Page 29 of Christmas Joy at the Cornish Bakery

‘I will.’ Harry grinned at Diane before turning to Teresa. ‘You can tell Gavin I’ll have an orange juice. Is he still joining us on the beach after his overtime?’

‘He sure is.’ Teresa nodded and turned to Robyn. ‘You’ll love the atmosphere on the beach.’

‘I’ve heard it’s supposed to be good.’ Robyn smiled.

As the song drew to an end, the music stopped, and the parade came to a pause.

‘What’s happening? Can you see up there, Pippa?’ Teresa tapped her daughter’s leg.

‘Yep. The man at the front of the band has dropped something.’ Pippa shrugged.

‘Ah, thanks, sweetheart.’ Teresa scooted around Harry until she was walking next to Robyn. Linking arms with her, she leaned in. ‘So, did you have a nice lunch break?’

Robyn grinned. She knew exactly what Teresa was referring to, and it had more to do with her and Jasper’s fledging relationship than what she’d eaten for her lunch. ‘It was great, thanks. Jasper invited me over to his parents’ house.’

Teresa opened and closed her mouth. ‘Wow, talk about things moving fast.’

‘Oh no, it wasn’t like that.’ Robyn blushed. ‘No, they were having a buffet. Loads of people were invited.’

‘I see.’ Teresa raised her eyebrows. ‘It’s funny how things can change so quickly. I mean, take you and Jasper. A few days ago you were arguing as though there was no tomorrow and yet now, you’d rather snog him than punch him.’

Robyn smiled. ‘True.’

‘Mummy, they’re starting to walk again.’ Pippa called from her elevated position as the band’s music began filtering across the crowds once more, to the tune ofJingle Bellsthis time.

Robyn sung along, trying to keep her mind from over-analysing Teresa’s words. It wasn’t working though, and she kept thinking back to what Teresa had said. Robyn knew it was just an observation, and that Teresa was right, thingscouldchange in the blink of an eye, but that was the problem, wasn’tit? Robyn’s mum and dad must have been happy at some point. Although she couldn’t remember them being so when she and Cathy were alive, but they must have been or else they wouldn’t have married in the first place, would they?

‘...all the way...’ Pippa was singing her heart out, her voice louder than even the adults surrounding her as they continued walking slowly towards the beach.

And she and Jasper had hated each other - okay, maybe not hated, but definitely not warmed to each other – just a short time ago and now, what? They were together? What if it changed again? What if he realised he didn’t like her that way after all? What if that happened today, tomorrow, in a few months’ time? And it would, she was sure of that. Yes, she could see so many happy couples walking alongside her in this parade – Elsie and Ian, Diane and Harry, Molly and Jude, the list went on, but she’d grown up in a household where her parents hadn’t got along, had barely tolerated each other. What if that meant she couldn’t be happy? That she couldn’t fall in love?

She shook her head and tried to focus on singing, but the doubts just kept tugging at the edge of her mind. Cathy was happy. She was married. It could happen. But that was Cathy. She’d always been the more positive one of the two of them. She’d always had a half-glass-full kind of attitude. And then there was her, Robyn, who hadn’t dared even try to get into a relationship for forever.

‘Hey, there you are,’ Jasper’s voice whispered from her side as he weaved through the crowd until he was walking next to her. He grinned across at her as he laid his arm around her waist, falling in step with her, and began to sing.

Glancing at him, she smiled as the fear which had been creeping in was pushed away again. Things would be okay.

Chapter Twenty Two

Robyn glanced across at Jasper as she helped him serve mulled cider from his stall on the beach. The bonfire next to them gave off a warm glow of heat in the otherwise cold evening and Robyn watched as children darted through the gentle waves lapping gently at the shore, still clinging onto their lanterns, while their parents stood huddled in groups watching on, holding paper cups of mulled cider, mulled wine or hot chocolate to warm their hands.

‘Thank you, love.’ Elsie took the mulled cider from Robyn’s hand. ‘We’ve had so many comments about how wonderful the grotto looked today.’

Robyn smiled. ‘Really?’

‘Yes, all thanks to you and your decorating skills, love.’

‘Thanks.’ Robyn grinned as she remembered the shrieks of delight from the children decorating their lanterns at the bakery when Santa had arrived.

‘Make sure you get yourself one of these, too.’ Elsie held up her cup of mulled cider. ‘It’s delicious.’

‘I will.’ Robyn waved as she headed back towards Ian, Wendy, Connor and little Hudson. Just as she turned to another customer, her mobile rang from her pocket.

‘You get that, Robyn. I’ll finish off here. We’re almost out, anyway.’ Jasper grinned as he filled another cup.

‘Are you sure?’ Pulling her mobile from her pocket, she glanced at the screen. It was Cathy.

‘Yep. And thank you so much for helping. I owe you.’ Jasper leaned over and kissed her on top of the forehead. ‘I’ll find you on the beach when I finish here, shall I?’

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