuesday, Thursday and the weekend.” Thanks to Valentine and her sympathetic ways.
“You need to express then.” She grabs the breast pump from the cupboard and places it and four sterilised bottles on the counter beside me. “Think you can manage it?”
I hope so. “Yeah.”
“Please smile again Gwen,” she whispers. “I miss it. You’re so beautiful when you smile.”
My bottom lip trembles at her words. I daren’t speak, so I nod instead.
******
I roll the dough out, my usual joy in baking non apparent. Normally it would relax me, but with everything that’s happening tomorrow, my nerves are on edge. I have this awful feeling that something is going to go horribly wrong. I’m probably just being paranoid.
“You have a visitor in the front,” Elle calls and Valentine doesn’t even bother turning around. She does however grumble about her friends never coming to see her.
I stiffen as I wipe my hands on my apron. It’s Nathan. I just know it. Or Sasha, somebody else I refuse to talk to right now.
When I glance beyond the counter, I’m shocked to see my visitor isn’t Nathan; nor is it Sasha.
I stare at the handsome blonde with a dimple in each cheek, smiling nervously at me with his hands tucked into his pockets.
“Eric?” I know it’s him, so I don’t know why I’m saying his name in such a questioning tone.
“Hey,” he says, still smiling nervously. “How are you?”
I move towards the counter at the corner where we’re mostly out of earshot and give him a smile as nervous as his is. “I’m okay. How are you?”
“Good… so… I am here for a reason,” he states, scratching at the light stubble along his jaw. “Actually I came to ask a favour.”
“Go on…”
“Well, it’s the kid’s birthday tomorrow.” He chews on the inside of his cheek. “And she really, and by really I mean really, wants a cake shaped like a castle with these Disney characters or something.” He holds up his phone and shows me the movie.
“By tomorrow?” I blink, staring at the snowman on the screen of his phone.
“I understand if you can’t; it’s just Mum ordered one two weeks ago and, well… they called us this morning and said they couldn’t do it. I figured I’d cash in that something special.”
I can do it… I’m sure I can. “It’s no problem, but I’m not at work tomorrow. Can you come by later? At around sixish? Or I’ll…” Crap, I don’t have his number. “Call me at about four and I’ll be able to give you a time to pick it up.”
His shoulders sag with relief. “Are you sure? I mean, after everything my friends said. They were dickheads.”
“I deserved it.”
“No, you actually didn’t. We never promised each other anything.” He smiles again, this time it’s less nervous and friendlier. “So I’m sorry.”
“Me too.” I clear my throat and nod towards the customers. “I should go. Do you have the character figures? That would help. We might have some in stock, but with how new it is…”
His eyes light up. “No, but I could go and get some?”
“I won’t need them until the cake is done anyway, but you should be able to get them from the supermarket. Also, what flavour were you after?”
“Any, surprise us. Whatever you have going.”
“Right.”
“Brilliant, thank you.” He beams, rubbing his hands together. “I’ll call.”
I give him a wave as he exits the store and then get back to work. This is going to be a very long day, but I do owe him one and I’m not one to renege on a promise.
“Who was it?” Valentine asks, watching as I grab the ingredients I need.
“Eric. He needs a cake by tomorrow.” I draw a quick picture of the cake I’m going to make and she winces along with me. “Yep… this is definitely going to be a long day.”
“We can get it done if we work together. I’m not letting you outshine me just yet.” She winks playfully and goes back to her scones.
Shaking my head, I go back to mine. Well, mine are croissants not scones.
As promised I got a call at four from a happy sounding Eric, who managed to get hold of the figures we need to make the cake perfect. He dropped them off and has now returned to pick up the final product.
“It’s a little bigger than we were planning on making it, but with the turrets and icing… it was hard to estimate,” I say apologetically when we place the large white box on the counter.
I duck under and stand beside him as Valentine lifts the top off and shows him the cake. His gratitude comes in no small amount, if his smiling and praise is anything to go by.
“I’ll help you put it in the car.” I make my way to the door and hold it open as he carefully carries the box through.
“It’s unlocked,” he says and I quickly pull the front door open. After placing the box on the front seat and strapping it in with the seatbelt, which he seems to think is funny for whatever reason, he turns back to me with his easy smile. “Thanks Gwen.”
I shake my head and pick at the drying mess on my shirt. “It was nice to see you again.”
“Yeah, I’m glad things haven’t been left the way they were.” He admits, pulling a tiny marshmallow from the ends of my ponytail. I wear a hairnet whilst working, so lord knows how I get stuff in my hair. “It was nice to see you again. We should get coffee or something.”
Yeah right. “Sure. Don’t be a stranger.”
He leans forward and brushes his lips against the corner of my mouth. I remain perfectly still, unsure of how to respond.
“For someone who works in a bakery, you’re getting way too skinny,” he comments playfully as he walks backwards towards his car. “You’re losing my favourite assets.”
I cross my arms over my chest, making him laugh, and roll my eyes. “Bye Eric.”
“See you later.” He taps the top of his car, waves and moments later he’s driving away.
“That didn’t take you long.”
Holy crap! I jump at the sound of his voice so close to the back of my head and turn to see a seething Nathan, his fists clenched around a large, elegant and beautiful bouquet of flowers. He looks terrible. I’m certain his shirt is buttoned up wrong and the fact he has the shadow of a bear across his jaw and lips isn’t a good sign. He’s lost weight and his eyes have dark rings beneath them. He looks how I look. Depressed. “Don’t do that!”