‘Thank you.’
‘While we’re being so open…’ Cathy began as another thought occurred to her, ‘the missing blender… that wasn’t you, was it? That was Tansy too, wasn’t it?’
Erica gave a chuckle. ‘Nothing gets past you, does it?’
‘I thought it was strange at the time, that you’d managed to somehow drop it into your bag.’
‘She only took it because she thought it would be funny that Iris would be looking for it – she didn’t mean any real harm. I found it and confronted her, but it didn’t seem worth bringing up at the time… I mean, all I’ve just said to you about her getting a lot from the club… I was worried you’d kick her out if you thought she was a thief.’
‘So you took the blame? You are a good aunty.’
‘I try,’ Erica said, ‘but never having had any kids of my own to practise on, I don’t know that I’m very good at working out what your average teenager wants or needs. Not that I’m convinced Tansy is your average teenager.’
‘I don’t have any kids but I’m not convinced she is either,’ Cathy said. ‘And I don’t mean that in a derogatory way…’
‘Most would. It’s nice of you to be diplomatic but I know what people tend to think of her and – if I’m totally honest – I know she doesn’t do much to help herself there either. People think she’s sulky and aggressive and it’s a message she takes great pains to send out, but when you really know her…’ Erica let out a sigh. ‘It’s hard to explain.’
‘It’s OK,’ Cathy said. ‘I understand, and you shouldn’t have to explain it to anyone anyway, least of all me. Was she alright when you left? Iris didn’t upset her too much? She wants to come back?’
‘She said she didn’t care what Iris thought and she would carry on doing exactly what she liked because she hadn’t done anything wrong – which includes coming to the cookery club. I think she was lying about Iris, but the rest… I think she probably doesn’t see that she did anything wrong.’
‘But she did take the cake out of the oven deliberately?’
There was a pause, and Cathy seemed to sense a helpless shrug at the other end of the line. ‘With Tansy, you never know what’s going on in that head of hers.’
Twenty-Five
Cathy had been shopping, this time having had more warning about their next date, and she had on a new dress. It was a navy-blue floral with chiffon bell-sleeves, a flattering sweetheart neckline and a mid-length skirt. It showed her figure at its best, skimming over her belly and thighs, and, as she’d made a final check in the mirror, she’d felt sexy for the first time in a long time. Matthias’s reaction had certainly done a lot to boost that too – as soon as she answered the front door he’d joked that she looked so incredible that they shouldn’t bother going out to dinner but should stay in together instead, a flirty, cheeky look on his face.
But, just like a perfect gentleman, he’d escorted Cathy out anyway, back to the bar they’d tried briefly on their first date, only this time they could order a full meal and make the most of the warm, ambient atmosphere.
‘I love it in here,’ she said as they settled at their table. ‘Do you come here a lot?’
‘Not really – I’ve been to a couple of work socialising things here but that’s about it.’
‘Erica says you’re a physiotherapist… Do you like your job? You were going to tell me about it at the theatre and…’
‘I got distracted,’ he said, smiling. ‘Hardly surprising considering the company I had. I’d much rather hear about you than talk about my job.’
‘But I’d like to know. It sounds interesting.’
He raised his eyebrows and grinned. ‘You’re sure about that?’
Cathy laughed. ‘Yes!’
‘Well, there are physiotherapists for more things than anyone realises. I specialise in rehabilitating people with heart conditions.’
‘Erica said that. She’s very proud of you.’
He looked vaguely surprised and Cathy laughed. ‘She is!’ Cathy said through her laughter. ‘She said so!’
‘She could try saying that to me once in a while.’
‘She doesn’t?’
‘I think it’s a sibling thing. You’re not supposed to say things like that to your brother.’
‘I wouldn’t know – I’m an only child.’
‘Do you wish you’d had brothers or sisters?’
‘I always wished for a brother or sister but I never got one. But you seem close, closer than a lot of siblings I know of. I’m envious of that.’
‘Your parents didn’t want any more children after you?’
‘It wasn’t that simple.’
‘Erica told me about your mum… I’m sorry. What about your dad? Is he…?’
‘He died when I was five. I find it hard to remember him now. Mum got ill a few years later. It wasn’t too difficult to manage at first, but then she got sicker and sicker… I had to start looking after her. I wouldn’t have had it any other way, of course, but I don’t mind admitting it was a lonely time of my life. My friends moved on, I lost boyfriend after boyfriend and then I decided it just wasn’t worth bothering with any of it. It became too painful to see people move on and disappear from my life so I cut myself off to a point.’ She shrugged. ‘It was just easier to cope that way.’
‘So it was just you and your mum?’
Cathy nodded.
‘She must have been so grateful to have you.’
‘I think she was and that made it a lot easier to bear, knowing I’d made her feel safe and cared for.’
‘I know a lot of people who care for others in my line of work, and I know that it’s never easy. I don’t honestly know that I’d be able to do it; you must be one amazing person.’
She smiled up at him. She’d never seen herself that way, but to hear it from him now warmed her in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time. It made her feel that maybe what she’d done for her mum had been worth something after all, that it was something to be proud of.
Her hands rested on the table in front of her, and she glanced down as she felt him cover them with his own before looking up to meet his gaze again. There was that now familiar thrill of excitement as she fell into those eyes and the world around her disappeared.
‘I suppose we ought to have a look at this menu…’ he said in a husky voice.
‘I suppose we should,’ Cathy replied, but she didn’t move her gaze from his, utterly trapped, mesmerised… not that she would have wanted to be rescued.
He smiled. ‘This is weird, isn’t it?’
‘Is it?’
‘The way we met… how quickly I feel I know you… how quickly I feel as if we could be…’
He cleared his throat and reached for the menu with a sheepish grin. ‘Ignore me – I’m talking rubbish as usual.’
‘No – no, you’re not,’ Cathy said, reaching for his hand again. ‘It’s not just you. I feel as if I’ve known you for years not days. I mean, it’s all new and that’s wonderful, but at the same time, it’s like you’ve always been there.’ She blushed and reached for her own menu. ‘If that’s not what you’d been about to say then I sound pretty stupid right now.’