Page 31 of Christmas Joy at the Cornish Bakery

Jasper kissed her on top of her head. ‘It’s beautiful, isn’t it?’

Nodding, Robyn gripped his hands around her waist. She didn’t want to let him go. She didn’t want to walk away, but he was a good person and more than anything, she didn’t want to lead him on, cause him any hurt. She spoke before she could convince herself otherwise. ‘This isn’t going to work.’

‘Sorry?’

She felt jasper tense behind her, his arms still around her waist. She gripped his hands tighter and leaned her head back against his chest as tears began to stream down her face. Now she’d made the decision she knew it would be for the best, however awful she felt – for him and for herself. ‘Us. We won’t work.’

‘Why not?’

He wasn’t making this easy, not holding her as he was. She was fighting against every fibre in her body not to just turn around, tell him she’d got it wrong and kiss him. She swallowed; her eyes fixed on a small boat meandering across the water just outside of the bay. ‘Because I can’t give you what you want.’

‘What I want?’ His voice cracked. ‘All I want is you. I want to see where things go with you. Nothing else.’

She swallowed a sob. ‘But I can’t. Everything comes to an end. It just does and it’ll be better for the both of us if we don’t try in the first place.’

‘Robyn, please...’

‘No.’ Robyn turned in his arms, cupping his cheeks with her hands. ‘I’m sorry, Jasper, but this is for the best.’ Leaning forward, she gently kissed him on the lips before walking away.

Chapter Twenty Three

Robyn rolled over and picked up her mobile, checking to see who it was before she answered. It was Cathy. Turning the sound off, she placed it face down on the pillow next to her before reaching up and stretching her arms above her head.

She didn’t feel as though she’d had a minute’s worth of sleep. Not last night and not the night before, either. Ever since ending things with Jasper, all shed done was to battle with her decision in her mind.

It had been the right thig to do. To end things before either of them got hurt. So why did she feel so awful about it? Why did she feel so lost without him? It wasn’t as though they’d even been properly dating. They’d only been seeing each other a few days, but there had been something there, something she hadn’t even begun to feel with anyone else before.

Christmas Eve had gone by in a flash. Likely because she’d used all of her energy to stop herself from bursting out crying and forced herself to think of other things than Jasper and the mess she’d made of everything. But despite serving customers in the morning, most of which had either popped by to wish them Merry Christmas or to pick up treats they’d ordered weeks before, and spending the evening at the pub with Elsie, Ian, Brooke and Max before the church Christmas service, she’d still not been able to shake the feeling that she’d made a huge mistake.

But today was a new day. Maybe today she’d be kinder to herself and realise she’d done the right thing in ending things.After all, today was Christmas day and miracles were supposed to happen.

Forcing herself out of bed, Robyn threw on some jeans and a t-shirt before she ventured through to the living room. It was empty, the colourful lights adorning the tree illuminating the quiet space. Where were Elsie and Ian? Surely they wouldn’t be baking today of all days? But if they were, then she needed to help.

As she reached the small hallway at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the flat above the bakery, she placed her hand on the door handle, pausing before she opened it. There were people in the bakery. She could just about make out their hushed whispers. Opening the door, she stepped inside, surprised that the lights were out. As soon as the door behind her closed, the lights came on and Ian, Brooke, Diane, harry, Molly, Wendy and so many other people, some who she had met and others whom she hadn’t met jumped up, waving their arms and shouting ‘Happy birthday, Robyn!’

Standing still, watching the excitement unfold in front of her, Robyn felt a strange tingle running up her back. It was for her; Elsie had organised this surprise for her. She watched as the kitchen door opened and Elsie walked through, making her way towards Robyn, a huge cake emblazoned with red, yellow and blue fondant balloons and bright yellow flaming candles.

The lights went back out again as everyone began singing, ‘Happy birthday to you’ at the tops of their voices.

Holding her hand to her chest, Robyn fought back happy tears as she grinned around the room.

‘Blow them out. You can blow out the candles now!’ Pippa skipped up to her, clapping her hands together. ‘Remember to make a wish.’

Biting down on her bottom lip, Robyn lowered herself in front of the cake, knowing instantly what she wanted to wish for.Muttering under her breath, ‘I wish I could believe in true love’, she then blew out the candles as applause erupted around her.

‘Happy birthday, love.’ Elsie slid the cake onto the bakery counter before drawing her in for a hug.

‘Thank you. Thank you so much.’ Robyn whispered against Elsie’s shoulder.

‘You’re very welcome, love. Now come and meet everyone. I think there may just be a few faces you won’t recognise.’

Robyn grinned. Now that was an under exaggeration. Who were all these people?

Standing by the bakery window, Robyn held her mobile against her ear as she watched as Elsie’s bakery family – past volunteers and their families and partners – chattered as they ate their roast dinners. Blinking, she focused on what Cathy was trying to tell her on the phone. ‘Sorry, say that again.’

Cathy laughed down the line. ‘You can’t believe it either, can you?’

‘Uh, no.’ Robyn drew a star in the condensation on the window. She didn’t tell her sister that she’d been a million miles away, reliving her break up with Jasper and that she’d not been paying attention.

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