She grins. ‘Really? You rebel, you.’
‘Not the shoplifting story?’ says a voice, and I turn to see Katja walking across the ward towards us.
I redden. ‘Just announce it to the whole hospital, why don’t you!’ But I’m smiling.
‘Oops. Sorry.’ Our eyes meet and for once there’s no edge to her tone. Then she looks down at the baby, who’s still sleeping peacefully. ‘Isn’t she perfect?’
Jaz grins. ‘Yeah, until she’s hungry and she starts bellowing at the top of her little voice. It’s enough to wake up Sleeping Beauty.’
I glance in the crib. ‘That’s exactly what she is right now. A sleeping beauty.’
Katja smiles at me. ‘I heard all about your heroic rescue mission. Braving the ghost of Iris Moxon to get Jaz out!’
‘Aw, shucks. I know. I’m brilliant.’
‘Hey, have you seen this, Maddy?’ Jaz hands me a copy of the local paper, open at a particular page.
I take it from her and stare at the picture. It’s one of me at the bog snorkelling event, being lifted out of the water by Jack. I’m a proper sight, with my hair all wet and rats’ tails, but Jack looks his usual handsome self. (I know I’m biased, but come on…)
‘I didn’t even notice a photographer taking our picture,’ I murmur incredulously.
‘That’s the power of love,’ laughs Katja.
‘Look at the caption,’ says Jaz.
So I do, and I laugh out loud. ‘Madeline and Jason at the bog snorkelling event. So they got both our names wrong! It must have been the same bad sub-editor who described it as dog snorkelling in that caption of Marcus and confused me completely!’
We all chuckle, reading the story.
I grin. ‘Marcus would be so jealous that it’s me in the paper, not him.’
‘Bless,’ says Jaz, and we all start laughing.
‘Can I take this to show Jack. He’ll think it’s hilarious.’
‘It’s yours.’ She hands it over.
Then Katja turns to Jaz. ‘So what’s this I hear about baby Emma having a middle name?’
Jaz smiles. ‘Did Ellie tell you? Yes, we weren’t really thinking of giving her a middle name, but we were talking about it last night, and we decided - ’ She clears her throat and looks at me. ‘What do you think of Emily Charlotte?’
Katja gasps. ‘Oh, that’s a lovely idea! A beautiful name for a beautiful little girl.’ She glances at me, her eyes shining. ‘You were brilliant, Maddy.’
As for me, all I can do is mutter, ‘Nice,’ at the floor. I’m worried that if I look up at Jaz or Katja, I’m just going to burst into tears. I have my friends back. And the feeling is just too overwhelming.
‘I couldn’t have done it without you, Maddy,’ says Jaz, and I look up and see that there are tears in her eyes, and Katja’s as well. And then we’re gathered round the bed, hugging, crying and gasping with laughter all at the same time.
And my happiness bubble is fit to burst…
*****
Later, I’m lounging on the sofa and Jack’s giving my feet a rub.
‘You know that hotel I filmed for you in New York?’
‘The Plaza?’
‘Yeah. I’ve just booked it. A long weekend. Sight-seeing optional.’
I sit up and stare at him. ‘You haven’t.’
‘I have.’
‘Not The Plaza?’
‘Yes. Only the best will do for you.’
‘You do realise I’d have been happy with a budget hotel? As long as you were with me.’
He grins. ‘Why, you romantic old thing.’
‘I know. I’m learning. So there’ll be no Jo this time?’
He shakes his head. ‘No Jo. Just you and me, and the honeymoon suite.’
I laugh, amazed. ‘Is this a proposal?’
‘No. That comes later.’
‘When? Tomorrow?’
He narrows his eyes at me and in one decisive movement, pushes me backwards and pins me to the sofa. ‘Don’t push your luck,’ he growls. Feeling the delicious weight of him, I reach up and remove his glasses, and then we’re kissing deeply and my head is spinning away to the stars.
‘I promise I’ll be a good girlfriend this time,’ I gasp, when we finally pull apart.
He grins lazily, looking deep into my eyes. ‘Don’t try too hard. I happen to think you’re perfect just as you are.’
And then we’re kissing again, and the passion between us is breath-taking and ends in us rolling off the sofa onto the floor. We lie there on our backs, laughing so hard, the tears are rolling down my cheeks.
‘Life’s never going to be boring with you,’ he says.
‘Do you want it to be?’
‘Never.’
Turning to face him, we lock eyes, our smiles fading. Then he reaches over and pulls me on top of him, and we start making up for all the lost time in the most delicious way imaginable…
Toffee Apple Cake
Ingredients for the cake:
225g self-raising flour
1 level tsp baking powder
225g caster sugar
2 large eggs
Half tsp almond extract
150g butter, melted
250g cooking apples, peeled and cored
25g flaked almonds
Handful of demerara sugar
Ingredients for the toffee sauce:
100g unsalted butter, cut into chunks
150g soft dark brown sugar
150ml double cream
Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 160C/fan 140/gas 3 and lightly grease a deep 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin.
2. Measure the flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, almond extract and melted butter into a bowl. Mix well until combined and then continue beating for another minute. The end result should be a thick batter.
3. Spread half the mixture in the prepared tin. Thickly slice the apples and lay on top of the mixture in the tin, piling mostly towards the centre. Roughly spoon the remaining mixture over the apples (don’t worry if the apples move around a bit).
4. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds and then scatter with demerara sugar to create a crunchy textured surface. Bake for 75–90 mins until golden and coming away from the sides of the tin.
5. To make the toffee sauce, melt together the butter, sugar and cream in a saucepan over a low heat. Bring to the boil and let it bubble for 3-4 minutes, or until the sauce is thick enough o coat the back of a wooden spoon. Drizzle the toffee sauce over a slice of the warm cake and enjoy!
Dear Reader
hope you enjoyed reading Log Fires & Toffee Apple Cake as much as I loved writing it. Maddy, the central character in this one, is quite a complicated character and I’ve been wanting to write her story for a while. Hopefully, I did her justice. (They feel just like real people to me now!)
I’m currently immersed in all things festive as I’m writing my two Christmas novellas. A Kiss in the Snow, out in October, centres on Maddy’s new friend, Carrie. Will she find love with Adam this Christmas? Or will a magical kiss in the snow change everything?
In the second, A Brambleberry Manor Christmas, I’m whisking the Little Duck Pond Cafe crew back to Jane Austen times. They’re all invited to celebrate a very special Georgian Christmas at the Manor House - cue gorgeous dresses, sexy breeches and a whole lot of fun! It’s out just before Christmas, so I really hope you’ll join this sparklingly festive house party and celebrate in grand style with the Little Duck Pond Cafe girls.