Page 26 of Go Cook Yourself

“I couldn’t pass my test with a clutch, and I don’t know why. I guess some things don’t always click in my head. My grandad taught me to drive in the old cookery school van, but in the end, he gave up, and I drove grandma’s funky automatic mini.”

He gives one last bite of the mouth guard he sneaked into his mouth for a couple of minutes when we left the cookery school before slipping it into its case. A grinding teeth problem would explain the strip of gum he puts in his mouth every time he sees me.

“Were you close to your grandparents? Amber mentioned they helped your parents start the original school.”

“Yeah, Grandad built it with help in Mum and Dad’s garden. He was a carpenter. Grandma was the first chef.”

“Was she a hard ass, too?” My eyes flicker as I stare at him. My heart jumps, my skin tingles, and I press my lips together to stop smiling. “I mean, like me. Chefs and all that,” he stutters.

“Oh.” I douse my belly fire. “She had her moments, but she wasn’t anywhere near as bad as you.” I offer a smile aiming for a joke between acquaintances rather than a tease. I don’t need that flirty banter anymore, though I want it.

He smiles, too. “But Chantelle, who is a cow, by the way, said something about their funeral? When did they die? Is that okay to ask?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. They died a couple of years ago.” The funeral still leaves a sour taste in my mouth. It was the last time I came home. Neil was meant to join me, but as we were about to leave home, he started a fight and left me to go alone. It was probably better to be there without him, especially as there were alwaysdifficulties between him and my family, but I needed someone to be there for me that day. “Grandma died in the morning, and the next day, Grandad died in his sleep. The doctors said his heart just stopped.”

“I’m sorry.”

I pick at my plaster. “It’s okay, but thanks. It was kind of for the best that they died at the same time. There’s something called broken heart syndrome, and people do die from it. It’s like his heart couldn’t cope without her. That was my grandparents, though. They met in their early twenties and fell in love—the sort of epic love that most of us dream about. They were hilarious together, always cheeking each other, and my grandma had more sass than me.”

“Surely not?” The corner of his lips turn up, and mine do the same.

“I know. Who would have thought that was possible? I get my attitude from her.”

“I can’t imagine having that level of love for anyone other than Cookie. I’m not sure if I’m capable of it.”

“Me neither. I certainly didn’t feel like that about my ex, Neil.” I cover my mouth. I barely know Garett, but maybe that’s why I said it. He doesn’t know me, and he isn’t a member of my family. It’s not like I have anyone else in my world.

A silence settles in the car, and I don’t like it. It’s giving me too many thoughts about my revelation. It’s the first time I’ve publicly admitted that my love for Neil was something painfully short of epic. It wasn’t the sort of love I wanted.

“May I?” My fingers are on the heater dial. I need to erase the chill that’s settled in my bones.

“Sure,” he replies. Maybe he sees my hand tremble as I twist the dial because he keeps talking. “What happened with Neil? You don’t have to answer, but I was curious what brought you home so quickly.”

His jaw is so tight it could cut glass. I stare out the window. In the reflection of the glass, Garett slides a strip of gum in his mouth.

“He cheated on me with my business partner.” Talk about the abridged version. I pull the elastic out of my hair and let it flow across my shoulders before using my fingers to work through the tangles from the day. “It’s why I want to do Clive Macdonald’s competition. I want to start my own business in a year. This will help me get my name out there. I don’t want to go backwards. The cookery school isn’t mine. It’s Amber’s name on it.”

“But—”

“It’s a long story. Ultimately, I need to give myself a future and prove to my family that I’m back and can be here for them. I think Amber could do with the money for the twins, too.”

Garett is quiet. I can hear his gum chewing from here.

I must’ve made him angry by mentioning the competition again. I wasn’t doing it to upset him, but I was trying to avoid more discussion about Neil and open up a bit. Garett can be relatively easy to talk to, and I miss having someone to chat to.

The For Sale sign on the pub near the school is tilted at an angle. The pub is a beautiful Cotswold building filled with low original beams and an original fireplace. I remember when Mum and Dad took us there for dinner when they first discussed opening a new cookery school. The owner was a family friend. It was a treat, and Grandma and Grandad laughed at Jem’s jokes. I miss those days. I’ll never get them back.

Chapter Fifteen

Garett

My shoulders hunch. I grip the steering wheel and chew gum like it’s my nemesis as I contemplate what Ruby has told me. I understand the need to be self-sufficient, but helping her is a considerable risk. I’ve learnt the hard way that Clive can’t be trusted, but there are things I could put in place to offset risk.

Her family have given me a temporary future. I owe them for that. If they hadn’t, then I hate to think where I’d be.

Thoughts swirl as I turn into the cookery school car park.

Ruby has a history that I’m curious about, and she deserves to have someone on her side. Maybe I can be that person between now and Christmas. It might be fun to teach someone as keen to learn and as skilful as she is.

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